Nagthali Monastery
Rasuwa District of Nepal
Thought to be one of the oldest monasteries in Nepal, the Nagthali Monastery was lost in the 2015 earthquakes. Located on the Tamang Heritage trail at an elevation of 10,000 feet there is a spectacular panoramic view at Nagthali, a word that in English translates to dish or plate. Once you are at Nagthali the name becomes obvious and appropriate as the location truly looks like a plate, a concave topography that until recent times was part of a spiritual trail between India and Tibet. Monks would stay in the tiny house located nearby the monastery during pilgrimages.
To reach Nagthali you begin in Syabru Bensi and take one of a few possible routes. One path takes you directly up a steep path to the village of Thuman, where there is still an active monastery, and from there you reach Nagthali in a few hours. There are trekking lodges in Thuman as well so you can break the trekking up by spending the night in Thuman and tramping up to Nagthali the following day. On my first trip to Nagthali, in 2007, there was only one place to stay, a rather run down small guest house. Today there are several lodges offering accommodation in Nagthali and while the monastery is no longer a visitors attraction, the views of Langtang, Ganesh Himal, Sishapangma in Tibet and Langtang make it worthwhile to visit.
An alternate route from Syabru Bensi passes through typical Tamang villages like Chilime, then climbs steeply uphill to Tatopani, a village famous for the hot mineral baths located there. Nepal people often seek out the therapeutic value of the hot springs for a variety of ailments. There are several lodges to choose from in Tatopani and it's well worth it to spend a day relaxing in the healing waters before making the half-day trip up to Nagthali. From there, continue on the trail down to Thuman and visit the active monastery before descending to your point of origin, Syabru Bensi and the route back to Kathmandu.
The photo here is one of many I took on a trip around the Tamang Heritage Trail. These photographs create a record of the monastery as it once existed.