Namche Bazaar: The Gateway to Everest

Namche Bazaar is a small town situated on a remote hillside. It’s one of the highest settlements in Nepal, offering panoramic views of the peaks in the Mahalangur Range, including the world’s highest peak, Mt. Everest, standing at an elevation of 8,848.86 m (29,031.69 ft).

The town is also famous for two other titles: it is the Sherpa capital because it serves as the hub of the Sherpa community, culture, and trade. The entire area is filled with colourful markets and hotels. The other is known as the Gateway to Everest, as it lies on the trail that leads to Everest Base Camp, where climbers begin their daring ascent to create a record and etch their names in the history books.

Nevertheless, you’ll be amazed after visiting there for sure. The word ‘disappointment’ doesn’t exist in this place. I say it’s one of the must-visit places in the world.

Today, in this blog, you will learn about this stunning hill town in detail. I’ve prepared all the required information below, and you can certainly make a plan to visit there very soon after reading it thoroughly. You can thank me later for introducing you to this little piece of heaven.

History Of Namche Bazaar

It is believed that Namche Bazaar was originally a trading hub between Nepal and Tibet during the 15th century. Goods, such as yak milk, salt, tea, rice, grain, and wool, were exchanged by Sherpa and Tibetan traders in this place at that time.

It also served as a stopping point for devotees heading to Lhasa on pilgrimage. As time passed, a settlement slowly developed here.

In 1953, after the first ever successful expedition to Everest by the team of the Late Sir Edmund Hillary, along with the Late Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, Namche gained popularity. From 1960 onward, tourism began to increase in Nepal, and finally, after the establishment of Sagarmatha National Park in 1976, the town experienced a significant rise.

Today, it’s become the stopping point for mountaineers and trekkers, and one of the fancy places at a high-altitude location for an overnight stay. All while preserving Sherpa’s unique culture and traditions, it offers hotel businesses, shops, museums, etc., all with modern amenities.

Where Is Namche Bazaar Located?

Namche Bazaar is located in the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality, Solukhumbu District, Koshi Province, eastern Nepal. The entire town lies within the boundaries of Sagarmatha National Park, one of the country's UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The Sherpa town is 13 km (8 mi) away from one of the world’s most dangerous airports, Tenzing-Hillary Airport, also simply known as Lukla Airport. It usually takes two days of hiking to reach from airport by crossing through multiple villages and the suspension bridge above the Dudh Koshi River.

Namche Bazaar Altitude

As stated earlier, Namche Bazaar is one of the high-altitude settlements in Nepal. The place sits at an elevation of 3,440 m (11,286.09 ft). It’ll stun you, as there are enough hotels from basic to standard, markets, a monastery, a school, a hospital, a museum, etc., like in the city areas.

Namche Bazaar Acclimatization

Namche Bazaar is the ideal place to acclimatise your body if you’re in the Khumbu Region for trekking to the Everest Base Camp or Gokyo Valley, as it is a wise idea to spend an extra day in the same place once you reach 3,000 m (9,842.52) or above.

Most trekkers go for a short hike to the highest placed hotel in the world, Hotel Everest View, situated at 3,962.4 m (13,000 ft) during the acclimatisation day. From there, you can experience stunning peaks, such as Lhotse (8,516 m/27,940 ft), Ama Dablam (6,812 m/22,349 ft), and others, including Mount Everest.

Namche Bazaar Accommodation

Speaking of accommodation, you’ll find plenty of hotels and tea houses there. From basic budget to luxury, whichever you want, you may have your overnight stay in either of these hotels. All these hotel businesses are equipped with basic amenities, such as electricity, internet, and hot showers.

These hotels and teahouses provides accommodation for trekkers trekking towards the EBC or other Everest region treks.

They've also provided Western cuisine options on the menu, along with local foods. You can order food according to your taste. However, we highly recommend you try local foods, such as dal bhat, momo, chowmein, thukpa, etc., while you’re in Nepal.

Another interesting thing in this town is that there’s also a live music bar, The Hungry Yak, which is also considered the world’s highest live music bar. During the Everest Trek, Namche Bazaar receives trekkers on two different occasions, one while heading to the base camp and another after completing the trip. Most trekkers visit this bar to celebrate their successful journey with some Western music.

Below is the breakdown of the hotel’s class:

Basic Budget Tea Houses

Such tea houses are mostly preferred by hikers during the EBC Trek due to their affordable price. For just USD 5 to 15 per night, you can have hygienic food and basic rooms with twin beds and enough blankets.

However, the attached bathroom isn’t available in such tea houses. You have to manage with a shared bathroom.

Mid-Range Lodges

These lodges provide a bit more facilities than the basic budget tea houses. You can have a room for USD 15 to 50 per night. In terms of rooms, they have some private rooms with attached bathrooms as an available option.

