Freedom Trekking

[Steve Tollestrup]

Some years ago - the 1970's - I trekked to Jomson. No guides or special tours. I am going back to the Everest region in April. Do 'freedom' treks like this still exist? if so how much should I budget for teahouses?

Steve In New Zealand

[yakshaver]

Popular treks like Gokyo and EBC in the Everest Area (inlcuding the Jiri to Lukla stretch) are very well served by tea houses. In fact around Lukla and Namche, and even at Gokyo, there are some quite good lodges these days. Same goes on for Langtang/Helambu, or the Annapurna region (ABC, AC).

You would need to budget about 10 US for food and lodging for lower altitude and 15 US and a bit more for higher altitudes (say above Namche Bazaar).

If you are nostalgic about the 70ies, then you can still sleep in traditional teahouses, instead of the newer and more luxurious lodges, for a fraction of the price I have quoted above. But you may need to be able to put up with some fleas every now and then...