Kongde Ri looms over Namche Bazaar in Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal

© Andrew Peacock/Aurora Photos

Kongde Ri looms over Namche Bazaar in Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal

Dark skies over Namche Bazaar don’t necessarily mean every resident of this high-altitude village in Nepal is sleeping peacefully. Most visitors use this village, within the boundaries of Sagarmatha National Park, as a gateway to the mountains. It’s a stop for tourists who need to acclimate to the altitude before setting off on a climb to nearby Kongde Ri, seen in the background, or perhaps Everest itself. Who could sleep before heading off on that adventure?