Luxury Hotels

These hotels are for those who don’t care about price but just seek highly standard facilities. They charge USD 50 to 200 per night for rooms.

Depending on your budget, you can have rooms with attached bathrooms or without. Additionally, they’ve private heated rooms with heated beds and blankets.

Other Available Facilities In Namche Bazaar

Banking And ATMs

Nepal’s top banks, Nabil and Everest, have branches in this high-altitude town. These banks also offer ATM service. You can withdraw cash as per your need.

There’s also the availability of a money exchange shop here. Some hotels and lodges also provide this service to tourists.

But since it’s not exactly a city like Kathmandu, you might face a problem sometimes when withdrawing cash from an ATM and exchanging currencies. Therefore, I highly suggest that you withdraw enough cash while you’re in the capital city.

Health Service

In such a high-altitude location, it is difficult to find medical and emergency services in other remote parts of the country. Anyway, here, such services and facilities are available in case of an emergency, like altitude sickness.

The Himalayan Rescue Association (HRA) has an aid-post here, and they provide needed treatment to tourists, especially in cases of altitude sickness. There are also pharmacies available, where you can buy medicines. Even if the case gets serious, there’s a hospital in the nearby village, Khunde, about which you’ll get short details in the section below.

Trekking Gear Store

Namche is also renowned as the last-minute stop for adventure lovers, as there’s the availability of multiple trekking shops. You can purchase some equipment for your Everest Trek or Expedition if there’s anything left to pack in our backpack. Nevertheless, buy everything that you’ll need for your journey in your hometown or in Kathmandu, because things are a bit expensive here.

Trekking Guide And Porter Service

Under the new law by Nepal’s government, you ain’t allowed to enjoy a solo trek. Not only in the Khumbu Region, but anywhere in the country, and it’s for your safety.

You need to hire a guide to accomplish your mission in Namche. A guide not only leads you to your destination but also gives you information about the places. Also, if you think you cannot carry your heavy belongings during the trek, you can hire a porter to carry your backpack in Namche.

Electricity, Internet, And Communication

About electricity and the internet in the town, you are already aware. You don’t need to worry about charging your gadgets and staying in touch with your loved ones while you’re enjoying your time here.

Speaking of telecommunication, yes, it’s also available there. Nepal’s top telecoms, NTC and Ncell, have their network in the area.

You might find their network coverage and services a bit weaker compared to cities. You can, however, still rely on it and contact your person through a phone call. About buying a SIM card, I’d like to suggest NTC, as they’ve better network coverage in remote or high-altitude areas than Ncell.

Is Everest Visible From Namchhe Bazaar

Mt. Everest is visible from Namche Bazaar. However, it ain’t directly visible from the town due to other nearby peaks. To experience the magnificent views of the world’s highest peak, you’ll need to go for a short hike to the Hotel Everest View, where you can fulfil your dream.

What Is The Weather Like In Namche Bazaar?

Namche Bazaar is in Solukhumbu, and since the district lies in the Himalayan region of Nepal, the town experiences mostly cold weather. Even during summertime, the weather is cold at night and in the early morning. In the day, it’s mostly sunny and the weather is neither hot nor cold, just cool.

Refer to the table below for detailed information about the weather in the town, broken down by season:

 

Season	Months	Temperature (Day and Night)	Conditions
Winter	December-February	Below 0°C. In the day, -1°C  to 2 °C and at night, -7 °C  to -12 °C or even lower sometimes.	Mostly snowfall, freezing and dry, clear skies, but cold conditions, trails mostly likely to be icy, slippery, and less accessible.
Spring	March-May	In the day, 0 °C to 3-5 °C and at night, -9°C to -1°C.	Mild rainfall starting in April-May, rising humidity, and mostly foggy in the morning.
Monsoon	June-August	In the day, 6-7°C and at night, 3-6°C.	Heavy rainfall, high humidity, mostly cloudy, slippery routes, and lesser visibility.
Autumn	September-November	In the day, 5-6°C and at night, -2°C to 3°C	Lesser chance for rainfall, low humidity, the best weather for trekking, and mostly clear skies.

Please note that whichever season you’re planning to visit Namche Bazaar, you shouldn’t ignore the weather forecast. The weather has no guarantee and can go bad at any time, even during the favourable seasons, spring and autumn. So, when you make a plan, you also stay tuned with the forecast for the date of your journey and even during your stay in the Sherpa town, daily.

