Culture and history · Tumling
A night on the Nepal side of the ridge
Sleep in a family lodge in a Nepali hamlet you reached on an Indian trail. Spend the evening around the stove with the family who run it, eat dal-bhat from their kitchen and learn how life works on a border that runs through the backyard.
Tumling is in Ilam district, Nepal, though its lodges see more Indian trekkers than Nepali officials. The families here, many of them Gurung, farm potatoes and keep cattle on the slopes below the ridge, and have run lodges since trekking took off. Ask your host which side of the border their fields are on; the answer is often both.
Evenings centre on the dining room. A wood or sawdust stove heats the space, wet socks hang above it, and the family kitchen opens onto it so you can watch dal-bhat cooking in pressure cookers. Dinner is usually rice, dal, a vegetable curry of potato or squash, saag, pickle and, if you ask, an egg or chicken.
Lights go out early. Power may come from a small solar panel or a line from the Indian side, and it can be patchy, so carry a head torch and a power bank. Sleep under a heavy quilt and be ready for the 5 am knock for sunrise.
Cost: ₹400–700 bed · ₹200–300 dinner
Questions people ask
Good to know
Is it legal to stay overnight in Tumling, Nepal?
Yes, on the established trek. Indians and foreigners on the Singalila trek routinely sleep at Tumling with their guide and park papers. Indians should carry a passport or voter ID; foreigners carry a passport with an Indian visa. Do not travel further into Nepal from here. Check current status before you travel.
What food do Tumling lodges serve?
Dal-bhat with vegetable curry and pickle is the standard dinner; noodle soup, chowmein, momos and eggs are usually available. Breakfast is porridge, Tibetan bread or toast, eggs and tea. Meat is sometimes on offer if ordered early. Prices are a little higher than Maneybhanjan.
Is there electricity at Tumling?
Usually, but it can be intermittent and is sometimes from solar. Charging points are limited and some lodges charge a small fee. Carry a power bank and keep your phone warm at night; batteries drain quickly in the cold.
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