In Nepal, tea is how the day begins, how guests are welcomed and how trekkers warm up at every lodge. From roadside stalls to tea gardens in the eastern hills, here's what to try.
Quick answer: the everyday drink is chiya, sweet milk tea, sometimes spiced as masala chiya. Nepal also produces fine orthodox teas in Ilam and the eastern hills, and in the mountains you'll find salty butter tea.
Types of tea
- Chiya: tea brewed with milk and sugar.
- Masala chiya: with spices such as cardamom, ginger and cinnamon.
- Black tea and lemon tea: common in lodges, and vegan.
- Ginger-lemon-honey tea: a trekkers' favourite.
- Butter tea (po cha): Tibetan-style tea churned with butter and salt.
- Orthodox teas: high-grown green, black and white teas from Ilam and the east.
Ilam's tea gardens
In the far east, near Darjeeling, Ilam's rolling tea gardens produce some of Nepal's best tea. Visit factories, walk among the bushes and taste fresh tea. See our Ilam tea garden tour.
Tea on treks
Hot drinks keep you warm and hydrated at altitude. Ginger tea and lemon tea are popular, and buying tea by the pot is cheaper for groups.
See our Nepali food guide and traditional drinks.