“Before going directly to the most popular and exciting things to do in Everest Base Camp trek, let’s describe EBC a little more.”
If you love to trek or travel around the world, then Everest Base Camp might not be the new place for you. As well as, it might not be wrong to say that Everest Base Camp is the dream for every trekkers. People even spend more than a month preparing themselves for this Everest Base Camp trek.
From records, thousands of trekkers from all over the world trek to EBC every year. Located at an elevation of 5,362m/17,800ft, it is one of the most crowded trekking trails during its peak point (Feb-May and late Sep-Nov).
But trekking to Everest Base Camp is not a cup of tea, you definitely need lots of planning and effort for this trek. And after all those preparations if you miss something to do while trekking then it’s obvious that you’ll regret it for your whole life.
So, we are here with top 10 most exciting things that all trekkers shouldn’t miss while doing the Everest Base Camp trek.
1) Exploring the Namche Bazaar
To all those trekkers who have been/want to trek EBC, Namche Bazaar might be the first place to come to mind. Being the first step closer to Everest Base Camp and Mt. Everest, Namche Bazaar is known for being the gateway for Mt. Everest.
Namche Bazaar is dominated by the Tibetan ethnic groups called Sherpa. That’s why, the main attraction of this Namche Bazar is Sherpa’s unique culture and tradition, yak and cheese.
Being the first impression of EBC trek, Namche Bazar is also popular among trekkers located in the Khumbu region in the elevation of 3,440m/11,290ft having number of lodges, internet café, stores, restaurants, German bakeries, Irish pub (considered to be the only remotest Irish Pub in the world).
Another major attraction of the Namche Bazaar is its weekly market held in the center of the village every Saturday morning by locals. People from neighboring villages come to buy sell their goods like foods, shoes, clothes, and household items.
If you love hiking, then Namche Bazaar provides you with a buy one get one free offer. Hiking behind the uphill of Namche Bazaar allows you to view Mt. Everest and impressive outline of Ama Damblam which is recognizable from any angle. Similarly, 45min or an hours of hike to Everest View Hotel will give you eye mesmerizing views.
These above-mentioned things aren’t only the attraction of Namche Bazaar, there are other lots of things to do in Namche Bazaar. In fact, you can never stop exploring Namche Bazaar.
2) Binding Blessing scarf
The word blessing made you feel something religious right? And yes, it is religious local believes that an act of tying a scarf in Hillary Suspension Bridge brings you good luck.
Hillary Suspension Bridge is named after Sir Edmund Hillary and is the last final suspension bridge to cross before entering the Namche Bazaar. In this bridge, you can see lots of blessing scarf, and its looks like a beautiful decoration made for the bridge.
You can buy your blessing scarf at Kathmandu and tie it on Hillary suspension bridge. You might not believe in this kind of belief but you would surely be happy to have good luck on your side and do this tying scarf act.
3) Sherpa Culture Museum
After exploring the Namche Bazaar, if you’re more interested in exploring the Sherpa culture through the ages then you mustn’t miss the Sherpa museum. Simply, this museum provides you the knowledge about the Sherpa life from local to the street.
This is a private museum run by local photographer Lakhpa Sonam at Choorkung which is just 20min uphill from the center of Namche.
In Sherpa Culture Museum, visitors can observe the great photo of Tenzing Norgay assessing his porter’s loads from 1953AD along with panoramic photos of the Mt. Everest treks which makes you feel that going to Sherpa Culture Museum was indeed the best decision.
To preserve more Sherpa culture, architecture and to preserve the arts or photos of trekkers recently, a new photo gallery is constructed in the courtyard.
4) Khumjung Village
Before visiting Nepal, we guess you had done some researches about our country Nepal and knew that Nepal is a developing country having lots of remote villages. Located in an elevation of 3,790m/12,430ft, Khumjung village is also one of the remote villages of Nepal and also known as one of the most visited villages of Nepal.
On the third day of the trek of Everest Base Camp, trekkers will have a rest day at Namche Bazaar. On that day you can visit Khumjung village which is just 2 ½ hours(4.9km) away from Namche Bazaar.
Khumjung village is also known as “Hidden Village”
5) Tengboche Monastery
Another place to visit while trekking to EBC is Tengboche Monastery which lies at an elevation of 3,867m/12,687ft and is just 4.9km away from Khumjung village and is at the top of a hill offering an amazing view of Mt. Everest.
If you want to experience how life goes on without advanced technology as well as want to give calmness in your body and soul then visiting Tengboche Monastery is an absolutely good choice.
Tengboche monastery has un-spoilt traditions and rich in culture. Simply, Tengboche monastery is the site that trekkers can’t afford to miss while trekking to EBC.
This monastery is one the most famous monastery in Nepal which was built in 1916 by Lama Gulu. Due to the earthquake in 1989, it was destroyed and was rebuilt. Again in 1989 it was destroyed because of fire and was rebuilt with the help of wealthy inhabitants of local Sherpa as well as international assistance.
