![]() ![]() On the main trails, many lodges now offer private rooms, though in busy seasons or at altitude these get full and you may find yourself sharing a dormitory. Lodges typically offer a basic wooden bed with a simple mattress or foam pad, a cotton pillow, and a blanket or quilt. Most lodges follow the Nepali tradition of providing inexpensive accommodation (anything from Rs50 and up for a bunk bed) so long as you eat your meals in house – though note that lodging (and food) prices in the Annapurna region are officially agreed, prices rise steeply as you gain altitude, and the Everest Base Camp route is relatively expensive. An appealing alternative is the community lodge, set up on sustainable principles with the aim of spreading the benefits of tourism more widely. In the Annapurna and Everest regions, however, fancy, purpose-built lodges are increasingly common: you’ll find glazed sun-terraces, electric lighting, kerosene heaters, telephones (satellite or otherwise, both with high per-minute prices), solar-powered hot showers, Western toilets and even wi-fi. ![]() Many are family homes, typically run by the matriarch with the help of local children, with a stone-and-wood annexe for lodging and a dining room off the family kitchen. On all but the most remote routes, most lodges are efficient operations these days, with English signs, enticing menus, displays of flowers and usually an English-speaking proprietor. Trekking lodges are still sometimes called “teahouses” in guidebooks, though the traditional bhatti, or teashop with basic dormitory behind, is rare on the main trails. A Great Himalayan Trail now runs the length of highland Nepal – though it will be many years, if ever, before such a route will be serviced by lodges. ![]() With a good agency, you can go just about anywhere. To walk in these areas you’ll need either to be prepared to camp and carry your own supplies, and live like a local, or pay to join an organized trek with tents and accept the compromises that go along with that. This leaves vast areas of eastern and far western Nepal relatively untrodden by visitors. The Helambu and Langtang regions are less dramatic but conveniently close to Kathmandu, attracting a little under ten percent of trekkers. The Everest region, in the near east of the country, is one of Nepal’s most exciting areas, but altitude and distance from the trailheads make shorter treks less viable roughly a quarter of trekkers walk here. ![]() For those who put a high priority on getting away from it all, there are plenty of less-developed routes, of course, and simply going out of season or taking a side-route off the main trail makes a huge difference.Īlmost two-thirds of trekkers make for the Annapurna region, north of Pokhara, with its spectacular scenery, ease of access and variety of treks. While trekking, you’ll likely eat and sleep for $20–30 a day. Lodges on the main trails – some as sophisticated as ski chalets, these days – make it possible to go without carrying a lot of gear or learning Nepali, and without spending too much money, either. They have good reasons for doing so: the classic trails of the Everest and Annapurna regions are popular because they offer close-up views of the very highest peaks, dramatic scenery and fascinating local cultures. Most visitors to mountain areas stick to a few well-established trekking routes. ![]()
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