Along the popular trekking trails in the Annapurna, Everest, Langtang and Helambu regions charming family-run lodges provide simple rooms and good food which most trekkers thoroughly enjoy. Traditionally, tea houses, or chai bhati, were used by the local Nepalese on journeys through the mountains. Tea house treking not only supports the livelihood of the mountain people, but is a good chance for you to learn about the mountain culture and lifestyle and meet other trekkers. The cozy tea houses are sure to be a beautiful aspect of your Himalayan experience.We do our best to make sure your stay is comfortable.
Rooms:
The rooms are simple but clean. A room usually has two single beds with a foam mattress and pillow. The toilet could be shared or attached. A blanket is provided, but many travelers prefer to bring their own sleeping bag.
If we are a large group we reserve beds in advance. This is simple where there is a telephone connection, but if there isn’t the guide's assistant will go ahead to book the required rooms. A sense of adventure will be a great advantage to help you adjust to some lodges which are more basic than others.
Washing and Toilet Facilities:
Most lodges offer hot showers, though sometimes a hot shower means a bucket of hot water. For ecological reasons please try and limit your use of hot water unless the water is solar-heated. Please note that at higher altitude and in colder seasons there is very little chance to have enough hot water for all the trekkers. If the water is frozen then ask your guide to get warm bowl of water. Every lodge will have some kind of hand washing facility but it is good idea to carry a bar of soap with you.
Toilets are usually Asian squat style and vary in how clean they are. Normally toilets are outside the lodge but now some lodges have attached or indoor toilets. The rubbish bin in the toilet is kept for your used toilet paper.
Meals:
All your meals during the trek are provided: a standard breakfast, lunch and three course dinner including tea or coffee with each meal. You can select anything from the menu. The food is tasty and hygienic, but the menu is not extensive and will be fairly similar from lodge to lodge. Cereal, porridge, bread and egg dishes are generally available for breakfast. Most tea houses offer variety of rice and noodles dishes with soup and seasonable vegetables. Snacks are not provided, but are widely available. Biscuits, chocolate bars, soft drinks and in some areas you will find local seasonal fruits. Beer and whisky are also available.
Please feel free to eat all that you want, however, we kindly request that you don’t order more than you can eat. Many village people are struggling to get enough to eat, so in respect to them, we try not to waste food.
Lodges in the Annapurna Region have benefited from trainings provided by non-government agencies. All lodge owners in the Annapurna sanctuary and adjacent areas use alternate fuel for cooking and heating. They dispose of garbage in proper way and have adopted eco-friendly measures.
For trekkers doing a high altitude trek above 4000m, it is not advisable to consume alcohol and cigarettes.
Drinking Water:
While trekking, it is important to keep hydrated; you should drink at least 3 liters of water each day. In the Annapurna Region there are Euro-guard filters, so all you need is your own water bottle and you can refill it easily. In the other regions bottled mineral water is available in the lodges and shops, but we recommend that you refill your bottle with boiled water and/or use water purification tablets since the disposal of the plastic bottles is an environmental concern.
Many government and non-government agencies have provided trainings to the lodge owners so that they could provide quality services in an environmentally friendly way. All lodge owners in these areas use alternate fuel for cooking and heating. They dispose of garbage in proper way and have adopted eco-friendly measures.
Re-charging Batteries:
Most lodges have electricity at least some of the time, and a back up solar panel which means that it is possible to charge the batteries of your camera, iPod etc. You may need to buy an adaptor in Kathmandu before the trip since the plugs in Nepal might be different. The lodges charge a small hourly fee for recharging facilities. Nepal uses 220-240 volts to power your appliances. The sockets fit both round and flat plugs.
A Typical Menu:
Soup: Tomato, Vegetable, Mushroom, Chicken, Chicken - Mushroom, Onion, Garlic, Potato, French Onion, Mixed- Vegetable, Chicken-Vegetable, Noodle Soup, Egg-Noodle Soup
Potatoes: Mashed, Boiled, Fried with Vegetables, Fried and topped with egg, Fried with cheese, vegetable and egg, and French Fries
Noodles: Plain Fried Noodles, Fried Noodles & vegetables, egg, or cheese, or chicken, or a combination of your choice
Pasta: Spaghetti & Cheese, Macaroni & Cheese, Cheese Lasagna
Pizza: Cheese-Tomato, Cheese-Vegetable-Tomato, Salami, Mushroom, Tuna, or a combination of your choice
Indian Cuisine: Vegetable Curry, Chicken Curry, Egg Curry, Potato Curry
All curries are served with Rice or Chapati (flat pan cooked bread) and Padpad (flat round crispy chip made from pulse)
Sherpa/Tibetan Cuisine: Sherpa Stew (meat and vegetable), Chicken or Vegetable Thukpa, (delicious noodle soup) Vegetable Egg Soup, Chinese Noodles, Tibetan Bread, Chicken, Vegetable or Vegetable-Cheese-Egg Mo:Mo (vegetable filled pastry served steamed or fried), Chicken Fried Rice, Mixed Mushroom-Vegetable Fried Rice, Plain Fried Rice
Traditional Nepali Specialties: Rice, Vegetables Dal (pulse) soup, served with Pickle, Papad and Salad
Breakfast: Eggs: Boiled, Fried, Scrambled, Poached, and Omelet ( plain, vegetable, cheese, tomato, potato
Breads: Chapati, Tibetan Bread, Pancakes or Toast with jam/honey/butter
Cereals: Muesli with dried apricots and hot milk, Porridge or Corn Flakes with milk
Mouth-Watering Desserts Apple Pie, Apple Pancake, Lemon Sugar Pancake, Custard Pudding, Rice Pudding
Occasional Taste: (only available in main villages) Chicken Sizzler, Chicken Steak, Yak Steak
Customized Service Package: Trekking Guide and Porter
The customized service package means that the package price does not include the cost of food and accommodation during the trek. In this option, Annapurna Foothills Trek provides the same excellent guide and porter services. The guide/porter will make sure you get accommodation in comfortable lodges, but you will pay for the room and food yourself. This package also includes services such as arrangements for the permits, transportation and hotel bookings.
