An evening in Tashigaon, the last village

Tashigaon sits at about 2,100 m on a ridge above the Arun's side valleys, the last settlement before the forest and the high passes. It has a few lodges, a small shop, fields of millet and potatoes, and a view down the valley toward Seduwa and Num. Houses are scattered across the slope, with cattle sheds, maize stores and small shrines, and in the evening smoke rises from every kitchen roof.

We arrive in the afternoon and walk the village with our guide. Families here are Sherpa and Rai, and many young men work as porters for the season, while others work abroad. Conversation often turns to the changes the road and trekkers have brought, and to the long walk to school and market. You may be invited into a kitchen for tea, and see how millet is ground and dhido is cooked.

It is also the place to restock and rest before the steep climb to Khongma Danda, which gains about 1,400 m in a day. Buy any last snacks here; there is little for sale above. We repack loads with the porters, check everyone's gear for the cold days ahead, and have an early night. The next morning the forest begins just above the village, and the real climb starts.