Toilets on an Everest Base Camp Trek

I get asked about this a lot and understand that we have all been in situations where we are desperately searching for a toilet. Our eyes scouring the horizon for the nearest escape. On the Everest Base Camp trek, luckily, there are plenty of places in the wilderness for you to run off if needed. We do stay at some fantastic lodges and tea houses and some of the best that’s available on the trek. However, the Everest region is still a remote region so you have to be prepared for DIFFERENT levels of comfort compared to what you are used to in the western world. Don’t worry there are still numerous sit-down toilets along the trek but once you are above 4000m these do become scarce and long drops or squat toilets are the only options available.

One piece of advice is to keep a roll of toilet paper in your daypack just in case and some wet wipes handy. The lodges and tea houses even the ones with a flush don’t normally provide this so definitely carry some with you. The higher you go the more expensive toilet roll becomes so stock up lower down. It’s also a good idea to have some hand sanitiser in your day pack as there is not always soap available in the lodges either.

Read our Top 10 tips for an Everest Base Camp trek HERE

Sit-downs vs Squat Toilets

Once you’re on an Everest Base Camp trek after a few days of being without a sit-down toilet you will have mastered the squat position. In all honesty, most people find these types of toilets hygienic as your body will not touch the toilet seat like on Western toilets. I would recommend reading this for more instructions on how to use a squat or Asian toilet, please take a look at Wikihow article

If you are joining us on one of our luxury lodge treks such as the Everest Base Camp Luxury trek then your room will have an attached bathroom and toilet as the lodges used are the best that are available. All of these lodges have western style toilets.

So if you’re thinking of trekking on an Everest Base Camp trek and have that moment where you're thinking 'I gotta run' then hopefully that provides you with a little more info about what to expect.

If you want to read about what sort of accommodation we use on our Everest treks then check this article out here

See you on the trails