Namche Bazaar, Nepal: Things to Do, Acclimatization & Trek Tips

Cell Service

There is cell network connection in Namche Bazaar, so it’s easy to stay connected online. There are two major Nepali network providers (Nepal Telecom, NCell), and they both work in Namche, however, when deciding which Nepali SIM to get, I recommend getting the one by Nepal Telecom.

Even though both Nepal Telecom and NCell work in Namche, Nepal Telecom has slightly better coverage throughout the EBC trek. I have an NCell SIM, and noticed that other trekkers with a Nepal Telecom SIM had better coverage.

In the lower altitude of the trek (Phakding, Namche, Tengboche), the wifi and network work well. The wifi on the EBC trek only gets limited from Dingboche upwards. I noticed that the cell service is actually so good in Namche that I even had an NCell network service during my acclimatization hike to the Everest View Hotel from Namche.

Location

If you follow a classic EBC itinerary, you reach Namche Bazaar on Day 2 after flying to Lukla. After landing in Lukla, you usually trek to Phakding, stay there for the night, and then continue to Namche the next day.

Namche is 10.4 km (6.5 miles) from Phakding, and trekking there is one of the hardest days on the trek. The first half of the trek is not too difficult, but the second half, just before Namche, is straight uphill for hours. In total, it took me 5-6 hours to get to Namche, and I was totally tired by then.

Things to Do in Namche Bazaar, Nepal

There is practically everything in Namche Bazaar. It’s the biggest place along the Everest Base Camp trek trail, it’s not even a village, it’s a town! It’s so big, that it takes 30 minutes to walk from one side of the town to the other.

You can get anything in Namche, there are many trekking shops, cafes, restaurants, bars, shops, pharmacies, and even a museum. In case you forget to bring anything, or have to restock on supplies, it’s the best place to do so.

There are also ATMs, but I recommend withdrawing all the money you may need in Kathmandu. The ATMs in Namche can be unreliable, and they might not be working all the time. One option is to bring some extra cash in one of the major currencies (US Dollars, Euros or GBP). There are currency exchange shops in Namche, so exchanging money is also an option.

There is also a hairdressers where they do hair wash and blow dry. I didn’t go there, but it’s great if you get to Namche late when it’s cold outside, and they’ll blow dry your hair, so you don’t have to walk around with a wet hair.

There is also an Irish bar here which is great to hang out at. I didn’t drink any beer here on the way up. I was planning to come by on my way down, but in the end, I skipped staying at Namche on the way down, so totally missed out on the Irish bar. I did buy some extra tissues and toilet paper in Namche on the way down, and some souvenirs.

Otherwise, I wish I had more time in Namche. If you are not ready for a full EBC trek, it’s even nice to come to Namche and spend a week there and explore the nearby area. I met an elderly couple who planned to stay in Namche for a week and go on hikes to nearby areas. There is so much to do in Namche, I could totally see it’s worth it.

Acclimatization Day in Namche Bazaar

It’s recommended to spend two nights in Namche Bazaar, and go for an acclimatization hike on the second day. It helps your body to better adjust to high altitude. I also went on an acclimatization hike, and it definitely helped me complete the EBC trek.

The hike to the Everest View Hotel from Namche is one of the most popular acclimatization hikes. You can’t see Everest from Namche Bazaar, but once you reach the Everest View Hotel on this hike, that’s when you can actually see Everest for the first time.

I didn’t find this hike too difficult, I would say it’s easy to moderate. It’s around 2 hours up, and then 1 hour down, so it doesn’t take too long. I recommend starting the hike early morning around 7-8 am, so you can be back in Namche by lunch time to hang out, take a shower.

I started the hike at 7:30 am, and the first one hour of the hike is a bit more difficult as it goes uphill on stairs. After that there is not that much uphill incline. Once you get to the Everest View Hotel, it’s a nice place to have some snacks or tea.

I walked around the place and spent some time in the area to help acclimatization. The elevation gain is 440 m (1,444 ft) as you go from 3,440 m (11,286 ft) in Namche to 3,880 m (12,730 ft) at the Everest View Hotel. After spending about an hour at the hotel, I went back down to Namche.

Most people go on the Everest View Hotel hike for acclimatization, but other options include a hike to Khumjung or Khunde village. If I had more time in Namche, I would have liked to check out these village too.

Planning your own Everest Base Camp trek? Having acclimatization days is one of the most important parts of the itinerary, especially as you continue to higher elevations. Our EBC trek package includes a carefully planned itinerary with acclimatization days in Namche and Dingboche. → You can see our Everest Base Camp itinerary here.

