Nepal, home to some of the world's 8,000-meter mountain peaks, is a dream destination for many audacious hikers and adventurers. Between Nepal and Tibet (an autonomous region of China) lies the majestic Mount Everest, the world’s tallest mountain, and conquering it is every mountaineer’s dream. While only around 6,338 people have summited Mount Everest since it’s an extremely difficult adventure, many opt to trek to Everest Base Camp. But still, it’s no easy adventure!
Besides learning some handy Everest Base Camp tips that help make for the ultimate climbing experience, there are mind-blowing attractions that render the adventure more than just a trek. From the breathtaking views of the Himalayas, a backpacking haven, to spectacular valleys, these are the ten astonishing things daring hikers discover on foot.
10 Tengboche Monastery
Located in the Everest Region is the Tengboche Monastery, also known as Dawa Choling Gompa. Tengboche Monastery has been rebuilt twice after earthquake wreckage and fire. It is the first celibate monastery in the Nyuingmapa lineage and hosts about 60 monks.
Local people and tourists come here to seek blessings from the lama, light butter candles, or explore special chantings. The monastery also hosts the Mani Rimdu Festival in autumn, around October or November. Meditation continues for 19 days as the lamas officially change the prayer flags.
9 Sherpa Culture
Sherpas were extremely helpful to early explorers of the Himalayas. Today, they continue to guide adventurers through their Mount Everest expeditions. The Sherpa’s ability to perform strenuous tasks in high altitudes without suffering altitude sickness shows how efficiently their bodies use oxygen.
But there is much more to the Sherpa culture other than their mountaineering skills. Adventurers taste the Sherpa culture by sampling some of their staple dishes. One of the must-try dishes is the shyakpa stew, a potato and meat stew with vegetables.
Lhakpa Sherpa, one of the Sherpas, is a Guinness World Record holder, and her gripping story of summiting Mount Everest over nine times might inspire adventurers to take the challenge.
8 Teahouses
Teahouses are the small hotels sprinkled along the Everest Base Camp Trek, offering accommodation, hot meals, and hot showers to trekkers. Adventurers identify them by the large signs outside their doors and have a pay-as-you-stay system. However, the best way to identify a trusted teahouse is to travel with a local tour guide.
Teahouses present ideal places for trekkers to see a different side of Nepal and meet the friendly local people. Moreover, adventurers meet and socialize with fellow hikers in the communal areas.
7 Thukla Pass
The Thukla or Thugla Pass is the heart-rending section of the Everest Base Camp trek, one of the world's most challenging yet rewarding adventures. It honors Sherpas and mountaineers who died while conquering the Himalayan peaks. There are over 100 stone and cement memorials with names and prayers, built by their families as a sign of reverence. Famous mountaineers honored on this pass include Scott Fischer and Babu Chiri Sherpa, whose record of staying without supplementary oxygen on the summit still stands.
Thukla Memorial Pass starkly reminds trekkers how mountaineering can be dangerous and to take their time on the Everest expedition.
6 Everest Base Camp
Everest Base Camp, which has mind-blowing facts every avid hiker should know, is one of the most beautiful natural attractions providing temporary accommodation to climbers as they rest and acclimatize. Adventurers invest a lot of effort, commitment, and resources to reach the Everest Base Camp. And that is why arriving at the camp leaves climbers balancing tears of joy as it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
At an elevation of 5364 m, the camp rewards adventurers with staggering views of the Khumbu Glacier and Mountain Range, Kangtega, and Ama Dablam mountains.
5 Khumbu International Library
The Khumbu International Library is an information haven, part of the Sherwi Khangbe Center in Namche Bazaar, with about 800 books, magazines, and video materials. These materials have information regarding the Himalayan mountains, mountaineering guides, and Nepalese tourism.
Those searching for an in-depth look at the early Himalayan expeditions check the detailed biographies and historical accounts. The library welcomes both local residents and tourists on its premises, but for a small entrance fee.
4 Namche Bazaar
Namche Bazaar serves as an acclimatization stop, an information hub, and a market for climbing essentials. On Saturdays, the town holds a market for selling wares ranging from farm products to gear and clothing. Namche Bazaar is also home to the Sherpa Culture Museum, Namche Monastery, Tenzing Norgay Memorial, and the Sagarmatha National Park Museum.
While in town, travelers revel in the beauty of the snowy peaks of Khongeta, Kusum Khangaru, and Kongde Ri. Additionally, a two-hour-long ascension rewards travelers with a glimpse of Ada Dablam and Mount Everest.
3 Sagarmatha National Park
Dramatic mountains, deep valleys, delightful forests, and different species of flora and fauna characterize the natural beauty of Sagarmatha National Park. The park also blends nature and culture to add an intriguing touch to the protected area with the presence of Sherpa people.
Lucky tourists spot musk deer, Himalayan black bears, rare snow leopards, and red pandas wandering around the park. Nature lovers will admire the dense, lush, but diverse forest in the lower and higher elevations as bird watchers spot some of the more than 100 bird species.
2 Lukla Airport
Lukla Airport, renamed Tenzing Hillary Airport, is one of the most dangerous airports in the world due to its short runways, lack of electric power, and high altitude. Despite its bad reputation, Lukla Airport receives up to 30 planes and at least 30,000 tourists in peak season.
The scenic but short flight from Kathmandu to Lukla amazes travelers as they pass over valleys, mountain ranges, and the terraced Nepal landscape. But once they land at the airport, their mouths go agape as they take in the spectacular mountain landscape.
1 Kala Patthar
A journey to Kala Patthar is an adventure all trekkers cherish for the rest of their lives. Although Kala Patthar is not a proper mountain, adventurers ascend it for unobstructed views of Khumbu Glacier, surrounding mountains, and lakes.
The trek to the top of Kala Patthar starts on a winding trail from Gorakshep, with the Pumori Mountain view standing out in the background. The track gets rockier and trickier as adventurers go higher, but the majestic Mount Everest, Nuptse, Ama Dablam, and Khumbu Icefall views are worth the struggle.