At about 11,500', Namche is a prosperous and pleasant place, although not nearly as big as the nearby villages of Khunde and Khumjung. The houses are large and comfortable, and the setting in its famous bowl unparalleled.

In a way, the place is the center of the Sherpa universe, particularly on Saturdays when the Namche market brings people from all over the region to buy and sell everything from meat to grain to Chinese tennis shoes from Tibet.
 
 
Even though much of the walking in this area has a comparatively gentle gradient, we were into higher altitudes and walking days were relatively short to allow safe acclimatization.  
   
 
Pointing the way to Everest.

Another acclimatization day was fitted in the itinerary at Pheriche. From here, we hiked to the Nankartshang Gumba for views of Makalu (8463 m) - the fifth highest mountain in the world. Click Next