History of Namche Bazaar
In ancient times, Namche village was a trading post for yak cheese and butter in exchange for agricultural goods from lower altitudes. After the successful 1953 expedition to Mount Everest by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, Namche Bazaar felt the new wave of climbers and trekkers, with a new demand. In the 60s and 70s, the flood of tourists entirely changed their bartering system and led to the tourism industry. Namche Bazaar is a junction of trekking trails in the Everest Region, which has also been upgraded to today’s popular town at high altitude and best serves the needs of travelers. Additionally, Namche is the 1st place in the Khumbu trek that is above the altitude sickness threshold, so trekking/ expedition is continued after spending a couple of nights at Namche Bazaar. This enables travelers to cope with high altitudes and reduce the risk of altitude sickness. Travelers tend to explore Sherpa villages like Syangboche, Thame, Khumjung, and Khunde while staying at Namche. Despite the village’s popularity and high demand, geographical restraints have paused its growth in terms of settlements (housing).
Namche Bazaar Today
Every year, travelers around the globe pass by Namche Bazaar to complete their Everest Base Camp trek or expedition of Mount Everest and other trekking and trails within the area, which makes Namche Bazaar a prosperous village in Nepal in terms of nature as well as wealth. According to Nepal Government statistics, it is the wealthiest district with 7 times the average national income and twice that of Kathmandu. Namche Bazaar not only has abundant hotels and restaurants but also has museums, a stupa, a monastery, cafes, a snooker pool house, and stocked stores that aid in its economic prosperity. Yet Namche still retains the ancient culture, traditions, and warm hospitality. You can observe Tibetan cultural artifacts, trekking/climbing equipment, and everything you might need during the trip.
Things to Do at Namche Bazaar:
- You can take a short hike to nearby villages (like Syangboche, Thame, Khumjung, and Khunde) for views and acclimatization.
- You can visit the Sagarmatha National Park Visitor’s Centre for information related to wildlife in the region and some interesting photographs.
- You can explore the Museum of Sherpa Life to learn about Sherpa culture as well as the fauna and flora of the region.
- Go to the Museum of local medicinal plants and Tibetan herbal medicine to explore herbal medicine and the Tibetan medicinal process through artifacts and posters.
- If you are a bookworm, you would love to be at Namche Library
- You can observe Namche Monastery.
- Every Saturday morning, the Namche market is held, where you can see the real local market of the villages in the area and enjoy the chaos of locals selling and buying.
- If you are planning to visit Namche in June, you should not miss the Dumjee Festival of the Khumbu Region. Dumjee Festival (lunar calendar fifth month 9-17) is about Sherpa Lama showcasing lama dances, traditional Sherpa dances, and traditional ceremonies.
- You can purchase woolen items made locally or other handicrafts carried over from Tibet.
- You can add your necessities for the rest of your trip and exchange currency (at a lower rate than in Kathmandu and Lukla)
- You can try traditional dishes such as Rigi Kur (potato pancakes covered with yak butter, a sauce made of cheese and spices named Sorma, not listed on the menu, but you can request it at your hotel), Tzen (heavy paste of millet and flavored spices), Thukpa (hot soup with noodles), Thenduk/Thenkthuk (hot soup with hand-pulled noodles), and Yak cheese items.
- You can also go to movies related to Sherpa and Mt.Everest.
