Tea houses

From the Annapurnas to Everest and Manaslu to Mustang, tea houses are a long-established tradition providing simple but welcome lodging for trekkers. Built by locals, and often an extension to their own home, they are both a key source of income and a direct link between locals and visitors. As more tea houses are built, especially on the most popular trails, they vary in size and facilities, but for the most part, they offer twin-bedded rooms (occasionally with attached toilets), rudimentary showers or wash bowls and a limited supply of solar-powered electricity. Meals are taken in a cosy, communal dining area, where trekkers relax their tired legs whilst drinking chai and sharing stories of their day on the trail.