Mount Everest Travel Forum

Next year I am flying to Lukla. Due to time constraints and acclimatization issues I will not be able to hike to Base Camp. From my reading, it does not appear that one can actually see Everest from Lukla. Is the closest area that you can actually see Everest (weather permitting of course) at Namche Bazaar? Is there an area closer to Lukla where one can actually see Everest? Thank you.

Mmmm – Not sure about the above poster – maybe a bit of spamvertising ?? We seem to be getting a Lot of that on here these days :-(
I don’t tend to trust people who post answers and haven’t done a home-page !!

He is right in the first part of his answer – no you can’t see Everest from Lukla.

However you do get a view of it on your way up to Namche Bazaar, After crossing the Dhud Kosi for the final time the paths goes steeply up through a forested area, about ½ way up you come to a clearing, when I was there 10 years ago there was a ruined building there (On the right of the path) From here you get you 1st view of Everest, But it is only another hour or so from there to Namche.
2 days trekking from Lukla to Namche is both recommended and safer !!
If you take the path out of Namche towards Tangboche there is another great view-point, only about ½ hours walk from Namche, So If you were really pushed for time you can go to this view-point and still trek all the way back to Lukla in one day.
Good Luck
Rob

From the main trail, the first view of Everest AFAIK is as into-thin-air describes above. That's a long day's hike from Lukla, and you'd need to spend the night either further uphill in Namche or else back downhill at Jorsale if you're not camping.

I may have read that there's views before that if you get off the main trail and hike up the hillside, but can't recall specifics (possibly even above Lukla). Sorry.

Be aware that Everest is by no means the only magnificent mountain to behold in the park, though most indeed don't come into view until above Namche. See the end of my Lukla airport videoclip for a rough shot of a snowy (probably unnamed) peak visible from there:

http://picasaweb.google.com/zekebauer/NepalEverestNationalParkTreks/photo#5147418201229912866

Keep on clicking for pictures of what lays ahead uphill.

(Everest itself can be spotted from Nagarkot, a day trip outside Kathmandu).

Thank you for your responses. I really appreciate them. I am not sure where the "spamvertising" comment came from, but I am here for the same reason as most others, I love to travel and this is a great forum. Thanks again.

We were at namche Bazaar and there is a view point 20 minutes on from there on the way to Kumjung that has awesome sunrise views of Everest. but you need the atitude sickness tablets once you arrive in Namche. Everest View hotel is one and a half hours walk from Namche and there are awesome views from there in every direction of all the peaks.