Namche Bazaar Trek with Helicopter Tour to Everest Base Camp is one of the best and most luxurious ways to explore the Everest Region along with some of the highest mountains including Mount Everest, Mount Lhotse, AmaDablmetc
This is a short and majestic trek to explore the range of Everest with high-standing Himalayas, exploring the Sherpa culture, visiting Monasteries and the distinct Himalayan vegetation.
Namche Bazaar which lies at an altitude of 3440 Meters is one of the popular towns of the entire Khumbu Region and is the gateway to Everest. With some majestic monasteries, museums, and viewpoints this little unofficial headquarters has a hospital, banks and ATM, Bar, Pool House, bar and disco, etc. to spend quality time at such an altitude.
Travelers can spend many days exploring and hiking to the Sherpa Villages, Khumjung Village, and View Point on the hilltop. The entire area falls under Sagarmatha National Park, a UNESCO Natural Heritage Site.
Thus, the trail is a protected area with diverse vegetation, flora, fauna, and the Sherpa culture and customs.
The trek starts from LUKLA after a short flight from Kathmandu. Upon landing you will get sufficient time to explore the first village of the Khumbu region and then the trek starts through the village, farmland, and forest with some ascend and descent into PHAKDING or MONJO.
Spending the first night in a tranquil village by the River, the very next day your trek continues with an incline climb uphill to reach Monjo village, the main entrance point of the Sagarmatha National Park.
After the Permits Check your climb continues through the stone stairs to reach Jorsalle, With a short break, your hike continues towards the Hillary Bridge and then continues uphill to reach Top Dada. Here you will have the first view of Mount Everest and then the hike continues towards Namche Bazaar.
Exploring the Sherpa Capital and visiting the monastery you will spend a majestic night in your Hotel. Next day visit the Everest View Hotel (3880M) and explore the wide range of Himalayas including Mount Everest and take a Helicopter Tour to Everest Base Camp and Kalapatthar.
Spending some memorable time exploring the Himalayas, you can descend back to Namche Bazaar, Lukla, or Kathmandu. This depends upon your timeframe and interest.
Lukla Altitude/Elevation and Overview
Lukla is a small town in the Everest region and is mainly inhabited by the Sherpa community. This is the gateway to Everest when trekkers take a flight. Lukla is situated at an elevation of 2840 meters and helps trekkers to acclimatize after the flight and then descend towards Phakding for the first overnight stay.
Lies in between the hills, Lukla has a small but active airport, where trekkers fly from Kathmandu to start their trek, this helps to shorten the number of days for the entire trek to the Everest Region.
With a small airport, hotels, hospital, and ATMs, trekkers spend the last night in LUKLA while descending from the trek and then the very next day's flight to Kathmandu.
Lukla to Phakding
Lukla to Phakding is a descending trail in terms of altitude. After landing in Lukla airport, trekkers spend some time exploring around and then the trek continues towards Phakding. Trek continues towards Pasang Lhamnu Entrance Gate, here you will stop for permit works and then hike through the villages and farmland.
Crossing some suspension bridge over a stream, you will pass by a couple of Sherpa Villages and reach Phakding. However, this will be an easy hike with ascending and descending. Further, if you are early in Lukla, your hike is to reach Monjo for the first night stay.
Namche Bazaar Altitude/Elevation and Overview
Namche Bazaar is one of the most popular towns in the entire Khumbu/Everest Region. This is also one of the unofficial capital and is the center of Commerce and Trade for the local dwellers.
Namche Bazaar which lies at an Elevation of 3440 Meters is the Gateway to Everest Base Camp. This is the place where trekkers spend 2 nights while trekking towards Everest Base Camp and a night while descending.
On the second day, trekkers hike towards Everest View Hotel (3880M) to explore the wide range of Himalayas including Mount Everest, and also these extra days help trekkers to acclimatize with the altitude.
Phakding to Namche Bazaar
Phakding is the first overnight camp where trekkers spend during the Everest Base Camp Trek. A small village of SHERPA, Phakding which lies at an altitude of 2610M/8563Ft is lower than LUKLA.
Upon landing at Lukla airport, trekkers hike for around 4 Hours to reach Phakding. Surrounded by green forest, Phakding is close to the DudhKoshi River.
