In the popular Everest and Annapurna regions, locally owned and run lodges provide overnight accommodation for our Nepalese trekking groups. They vary in size and in the quality of the service they provide. We use only those which meet our high standards. The positives of staying in lodges (rather than camping) include the warm welcome from your hosts, as well as the feel-good factor of knowing you are making a direct contribution to the local economy. There has been a general improvement in lodge facilities in recent years and lodge owners are now under increasing pressure to use sustainable sources of fuel for cooking and heating and to dispose of waste properly.

But, what else do you need to know about staying in a Nepalese lodge?  We asked KE Operations Manager Tim Nicholl a few questions on your behalf.

1) What is a 'lodge' like on a Nepal trek?

The lodges are simple, but functional, with a large communal room where you will eat and hang out in the evening. This is usually the only room that is heated by a central stove. The bedrooms, normally twin-share and unheated, can be in the main building or in a separate annex. 

2) What sort of food will I eat on a Nepal lodge trek?

Your local leader will pre-order the evening meal at each of the lodges to make sure you get a mix of food through the trip. You’ll no doubt encounter the Nepalese staple of dal bhat (rice with lentil soup), but there will also be pizza, chips, momos (dumpling with a filling) and maybe the firm trekking favourite of spam fritters. You will never go hungry and it always tastes fantastic.

3) What about drinking water?

All drinking water is provided by the trek crew who boil water to purify it and let it cool before filling your water containers. They do this at breakfast, at lunch and at dinner time - there is no limit to how much water you can have. On cold nights, fill your bottle with hot water and put it in your sleeping bag before you go to bed.

4) What are the sleeping arrangements?

The lodges are nearly all twin share - two single beds per room. High up in the Annapurna Sanctuary there are lodges where you could be in a room with as many as 6 beds. The beds have foam mattresses and a clean cover sheet and pillow and you will use your sleeping bag.

5) Can I have a shower on a lodge trek?

Most of the lodges do have shower facilities and you will pay a little extra for this (£2 - £3 per shower). At some lodges, instead of a shower you can purchase a large bucket of hot water. This may sound pretty basic, but after a long day of trekking it is pure bliss.

6) Are the rooms en-suite?

Holidays like our Everest Basecamp or Annapurna Sanctuary and Poon Hill treks use standard lodges with rooms which do not usually have en-suite facilities.

7) Is it possible to charge my phone/camera etc?

Some of the lodges have an intermittent electricity supply and will provide charging facilities at modest cost (£2 - £3). This is not dependable, however and you should take extra batteries for your important equipment and keep these close to your body both day and night to preserve their charge.

8) Is there WiFi at the lodges?

A surprising number of Khumbu and Annapurna area lodges do have WiFi, although the connection can never be guaranteed. Tim says that he certainly hadn’t expected to be able to chat to friends in Keswick on Facebook when he was in Gokyo last year.

9) What specialist equipment is needed for a lodge trek?

No really specialist equipment, but remember that the bedrooms are unheated and can be cold, so take a decent sleeping bag. A down jacket is also a good idea for any trek in Nepal and each of these items can be hired from KE – a service currently offered free of charge. A head-torch is another essential bit of kit when you’re looking for the loo in the middle of the night.

10) How does a typical day work?

After breakfast at 8 am, we will walk for around 3 hours in the morning, before stopping for lunch at a lodge en route. We get to our overnight stop by mid-afternoon and have time to chill out before dinner at 7 pm. After a spot of reading or a game of cards, everyone will be asleep by 9.

>> View all our Nepal Trekking holidays