Sherpa capital Namche Bazaar the Gateway to Everest base camp

Sherpa capital Namche Bazaar the Gateway to Everest base camp

We all know the Sherpa capital Namche Bazaar the Gateway to Everest base camp. Namche Bazaar known as the Sherpa capital is at an elevation of 3440 meters above sea level. It is one of the well-renowned and popular Sherpa towns in the Everest region.

The Sherpa capital is often called a gateway to Everest. Namche is also an acclimatization place for the trekkers in Everest region. The location is like a horseshoe and well is located in a very unconventional position. The Sherpa capital is surrounded by Stunning Mountains like Kongde Ri, Thamserku, Kusum Khangaru, and many more.

Namche is also popular for Luxury Accommodations with attached bathrooms, Electric blankets, and many more. We also can see Three Museums, a Stupa, a monastery, several cafés, Bakeries, a Trekking gear shop, Banks, and many kinds of stores and Pharmacies. People passing this village on the way up will spend two nights which is part of acclimatization. People returning from the trip will stay a night on the way down.

Namche bazaar is now taken as a major tourist hub in the Khumbu region but once it is the historic trading center. Tibetan, Nepalese, and Indian Traders used to buy and sell goods to each other. Guide and porter from the capital city used to buy the Tibetan blankets while they came for trekking. Even now, there is a similar market fair at Namche.

The market starts on Friday and ends on Saturday. People from nearby villages come to buy and sell things. This town supplies all the food and necessary things all over Khumbu’s higher region. We can feel the ancient culture, practices, traditions, and warm hospitality of the Sherpa people. These people are so friendly and the smiles of the mountain people are always charming.

Where is Namche Bazaar?

Namche Bazaar is located at an elevation of 3,440 meters above sea level. It is situated in the lap of the World’s highest peak Everest (8848.86 m). Namche Bazaar is one of the important gems of Sagarmatha National Park which is a UNESCO world heritage site. People doing the Everest base camp trek reach Namche on the second day of the trek from Lukla. Some people on rapid trekking may reach the Sherpa capital on the first day from Lukla starting early morning after early flights from Kathmandu. All the trekkers and expedition people have to pass Namche during their journey. This town has a huge settlement of Sherpa people.

How to reach Namche Bazaar?

People always think about how to reach the Sherpa capital Namche Bazaar the Gateway to Everest base camp. We have many options for getting to the famous Sherpa village. The first one is People can take a direct Helicopter from Kathmandu and land at the heliport at Namche. We can also fly to the Nearest Tenzing Hillary Airport and hike for either one day or two days to reach Namche Bazaar. We have two possibilities for getting the Sherp capital. Here are them:

By Foot

We have a few options for getting Namche on foot. The first one is we can take a flight from Kathmandu to Lukla and start walking from there. We need to pass Phakding, Monjo, and Jorsella to reach Namche. This is around 21 km from Lukla to Namche so people can do it in one and half days easily. Those people who are hurry do it in one day whereas trekkers take two days to reach Namche from Lukla. The second option by foot is to drive to Salleri which is around 15 hour drive from Kathmandu.

The hike to Chaurikharka passes Nunthala, and Paiya along the way. From Chaurikhara we will pass Phakding and Monjo to reach Namche. The next options by foot are to drive to Jiri and take a classic Everest base camp trek from the Jiri route. This takes another 7 days to reach Namche passing Junbensi, Nunthela, Phakding, and Monjo. The next one is to take a flight to Phaplu and from Phaplu there is a big helicopter to Syangboche airport occasionally. After landing in Syangboche you need to climb 20 minutes down to Namche.

By Helicopter

There are two different helipads on both sides of the Namche Bazaar. So, you can directly fly from Kathmandu to Namche. You can also take a helicopter from Lukla to get to Namche. If you take a helicopter from Kathmandu it takes 45 minutes to reach Lukla and there are around 7 minutes more to reach Namche. Normally people doing Yoga Adventure in Everest, Comfortable Luxury walks or any bigger trek on higher parts do not fly all the way from Kathmandu. This is because there are chances of getting altitude sickness. Those people doing just an Everest view trek or up to Tengboche fly directly to Namche.