Spending the first night in Phakding, your trek continues towards Monjo and Permits for Permit check, and further, you hike through the dense forest, crossing a Suspension bridge over the DudhKoshi river to reach Top Dada.
Here, you will have the first glance at Mount Everest, and then hiking further for around 2-3 hours you will reach Namche Bazaar.
Everest View Hotel Altitude/Elevation
Everest View Hotel is a prominent place to be while doing Everest Trek. Lies at an altitude of 3880 meters, this is the first hill station from when trekkers explore the wide range of Himalayas including Mount Everest.
Trekkers spend 2 nights in Namche Bazaar for acclimatization and on the next day, they do a day tour to Everest View Hotel. This is some 440 meters higher than Namche Bazaar.
From Everest View Hotel, you will be able to have a stunning view of the Himalayas, the Khumjung village, and the varied vegetation of the Everest region. Moreover, trekkers can also visit the National Park Museum during this hike.
Namche Bazaar to Everest View Hotel
Namche Bazaar is the second overnight camp for trekkers where trekkers spend 2 nights for acclimatization. Trekkers on the next day hike to the nearby hill station also commonly known as Everest View Hotel (3880M).
After breakfast, trekkers take a 3-hour trip to Everest View Hotel, a high mountain from where the majestic view of the Himalayas in a long range can be seen.
Apart from this, trekkers can visit the National Park Museum which provides excellent information on different flora and fauna of the Himalayas and also the Sherpa culture. Moreover, during this hike, you will be able to see YAK and the Mountain Goats (Thar) on the trail.
Namche to Everest Base Camp
Namche Bazaar to Everest Base Camp is a 5-day extra trek with an extra acclimatizing day in Dingbuche. However, descending back to Namche Bazaar from Everest Base Camp will add 2 extra days. This makes a 7-day Trek to and from Namche Bazaar to Everest Base Camp.
However, the best alternative trail will be to take a Helicopter Ride from Namche Bazaar to Everest Base Camp and back to Namche Bazaar or Kathmandu on the same day. This is more applicable to those who lack long vacations for trekking and also to those who are not comfortable hiking at such an altitude.
Everest Base Camp to Kathmandu
Trekkers from Everest Base Camp can descend to Lukla in just a 3-day. However, an alternative option would be to take a Helicopter ride to Kathmandu on the same day or to descend only to Lukla and the very next day take a flight to Kathmandu.
Through this alternative option, you will be minimizing the number of days of the trek, and is applicable for those who lack time and also for those who don’t want to descend all the way downhill through the same trail.
Is this Trek Fit for Me?
Namche Bazaar Trek is an easy-going uphill climb through the lowland area of the Himalayas. Trek starts after landing at Lukla airport. With a short break, your hike continues with some ascending and descending to reach Phakding.
However, the climb to Namche will be a bit longer and strenuous for first-time trekkers. As the altitude gain will be 800+ Meters. This ascends will be through the forest, crossing through the DudhKoshi River over the suspension bridge.
For first-time trekkers, another option can be to hike to Monjo on the first day and then to Namche Bazaar. This will minimize an hour and a half trekking hour for the second day. Or for the senior trekkers, you can make this Lukla to Namche Bazaar Trek a 3-Day Hike. Here it goes:
- Kathmandu-Lukla-Phakding
- Phakding-Jorsalle
- Jorsalle-Namche
Upon reaching the Namche Bazaar, the very next day will be a relaxing hike towards Everest View Hotel (3880M). This will be a 4-hour day tour and the result will be a magnificent Himalayan view in a long range including Mount Everest, Mount Lhotse, AmaDablam, etc., and finally to Everest Base Camp and then to Namche Bazaar or Lukla or Kathmandu.
Alternative Route for first-time trekkers/Senior Citizens/with Kids.
Day 1: Flight to Lukla and Trek to Phakding
Day 2: Hike to Jorsalle
Day 3: Hike to Namche Bazaar
Day 4: Explore Namche Bazaar and Hike to Everest View Hotel and Helicopter Tour to Everest Base Camp and Descend to Namche Bazaar
OR Fly to Kathmandu or Lukla on the Same Day
Day 5: Descend to Lukla
Day 6: Flight to Kathmandu
