Discover the Best Hikes from Namche Bazaar
Best Hikes From Namche Bazaar isn’t just taking rest amidst the adventurous Everest Base Camp Trek; it is about exploring deeper into the soul of the Himalayas. Namche Bazaar hiking trails aren’t just made for trekkers to walk. These trails care about the trekkers, so they help the adventurous stride to slow down and breathe in while allowing trekkers to adapt to the thin air of the mountains.
Moreover, the views of Everest, Thamserku, Khumbiyela, and Ama Dablam that you witness during these day hikes from Namche Bazaar will keep you mesmerized. Whether you go for a serene walk to the Khumjung and Kunde villages or enjoy the panoramic view from the Everest View Hotel, every hike from the Namche Bazaar will definitely enchant you with the allure and beauty of the Khumbu region.
About Namche Bazaar
Namche Bazaar is a busy town located in the Solukhumbu District of Nepal at an altitude of about 3,440 meters (11,286 feet). It is often referred to as the gateway to Everest and the hub of all trekkers who intend to embark on classic EBC Trek, Everest Base Camp Trek with Gokyo, and other Himalayan escapades.
Perched high in the mountains, Namche Bazaar isn’t just a stop for trekkers. This Sherpa capital is a whole new world within the Everest region. The stone-paved streets that wind through cozy cafes, hotels, pubs, and mountain-view bakeries feel almost unreal amid the remoteness of the region. Trekkers sip cappuccinos, gazing at the towering peaks, as a line of mules makes its way with the soft clinking of bells echoing through the cobbled trails right outside the cafes.
Likewise, you can witness local Sherpa women selling handmade crafts next to gear stores and souvenir shops. This lovely town carries the heritage of the indigenous Sherpa people, where ancient monasteries and temples still hold the belief and faith of the locals.
Whether it's cultural activities in the form of monasteries, museums, and festivals, as well as trekking logistics, there are many things to do in Namche Bazaar, allowing the visitor to understand the life of Sherpas. The distinctive image of the natural beauty, mixed with the cultural richness and the location in question, Namche Bazaar, has become an indispensable and memorable destination for tourists visiting the Everest region.
Why is Namche Bazaar a Famous Acclimatization Point in the Everest Base Camp Trek?
Elevation during the treks keeps on escalating, taking you close to the mountains. However, your body needs to cope with such high altitude while adapting to the thin air with low oxygen percentage. So, Namche Bazaar is one of the first acclimatization stops during the EBC Trek. By the time you arrive at Namche Bazaar, having started from Kathmandu at 1,400 m and trekked through Lukla and Phakding, you’ve already gained significant elevation, making Namche the perfect place to rest and acclimatize.
Most people spend 1–2 days resting, doing short Namche Bazaar day trips to nearby villages like Khumjung or Khunde, or up to the Everest View Hotel, following the “climb high, sleep low” approach. This allows your body to adapt to the atmosphere of the high altitude as you are hiking to some high altitude and coming back to Namche for an overnight stay.
Day Hikes From Namche Bazaar
1. Hike to Everest View Hotel
The Everest View Hotel hike is one of the best hikes from Namche Bazaar. Sitting at an elevation of 3,962 meters, this luxurious hotel offers a warm and welcoming introduction for trekkers to experience high altitude in a comfortable setting. This journey will take about 2 hours round-trip. Opened in 1971, this is one of the highest luxury hotels in the world.
The trail starts in Namche Bazaar and slowly ascends through the terraced fields and charming Sherpa villages, providing a glimpse of the local life. The trails are not only picturesque, but also very important in the process of acclimatization, so that the trekkers can be gradually accustomed to higher altitudes. This brief climb is a combination of spectacular scenery, cultural learning, and physical training for more intensive trail completion in the future. The views become open as you approach the hotel, giving a perfect view of the grand mountains of Mount Everest, Lhotse, Nuptse, and Ama Dablam.
As you explore the hotel, you can witness the exquisite view of the mountain range from every corner. Enjoying some warm foods and drinks while looking at the majestic Everest is nothing more than luxury amidst the remoteness.
