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Things to do in Namche Bazar
Thinking about going to Namche Bazaar but can’t quite tell if it will simply be another scenic journey in Nepal or an adventure that will leave you dropping to your knees by the end of it? Well, you would not be wrong if you’re thinking either! The latter part might not be the case given it’s easier to forget the pain in your knees when surrounded by a heavenly view of the tallest mountains in the world, lively Sherpa households, busy markets, vibrant culture, and some peaceful monasteries. Whether or not you’re going there as a part of your journey or with it being your final destination, there are so many things to do in Namche Bazaar.
In fact, for trekkers who seek more than just an adventure during their journey to the Everest Base Camp or the Everest region, in general, Namche Bazaar is a blessing and a perfect way to productively pass your time, even if it’s for just a day. The tiny town that once served as a trading point has now become a trading point and the world’s most popular trekking hub that promotes the unique Sherpa culture. To know more about this town and the things to do in Namche Bazaar, be sure to read till the end of this article!
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Good Experience of Himalaya trip’s EBC trek – 12 days
It is amazing and good experience to join Himalaya trip’s EBC trek – 12 days. The tour guard – Jay and the porters are well arrangement and caring. They skillfully managed our changing circumstances and ensured our safety. And, really appreciate their efforts in making the trip a success.
Unforgettable Everest Base Camp Trek with Jay and His Amazing Team!
I recently completed a 12-day Everest Base Camp trek that left me speechless, thanks to the exceptional guidance and care provided by Jay, our guide, and his remarkable porter team. Jay’s thoughtfulness, professionalism, and adaptability were evident throughout the journey as he went above and beyond to ensure our safety and enjoyment. His extensive knowledge of the region and ability to provide alternative options based on different scenarios were invaluable. The porters were incredible too, carrying our loads with diligence and always greeting us with warmth. Together, Jay and the porters formed a fantastic team that made the entire experience seamless and joyous. I highly recommend Jay and his team to anyone planning an Everest Base Camp trek. Their expertise, care, and positive energy will make your adventure truly unforgettable. Thank you, Jay, and the incredible porter team, for an incredible journey!
Unforgettable EBC Trek with Jay
I recently completed a 12-day Everest Base Camp trek that left me speechless, thanks to the exceptional guidance and care provided by Jay, our guide, and his remarkable porter team. Jay’s thoughtfulness, professionalism, and adaptability were evident throughout the journey as he went above and beyond to ensure our safety and enjoyment. His extensive knowledge of the region and ability to provide alternative options based on different scenarios were invaluable. The porters were incredible too, carrying our loads with diligence and always greeting us with warmth. Together, Jay and the porters formed a fantastic team that made the entire experience seamless and joyous. I highly recommend Jay and his team to anyone planning an Everest Base Camp trek. Their expertise, care, and positive energy will make your adventure truly unforgettable. Thank you, Jay, and the incredible porter team, for an incredible journey!
Hong Kong, 2024
Everest Base Camp Trekking – 12 Days
Was referred to Harka by a friend who had done the 12 Days EBC Trek a few months before, and he was very easy to contact and quick to respond. We were a bit uneasy about booking with someone from the other side of the world, but Harka proved himself to be honest, professional, and reputable while organising our trip for us. Once we were in Kathmandu, he was easy to meet up with and was quick to help us out with anything we needed. Our guide, Mr. Dil, who met us in Lukla, was what really made our trip as amazing as it was. He was extremely knowledgable on the mountains and mountain passes, as well as getting us into tea houses and our flight home. He was very professional, friendly, and easy to work with, even though his English was a bit broken. Overall, it was an incredible trip, and I wouldn’t hesitate to book with Harka again. If you do the EBC, ask for Dil, he’s the man.
Canada, November 2018
Private trek to Everest Base Camp
I booked a private trek to Everest Base Camp so it was just myself and my guide / porter trekking together for 12 days. As a solo traveller I always invest a lot of time in to researching the company I book with, it was important to me to do this with a Nepalese tour company and the previous reviews were so encouraging and positive I decided to contact Himalaya Trip to see what they had to offer.
Harka responded almost immediately despite the time difference and sent me detailed information on the Everest Base Camp trek. He answered all my questions and always replied quickly which continued to give me confidence. They were also very competitively priced compared to other local companies and along with the great reviews I had a good feeling that Harka and his team would be the ones to get me to EBC.
Harka met me at the airport, took me to my hotel and helped get me any last minute bits I needed for the trek in Kathmandu. He made everything very easy and I felt safe and reassured the whole time which is important to me as a solo female traveller.
