Teahouses on the Everest Base Camp trek are family-run lodges with single or twin rooms, shared bathrooms and meals you eat in the lodge restaurant. Hot showers and other extras are paid separately, and prices climb with altitude. You do not need a tent at any point on the standard route, because there is a teahouse at every overnight stop from Lukla to Gorak Shep.
The word “teahouse” can be misleading. These are not tiny huts serving tea, but simple mountain lodges, many of them run by Sherpa families for generations. Some in Lukla and Namche feel like small hotels, while those at Lobuche and Gorak Shep are basic, cold and busy. Knowing what to expect makes a big difference to how comfortable you feel on the trail.
This guide explains exactly what staying in teahouses on the Everest Base Camp trek is like: the rooms, the food, the extra costs, the cold and whether you need to book ahead. Prices below are typical for the 2025 to 2026 seasons and rise a little every year, so treat them as a guide rather than a fixed rate card.
In this guide
- What Is a Teahouse on the Everest Trek?
- Rooms and Facilities: What to Expect
- Teahouse Prices by Altitude
- Food and Meal Prices on the Trail
- Showers, Charging and Wifi
- How Cold Are Teahouses at Night?
- Do You Need to Book Teahouses in Advance?
- Teahouse Etiquette
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Plan Your Stay on the Everest Base Camp Trek
What Is a Teahouse on the Everest Trek?
A teahouse is a lodge that offers both a bed and meals. At the centre of every teahouse is the dining room, usually with a stove fuelled by yak dung, wood or kerosene, surrounded by benches and tables where trekkers eat, play cards and warm up in the evenings. Bedrooms are usually in a separate wing or on an upper floor.
Most teahouses are owned and run by local families, often Sherpa, who live on site and cook the meals. Many owners have deep connections to mountaineering, and it is common to see photographs of family members who have summited Everest on the dining-room walls.
Because the business model depends on food sales, lodges keep room prices low and expect guests to eat breakfast and dinner where they sleep. This is an important etiquette point, and it also shapes how prices work, as explained below.
Rooms and Facilities: What to Expect
Standard rooms are simple twin rooms with two single beds, a thin foam mattress, a pillow and sometimes a blanket. Walls are often plywood, so you will hear your neighbours. There is usually a small window, a hook or two for clothes, and little else. Rooms are not heated anywhere on the trail.
Bathrooms are usually shared. Lower down, in Lukla, Phakding and Namche, many lodges have Western-style flush toilets and some rooms with attached bathrooms. Higher up, especially above Dingboche, toilets are more often squat toilets in an outhouse or at the end of a corridor, and water may freeze overnight.
In Lukla, Namche and a few other villages, you will also find upmarket “luxury lodges” with attached bathrooms, electric blankets and better insulation. These cost significantly more than standard teahouses, but they can make a big difference for travellers who want extra comfort. Above Dingboche, luxury options become very limited.
Teahouse Prices by Altitude
Teahouse prices rise the higher you go, because everything, from rice to gas, has to be carried up by porters or yaks. The table below shows typical price ranges for standard teahouses on the classic route. Prices are per room per night in Nepali rupees (NPR) and assume you eat dinner and breakfast in the same lodge.
| Zone | Standard room (NPR) | Hot shower (NPR) | Charging and wifi | Food options | Warmth | Booking outlook in peak season |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lukla and Phakding (2,610 to 2,860 m) | 500 to 1,500 | 200 to 400 | Often free or cheap charging; lodge wifi common | Wide menus, bakeries and cafes | Mild; blankets usually enough | Easy to find a room |
| Namche Bazaar (3,440 m) | 800 to 2,000 | 300 to 500 | Charging 200 to 400 per device; wifi widely available | Widest choice on the trail, cafes and bakeries | Cold at night; sleeping bag needed | Plenty of lodges |
| Tengboche to Dingboche (3,860 to 4,410 m) | 1,000 to 2,000 | 400 to 600 | Charging 300 to 500 per device; wifi via data cards | Good menus, fewer fresh items | Cold; frost on windows | Book ahead in peak weeks |
| Lobuche and Gorak Shep (4,940 to 5,164 m) | 1,500 to 2,500 | 500 to 700 (often not available) | Charging 400 to 700 per device; wifi slow and pricey | Basic menus, simple dishes | Very cold; water freezes at night | Tight in October and late April to May |
Some lodges advertise very cheap or even free rooms if you eat all your meals with them, while others charge more for the room and less for food. Either way, the total cost per night is broadly similar, so compare the full package rather than the room price alone.
Food and Meal Prices on the Trail
Teahouse menus are surprisingly long, with Nepali, Tibetan, Indian and Western dishes. Dal bhat, the national dish of rice, lentil soup, vegetable curry and pickle, is the favourite of guides and porters, and for good reason: it is filling, nutritious and usually comes with free refills.
