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NEPAL'S TEAHOUSE TREKKING: 4 THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW

 April 2, 2023      By Himalayan Hero
NEPAL'S TEAHOUSE TREKKING: 4 THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW

"Teahouse Trekking" may be unfamiliar to you if you have not trekked in the Himalayas. It is probably the most popular trekking style and involves going from teahouse to teahouse. 

The teahouse is a small hotel found in local villages that offers a place to stay and home-cooked meals. If there is enough tea house accommodation along the route, you don't need to bring a tent or carry your food. 

The quality of tea houses varies a lot based on the foot traffic, the number of foreigners, and how competitive the teahouse is. 

 Among the teahouses in the Everest and Annapurna regions are some of the nicest you'll ever find. Many have western-style flush toilets, hot water showers, a selection of beverages such as beer, and various menu items.

 There are usually fewer teahouses along less popular trekking routes, and one might expect to sleep in a standard room around a heated stove after eating rice and lentils (dal bhat). 

What is tea house trekking in Nepal? Are you aware of them when planning to trek in Nepal? 

Most of the areas of Nepal have teahouses, which are small lodges where you can eat, drink, stay, and trek. There are now many teahouses along most of Nepal's trails, as the Nepalese use the word "Bhatti", which means teahouse.  

Trekking in Nepal usually takes anywhere from 6 to 21 days, especially in the mountains. For those who do not wish to camp, teahouses are an excellent option for a restful night's sleep and a satisfying meal. 

Accommodations in the area range from friendly lodges with soft beds to stone huts for dinner with dal bhat and cold bunk rooms with straw mattresses for overnight accommodation. The basic teahouses in the higher areas that you will find the most. According to Nepalese customs, trekking is not complete until you have experienced a teahouse trek. 

When do we recommend the tea house trek in Nepal?

There are some stunning treks in Nepal, and although camping is an option, teahouses are also available en route, so why carry so much gear? Many people can be in the teahouses during the fall months (September to November), when trekking is most prevalent in Nepal. 

Best tea house trekking destinations in Nepal, searched by Himalayan Hero.  

Trekking to Everest Base Camp: Teahouse Trek in the Everest Region

Taking the trek up Mount Everest and staying at the basic teahouses along the way is one of Nepal's most famous treks. In the more remote areas of the route, the teahouses on the classic trail are the same in all the daily stops between Lukla and Everest Base Camp (EBC). Some villages have several teahouses, While others have only one, but all have teahouses. 

Most teahouses along the EBC trail are reliable and have hot water and flush toilets at the lower altitudes. Higher up, flushes will often be buckets of cold water or just a pit with a shed around it; hot water becomes scarcer as you climb. There will be lots of hot water available for washing in most higher teahouses. Prices for teahouses vary, with lower-cost areas costing up to three dollars and higher-cost regions costing two dollars. 

Trekking to Langtang region: Teahouse trek in the Langtang region

There are a lot of good quality teahouses along this incredibly scenic walking route in the Langtang Region, northwest of Kathmandu, so you won't need to haul tents. Several facilities are suitable to moderate, and plenty of hot water is available for washing. The food is both Tibetan and local and has a few international dishes. Sometimes prices are higher than in other regions, especially in the summer. However, a nightly rate of 3 dollars is quite reasonable on average. There are even some hostels that have twin rooms as opposed to bunkhouses. 

Trekking in Nepal can be more enjoyable by staying in a teahouse instead of camping. One benefit of staying in a teahouse instead of camping is the convenience. Since they are set at the places where most people tend to stop for the night, they are ideally located for most trekkers unless they follow an itinerary that is not very common along the routes. Having a well-established trek in Nepal, trekkers tend to follow the same daily itinerary and stop at the same places every evening.

Trekking to Manaslu region: Teahouse trek in the Manaslu region 

There are fewer teahouses on the Manaslu Circuit Trek than on some other routes, so that you might need a tent for some of the stops. A few teahouses are located on the trail, ranging from primary to good and is relatively cheap, costing about two dollars per night. Most teahouses offer local food only, such as Dal Baht, and most bunks are used in those establishments.

Trekking to Annapurna region: Teahouse trek in the Annapurna region 

This 15-day trek, one of Nepal's most famous treks, features teahouses of good quality along most of its route, and the trek is one of the best in Nepal for seeing a variety of teahouses. It is one of the trekking routes where you won't need to lug heavy hiking gear with you. 

However, there are a few with only basic facilities along the way. Most teahouses offer hot water for washing, but some offer basic or reasonable accommodations. The teahouses do not require reservations and cost between two and three dollars per night. In addition, if you have a guide, they can place you in a more comfortable room or bunk room, as they have agreements with the various teahouses.

Annapurna Circuit Trek: Teahouse trek in the Annapurna circuit region  

Annapurna Circuit Trek offers a variety of teahouses along its entire route, making it an excellent trek with good teahouse facilities. There will always be a teahouse within a short distance of where you intend to stop on this route, no matter how long you hike each day. Nepal's most popular long treks can expect a nightly rate of 2 to 4 dollars. During peak seasons, prices may increase.

Ghorepani poon hill trek: Tea house trek in the Annapurna region 

Pokhara Trekking is one of the best short treks in Nepal and has teahouses at all the main stopping points along the way. Teahouses along this route begin in Pokhara and end at Poon Hill, a stunning mountain resort. Most offer hot water and comfortable facilities, and many are situated at lower altitudes.

 In addition to this, you can get a better selection of foods, with some serving western dishes like pizza and pasta. As this is not a noisy trail, you do not need to reserve teahouses, except if you want to take advantage of your guide during the peak season in autumn. It costs about two dollars per night on average to stay in the teahouse, but it is a little more expensive on the meal front because of the better facilities.

Best four things about the teahouse trek in Nepal that you are not aware of when going for the tea house trek 

You will find the teahouse accommodations are much more basic outside of the leading trekking areas like Everest, Annapurna, and Langtang. People at these places may eat and sleep together at the same common area, setting the menu.

 There is an open tea house, so you can eat and enjoy the expected time there with everyone else if you don't like being cramped. Yak dung is used for cooking for a long time in these tea houses, so they are pretty smokey. However good the tea house is, you will always feel welcome and comfortable because the Nepalese are friendly. If you are willing to see the untouched side of Nepal that tourists seldom encounter, make sure you trek through the more basic teahouses in the countryside.

It's pretty cool to have tea in a teahouse! 

You will experience a similar experience to a small hotel when trekking in the Everest and Annapurna regions. There is usually a restaurant area where you can meet other trekkers and enjoy some warmth from the stove while you eat or drink beer before you hit the hay.

 There's no difference between teahouse food. 

 It is always the same food, just presented differently, despite the extensive available menus. If you're hungry, try dhal bhatt, a traditional favorite that's always all you can eat. You can buy some decent Kimchi on Everest Trek if you like Korean food.

Electricity and teahouse showers 

There are cold showers available in the Everest and Annapurna regions, and a few have hot water showers for an extra fee of $4. The main dining area usually has electricity available for between $1-2 per hour.

Arrangements for sleeping in a teahouse 

In most rooms, cots with mattresses, pillows, and sheets are shared. Upon request, blankets are also available; however, they might not be as clean as you expect. There are thin walls in the room so that noise can travel, and you may want to bring earplugs. It might also be good to get a pillowcase to cover the pillow just in case. 

If you want to go for the tea house trekking in Nepal, don't hesitate to connect with us!


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