Day 5: Namche

In the morning, the group will take an acclimatization hike, gaining 1,000 feet to take in the amazing mountain vista. In the afternoon, we’ll have time to visit sights in Namche Bazaar, including the local marketplace.

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Early morning ushered in another beautiful day in the Himalayas. Not a cloud in the sky.

Breakfast chatter including dog barking during the night. We all agreed the dogs didn’t awake us, it was the diamox and bathroom frequency that comes with our favorite altitude meds.

Hike began with temps around freezing, high today 36. It’s amazing with no wind 32 feels like 60. One layer was all that was needed and one hiker had on shorts. Was frankly hot once you put your backpack on.

Hike did challenge some of us. Not in length (it was short) but steepness. George was most affected and it caused him to walk back comments to Mike suggesting he was training too hard a few weeks prior, that he needed more balance.

I would also add there were no donkeys or Yak on this mornings hike. Generally a positive but when they are on the trail they have the right of way which causes hikers to have to break (and breathe) from hiking, there were no animal induced breaks.

Our destination was Syngboche, a small building and cement  platform about 2 miles away with 1500 feet elevation change. Once there we were afforded amazing views of Everest and its surrounding mountains. The place was energetic with tourists from everywhere. We had tea and took a hundred pictures.

On the way down we stoped at the Sagarmartha Next Museum. The Sagarmatha park is the home of Everest and most of the lands around it. The museum talked about the evolution of Namche from a farm and trading town to a tourist town now receiving 40,000 people a year. Benefits include a much higher standard of living with healthcare and school improvements with downsides being things like pollution. But they are on the pollution fix via an entity called SPCC. They also have 3 24 hour bars. As of this writing no EBC planned visits.

Down mountain and lunch then shopping at the Namche Bizzare visiting the Sherpa museum, some had  massages then finally an Irish pub gathering at 5:30. This is the highest Irish pub in the WORLD, so we must. Retail damage done at the Sherpa store, a local outdoors shop. 

Sherpa museum opened in 2023 and is a celebration of their contributions to the sport. Many fun facts one man did 4 climbs in 14 days, there is a female climber who has ascended 10 times. Of note Tom Slick was one of the few non Sherpas mentioned, his story was about Yeti pursuit.

That’s about it. Forecast remains sunny and warm!

-Tommy Shealy