Trekking lodge in Nepal

Trekking lodge in Nepal

Off-the-beaten-track lodges are aimed at Nepali travelers and are usually known as “hotel and lodge” (confusingly, the “hotel” bit means there’s somewhere to eat). Some are reasonably comfortable, but more often than not, you’ll have to settle for something fairly insalubrious. Stark concrete floors, cold-water showers, and smelly squat toilets are the rule, though you’ll rarely pay more than Rs350. It’s a good idea to bring your own sleeping bag liner to protect against bedbugs and lice, and earplugs to block out the inevitable noise. In the Terai, try to get a room with a mosquito net and a working fan (or a/c).

This is not to say that Nepali lodges are to be avoided. Often, the most primitive places—where you sit by a smoky fire and eat with your hosts—are the most rewarding. Trekking lodges on less-traveled routes (see Trekking Accommodation) can take this form, though there are some remarkably comfortable ones out there too.

Trekking guest house in Nepal

Many tourist-oriented places to stay in Nepal call themselves guesthouses. This category covers everything from primitive flophouses to well-appointed small hotels. Most places offer a spread of rooms at different prices, and sometimes dorm beds too. By and large, those that cater to foreigners do so efficiently. Most innkeepers speak excellent English and can arrange anything for you, from laundry to trekking or porter hire.
Despite assurances to the contrary, you can’t necessarily count on constant hot water (many places rely on solar panels) nor uninterrupted electricity (power cuts are a daily occurrence, though some establishments have generators). If constant hot water is important to you, ask what kind of water-heating system the guesthouse has—best of all, “geyser” (pronounced “geezer”), which means an electric immersion heater or backup.
All but the really cheap guesthouses will have a safe, and the smarter places sometimes have security boxes in each room.
Budget guesthouses
Kathmandu and Pokhara have their own tourist quarters, where fierce competition among budget guesthouses ensures great value. In these enclaves, all but the very cheapest places provide hot running water (though perhaps only sporadically), flush toilets, foam mattresses, and clean sheets and blankets. Elsewhere in Nepal, expect rooms to be plainer and scruffier. Most guesthouses also offer some sort of roof terrace or garden, a phone, and a TV. They’re rarely heated, however, making them rather cold in the winter. Rooms in most budget places cost Rs 300–1000, and standards vary considerably; the cheapest options often have shared bathrooms.

Home stay in Nepal

A growing number of programs enable visitors to stay overnight in private homes in traditional villages far from the tourist trails. Village stays (also called village tourism or homestays) offer a unique opportunity for comfortable cultural immersion and could become a good way to disperse visitors and spread the economic benefits of tourism into rural areas. The idea is that a tour operator contracts with a whole village to accommodate and entertain guests; rooms in local houses are fitted with bathrooms and a few tourist-style comforts; host families are trained to prepare meals that won’t disturb delicate Western constitutions; and a guide accompanies the guests to interpret, if necessary.