What a teahouse trek actually is

Sleeping, toilets, charging, tipping porters — you are not camping unless the package says so.

A teahouse is a lodge along the trail. You get a small room, usually two beds, thin walls, and a blanket that may or may not be enough. The dining room is where heat, talk, and dal bhat live. You are not in a tent unless your trip is sold as camping. Toilets range from a sit-down flush to a squat over a hole. Carry your own toilet paper and hand gel. Showers are solar or gas; they cost extra at higher villages and disappear when clouds sit for days. Charging a phone is a paid socket in the dining room on popular trails. Bring a power bank. Wi-Fi exists in more places than it works. Porters and guides are people with names, not gear. Agree loads and tipping with your operator before you start. A common pattern is a tip at the end of the trek, not a daily haggle on the path. If someone is carrying 30 kg of your extras so you can walk lighter, treat that as labor, not a perk.