‘Namche Bazaar’ is a popular word amongst those who trek in the Everest region. In fact, Namche is one of the best highlights of the Khumbu region. If this is the first time that you are reading about Namche; you should know that it is the Sherpa head of Khumbu region. Namche is the place that trades all the essential basic materials to the entire Khumbu region.
Namche is the gateway to the gigantic Himalayas of Everest. This is the first acclimatization spot of most of the Himalayan trekkers and climbers. The most popular treks, tours, and expeditions in the Everest region begin from Namche. Some of them are Everest Base Camp trekking, Everest Climbing, Mt. Ama Dablam Summit, Island Peak Climbing, Gokyo lake trekking, and Everest High Pass Trek.
The most special thing that tourists love about Namche is its appearance. Namche Bazaar is a small town that looks exactly like a traditional greek amphitheater. There are colourful houses; mostly the hotels and lodges. You’ll see them clustering giving a really beautiful shape to the town.
If you know a little about Namche, you must have heard of Hotel Everest view. It is the highest placed hotel in the world. This is also an essential element of Namche; however, it isn’t in the town of Namche, but at a hiking distance of 2 to 3 hours from there.
One thing that we haven’t discussed Namche is the “local Sherpas” of Namche. The Himalayan Sherpas of Everest are known in the world for their great hospitality. Believe me, you won’t find any red-cheeked Sherpas that aren’t friendly. If you smile at them saying things like “Namaste”; they’ll smile back at you right away.
The unique Sherpa traditions and culture in Namche are the attention-getters. At Namche, you will see them resuscitating their unique traditions and culture as they pass it to newer generations. You’ll love the traditional way of life, their customs, ornaments, festivals, rituals, and customs.
Some Details of Namche Bazaar
Namche Bazaar Elevation
Namche Bazaar is a small and busy town in Khumbu. The most popularly said Namche Bazaar altitude is 3440 meters. This is a high altitude for those who come from the sea level (0 meters). However, to people who come from mountainous countries like Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, Tajikistan, Antarctica, Afghanistan, China, and others, this altitude isn’t so high.
Now, you might have a question in your head, “ Will I get altitude sickness at Namche Bazaar?” Well, the risk of altitude sickness is there when you go higher than 2500 meters. However, there are some who are even affected at lower altitudes.
So, the query of whether you’ll get altitude sickness doesn’t have a single answer “Yes” or a “No”. Well, you might or you might not. But the experienced trekkers and trekking guides suggest that the practices of exercising and training your body can reduce the risk. You should do some exercises that’ll help boost your cardiovascular endurance.
There is a famous hotel, Everest View Hotel, at 3962 meters altitude. If you are going to the hotel, you should know that you are at a higher risk of altitude sickness than at the town in Namche.
So, it is now clear that before you plan for a visit to Namche Bazaar, you should learn how to prepare for high altitudes. Learn some tips on how to prevent altitude sickness.
Namche Bazaar Weather
Until now, you must’ve known that Namche Bazaar is a high altitude place. Now, you should know a really important thing; altitude and weather stability are two inversely proportional terms. Higher you ascend, the weather stability is lesser. Thus, you cannot say how stable the weather can be in Namche.
But, there are two seasons: Autumn and Spring, when weather in Namche Bazaar is fairly stable. This is why these seasons are the most popular seasons for trekking and climbing in Everest. There are least chances of snow, rainfall, landslides, avalanches, snow blizzards, and other weather hazards during these seasons.
Let us put a spotlight on Namche Bazar temperature during different months. Here, we have listed the minimum, maximum, and average temperatures in degree celsius at Namche Bazaar during different months. Have a look,
| Months | Min. Temperature | Max. Temperature | Average |
| January | -9 | 1 | -4 |
| February | -9 | 2 | -3.5 |
| March | -5 | 8 | 1.5 |
| April | 1 | 12 | 6.5 |
| May | 9 | 15 | 12 |
| June | 10 | 18 | 14 |
| July | 11 | 18 | 14.5 |
| August | 10 | 15 | 12.5 |
| September | 11 | 14 | 12.5 |
| October | 3 | 12 | 7.5 |
| November | 3 | 5 | 5 |
| December | -10 | 5 | -2.5 |
From the table above, it is clearly seen that July is the hottest month and January is the coldest month in Namche.
Sherpa Culture in Namche Bazaar
Himalayan Sherpas are the dwellers in Namche Bazar. It is said that some 500 years ago, the Sherpas migrated here from Tibet. They came to the Khumbu region trekking over the northern mountains and started dwelling there. Gradually, Namche became one of the main commercial hubs in Khumbu.
While visiting Namche Bazar, you’ll see how busy the town is. People in Namche are cheerful and helpful. They are unique because of their amazing traditions and culture that they have been practising since ages. You will see women wearing their Sherpa dresses. You’ll see most of them uttering Buddhist mantras while spinning their prayer beads.
The lodges in Namche aren’t just the guesthouses. They are where you can see beautiful pictures, drawings, and the traditional objects used for decorations.
There is an oldest Sherpa house in Namche famously known as Khangba Ngingba. The house is a two-storey stone house. People say that this house has been there for nearly 150 years now. The house preserves some of the old drawings, old utensils, and a big temple inside a room in the house.
Everest View Hotel Namche Bazaar
Everest View Hotel is one of the highly placed hotels in the world. This hotel was built in the ‘60s by Takashi Miyahara. Building a world-class hotel at such a remote place with no access to roads and easy infrastructures, imagine by yourself, how tough it would’ve been.
As the name applies, the major highlight of the Everest view hotel is the striking view of Mt. Everest and other Himalayan panoramas. This hotel is at a hiking distance of nearly three to four hours from the town in Namche.
The hike to this hotel is one of the most beautiful things on the trail. You will see the enthralling views of some of the gigantic peaks like Thamserku, Mt. Ama Dablam, Mt. Lhotse, and Mt. Everest itself. You will have a wonderful time hiking there and back.
The scenic breakfast at Everest view hotel is, in fact, a dream. Sitting at the balcony of the hotel, you can have a wonderful breakfast with a remarkable 360-degree view of the Himalayas.
Namche Bazaar Airport (Syangboche Airport)
The Syangboche airport, 3780 meters, lies slightly ahead of Lukla. There aren’t any commercial air operations from the airport. There are some helicopters landing at the airport. Some of the visitors visit the Everest view hotel and Namche Bazar on a chartered flight from Kathmandu or Lukla.
The flight Kathmandu to Namche will take around an hour. If you are flying on a Lukla to Namche helicopter, it will take you around 7 to 11 minutes. The helicopters supply both the goods and people to and from Namche to Lukla, Kathmandu, or the higher places.
Syangboche airport is a wonderful hiking spot as well. This place is an incredible place for Himalayan sightseeing. The 360 degrees Himalayan panorama viewed from the airport is breathtaking.
Can you see Everest from Namche Bazaar?
From the “town” in Namche, several Himalayas are visible, but not the Everest. However, from the several popular Hiking spots around Namche like Everest View Hotel, Syangboche airport, and the Khumjung village, Everest is visible. On a clear day, you will see the absolutely stunning panorama of the soaring peaks including Mt. Everest.
