Namche Bazaar at night, Nepal 04 Aug 2016

Posted on 04 Aug 2016

Colour night of the Sherpa village Namche Bazar with milky way over the mountain - Nepal Himalaya

About this photo

It's en-route to Namche Bazaar that you will most likely enjoy your first glimpses of Mount Everest.

The prosperous town of Namche Bazaar (a Sherpa village with two- and three-storey houses-cum-lodges, a bank and post office), sits in a U-shaped, west-facing valley, with the sacred mountain Khumbila (5,761 metres/18,900ft) to the north, Thamserku (6,608 metres/ 21,680ft) to the east and Kwangde Ri (6,187 metres/20,298ft) to the west. Stone-paved lanes are lined with shops filled with an amazing selection of mountaineering equipment and gourmet expedition food. Swiss chocolate and French pâté stand alongside Russian sardines and Italian sausage; other shops rent crampons, mountaineering boots, and sleeping bags, or sell paperbacks and Tibetan jewellery imported via Kathmandu.There are multiple mountain lodges to choose from for accommodation here too.

To experience Nepal and Namche Bazaar, you can customise your own trip with Insight Guides. See our Exclusive Everest trip for inspiration.

For some pre-planning, pick up a copy of Insight Guides: Nepal, available in printed guidebook or eBook format.

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saimai saelim/Shutterstock

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I hadn’t ridden a bicycle for 20 years and was a bit apprehensive but it was OK and I was ‘sold’ as I could cycle without being weighed down by a big bag. Without a jeep transferring our bags this would have been really hard work for me though and I’d have probably hated it. I found the cycling a bit bumpy at times, but I could cycle at my own pace and there was always incredible scenery to take in. Why rush? I certainly appreciated that our overnight halts afforded creature comforts like private rooms, proper beds and hot showers. Having electricity to use a hair dryer was a major plus! Getting dusty every day seemed to be par for the course, especially with those afternoon winds. Electric blankets or hot water bottles were very welcome at the higher altitude places we stayed in. I rather liked the lodge at Thasang. What a location, although being on top of a hill we had to earn those views the hard way. I liked Kagbeni too, so, so different to what we’d seen of Nepal so far. It felt more like we were in Tibet. The changes in the scenery and everything that goes with that were amazing and fascinating as we descended. Travelling by bike meant that we were going fast enough to notice the changes every day, but slow enough to take it all in and stop whenever we felt like it. I’m rather proud that I cycled all of it, except the last little bit up to Thasang where I found it easier to push my bike. We went from a mountain desert to alpine to jungle in just a matter of days and the views of the Himalayas is way beyond dramatic. The size of Dhaulagiri is almost impossible to believe until you see it. Taking a break at Thasang was a good idea as it gave me a break from the bike and the walk to Sekong Lake was very worthwhile. Looking behind to Dhaulagiri and across to Annapurna is something I’ll never forget. Best picnic location ever. My partner loved the downhill ride from Thasang to Tatopani, but I was happy taking my time and cycling through the villages was a great way of making new friends, especially the local kids who were always smiling and waving. Reaching Tatopani was odd as it suddenly felt quite warm, although I was very happy to enjoy a good soak in the hot springs and the last day of cycling was easy. Anil, our guide, was wonderful. So friendly and patient, but very laid back too. I’ve never been paragliding, but I loved that and the views and sensation of flying is impossible to describe. It was a lot easier than I thought and I think if I was to do it again I’d like to try flying with one of the trained vultures. We also went rafting too, another first for me. Much more relaxing than I expected it would be, apart from one or two hairy bits at the end. I was surprised as to how wild and remote it felt paddling down river with nothing but birds for company. Going back to Kathmandu was quite the shock though. I wasn’t quite ready for all that hustle and bustle again and with hindsight should have chosen somewhere a bit more away from the touristy part. Still, it was handy for me having all the shops close by and we found a few quiet court yard cafes to escape too. Pilgrims Book Shop is particularly good for way more than just books. Reflecting on our adventure we both felt that we’d done something rather unique and you don’t really appreciate just how varied this trip is until you look at your photo album. I felt a real sense of achievement and that I got to experience a great deal more of Nepal than I’d anticipated. The Himalayas are amazing, but my fondest memory is of the people of Nepal. So cheerful and friendly.

Larry Oct 2019