Namche Bazaar (3,500 m) is the staging
point for expeditions to Everest and other Himalayan peaks in the area. It is
also a prosperous market town selling everything from Tibetan artefacts to
trekking and climbing equipment. The visitor centre at park headquarters has
detailed information on various climbs in the area, memorabilia from different
mountaineering expeditions, and information on the lifestyle and culture of the
Sherpa people.
A historic trading hub, famous for its
homemade yak cheese and butter, Namche is situated on the slope of an
arch-shaped mountain, which allows you to oversee the sights of glorious
mountain peaks throughout the valley, day and night. Once a capital of Khumbu,
where Sherpas from neighbouring villages and Tibet would gather to trade
commodities, and would display their traditional arts and crafts, Namche Bazaar
- to this date - hasn’t forgotten its ancient culture and royal hospitality.
The town, maintaining its reputation, is
now a tourist hub since it is a gateway to the Himalayas.
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| Image source: http://www.halfwayanywhere.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/EBC-Trek-Day-11-Namche-Bazaar.jpg |
One of the popular stops along the Everest
route, this little village-town, is a Sherpa dominated trading centre that
seems to have it all. Besides a good number of hotels, restaurants and
equipment stores, one can even find a proper pub and cyber cafe. It is good to
halt here for a couple of days to acclimatise by walking in and around Namche
as acclimatisation cannot be done in a hurry. A visit to Syangboche or some
Sherpa villages such as Thame, Khumjung and Khunde just a few hours walk from
Namche are good options for whiling away your time here.
Every Saturday morning, Namche Bazaar
lights up with its weekly market gusto. The market is a spotlight in the middle
of the town, and traders from Tibet and other villages come with the pieces of
arts and goods to attract the hearts of their potential customers.
REFERENCES:
ð Details obtained from http://www.mounteverest.net/
- Umanga
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