Namche Bazaar holds a weekly market on Saturday mornings in the town centre, and many of the Sherpa people working in trekking and mountaineering come from the Namche area.
Source: Namche Bazaar
Town in Nepal
Namche Bazaar
The Sherpa capital and the Everest trail's acclimatisation stop
Namche Bazaar is the main Sherpa town of the Khumbu at 3,440 m, two days' walk from Lukla on the Everest Base Camp trail. Trekkers spend two nights here to acclimatise, with a hike to Khumjung or the Everest View ridge. It has a Saturday market, gear shops, bakeries and lodges at every budget.
Photo: Super Trekkers · CC BY-SA 4.0 · CommonsNamche is built in a horseshoe of terraces on a steep hillside above the Dudh Koshi and Bhote Koshi rivers, facing the peaks of Kongde Ri and Thamserku. It has long been a trading town: Sherpa traders exchanged goods from Tibet, which they brought over the Nangpa La pass, for grain and goods carried up from the lowlands, and the weekly market on Saturday mornings in the town centre still draws porters and traders from far down the valley.
It is often called the Sherpa capital, and many of the Sherpa families who work in trekking and mountaineering come from Namche and the villages around it, such as Khumjung, Khunde and Thame. Electricity comes from a small hydropower plant between Thame and Namche, opened in 1995, and the town has wifi, bakeries, banks and gear shops, which surprises many first-time visitors.
At 3,440 m, Namche is where altitude starts to matter. Every sensible Everest itinerary spends two nights here, using the middle day to climb higher and sleep low. The Sagarmatha National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979, runs a visitor centre on the ridge above town, with views of Everest on clear mornings.
Say it like a local · SherpaTashi delek
greetings and good luck
What to do in Namche Bazaar
The Saturday market
Every Saturday morning the town centre fills with traders selling grain, vegetables, eggs, cloth and household goods carried up from lower valleys. It is the Khumbu's weekly shop and a good place to see how the region is supplied.
Sagarmatha National Park visitor centre
On the ridge above town, the park's visitor centre explains the Khumbu's wildlife, Sherpa culture and mountaineering history. On clear mornings you see Everest, Lhotse and Ama Dablam from the hill nearby.
Khumjung and the Hillary school
A two-hour climb over the Syangboche ridge brings you to Khumjung at about 3,790 m, where Edmund Hillary's Himalayan Trust built a school in 1961. The village gompa keeps a purported yeti scalp.
Thamserku and Kongde across the gorge
Namche's lodges face Kongde Ri and Thamserku across the valley. At dawn and dusk the light on their ice faces is reason enough to sit on a terrace with a pot of tea.
Bakeries, gear and the last real shops
Namche is the last place on the trail with a wide choice of gear, snacks and medicine at reasonable prices. Buy what you forgot here; prices rise further up.
Field notes
What most guides miss about Namche Bazaar
Namche's electricity comes from the 600 kW Thame–Namche hydropower plant, which opened in October 1995.
Source: Namche Bazaar
Khumjung school, above Namche, was built by Edmund Hillary's Himalayan Trust in 1961. It began with two classrooms and now serves over 350 students.
Source: Khumjung
Experiences
Three days worth having in Namche Bazaar
Photo: Super Trekkers · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Namche Bazaar · 1–2 hours
Namche's Saturday market
See how the Khumbu shops for the week: porters and traders from lower valleys lay out rice, vegetables, eggs, cloth and…
Free
Photo: Moralist · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Namche Bazaar · 4–6 hours
Acclimatisation hike to Khumjung
The classic climb-high, sleep-low day: up from Namche over the Syangboche ridge to Khumjung at about 3,790 m, with Ever…
Free; monastery donation; guide included in trek
Photo: Steve Hicks · CC BY 2.0 · Commons
Namche Bazaar · Day 5 of most EBC treks; 1–2 hours at the gompa
Afternoon prayers at Tengboche monastery
Tengboche, at 3,867 m on a ridge a day's walk from Namche, is the largest gompa in the Khumbu. Arrive for afternoon pra…
Donation; small museum fee
Real prices
What things cost in Namche Bazaar
ItemIndicative 2026
Lukla flight one way (foreigner fare)₹16,000–19,000 (≈ USD 190–220)
Teahouse room₹300–1,500 a night (often cheap if you eat in)
Dal bhat in Namche₹550–800
Sagarmatha National Park entry₹940 SAARC (NPR 1,500); ₹1,875 others (NPR 3,000)
Khumbu Pasang Lhamu municipality fee₹1,250 SAARC (NPR 2,000); ₹1,875 others (NPR 3,000)
Hot shower / device charging₹200–500 each
Local prices change with season and fuel costs. Check current status before you travel.