My guide / porter was called Dil and he was the man I was spending 12 days with trekking to EBC. Dil was fantastic, he looked out for me every step of the way, regularly checking in to ensure I was ok and did everything to make my experience on the trek as comfortable and as safe as possible. Dil was so knowledgable about the area and the mountains he would point out everything along the way. Despite him speaking broken English we could quite easily chat and communicate without any problems.
The trek was an incredible experience and one of the toughest yet most amazing things I’ve ever done and part of that was down to the efficiency and professionalism of Harka and his team. I didn’t have to worry or think about a thing, just getting to EBC.
UK, Nov 2018
Great time on my walk to Everest Base Camp
I had a great time on my walk to Everest Base Camp from Himalaya Trip Team.
I have many positive comments and the main ones are:
– You were very efficient and helpful before I arrived, answering all my questions promptly and effectively so I knew what to expect when I arrived.
– I was met at the airport as planned, had a good briefing from you at the hotel and the hotel was comfortable.
– Everything happened as planned and it was a good timetable enabling me to to walk at my own pace and to properly acclimatise to altitude on the way up.
– My guide, Om Gurung, was excellent and very attentive. He obtained single accommodation for me every night and always checked that I had everything I needed before he looked after himself. When I was unwell on the way down he carefully monitored me, gave me throat tablets and did everything he could to ensure I was comfortable.
– My porter, Bikas, also did a very good job and was always helpful and pleasant.
– The standard of the lodges was good. The only comment is that often the washing facilities were sometimes very limited and at some lodges only consisted of a tap low down beside the toilet! This is not a comment about your company as I think it applies whichever company one uses. It is just difficult to understand why the washing facilities are often so limited and in short supply when all other features of the lodges are very comfortable!
– The price of the trek was competitive compared to some companies but the standard of care was equally good.
Uk, November 8, 2019
Trek to Everest Base Camp Experience
We had used Harka and his team previously in 2014 so knew to expect great service! Jay as guide and vicus as porter we had a private trek on EBC trek ! We had extreme weather conditions and jay made sure we stayed safe at all times !
Australia, March 2023
Good Experience of Himalaya trip’s EBC trek
It is amazing and good experience to join Himalaya trip’s EBC trek – 12 days. The tour guard – Jay and the porters are well arrangement and caring. They skillfully managed our changing circumstances and ensured our safety. And, really appreciate their efforts in making the trip a success.
Hong Kong, 04/2024
5 Best Things to Do in Namche Bazar
When you’re in Namche Bazaar, you will be heavily missing out on the beauty of the surroundings and the liveliness of the marketplace in general if you consider the location just another stop for acclimatization. Namche Bazaar gives you more to explore than any other Everest region location when it comes to attractions like the Sherpa culture museum, visiting local monasteries, the Tibetan market in Namche, and panoramic views of Everest (while you rest in your hotel!).
And, it is not every day that you can be super close to Mount Everest while sipping on your yak butter tea or drinking a glass of beer from the highest Irish pub in the world with your pals in a remote town in Nepal.
Also, trekkers on the go who have not appropriately prepared for their trek can benefit when they visit Namche Bazaar. You can tour the Saturday market to fetch trekking gear and equipment, shop for souvenirs, or learn and explore traditional Sherpa culture. The people in the Sherpa village are very hospitable, which makes your visit all the more fun and smooth. You will get the most stunning views of wildlife when you visit Sagarmatha National Park, which is very close to the town. The following are some of the best things to do in Namche Bazaar:
Start your day at Namche Monastery.
Trekkers will start their day at Namche Monastery, a Buddhist monastery filled with the vibrance of prayer flags, opportunities to explore high-altitude spirituality, and the discovery of mountain rituals. Because of these aspects, a visit to Namche can be mentally and spiritually engaging. Starting your day off at the monastery can further fill your entire day with positivity. Further, spending the morning where monks still perform ancient rituals, a hub of positive aura in the Himalayan shadow, can truly transform you from within.
Hike to the panoramic ridge for a sunrise Everest view.
A short yet steep hike from Namche Bazaar towards the Everest View Hotel at 3,880 m can offer you the most phenomenal sunrise over Everest. You can enjoy the beauty of not just Mount Everest but also that of Thamserkhu, Ama Dablam, Mount Lhotse, etc., from here. It can be taken as a simple hike that is very rewarding without being too challenging.
Everest Base Camp Trek
12 Days
Adventure Treks
USD 1,199 per person
Explore Sherpa heritage at the cultural museum.
Understandably, trekkers want more than just the Himalayan view. That’s what the Sherpa Culture Museum is for. 10-time Everest summiteer and mountaineer Ang Rita Sherpa established this museum. In this Sherpa museum, you will find a lot about mountaineering legends, including Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Sir Edmund Hillary. The museum strengthens the beauty of the mountaineering history in the Everest region with artifacts, gear, etc. from the bygone days. Moreover, trekkers can also learn about the Sherpa people, in general, and their heritage here.
