Trekking in Nepal and Toilet Facilities, what to expect? 

The thought of Trekking in Nepal stimulates the adventure feels for every trekker in the world. That feeling of readiness to embark on an adventure in the ambiance of the Himalayas is worth everything. Thusly, the adventure seeker should be well informed enough to know their struggle during the trek. Among these struggles is the Trekking in Nepal and Toilet Facilities, what to expect?  Yeah, one might say there are loads of struggles like ascending uphill battles, climate, diets, etc. but the availability of proper toilet facilities or unavailability can be a concerning thing for most people. Hence, the trekkers should emphasize justly their personal hygiene and of course; their comfort station.

Without further ado, let’s highlight the toilet facilities which a trekker should acknowledge while trekking in Nepal.

Prepare Yourself Mentally

Most of the teahouses in Nepal have the squat toilet which also goes by the name “charpi”. Apart from the hotels in Kathmandu and Pokhara, most tea houses have the squat toilet as their restroom. Usually, westerners feel really uncomfortable with the flat-footed squat but hey, this has been the natural resting position for humans for centuries so prepare yourself to have your comfort through the squat toilet.

Requisites for smooth sailing

Now that one has been mentally prepared for squat toilets, they should also know their requisites which shall be required for easy going inside the restroom. Before entering the comfort domain, the trekker should check the availability of a bucket and the water inside the toilet. Most squat toilets will have a tap beside the pot but in the case of absence of a running or working tap, then asking the host to manage a bucket of water shall solve the problem. Some of the tea houses do not have the toilet paper so buying a wet wipes or toilet paper can come handy in case the toilet doesn’t offer the rolls. These toilet papers and wipes can be bought in Kathmandu or Pokhara.

Be humble enough

It might be a funny thing to know the concern about the toilet etiquette but one should be humble enough to keep the toilet clean after using them. Toilets in the teahouses during trekking do not offer a flushing facility so you will have to pour the bucket of water yourself in order to flush. After the use of the toilet, make sure that you do not throw the toilet papers and wipes in the pothole as it will jam up the tubes and the outcomes will surely do no good for the next user. Also, report the host or the next user in queue if the water runs out after you use the toilet.

The Aftermaths

Hygiene is the one of the most important concern while trekking. The climates in altitudes are too cold for everyone to take a shower or even wash hands. You can ask your host to get a soap to wash your hands after you go to the toilet but in the case of unavailability of soap nearby, the second best thing is to get yourself a hand sanitizer before you embark for the trek. Hand sanitizers can be bought in Kathmandu or Pokhara.

Use what you have or what you find

During trekking in high altitudes, there will be sparse number of tea houses and you might feel agitated due to the urge for excreting. If that is the case then you can go behind the boulder or bush to get your privacy. If it’s the worst-case scenario where you don’t have the toilet paper or wipes then using the bush leaves shall suffice. After reaching a tea house, you need to wash your hands with soap so that you won’t end up being sick due to poor hygiene.

Now, that you have known the toilet facilities, what to expect in toilet facilities while trekking in Nepal, you are more prepared and informed for your adventure in Nepal.