The Khumbu region in eastern Nepal is the home of the Sherpas, the world’s most famous mountaineers. The Tengboche Monastery, center of Sherpa Buddhist culture, holds pride of place in Himalayan iconography. Sacred stones, Chortens, mani walls (boulders marked with Buddhist prayer inscriptions) and prayer flags mark the route. Yak caravans are frequently encountered and the precarious suspension bridges make you pause.
Namche Bazaar is an enchanting settlement set in a horseshoe-shaped mountain amphitheater. Its Saturday market is a social event where merchandise of daily use, meat, yak trail and butter are traded. Mountaineering souvenirs left behind by expeditions to Everest can also be found in the shops of Namche.