Things To Do In Namche Bazaar

Several things you can do here in Namche Bazaar, from shopping to strolling to short hiking. Anyway, some best spots to visit and activities you can do here during your stay are listed below:

Visit Sagarmatha National Park Visitor Centre

The park centre displays the Himalayan Flora (fir, blue pine, rhododendron, etc.) and Fauna (snow leopard, red panda, wild yak, etc.). You can get all the information about the protected area and ecosystem of the Khumbu Region here. From its area, you can view the peaks: Everest (8,848.86 m/29,031.69 ft), Nuptse (7,861 m/25,790.68 ft), Ama Dablam (6,812 m/22,349 ft), Thamserku (6,608 m/21,679.79 ft), and others.

Visit Sherpa Museum

It’s the place where you can learn about the mountaineering history of the Sherpas, their culture, and lifestyle. You can witness all the tools that were used by veteran Sherpa climbers during the early days, and images of the early Everest summit.

There’s also a statue of the Late Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, the 1st person to set foot on the summit of the world’s highest peak, outside the museum with Everest and other neighbouring peaks in the background. It’s one of the major attractions of this spot.

Visit Namche Monastery

The monastery is also known as Namche Gompa, a spiritual place in the area. It holds several festivals and cultural programs throughout the year, and also a school of Buddhism. By visiting here, you can experience your inner peace and learn some basics regarding Buddhism.

Hike To The Hotel Everest View And Nearby Villages

About hiking to the Hotel Everest View, we’ve already discussed in one of the sections above. Therefore, you’re already aware of the hotel and the view you’ll obtain once you arrive there.

Let’s talk about some other hiking destinations you can go to from Namche Bazaar. There are several villages nearby that are famous for the Sherpa’s lifestyle and their culture, where you can stroll around, which can be reached by walking for a few hours.

These villages are also renowned for some other things besides their culture and traditions. They’re as follows:

• Syangboche: Famous for having a domestic airport, located at 3,780 m (12,402 ft), which is currently not in operation. Anyway, helicopters and some small planes still use the track.
• Thame: Situated at 3,800 meters (12,467 feet), and home to several popular climbers, including Apa Sherpa. Also, famous for the closer view of the Mahalangur Range.
• Khumjung: Sits at 3,790 m (12,434.38 ft), and is renowned for the traditional monastery, Khumjung Secondary School (a high-altitude school in Nepal built by the Late Sir Edmund Hillary in 1961), and an exceptional view of Ama Dablam.
• Khunde: Located at 3,840 m (12,598 ft), and is popular for having the Khunde Hospital, founded by the Late Sir Edmund Hillary in 1966 to help the local community.
• Tengboche: Famous for Tengboche Monastery (also known as Dawa Choling Gompa or Thyangboche Monastery) at 3,867 m (12,687 ft), built by Lama Gulu in 1916. It’s believed that the monastery is strongly related to the Rongbuk Monastery in Tibet and is considered its mother monastery.

Explore The Saturday Market

If you reach the Sherpa capital on Friday. Then, the following day, there’s a weekly market fair that excites the entire area, which lasts from morning to evening.

The Saturday Market takes place in the town centre, where Tibetan and local traders from neighbouring villages set up their stalls and present their goods to draw the attention of potential customers. You may stroll around the market that day and buy some local products to bring back home as a memory.

Trekking Equipment Shopping

There are several trekking gear shops available in the town. Thus, you can purchase some equipment required for hiking in case you’ve forgotten any stuff to pack when leaving your home for trekking in the Everest Region. After Namche Bazaar, there are no such facilities available.

How To Reach Namche Bazaar From Kathmandu?

There are several ways to reach Namche Bazaar from Kathmandu: by flight, public vehicle, and helicopter. Most tourists take the flight option and land at Lukla Airport first, and they hike from there to Namche Bazaar by passing through Phakding (2,610 m/8,560 ft). Doing so takes a day to reach this stunning high-altitude town.

For the flight, you can get a direct flight from Kathmandu. However, during peak season, it's hard to find a direct flight.

Alternatively, most tourists travel to Manthali Airport in Ramechhap by vehicle, taking approximately 5 hours, and then catch a 20-minute flight to Lukla. It’s the easiest way to travel. Nevertheless, whether you fly from Kathmandu or Ramechhap, it’s always better to book your seat as early as possible.

The other option is a public vehicle. It is the cheapest way to reach Namche Bazaar. Travelling by vehicle from Kathmandu, you’ll reach the place called Surke, not Lukla.

From there, you’ll need to hike to the Gateway to Everest via Phakding. However, very few prefer this option because it takes around 24 hours to reach Surke, where you’ll travel all through off-road.

The last option is a heli ride, direct from Kathmandu to the Namche Bazaar. It’s the hassle-free option available for tourists.

You can reach the Sherpa capital in 45 minutes. But it’s way too expensive. Hence, if you can afford it, you can fly on a Helicopter directly to your destination.