Getting there
How to reach Namche Bazaar
Air
Fly to Lukla's Tenzing-Hillary Airport from Kathmandu (about 35 minutes) or, in peak spring and autumn seasons, from Ramechhap (Manthali), about 4 hours' drive from Kathmandu. Flights often wait for weather.
Bus
Budget trekkers sometimes take a jeep from Kathmandu to Salleri or further towards Kharikhola and walk up to Lukla over 2–3 days, avoiding the flight. Check current status for road conditions before you travel.
Road
No road reaches Namche. From Lukla it is about 13 km on foot: one day to Phakding (2,610 m) and a steep second day up to Namche, crossing the Hillary suspension bridge.
Where to stay
Sleeping in Namche Bazaar
Saver: Namche has dozens of family-run teahouse lodges with twin rooms, shared or attached bathrooms and heated dining rooms; rooms are cheap if you eat in, and dal bhat refills keep costs down. Comfort: better lodges have attached bathrooms, hot showers, electric blankets and bakeries. Signature: Mountain Lodges of Nepal (formerly Yeti Mountain Home) runs a lodge in Namche with heated rooms, en-suite bathrooms and good linens, part of a chain along the trail from Lukla.
Photo: Super Trekkers · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Budget
Guesthouse · Namche Bazaar
Namche Bazaar teahouse lodges
Namche's family-run teahouse lodges are the standard bed on the Everest trail: twin rooms, a stove-heated dining r…
₹300–1,500 a night for a twin room; meals extra (indicative)
Photo: Super Trekkers · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Luxury
Lodge · Namche Bazaar
Mountain Lodges of Nepal, Namche (Yeti Mountain Home)
The Namche lodge of a chain of upmarket trekking lodges on the Everest trail, formerly known as Yeti Mountain Home…
₹16,000–28,000 a night for a double, usually with meals (in…
Trips that stop here
See Namche Bazaar on a trip
Photo: Gerd Eichmann · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Comfort
Nepal · 8 nights · sleeps to 3,440 m
Everest view trek to Namche Bazaar
Domestic flights to Lukla, private car in Kathmandu, five days on foot
From, per person₹92,000Apr – May · Oct – Nov
Photo: Gerd Eichmann · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Signature
Nepal · 9 nights · sleeps to 3,440 m
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Everest lodges trek with Dwarika's
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Questions
Namche Bazaar, answered
How many days does it take to reach Namche Bazaar?
Two days from Lukla: a short first day to Phakding (2,610 m) and a steep second day to Namche (3,440 m). Add a day to fly or drive from Kathmandu or Ramechhap to Lukla, and plan two nights in Namche.
Do I need a guide to trek to Namche Bazaar?
The Khumbu Pasang Lhamu municipality has not applied Nepal's 2023 mandatory guide rule, so independent trekking has continued. We still recommend a licensed guide for first-timers, especially for altitude. Check current status before you travel.
What permits are needed for Namche Bazaar?
The Sagarmatha National Park entry permit (NPR 1,500 SAARC, NPR 3,000 others) and the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu municipality fee (NPR 2,000 SAARC and China, NPR 3,000 others), paid at Monjo and Lukla. Check current status before you travel.
Is altitude sickness common in Namche?
Mild headache and breathlessness are common at 3,440 m. Serious illness is less common if you ascend slowly and spend two nights here. Descend if symptoms worsen. Talk to your doctor about acetazolamide before you travel.
Is there wifi and mobile network in Namche?
Yes. Most lodges sell wifi, and Nepal Telecom and Ncell 4G work in town. Prepaid wifi cards for the trail are sold in Namche.
Are there ATMs in Namche Bazaar?
There are a few, but they can be out of cash or service. Carry enough NPR from Kathmandu for the whole trek.
When is the best time to visit Namche?
October–November for the clearest skies and March–May for warmer days and rhododendrons. December–February is cold but quiet. The monsoon brings cloud, leeches lower down and frequent flight cancellations.
Can I see Everest from Namche?
Not from the town itself. Climb 20–30 minutes to the national park visitor centre or the Everest View ridge above town for the view.
How much money do I need per day in Namche?
On a saver budget, ₹2,500–3,500 a day for room, three meals and tea, more for hot showers, charging and wifi. Prices rise further up the trail.