Tengboche is also called the site of the “sacred sites trail project” because it is a circular trail that covers 10 monasteries in a clockwise direction ending in the Tengboche Monastery attracting a large number of the visitor as it falls under the Everest Base Camp trek. Also, Tengboche is a proud hometown of our Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, one who climbed Mt. Everest for the first time.
The trekkers can visit the monastery anytime as it is open every day. But every place in Nepal has a perfect time to visit. So, the perfect time to visit Tengboche Monastery is during the Mani Rimdu festival which falls in October-November and lasts for 19days. If you are able to visit the monastery during this festival then you can enjoy grand shows i.e. masked dances and Tantrik rituals. This festival also includes sixteen different dances which are performed for the religious value of this Mani Rimdu festival and not for entertainment purposes.
6) Café Danphe Bar
If you love parties and drinks then you must visit this Café Danphe bar although there are lots of pubs in Namche Bazaar. Café Danphe bar is the literally liveliest nightspot in Namche Bazaar.
Here, customers can enjoy imported soft/hard drinks, wines, steak sizzler, and the pool table are always in demand. Café Danphe Bar is the only place where you can enjoy the music fullest in the thin air (above 3340m).
All the bars at Namche Bazaar hosts movie shows at local time 3:00 o’clock every day. Generally, movies are documentaries about Sherpa and mountaineering. Each bar shows a different movie at the same time so, if you want to watch a sold-out mountaineer’s blog then look for a bar showing “Into Thin Air”.
In such a common service also Café Danphe gives some extra services to its customers i.e. free pool table and popcorn. So, better reserve your place in this bar.
7) Mani Wall
Have you ever heard about something which was built unintentionally and took more than a century to give its present structure? Does this kind of fact make you more curious and want to evaluate things by yourself? Then you must visit the Mani Wall at Dingboche.
It is told unintentionally built because of the fact when Sherpas started to cultivate the field, they gathered the stones at the edge of the field which formed a long stone pile ultimately. And became an attraction among the visitors in the present context.
On the 7th day of the Everest Base Camp trek, you will reach Dingboche where you can explore the self-made stone pile wall.
8) Hike to Kala Patthar
Kala Patthar, the highest viewpoint of the world and you think you can afford a chance to miss an eye mesmerizing panoramic view of the entire Mt. Everest? I guess you can’t. It also can be recognized as the side trek from Everest Base Camp not to miss.
Kala Patthar means ‘black rock’ in Nepali and is a remarkable landmark of Nepal which lies just above the Gorakshep. It is just 2/ 2 ½ hours walk from Gorakshep in elevation of 5,5545m.
On the 10th day, you will reach Gorakshep and after that EBC. However, from Everest Base Camp you won’t be able to see Mt. Everest.
So, a hike to Kala Patthar is included in the itinerary of Everest Base Camp on the 11th day of the trek. The only place which offers you a view of Mt. Everest is the Kala Patthar. Trekkers can enjoy the beautiful sunrise on this Kala Patthar.
I must say that the view of Mt. Everest with the background scene of sunrise makes you feel that you have achieved the greatest thing in your life and also makes you believe that “Heaven is a myth, Nepal is real.”
9) Syangboche Airport
You might think Lukla/Tenzing Hillary Airport is the highest altitude airport in Nepal but it’s not. The Syangboche airport built-in 1971 in Khumbu Pasang Lhamu and is the highest altitude airport in Nepal at an elevation of 3,780m (12,402ft) having one runway of 405m in length.
This airport is in the east and 7min away from Namche Bazaar. Not knowing about this airport isn’t your fault because Syangboche Airport is closed for the past decade. Right now, the airport is used for operating helicopters to transport goods.
10) Writing names on stones and making stones piles
Both writing names on stones and making stone piles has been a trend for trekkers for decades. While returning from Everest Base Camp enjoying the trek as well as leaving your own mark is also important.
So, for your own mark or sign, you can use stones that often fall from the glaciers, and also during Avalanche, hundreds of stones slide down to trekking trail. You can write your name, your lover’s names, favorite part of this EBC trek, tips for other trekkers, or whatever you like. You can also see lots of trekkers mark on the way.
If you believe in making stone piles and making a wish then you must try making it. In my opinion, there are no trekkers who haven’t tried making stone piles and figure out his/her stone piles while returning back.
You might think, is this necessary while trekking to EBC? No, it’s not but having fun and doing all the things which others did is the way of enjoying the trekking life.
Above mention, things aren’t compulsory to do for all trekkers. There might be other places which are more interesting than mentions one and also there might be other fun stuff to do. So, if there are other places or things to do then your suggestions/comments are heartily welcome.
Trekking is tiring and fun which makes your life worthy but doesn’t forget to make your environment clean while trekking. But this doesn’t mean you should keep picking up garbage all the way of trekking trails. There is a saying “To change things, start with your own self.” So, just don’t throw your waste material on the way to the trekking trail.
Let’s try to make our environment clean and our earth a suitable place for all living beings.
Looking forward to reading more. Great blog post. Much thanks again. Cool. Kenny Zuvich