2. Khumjung and Khunde Village hike
Khumjung and Khunde are the two twin villages that lie above the Namche Bazaar at an elevation of about 3790 m and 3,840 m, respectively. You simply can’t visit one village without exploring the other. You will cover about 7.6 m in this hike, which will take about 4-5 hours. From Namche Bazaar, you’ll hike through the rocky path surrounded by a forest of rhododendrons and junipers. You will continue walking until you reach the archway of the Khunde village.
While visiting the village, you can see the Khunde Hospital at the top. This hospital was built by Sir Edmund Hillary in 1966 and is still in service to date, providing people and trekkers with emergency health services. If you have extra time and energy, you should definitely go on a side hike of an extra 30 minutes to the Hillary Memorial Viewpoint.
Separated from the terraced fields covered by the stone bars, you can walk a few steps and arrive at the Khumjung village. At the foot of the sacred peak of Khumbiyela, Khumjung serves as the largest village of the Khumbu region. Apart from the natural beauty, the Khumjung Hillary School and Khumjung Monastery also serve as the centre of attraction of this region. The Hillary School was built in 1960, where many students from the Khumbu region come for education. Likewise, the monastery and the 500-year-old Buddhist Gompa act as significant heritage landmarks.
3. Syangboche Airstrip Hike
On top of the Namche Bazaar, you can hike to the Syangboche airstrip at an elevation of 3841 m. This hike will take almost 2 hours back and forth, but it can depend on the pace of your walking. Watching Namche from Syangboche with an elevation gain of 400m, Namche feels very tiny and small. Syangboche Airstrip is a domestic airport in the mountains, but it is not licensed for commercial flights.
The long, flat, and dusty airstrip was perfect for the luxury Everest View Tour and other Himalayan journeys, but due to unpredictable weather, altitude, and high maintenance costs, the operation of this airstrip became impossible. However, the helicopter and Pilatus Porter flight chartered services operate to and from the airport.
4. Hike to Thame
Another destination for acclimatization hike from the Namche Bazaar is Thame village. At an altitude of 3800 metres, Thame holds significance as the Sherpa Heritage and birthplace of Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, the first Sherpa who submitted to summit Mount Everest. In this hike, trekkers will cover a total of 9.3 km, which can take about 6-7 hours for a round trip. Hike to Thame will divert you from the classic EBC trek and take you deep into the Thamichho valley, following the trail of the Bhote Koshi River.
During the first half of the hike, you will walk through the forested trail covered with pines, junipers, birches and rhododendron. However, as you reach closer to the Thame, you will witness the vegetation thinning out. You can also witness wildlife like musk deer, yaks, mountain goats, and danfes. Just above the Thame village, trekkers can visit the Thame monastery sitting on the ridge. This monastery is one of the oldest Buddhist monasteries in the Khumbu region. The scenic view of the village on the floodplain from the monastery is absolutely surreal, making this one of the best hikes from Namche Bazaar, even though this is the most difficult hike among all.
5. Mong La Pass Hike
Mong La Pass or Mong Danda is a scenic ridge you can witness between the Namche Bazaar and the Gokyo Lake. Walking past the Kyangjuma village from Namche Bazaar and taking the uphill route, you will arrive at this pass before Phortse Tenga. This is one of the underrated day hikes from Namche Bazaar, which can take about 6-7 hours. Famous for being a serene place, Mong La has gorgeous panoramic shots of some of the most renowned Himalayan peaks like Ama Dablam, Khangtega, Thamserku, and Kongde, and also of the traditional Sherpa villages close to the place and the Tengboche Monastery.
These are some of the best hikes from Namche Bazaar and are a perfect way of completing an Everest trekking experience. Once you have traveled through its local routes and outlooks, you will tend to walk away with a greater understanding of the mountains as well as the Sherpa culture, which prevails amidst the mountain range. These trekking expeditions are not only beneficial in the sense that the body is prepared to travel at a higher altitude and avoid altitude sickness, but also provide one with time to think as one contemplates taking more steps ahead into the Himalayas.
Ultimately, any route that leads out of Namche is going to remind you that the best things are the ones that occur on the way to the places. With Mountain Adventure Trekking Pvt Ltd, your day hikes from Namche Bazaar can become more than just a journey. So, contact us today.