Namche has many things to offer which is why it is highly recommended to go to Namche and stay a few days to see all the things that are possible to experience and capture in Namche Village. Here I have mentioned the top 10 most attractive things that can be explored in Namche Bazaar.: Here they are:

1. Different Treks Junction of Everest Region
2. Tourist Information Center
3. The mesmerizing view of Snow-capped mountains
4. Sherpa People their culture and Sherpa hospitality
5. Sagarmatha National Park Museum
6. Sherpa Museum
7. Local Saturday Market
8. Syangbochea  Airport
9. Fancy Market Place, Restaurants, Bakeries, and cafes
10. Honorary visit

Different Treks Junction of Everest Region

Sherpa capital Namche Bazaar the Gateway to Everest base camp is the main point from where most of the different trekking trails meet. This is the junction for most of the popular Trips Such as the Renjo la pass trek, Gokyo Valley trek, Everest three pass treks, etc. People doing Everest base camp Normal, Luxury as well as yoga treks also need to pass this town. All the possible climbing as well as expeditions also need to go through this Sherpa village including island peak climbing as well as Everest Expeditions. We also need to cross Namche to reach the popular villages such as Khumjung, Khunde, Thame and Thamo People stay here for two nights to acclimatize and do different hiking and exploring options

Tourist Information Center

Namche has lots of information Gathered from the Everest region. Namche has different information

 Center. They are Sagarmatha National Park Visitor’s Park, Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC), and local clubs. Besides this Namche also has other essential centers. These offices provide important information regarding the wildlife, culture, religion, and mountains of the Khumbu region. This is a very important place because trekkers and climbers can get all the info they want to know from this area.

The mesmerizing view of Snow-capped mountains

Namche Bazaar offers stunning views of snow-capped peaks. Kongde ri, Kusum Kangaroo, Thamserku, and many small peaks are the highlight of Namche. If you walk 20 minutes to the visitors’ park then you can able to see a glimpse of Everest and a few other mountains. To see Everest bigger and some other ranges then 2 hour’s hike is needed. We can hike to Syangboce viewpoint or Everest View Hotel to see all this. Many people doing stunning chopper rides to see Giants Mountain also land here for breakfast and to enjoy the stunning view. We can see Ama Dablam as bigger and more stunning. Namche Bazaar is very popular for the pictures to take from different angles. People Take Namche the best place for Photography enthusiasts.

Sherpa People their culture and Sherpa hospitality

Mountains are the home of the Sherpa community. In Namche, you can experience the authenticity of the Sherpa people. The Sherpa people are known for their hospitality, welcoming nature, food, and gestures. Sherpa people are the most renowned for their amazing hospitality, traditions foods, and beautiful customs and practices. We can see them wearing their customs almost all the time. We can see the typical lifestyle of the Sherpa community in Namche village.

Sagarmatha National Park Museum

At the top of the Namche, you will see the Sagarmatha National Park Museum. Here you will get a chance to see detailed information on the Flora and Fauna of this national park. They also provide the info about mountains in the Khumbu region along with Sherpa culture, religion, practices, and customs. This Museum also offers a view of Everest, Lhotse, and Ama Dablam. There is also one statue of Sherpa Tenzing which is one of the first on Everest’s top. We also can see the stone from the highest point as well as the lowest point in this Museum.

Sherpa Museum

Sherpa Museum is very close to the National Park Museum which is also located above the town on the way to Tengboche trail. It normally offers information about the different expeditions of Sherpa, the life of Sherpa, their culture, Traditions, and practices. We can also Witness a ‘’Hall of Fame” gallery of the Sherpas. We can also see the Sherpa tensing and Hillary pictures. Here, we can also experience the traditional homemade things that normally Sherpa people use in their daily work.

Saturday local market

A legacy from years ago, Namche offers the cheapest options for buying any kind of local products along with trekking and climbing gear. People come from nearby villages to buy and sell different goods such as soap, butter, vegetables, groceries, milk products, handicrafts, and other daily essential things. This market has been the symbol of continuing the traditional practices that were done years ago when this place was one of the most renowned and popular trade points for businessmen from Tibet, India, and Nepal.

Syangboche Airport

On the top of the Namche Bazaar, we can see an amazing airport. This airport’s name is Syangbochea Airport which is probably the highest airport in the world. This airport is not licensed for Commercial flights and has few facilities. There are no regular air transfer services but most of the small and big choppers land and take off from this airport. This airport is mostly used for catered flights to carry things as well as people from Lukla, Kathmandu, or Phaplu.

Fancy Market Place, Restaurants, Bakeries, and cafes

Namche Bazaar is one of the most classy and fancy marketplaces where you will get almost everything. Here are numerous shops for trekking & climbing gear, Grocery shops, branded products of Adidas, North Face, Sonam gear, and many more. There are also Irish pubs, bars, Baristas, cafes, fancy restaurants, and hotels. Hotels are the most attractive things at this altitude which are luxury as well as basic.

Honorary Visit

In October 1985, the former president of the United States Jimmy Carter along with his wife Rosalynn visited Namche Bazaar on a private chopper of King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah. During the visit, they stay in Khumbu Lodge for one night. Time by time many popular stars from Nepal as well as intonations visit this own.

Besides these, there are other numerous attractions such as the healing center, Namche library, and Namche Monastery which equally attract people. Book your visit with Magic Himalayas treks and experience all the possible adventures here.