AWhat is a Nepalese teahouse?
They are the highlight of Nepal’s major trekking routes: teahouses are small lodges where you’ll find everything you need to keep going – in other words, food, washing facilities and a place to rest. It is largely thanks to them – and above all to the locals who run them – that Nepalese treks have become accessible.
Setting off completely independently for a week means carrying a tent, a camping stove, camping gear and a large portion of your food. This isn’t possible without significant logistical support. Teahouses are a game-changer: you walk during the day with relatively light kit and carry only snacks or a light lunch.
The facilities are basic, but the teahouses are comfortable and, combined with the satisfying tiredness from the day’s exertion, you generally sleep very well there!
BTwo treks, and my first nights in a teahouse
I discovered trekking in Nepal in October 2024 on the Manaslu and Mardi Himal treks. During that trip, I spent around fifteen nights in teahouses and the experience was so positive that I made it the first guide on TrekHub. Now for a few details:
Teahouses are always centred around a large communal room, often the only room in the lodge that’s actually heated. This is where you eat and meet other trekkers. You chat about what you’ve seen during the day and the next stage of the trek, get to know one another, and the evening often ends with a game of cards.
You generally cross paths regularly as you’re following the same route, and a group you’ve overtaken in the morning may well end up in the same communal room two evenings later.
The rooms are rather basic, but they have everything you need for a good night’s sleep: usually two single beds with blankets and thin partitions, sometimes made simply of plywood. They offer protection from the wind, but less so from noise, and they are neither heated nor insulated.
▶ DifficultManaslu Circuit
Nepal
A circuit around the world’s eighth-highest peak, crossing the Larkya La at 5,150 m through remote, little-visited valleys characterised by a Tibetan-influenced Buddhist culture. From the rainforest to the alpine landscapes at the foot of Manaslu, the climate changes throughout the route.
CThe end of the day: a shower, a change of clothes and some rest
After a few days’ walking, a little routine sets in. You usually arrive at the teahouse in the afternoon. After putting down your rucksack and swapping your shoes for flip-flops, you head off to have a shower and quickly wash a few items before the sun goes down.
Socks and underwear dry relatively well as long as they’re left out in the sun; once night falls, you’ll unfortunately have to wait until the next day and hang them on your rucksack whilst walking or during your lunch break.
Hot water isn’t always included and may sometimes incur an extra charge, as it’s usually heated by gas or, on occasion, using solar panels. At lower altitudes, running water is sometimes naturally warm enough without needing to be heated, but higher up, the water can become freezing cold. My advice is to pay the extra charge, as otherwise you risk catching a chill (yes, I speak from experience).
As for the toilet facilities, most teahouses have Western-style toilets, but others have squat toilets or a mix of both, and sometimes private bathrooms. Toilet paper isn’t always provided, so it’s best to always carry a bit with you.
Once you’ve unpacked, it’s time for one of the best moments of the day! You can relax and spend your time reading, resting in your room, strolling around the village or simply sitting outside gazing at the mountains before dinner.
If you need to charge your smartphone or other devices, power sockets are sometimes available in the rooms at the lower-altitude lodges, but are more often grouped together in the communal area. Charging facilities, like Wi-Fi, may incur a charge or become unavailable as you gain altitude.
DDal bhat and evenings by the stove
Meals are usually eaten quite early. The menus are very similar from one teahouse to another: noodles, fried rice, soups, potatoes, momos, eggs, pancakes… and, of course, dal bhat, Nepal’s national dish. As the trek progresses, you’ll have time to try a bit of everything, but you’ll inevitably keep coming back to this dish, which even has its own saying: ‘Dal Bhat Power, 24 Hour’!
Consisting of rice, a lentil soup, vegetable curry and various side dishes, it’s simple, filling, vegetarian and inexpensive. A significant bonus for big eaters: it’s always all-you-can-eat!
Dinner follows rules of etiquette that differ slightly from those in Western cultures. Trekkers eat first, whilst the guides take care of the service, bringing out the dishes and ensuring everything runs smoothly at the table. Only once the group has finished their meal do the guides take their turn to eat, often together.
You can suggest to your guide that they eat with the group, but they will usually politely decline. It is simply the custom in Nepalese culture, so you shouldn’t take it as a sign that they wish to keep their distance.
Once the meal is over, the evening continues in the communal room. You chat with trekkers you’ve met on the trail, talk with the guides and, very often, play cards. In fact, that’s how I discovered Dhumbal, a very popular game in Nepal.
After dinner and a bit of a chat, tiredness usually gets the better of you and you soon drift off to sleep.
The next day, the teahouse comes to life with the first light of day. You get dressed in the cool of the morning, then pack away your belongings and prepare your rucksack before heading to the communal room for breakfast. A few minutes later, each group sets off along the trail towards the next stage of the trek.
EMuch more than just a place to sleep
Before setting off for Nepal, I mainly saw teahouses as a logistical solution: a place to eat and sleep without having to carry my entire home on my back.
After two treks, however, they’ve become one of the aspects of the experience I’ve enjoyed the most – and one that makes trekking in Nepal such a unique and authentic experience.
