On the Way to Everest Base Camp: Namche Bazaar
A hundred years ago, Namche Bazaar was a small trading post where locals bartered yak cheese and butter for foods grown at lower altitudes. This changed after 1953, when Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay showed that Everest could be climbed. Other mountaineers and trekkers wanted to repeat Hillary and Norgay’s achievement, and as Namche Bazaar lay on the route to Everest and the quickly developing Everest Base Camp, the town began to grow and prosper. The restrictions of its mountainside location have kept it from growing into a large town, but it is a bustling, lively place full of trekkers on the way to Everest Base Camp. As the first major settlement at an altitude where Acute Mountain Sickness kicks in, it is a popular acclimatisation stop. Even though it is small, Namche Bazaar offers plenty to do while acclimatising.
Practical matters first. Namche Bazaar contains a Tibetan medical clinic (donations welcome, as the clinic provides free treatment to porters and other low income locals), a dental clinic run by a Canadian-qualified dentist, a post office (not 100% reliable), internet cafés and international phone calling facilities (both very expensive compared to Kathmandu), and money changing facilities. The latter is the last chance to change money before setting off towards Everest Base Camp; however, the rates are very poor, so it is advisable to arrange all money changing in Kathmandu.
Market
The clue is in the name: Namche Bazaar has lively local market. Every Saturday morning, Sherpas come to Namche Bazaar from surrounding villages and spread out their wares on land above the main road into the town. Agricultural and electronic products dominate. While trekkers might not find the wares especially interesting, the market is an excellent window into the daily life of the local people. A particular highlight is the yak “parking area” – but don’t walk too close to the yaks, as they’re known for their poor tempers.
Museums
Namche Bazaar contains two museums which may be of interest to people on Everest Base Camp treks: the Museum of Sherpa Life and the Museum of Local Medicinal Plants and Tibetan Herbal Medicine. The Sagarmatha National Park Visitor’s Centre also displays photographs and information about local wildlife.
Namche Monastery
Located off the Thame trail, Namche Monastery is a small Tibetan Buddhist monastery with a pleasant courtyard and beautiful frescoes.
Eat
The array of food on offer in Namche Bazaar should sate even the most ravenous Everest Base Camp trekker. The bakeries are renowned, especially for their pastries, while traditional Sherpa dishes such as rigi kur (potato pancakes), tzen (a heavy paté of millet and spices) and thukpa (noodles with a soup) are widely available. All sorts of other foods are available, including Western dishes.
Jude Limburn Turner is the Marketing Manager for Mountain Kingdoms, an adventure tour company who have run Everest Base Camp trekking itineraries for over 20 years. They now offer treks and tours worldwide, including destinations in North and South America, Europe, Africa, and Central and South East Asia.
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