Namche Bazaar

The Sherpa town of Namche Bazaar, at a height of 3440m (11,286ft), is the administrative center of the Khumbu district, and a great place to pause near the start of your Everest trek as you acclimatize to Himalayan altitudes. The picturesque town has plenty of guest houses and eateries, as well as a Tibetan clothing market for trekkers who’re feeling underdressed. There are even a few internet cafes. You may be gritting your teeth as you pay the bill, though: it’s a logistical challenge to transport goods to remote Namche Bazaar, and as a result it’s the most expensive place in the whole of Nepal, with prices three times what you’d pay in Kathmandu!

One entrance fee for which it’s definitely worth digging out your wallet is the town’s Sherpa Cultural Museum: a traditional Sherpa house, complete with family chapel, cow stable and hay store, which contains a quirky collection of characteristic Sherpa artefacts and equipment. Visiting the museum is a special experience: a one-of-a-kind insight into the history and daily lives of some of the world’s hardiest people.