Trekking · Phaplu
Numbur Cheese Circuit Trek
An off-beat trek from Phaplu through high yak pastures and cheese-making kharkas beneath Numbur peak in remote Solu.
The Numbur Cheese Circuit is an off-the-beaten-path trek from Phaplu through the remote green-and-white country of upper Solu — a loop of forests, Sherpa villages and high summer yak pastures (kharkas) where herders make traditional Himalayan cheese beneath the soaring pyramid of Numbur peak. Seeing far fewer trekkers than the main Everest trails, it is a rewarding choice for those wanting solitude, pastoral culture and big mountain scenery.
The short answer
Start from Phaplu or nearby villages in lower Solukhumbu, reachable by flight into Phaplu or a long overland jeep ride, then loop up toward the high kharkas and glacial lakes beneath Numbur over roughly a week or more before returning. It is moderately strenuous and remote, best done with a guide and often with camping support.
The route
The circuit climbs from the forested hills above Phaplu through Sherpa and herder settlements into a high world of summer pastures, where families graze yaks and chauri and make cheese and churpi through the warmer months. The trail rises toward passes, ridges and sacred glacial lakes beneath Numbur (6,958 m) and its neighbours, offering raw, uncrowded Himalayan scenery before looping back down to the start. Exact routes vary, and several itineraries combine well with the Pikey Peak trek.
The cheese-making culture
The circuit's name comes from its kharkas — the high pastures where herders move with their animals in summer and turn milk into hard Himalayan cheese and dried churpi, much as they have for generations. Encountering this living pastoral tradition, with its stone huts, grazing yaks and homemade dairy, is one of the trek's great pleasures and a window onto a way of life rarely seen on busier routes.
Difficulty, remoteness and altitude
This is a wilder, harder trek than Pikey Peak, with high passes, basic facilities, limited lodges and long days. It suits fit, experienced trekkers comfortable with rough trails and altitude, ideally travelling with a guide and proper support. Read the national guides to altitude sickness in Nepal and off-the-beaten-path Nepal before committing.
When to go
Stick to the clear, dry seasons — autumn and spring — for views and safe passes; check the best time to visit Phaplu. The high pastures are most alive with herders and animals in the warmer months, but monsoon trekking here is wet and risky.
Good to know
- Duration: Roughly a week or more; a remote loop from the Phaplu area.
- Style: Often guided and camping-supported; lodges are sparse.
- Permits: Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality permit; carry cash and passport copies.
- Plan: See the Everest region treks overview and the Phaplu travel guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Numbur Cheese Circuit?+
The Numbur Cheese Circuit is an off-the-beaten-path trek in the Solu part of Solukhumbu, looping through forests, Sherpa villages and high summer yak pastures, or kharkas, beneath Numbur peak. It is named for the traditional cheese made at the high pastures and sees far fewer trekkers than the main Everest trails.
Where does the Numbur Cheese Circuit start?+
Most itineraries start from Phaplu or nearby villages in lower Solukhumbu, reachable by flight to Phaplu or a long jeep ride from Kathmandu. The route then heads up toward the high kharkas and lakes beneath Numbur before looping back, typically over about a week or more.
How difficult is the Numbur Cheese Circuit?+
It is a moderately strenuous, remote trek with high passes, basic facilities and limited lodges, so many parties go with a guide and camping support. It is best suited to fit, experienced trekkers comfortable with rough trails, altitude and self-sufficiency away from the main routes.
Why is it called the Cheese Circuit?+
The route passes high summer pastures where herders graze yaks, chauri and other livestock and make traditional Himalayan cheese, including hard cheese and churpi. The cheese-making kharkas, set beneath the white pyramid of Numbur, give the circuit its name and much of its character.
