A visit to Anapurna Base Camp ( ABC ) has to be one of the coolest experiences on the planet (vid) – and it’s even possible for vegan hikers like us (that just so happen to be a bit of a travelling nerd) – smart enough to do their food homework before going. For now — and as many of the meaty bread-and-butter staples of Nepalese food are drawn upon in the menu — there’s plenty to choose from for vegans, up to and including, but not limited to, sidestepping tradition in Nepal.
You can eat pretty good vegan food on the ABC trek, but it pays to be a bit prepared. Inform the guide/porter if you have any dietary needs, but if you are vegetarian/vegan, tell them before you start the hike. “And well,l what they have is what they have, so they make sure you get what you need when you are down.” Most of the time (but wait for it), you’ll be able to figure out a local dish that can be made vegan – examples include dal bhat (rice and lentil soup), vegetable momo (dumplings), and the perennial favourite, vegetable curry.
If you’re hiking way up high in the mountains, you might be a bit more restricted, but staples can be found anywhere (noodles with veg, lentils, rice, fresh fruit). Hit it a bit harder with some healthy veganist snacks, like energy bars, dried fruit, or mixed nuts, for a bigger hit of energy, trailside.
Veganism in Annapurna Base Camp Trek: Best Deals On Vegan food Trekkings Agencies Places to get Vegan food?
Locating vegan food on the Annapurna Base Camp trek is just a piece of cake. With the tidal wave of Nepali food, which can be meat-heavy, we see more vegan offerings popping up around the area, too. However, on the trail now you’ll find many teahouses and lodges that serve more than just dal bhat (a lentil over rice dish), vegetable momos (dumplings), and stir-fried veggies over rice. Most places are now also getting used to the huge variety of diets out there, and if you let your guide or the staff at a teahouse know in advance that you’re a vegan, they will usually be able to cook you something. Nuts and kind of like granola bars are also useful to have on hand so that you have some fuel to carry with you on the trail.
Is a vegan meal available in the Teahouses on the ABC trek?
Yes, the trail teahouses will serve vegetarian meals. Nepali food is very meat-oriented, but most of the teahouses have a pretty good selection of vegan food now. Vegetable curry, dal bhat, and stir-fried noodles with veggies are the standard. On one hand, you can already find typical flexible traveller food at teahouses and at the same time plenty of trekkers (both vegetarians and vegans) to see that vegetarians/vegans don’t starve! The staff will have to know your diet only when you’re there, and then they can cook. Some of the teahouses at the highest elevations might not have the largest food selection, so be sure to pack a few of your vegan snacks for longer days!
What can be taken as vegan snacks for trekking to Annapurna Base Camp?
Convey your vegan snacks on your Annapurna trek if you need a guaranteed energy boost. Proper options include energy bars, seeds, together with almonds and cashews, dried fruit, and trail mix. Vegan jerky and granola are, for instance, no-brainer snacks to pack. And if you have a dietary restriction, then you’d probably also want to pack along a couple of your personal favorite vegan protein bars and/or plant-based protein powder. The teahouses do supply food, but you might wish to pack a handful of reserves so you don’t get dangerously famished between meals (disgustingly so if you’re a long day trekker). Don’t be so thrifty (or, be so thrifty).
Whatever, So What Other Vegan Food Is There Along The Annapurna Base Camp Trek Then?
I mean, yup, there isn’t all that much local vegan fare to munch on while you’re trekking to Annapurna base campWith that said… Most popular is dal bhat, a protein-loaded dish of lentils and rice that is served with pickles and vegetables. This meal is vegan and provides the protein and carbs you’ll need for your adventure. And in the opposite way, but the only thing you eat there will be the veg fried rice, mixed veg noodles, and veg momos. You can also use Tibetan bread or chapati, both of which are delicious vegan bread options. Even the most basic teahouses at higher elevations — the type that offers little choice — will cook you vegetable curry with rice or dal, and it’s great vegan fare. Even more places are more than happy to tweak traditional fare to align with veganism, which is becoming more and more the mainstream eating plan.
Should I Let Guides and Tea Houses Know I’m Vegan?
Tell your trekking guide and/or the teahouses your vegan needs, and it can be arranged in advance. Make sure to tell your guide (In trek) which food you can eat & which you can’t. @ guide will be with you all the time. The vast majority of the support crew on our trek within Nepal will know that the concept of veganism exists; you can leave it up to them to inform the teahouses and restaurants that they need to use both vegan ingredients and utensils. You can also tell them that you’re vegan when you make the reservation, and they’ll often move heaven and earth for you. Oh, and don’t be hesitant to ask the servers to monkey around with portions (if you’re a single diner). She’s a vegetarian, only she doesn’t believe in not eating meat! Is you DON’T! TRYING NOT TO TELL PEOPLE 1. You don’t have to stress too much about the supplier, and your trekking can (relatively speaking) be stress-free because even if the food is crap cooked it is cooked.
Conclusion for the food. Everything about the classic trekking route is amazing, except the food!
Of course, anything you eat is an adventure if you’re hiking around Annapurna or out to Base Camp, for that matter, all the same, what you eat really can breathe the spark of life into it. You will also find many Nepali and Tibetan dishes, and for plant-based eaters, there are luscious choices, including dal bhat, vegetable momo, and egg/veg fried rice. And even higher up, if you give a teahouse advance notice, they can cook vegan variations of pretty much all the standard dishes.
“It’s nice because it doesn’t feel like cooking the normal breakfast, and you pay, when you are going, the prices rise for meals)And it gets hard (to work in the mountains), but then you have your vegan snack, KS, and that can make it happen out there for long days out on the trail hiking.
No matter whether you’re doing it for the fun, the experience, or simply because you enjoy nature, if you know where to get vegan food along the Annapurna trek, you’re simply gonna be able to enjoy the views, people you might meet, and the trek. With some simple preparations beforehand and good conversation, you can make certain you’re not dipping into the last of your funds to fulfill the end of the original deal.
