Tea-Room Trekking in Nepal

By Jon Rose


The tiny mountainous country of Nepal is jumped up high against the Himalayan mountains and is wedged between India, China and Bhutan. It is remote and far off the beaten track but well worth visiting.
My first trip to Nepal took me through the capital city of Kathmandu where I spent a few days in the little markets, coffee shops and temples. Kathmandu is a beautiful old city of winding streets and friendly people. It has a number of important temples that give a glimpse of a spiritual life that has not changed for hundreds of years.
When visiting temples, however, you have to keep an eye out for the monkeys that run riot. They are protected in these religious sites and seem to know it, so misbehave outrageously.
The highlight of a trip to Nepal comes if you go on one of the many tea-room treks this little country offers. These involve hiking from one little lodge, or tea-room, to another. The accommodation in these is Spartan and the food is simple, often no more than some lentil soup or garlic soup for supper, but the people are warm and the scenery is spectacular.
One common trek involves heading up towards Everest base camp. You can do this on your own or you can hire guides and porters to carry your gear so you just walk with a light day pack. Even without a pack the walking can be relatively hard going though it should not be beyond the reach of any reasonably healthy and fit person. Much of it does take place at high altitude so you need to be sure to take enough time and progress slowly to give your body a chance to acclimate to the thin air. You should also learn the warning signs of altitude sickness and be prepared to seek medical help or descend to a lower altitude quickly should any of them develop. The first warning sign is usually a splitting headache. If that progresses to dizziness or confusion you should descend as quickly as possible or serious harm can follow within a matter of hours.
You do not need very much by way of special equipment to go tea-room trekking. Outerwear that is weatherproof and warm is essential as is a warm sleeping bag as the nights can get chilly. But since you will be staying in lodges you do not need to worry about carrying a tent or stove and you will generally buy prepared meals along the way.
Nepal is a poor country so the costs of most things are quite low. Your meals and lodging will not be very expensive at all. The main cost is an airline flight to Kathmandu but if you shop around you can usually find a good deal. I flew via Mumbai to get a cheaper ticket and also had the pleasure of spending a few days visiting this fascinating and crowded city.
As an adventure travel destination Nepal is hard to beat because it offers almost everything. Whether you just wish to relax in Kathmandu or pitch a mountaineering tent high up in the Himalayas, Nepal is the country for you. If you wish to read more about mountaineering gear you can read further articles on topics such as backpacking tents by clicking the links.

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