Learn mountain safety tips from local guides.
Before you begin your journey towards Namche Bazaar, you must learn about mountain safety tips from the local guides. If you’re not meeting them before your journey begins, you can talk to them as you trek. The guides not only train you surfacely but also help you prepare like a Sherpa, to the extent that you’ll expect them to teach you how to read the clouds above the Khumbu region.
Acclimatizing, wearing shoes that have been worn before for trekking, carrying enough gear, keeping a track of the weather for the day, and following your guide’s advice and direction can be beneficial.
Try yak butter tea
Yak butter tea is a specialty available in Namche. With its smoky, buttery, thick, and oily flavour, this local cuisine has been cherished by the Sherpa people of the Everest region for centuries. The locals have been drinking this tea as a traditional drink for a long time. Today, as trekking activities in Namche Bazaar keep growing, this tea has become a part of the Sherpa hospitality you’ll receive. Still wondering which high-altitude food (or drink) you should try to better settle in your journey to Namche? This is the one!
How to reach Namche Bazaar
You can catch a flight to Lukla from Kathmandu. The flight of around 30 to 40 minutes will make you feel like you’re on top of the world as you pass the Himalayan view (and you will be!). Then, you will stop at Phakding before you begin your Dudh Koshi river trek. Phakding is a quaint village where many adventurers stay overnight each day before they continue their trek to Mount Everest or shorter hikes close to Namche or towards Namche.
Trekkers will further pass several suspension bridges along the way. While the high-altitude trek can be physically demanding, you will get the most spectacular view of Mount Everest. You can stay in charming villages overnight, including Phakding and Namche Bazaar. It will take you 2 days to reach the heart of Khumbu. And suppose time allows or you’re open to an even more interesting experience. In that case, you can stop by the holy Khumjung monastery, which also houses a mysterious scalp considered to be that of a “yeti“.
Why Namche Bazaar is the soul of the Everest region
Namche Bazaar is considered the soul of the Everest region for the fairest possible reasons. Let us tell you why:
- The meeting point for global trekkers is that there is no Everest expedition without a stay in Namche Bazaar. Hence, as you stay a few nights in Namche Bazaar, you will meet trekkers worldwide.
- Center of superb amenities in the remote Himalayas: Exploring Namche Bazaar will allow you to enjoy comfortable amenities even in the remote Himalayan region of Nepal without compromise. While this may seem uncommon for a remote trekker, Namche Bazaar can become an exception!
- Stock of supplies: Forgot to carry essential gear and equipment before trekking to Everest? Namche Bazaar has your back, explorer! You can find all the gear and supplies you want in the marketplace, and the Saturday market lets you buy whatever possible things you may need in your journey in the days to come.
- Interaction with Sherpa lifestyle: Namche Bazaar offers a phenomenal, unique cultural experience with a close interaction with the Sherpa lifestyle. If you’re staying for a tea in a traditional Sherpa home, even for a short while, you’ll know better about their unique way of life. And, it becomes an experience in itself.
- Stay at the tallest hotel in the world: You can get the most stunning views of Mount Everest from the tallest hotel in the world, the Everest View Hotel. When you wake up in the morning, you will be welcomed by warm sunshine paired with scenery of the mountains and the lively Sherpa villages and marketplace in Namche.
- First proper view of Mount Everest: Before you hike to Namche Bazaar, you won’t get a clearer view. However, once you’ve reached the marketplace, you will be immersed in the closest first view of Mount Everest, the tallest peak in the world, and the dream summit of mountaineers worldwide.
Conclusion
Namche Bazaar is a must-visit destination if you’re going to the Everest region. Namche Bazaar has something no other landmark in the Everest region trek has. Trekkers always have a legend to tell when they return home from the trek in the Everest region, going even only up to Namche Bazaar can leave you with hundreds of stories within a stay of 2 days to a week. And, like an odd yet fascinating dream come true, you can actually be sipping on a glass of beer on Mount Everest (very close).
Namche Bazaar trek is for all types of trekkers because it is not even half as challenging to get there as it is to climb Mount Everest. Yet, you still get to enjoy most of the Himalayan Everest region specialties in this trek. From enjoying yak butter tea at rooftop cafes to traversing through the rich Sherpa culture, or going through the trading past and trekking present, you will find joy in the simplest and most interactive activities. Most of all, when you find the right things to do in Namche Bazaar, you will slow down, take some time off for your spiritual self, and live in the moment amid the Himalayas!