Teahouses

Namche Bazaar is the biggest place throughout the EBC trek with the most amount of teahouses, so there are plenty of accommodation available, even in peak trekking seasons.

The teahouses are similar like on other trekking routes (Langtang, Annapurna Base Camp), but they are much bigger (2-3 floors) with more capacity.

If you are trekking with a guide or as part of a tour group, then they’ll pre-book the teahouses in advance. I was trekking solo without a guide and booked the teahouses on the spot. When I arrived in Namche, I just booked a place on the spot (without pre-booking it), and there were lots of options to choose from.

Where I stayed

I stayed at the Hill Top Lodge, and the owner was one of the nicest I met all along the trek. The rooms were like all the other rooms along the trek, but the owner made the stay so much better. He told us stories about Namche and trekking, so it was pretty interesting.

The lodge is located on the top of Namche, and the view from my room was epic overlooking the mountains and the town! I would stay here again.

Electricity

Namche Bazaar is at lower altitude on the trek, and the electricity is still available. At my lodge, we could charge our phones for free, but they charged Rs. 100 for charging power banks.

Wifi

As electricity is available, so is wifi. It was free at my teahouse, and from what I know, all teahouses in Namche should have free wifi for their customers. The network connection on phones also work, so you can also use the data on your phone to connect to the internet.

Food

You can get pretty much anything in Namche Bazaar. When you book a teahouse, the unwritten rule is that you have to eat breakfast and dinner at the teahouse, but for lunch or snacks you can go anywhere else.

Namche has lots of cafes and restaurants, so it’s nice to go out for lunch to try other places. I ended up having lunch at my teahouse because I planned to take a shower, and it just worked out easier. But I did go out to a cafe for some tea and snacks.

The food is probably one of the best in Namche all along the EBC trek. I found there were more options and better food here than higher up. Both Nepali and international dishes are available, but it’s best to stick to vegetarian dishes as it’s difficult for teahouses to properly store meat. Other guests at my teahouse had dishes with meat and they were fine, but I didn’t want to risk it.

Shower

Most of the teahouses in Namche (and in all places on the trek) have one shower facility with hot water. You have to let the staff know when you want to take a shower, and they unlock the shower for you.

Most trekkers spend two nights in Namche, so it’s perfect to take a shower and wash your hair. For me, Namche was the last place where I had a hot shower and wash my hair on the trek on the way up. On the second day, I got back to my lodge after the acclimatization hike in the early afternoon, it was still warm, the sun was shining, so it was the perfect time for a shower. After I left Namche and continued up, it became too cold to even think about taking a shower.

The shower facility is basic, but it’s as good as it gets. You have to pay extra for the hot shower, it’s around Rs. 500 (USD 3).

Toilets

I got a room with a shared toilet. It was probably my only regret at the lodge where I was staying that I should have gotten a room with a private toilet. All along the trek, the shared toilets can get so messy, and looking back on my entire EBC trek, I should have gotten a private toilet everywhere.

At my lodge in Namche, the flush was not working, and it got so messy. Apart from the toilet, the lodge was really good.

Should I Book Ahead?

No, there is no need to pre-book a room before arriving in Namche. The town is big, there are loads of teahouses, and you can book a place on the spot even if you are trekking solo in peak season.

If you booked a trek through a trekking agency or went with a guide, then your accommodation will be arranged and pre-booked by them. Trekking agencies and guides have their preferred accommodation where they stay on every trek, and they pre-book them before you arrive.

Prices

The prices in Namche are alright. You are not that high up on the trek yet, so the prices are not that expensive. You can also charge your phone for free and there is free wifi, so that keeps the spending lower.

My spending on EBC the trek increased higher up on the trek because of having to pay extra for wifi and charging, otherwise, the food costs are pretty similar all along the trek.

I paid the following prices in Namche Bazaar: 

• Room: Rs. 500 (USD 3) per night for a twin room for a single person with a shared toilet
• Food: Dal bhat for Rs. 900 (USD 6), pizza for Rs. 850 (USD 5.50), pasta for Rs. 750 (USD 5), an omelette with toast for Rs. 700 (USD 4.50), cinnamon porridge for Rs. 500 (USD 3), a cup of tea for Rs. 150, hot water refill (1L): Rs. 300 (USD 2).
• Bottled water: Rs. 150 per bottle
• Charging: free for phone, Rs. 100 for power banks
• Wifi: free wifi at the teahouse
• Shower: Rs. 500 (USD 3)