Toilets And Showers Along The Everest Base Camp Route

If you are traveling, you better plan your complete package thoroughly. From taking off to landing at the destination, you should have it go smoothly, whether it is a small thing that can impact your travel or a big one.

Trek to the Everest Base Camp route means great to many travelers, but they must remember to assess the accommodation and lodging. It includes the services of food, environment, toilets, and showers. If you are to take the Everest Base Camp trek, take some notes about the toilets and showers along the way.

Most hikers first look at toilets and showers, as a clean, convenient bathroom goes a long way in making the experience of being in the base camp of Mount Everest a pleasant one. Both European-style and regular toilet facilities are available for you to use on your Mount Everest Base Camp Trek when you are trekking in Nepal. 

There will be times when you’ll have access to proper toilets and times when you’ll have to make do with a hole in the ground. Be prepared for both! Showers will be available occasionally, but they will only sometimes be in working order. Bring your soap and towel, just in case.

Make sure you also pack toilet paper, as it can be hard to come by in some places. And don’t forget your sense of humor—you’ll need it when faced with some of these bathrooms!

Toilets Along the Everest Base Camp Route

Most importantly, the toilets along the Everest Base Camp Route are basic. You can expect to find squat toilets in most places and cold water taps that you can use to wash your hands.

In some areas, you’ll find more luxurious toilet facilities with hot water and Western-style toilets. However, these are rare, so be prepared for the basics if you’re hiking the route.

Most tea houses along the Everest treks have squat toilet facilities, but newly built teahouses or lodges have Western-style toilets. In higher regions, some tea houses also have Western-style flush toilets, squat toilets typical with hand flushing, and traditional squat toilets. On popular trekking routes and lower elevations, most tea houses feature flush toilets and hot-water showers. 

An essential thing for hikers to be aware of is the availability and facilities for restrooms and showers before going into any region in the mountains. Suppose you are trekking during the winter months in the Everest region. In that case, you need to carry extra rolls of toilet paper because it is their policy at teahouses never to provide toilet paper for you, so you need to take care of it on your own.

Showers Along the Everest Base Camp Route

In preparation for your trek, you must acknowledge that there are no showers along the route. The best you can hope for is a quick cold rinse at one of the teahouses.

However, this means you can go without forgo showering altogether. You can easily take a washcloth, soap, and towel with you and give yourself a good scrub-down in one of the bathrooms. Just be prepared because it may not be the most sanitary experience possible.

You will need to pay certain rates to use showers above Namche Bazaar since the lodges don’t provide you the accommodation with hot showers. They charge an extra amount for the service.

You can find gas showers above 4000m altitude since there is no proper access to electricity. The winter treks are tough since water freezes due to extreme cold, so wet wipes and dry shampoo are some of the great options.

How to Use Toilets and Showers?

When trekking the Everest Base Camp route, you’ll need to learn how to use the toilets and showers of rural areas.

Most of the villages and teahouses along the way have pit toilets. These are long open trenches with walls on either side. You’ll find a wooden bench or a ledge to place your feet on as you squat over the hole. As you can imagine, these can get pretty smelly, especially in the summer months. So be prepared to hold your nose!

Here are some step-by-step guidelines for using squat toilets:

• First of all, sit down in a squat position holding your knee (make sure that you empty your pocket before using the squat toilets)
• Rinse the surface with water.
• Step on the two sides of the toilet and ensure you are closer to the toilet pan.
• Use your toilet paper to wipe off or get the wet wipe procedure.
• Always decompose toilet paper in the trash properly.

Most teahouses also have showers, but these are usually pretty basic—just a cold water tap and a bucket. Be prepared to get wet!

You can find hot showers in some recently built lodges, but as mentioned earlier, they charge extra cost. Please bring alternatives on your own since there will be no places to stop on the route.

What to Do if You Don’t Have Access to a Toilet or Shower?

All is recovered if you don’t have access to a proper toilet or shower. There are some viable alternatives that you could use in the absence of either.

Firstly, for those instances when there’s no toilet, you can turn to a reliable natural option: dig a cat hole. Find an out-of-the-way spot and drill a hole about eight inches deep and three inches wide. That will give you enough space to do your business in relative privacy. Once finished, fill the gap with the dirt and limit your impact on the scenery.

And then there’s showering: if there’s no way of washing off using hot water (which can be scarce, depending on where you are), try using a bucket of cold water and soap instead. Rub the soap onto yourself and then use the bucket to rinse off the suds; though it won’t be as pleasant as washing with hot water, it’s still better than going without!

Tips for Saving Water While Trekking

Water is a precious resource, and it’s essential to conserve it when trekking along the Everest Base Camp Route. So you can follow the steps to save water for better use during the trek.

First, bring your reusable water bottle or canteen—or even a collapsible water reservoir—so that you don’t have to depend on buying single-use plastic bottles. It’s also good to bring iodine tablets or a portable water filter for extra safety.

Keep your time to a minimum when showering, and try not to overdo it! Use natural elements like rain and sun for cleaning, rather than relying on heated showers. For example, you can use sand and rocks around streams to scrub off dirt and get clean without wasting any hot water. If all else fails, consider taking an occasional “bird bath” in one of the streams or ponds while trekking.

FAQs

You may have questions about amenities along the Everest Base Camp Route, such as toilets and showers. Some of the most asked questions about these two important arrangements are good to know before you depart.