A Guide to Tea House Trekking in Nepal

Trekking in Nepal categories can be joining by two different options. Is call tea-house trek or guest house trek or lodge stay trek and fully organized tented camping trek.

Nowadays, Most popular trekking trips in Nepal can be done tea-house trek, which means every night you end up your hike and stay at a simple lodge with basic room and get local fresh cooked meals and drinks. The best benefit about tea house trekking – you only have to carry your personal trekking gear, a knowledgeable guide, and a support Sherpa.

This tea house trekking refers to staying in a local family-owned lodge for each night, allow the trekkers to travel with the minimum amount of trekking gears and get connected with locally from so near.

Almost of the popular trekking routes in Nepal are tea house treks offering by local families and offering their best service for travelers. Those tea houses can refer to comfortable, well-built and designed rooms for great views of Himalayas and scenery. Tea house/lodges can be found from small capacity bamboo hut to 60 person capacity within the forest, village till Near Everest Base camp, at the altitude of 5200 meters.

What is tea-house or lodge in Nepal Trekking?

Tea house means small and cozy Nepali homes, build by local materials (Mostly stone walls and wood with metal architect-designed buildings) purpose for family and tourist-trekkers stay that have a family kitchen service. It called mountain huts as well, few basic bedrooms with separate beds for sleep, a common eating hall with firewood place, and bathroom facilities are available. As much as possible, mostly tea houses they build at a prime location for a great view.

The tea house rooms are basic but clean. They change daily bed cover and ground. Some of the guest house they offer attached bathroom (Private bathroom) as well. Slightly those rooms are more well decorate and have more facilities. Of course, the cost also a bit expensive. The guest lodge room comes with a clean blanket, pillow, and safety room lock key. Some of the guest house they offer hanging rope for your laundry to keep dry.  For restroom and shower generally, you need to be out of your room if you take a common room. For hot shower provided from firewood, cooking gas shower, or bucket hot water. A cold shower is free of cost.

Our Suggestion:

If you are worried about the guest house cleanness, we really suggest you bring your private sleeping bag, thin liner for bed. Those you can purchase in Kathmandu city, Pokhara, Namche bazaar, Manang, and popular places in the trekking route.  It’s always a great wish to bring a pair of earplugs, as the guest house room’s walls are thin and some time they have only a few wooden flags and open stone. Sound and noise enter your room easily.

Tea house expectation on your trek in Nepal

Most of the tea houses they offering very affordable cost for their sleeping room (around 5 to 15$ per night for a twin room bedroom), where the owners make most of the income from the meals and beverage. When you stay tea-house, the owner expects to eat all your meals at the same tea house. It very depends on your tea house trekking package. Some of the package meals are included as part of package trek and some of not. If all-inclusive packages your all meals are taken care of through your guide and tea-house.  Only personal snacks and drinks you pay by yourself. If you only hire a guide service, need to pay yourself.

Meals at your tea house trek in Nepal

Tea-house is very simple and it has only basic facilities. Even, every guest house you will find a very similar set menu of popular Nepalese food Dal-Bhat, Momos, varieties of potatoes dishes, local wheat/cornbread, and mountain pizza and other vegetables, rice, and noodle dishes which are simply best. Beside of that tea-house offer their own local meal which is even more hygienic and tasty. While on traveling in Nepal trekking route I suggest taking a locally recognized food. Local people know how to cook local food better.

When you order the meal then they cook your food fresh. That ideally takes a long time then expect. Some of the dishes take even longer time to make (such as momos, spring rolls, so best to check in advance what’s fresh and fast available.

To avoid getting sick on the trek it wishes to order always freshly cooked food like Dal Bhat, chapatti pieces of bread and cooked vegetables are generally healthy and easily available where ever you go for trekking in Nepal Himalayas.

If you are trekking in high altitude Himalayas like Everest Base Camp, Thorong La pass or Manaslu Circuit, etc, the meal is getting cold within a minute. In those places much better to order alternative meals like Spaghetti, soups, and slices of bread and boiled vegetables that food is light and very healthy for the digest.

Electricity and WI-FI access in tea house trekking in Nepal

Probably in Nepal, WI-FI is one of fast-growing and promoting well service. In popular trekking routes like Everest Base Camp trek, Gokyo Chola Pass, Mera peak, Annapurna Circuit and Annapurna Base Camp, Langtang trek, Mustang and Manaslu trek areas offer WI-FI service (Free and paid option). Generally, guest house/tea-house offers that service for their trekking guides and guest using electric power or solar power.

Mostly WI-FI services are available in the dining room. When many people connected the speed is very slow and if you are lucky sometimes you will have a good connection. Solukhumbu (Everest Base Camp area tea house has a better connection than other areas.

Someplace they charge by per hour and someplace per day connection are available. The cost starts from 1$ to 15 $ per day.

Many of tea houses, they offer you electronic device charge service by electric or solar power. It cost from 2 $ to 4$ per full charge. The power outage is quite frequent, however, be sure to charge when you get a chance to charge. Sometimes if it is not sunny, the weather is bad it may now work everywhere.

The advantage of choosing tea house trek in Nepal

Mail advantage of choosing tea house trek in Nepal is a concern of your comfortable stay. Minimize your packing gears and list on your trekking bag. While staying in a tea-house you don’t need to carry lots of camping equipment.  Another advantage is minimizing your trekking budget. To compare the camping trek, tea house treks are relatively low cost. Because of using less manpower, crews, equipment, and cooking course.

While on tea house trek you will directly be connected with the local community and family which is really get more support from the local directly. When you eat at a local tea house they offer you mostly local products from their menu and kitchen. That encourages the local farmer.  On the other hand, the tea-house is best for the season. You will be more protected against bad weather, rain, and snow.