Namche Bazaar

Namche Bazaar is one of the main stops on the trail up to Everest Base Camp, and is a great place to spend a day or two. If you climb up to the viewpoint above the village, you will get your first view of Everest. You really feel as if you are deep in the mountains here.If you are in Namche on a Saturday, it is worth visiting the weekly market, where traders from Tibet sell their wares (often Chinese goods) in exchange for Nepali and Indian food and goods brought up from Lukla by lowland porters.

The village is located on crescent shaped mountain slopes that offer stunning views of the mountains across the valley. It is a grueling 3 to 4 hour climb up from the river to Namche, and at 3,500 meters, it is possible to suffer altitude sickness here. Therefore, it is advisable to spend at least two nights in the village to acclimatize. Namche has prospered from the tourist trade, and according to government statistics it is the wealthiest district in Nepal, with 7 times the average national income and twice that of the capital, Kathmandu. In addition to an abundance of hotels, the village also boasts three small museums, a stupa, monastery, several cafes (locally known as bakeries) and many well stocked stores.