Food prices rise steadily with altitude. The ranges below are typical for a single serving in standard teahouses.
| Item | Lukla / Namche (NPR) | Dingboche (NPR) | Gorak Shep (NPR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dal bhat (with refills) | 700 to 1,000 | 1,000 to 1,300 | 1,300 to 1,700 |
| Fried rice or noodles | 600 to 850 | 800 to 1,000 | 1,000 to 1,300 |
| Momos (dumplings) | 650 to 900 | 850 to 1,100 | 1,000 to 1,300 |
| Porridge or muesli breakfast | 450 to 650 | 600 to 800 | 750 to 950 |
| Pot of black or ginger tea | 400 to 700 | 600 to 900 | 800 to 1,200 |
| 1 litre of boiled water | 100 to 200 | 200 to 300 | 300 to 500 |
Most trekkers spend roughly USD 25 to 40 per day on food and drinks, more at higher altitudes. Meat is available in many lodges, but since animals cannot be slaughtered in the Khumbu for religious reasons, it is carried up from lower areas, so many guides recommend vegetarian meals higher up for freshness.
Showers, Charging and Wifi
Hot showers are available in most lodges up to Dingboche, usually heated by gas or solar panels. They typically cost NPR 200 to 700, depending on altitude. Above Lobuche, many trekkers skip showers altogether because of the cold, the cost and the limited supply of hot water. Wet wipes and a quick wash with a bucket of warm water become the norm.
Charging phones and batteries is usually free or cheap in Lukla and Namche, but it becomes a paid service higher up, often charged per device or per hour. Bringing a power bank or small solar panel helps you avoid paying repeatedly, but keep batteries warm, as cold drains them quickly.
Wifi is widely available through the Everest Link network, which sells data cards valid across many villages. Speeds are fine for messaging lower down but slow at higher altitudes. Local SIM cards from Ncell or Nepal Telecom work in parts of the trail, including Namche, but coverage becomes patchy above Dingboche.
How Cold Are Teahouses at Night?
Teahouse bedrooms are not heated, and at higher altitude they are simply cold. In Namche, you might sleep comfortably with a good sleeping bag. At Lobuche and Gorak Shep, it is common for water bottles to freeze in your room overnight, especially in late autumn and winter.
The dining room is the warm heart of every teahouse. The stove is usually lit in the late afternoon or evening, and everyone gathers around it to eat, dry socks and play cards. Once the fire dies down, most trekkers head to bed early.
To stay warm, bring a four-season sleeping bag rated to at least -10°C for spring and early autumn, and around -15°C or colder for late autumn and winter. A sleeping bag liner, warm base layers and a hot-water bottle make a big difference. Our seasonal guides to the Everest Base Camp trek in winter and the spring trekking season cover temperatures in more detail.
Do You Need to Book Teahouses in Advance?
For most of the trail, independent trekkers can simply walk in and ask for a room, especially outside the peak weeks. Namche Bazaar in particular has dozens of lodges, and you will rarely struggle to find a bed there.
The pinch points are Lobuche and Gorak Shep, and to a lesser extent Dingboche and Tengboche. These villages have far fewer lodges, and in October and from late April to mid-May they fill up quickly. Agencies often reserve blocks of rooms in advance for their groups, which means independent trekkers who arrive late may end up in basic rooms or sleeping in the dining room.
If you trek with a guide, they will usually book ahead for you. If you trek independently in peak season, start early each day and aim to arrive at the high villages by early afternoon. Our guide to the best time to trek to Everest Base Camp explains when these busy periods fall.
Teahouse Etiquette
The most important rule is to eat dinner and breakfast in the lodge where you sleep. Room prices are kept low on the understanding that guests buy their meals there, and eating elsewhere can offend the owners or lead to a higher room charge.
Beyond that, common courtesy goes a long way. Order meals together with your group where possible, so the kitchen can cook efficiently. Keep noise down in the evenings, since walls are thin. Use toilets as instructed, especially where water is scarce, and carry out your own rubbish, including batteries.
Finally, remember that many families have run their lodges for decades. A few words of Nepali or Sherpa, such as “namaste” or “thuchi” (thank you in Sherpa), are always appreciated.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to book teahouses in advance on the Everest Base Camp trek?
You usually do not need to book lower down, but it is wise to book ahead for Lobuche and Gorak Shep in October and from late April to mid-May. Trekking with a guide or agency is the easiest way to guarantee a room in the busiest periods.
Do teahouses have wifi and charging points?
Yes. Most teahouses offer wifi, often through the Everest Link network, and charging points in the dining room or reception. Charging is usually cheap or free lower down but costs around NPR 300 to 700 per device at higher villages, and wifi is slower and more expensive the higher you go.
How much does a hot shower cost on the EBC trek?
Hot showers typically cost around NPR 200 to 400 in Lukla and Phakding, NPR 300 to 500 in Namche and NPR 400 to 700 higher up. Above Lobuche, showers may not be available at all, and many trekkers choose not to shower because of the cold.
Is it warm enough to sleep in teahouses at night?
Rooms are unheated, so they are cold, especially above Dingboche. With a four-season sleeping bag, warm layers and a liner, most trekkers sleep comfortably. The dining room is heated in the evenings, so you can warm up before bed.
Can I eat at any teahouse or must I stay where I eat?
You can eat lunch wherever you like along the trail. However, you are expected to eat dinner and breakfast at the teahouse where you sleep, because room rates are kept low on that basis. Eating elsewhere may result in a higher room charge.
Plan Your Stay on the Everest Base Camp Trek
Knowing how teahouses work takes a lot of the uncertainty out of the trek. To see where each overnight stop falls along the route, check our Everest Base Camp trek map, and visit our Everest Base Camp trek for complete planning information. Zeal Nepal Trek can also arrange guided treks with pre-booked teahouses in every season.
