What We Offer When trekking to Everest Base Camp, food is more than just food — it is the fuel your body needs to keep going up towards Mount Everest in the ever-thinning atmosphere. The pathway is not dotted with any Michelin-starred restaurants, but teahouses offer a surprisingly varied and substantial range of food along the way. The trick to finding the right foods is getting smart by knowing what to look for and being smart enough to make health-supportive choices.
The Power of Dal Bhat: A Trekker’s Best Friend
One thing that comes to mind when you think of the Everest Base Camp Trek food, it’s got to be Dal Bhat. It is a common Nepali meal which consists of lentil soup (dal), steamed rice (bhat), curry, and other cooked items (tarkari), and pickles (achar). There is a reason you will want to make this a go-to meal when carbing up: it is so incredibly healthy, a good source of carbohydrates to supply your body with energy during a race, and the protein needed to help you recover from those long runs. The best part? It’s also that in many teahouses, Dal Bhat comes with a refill, so you can get a second (or sometimes even third) set for free. This is not only the healthiest, but the cheapest meal of your Everest Base Camp Hike.
A Taste of the Himalayas: House Specialties
In addition to the ubiquitous Dal Bhat, the teahouse meals can provide a lot of insight into Sherpa and Tibetan culture. Sherpa Stew (Syakpa) is a blood-warming soup with hand-pulled noodles, potato & other vegetables. On a chilly evening, it’s just the thing to heat you back up. Also give the fried, fluffy Tibetan Bread, which is usually served with honey or jam, and Momos – Nepali-style dumplings – a go. They’re typically filled with vegetables, potatoes, or cheese and eaten as a snack. For the Game: For the more adventurous, seek out Tsampa, a Sherpa diet staple and another paean to roasted barley flour.
To Get a Feel for the Menu: Local and Western Food
Local “meals” are your best value, and also serve teahouses catering to Western tastes. There are places with menus that feature all kinds of familiar things — fried rice, pasta, spaghetti, even pizza. But let’s be clear about what this means. Porters or yaks are used to bring in food items; hence, the quality of Western food can vary greatly, especially as altitude increases. For example, a “pizza” might just be a flatbread with tomato paste and yak cheese. My husband’s response to the suggestion was ‘Rice and noodles you know how to make, try these dishes first, those are always more straightforward and they will definitely sit with you better.’
Water: It’s Not Just for Drinking
Drinking plenty of water is one of the most important things for acclimatizing on the Everest Base Camp Tour. There’s no question that you need to be hydrating yourself. Garlic Soup is a common meal on their menu and is also one of the recommendations to escape from altitude sickness. And don’t underestimate the power of ginger lemon tea, hot chocolate, and, well, a lot of herbal teas. Avoid alcohol and excessive caffeine — both can dehydrate you and interrupt your acclimatization.
Smart Snacking – The Engine of Your Trekking Speed
You’ll want some snacks to help keep up your energy as you hike. There are snacks (chocolate bars, biscuits) available for purchase, but the prices become more expensive the further up the mountain you are. One good plan is to purchase your favorite energy bars, nuts, and dried fruit in Kathmandu, as it is much cheaper there. These snack balls are a perfect way to get the calories into you on the go and help to manage your EBC Trek Cost.
The Meat Question: A Warning Story
You can get meat on the menu in most teahouses—chicken, yak. But we highly recommend that when you charter a trek to Everest base camp, you remain a vegetarian throughout your trek. And because animals are not slaughtered in the holy Khumbu region, all meat is flown into Lukla, then trucked near Namche Bazaar and lugged up the trail for days with little refrigeration. So it’s not surprising to understand that the freshness and hygiene are therefore unchecked, and catching food poisoning at high altitude is one dangerous health gamble that can prove to be your last trek.
Food Hygiene: A Top Priority
The meals on the Everest Base Camp Trek are little more than a simple reflection of the cleanliness of their teahouse. If you luck out and find an open teahouse that is clean and busy, that means they have a higher turnover of food (all of which is fresher) and the food is high quality. If you are on an Everest Base Camp Tour that is already booked, the guide will take you to reliable places to eat. Always drink filtered water and try to avoid eating raw or raw veggies.
Finding the Best Breakfasts
They say a good breakfast is the key to a long trekking day. This hearty breakfast is a typical breakfast fare. Bread and milk porridge with honey is great for a prolonged release of energy. Bon appétit, and eat an omelet or scrambled eggs, which provide essential protein. Other good and tasty dishes are Tibetan bread or pancakes with jam or honey.
The Art of Ordering: Is Simple OK?
That way, you can kindly remind yourself that the teahouse cooks don’t have as much to work with (as they’ll have to cook for many more trekkers at the same time). The trade-off is that if you’re willing to stick just to take-em-for-granted dishes that are a menu’s core, you’ll get a meal that’s produced faster and tastes better. Avoid complex or off-menu requests. Learning culinary customs it’s the best way to a great meal and a glorious exposure to local culture.
The Big Idea: Eat Right, Travel Light
On the EBC Trek, the food is designed to be both filling and to provide strength. You need to consume lots of carbohydrates, easy to digest and locally available diet while going, and especially Dal Bhat will maintain this high energy and ensure that the body is in the ideal shape. Add in some clever snacks and a few thirst-quenching hydration, and you’re proper to head. Planning your fueling method for a successful and unforgettable trek to Mount Everest Base Camp.
