The Everest Base Camp trek is one of the exciting and thrilling adventure treks in the world. To do this trek, you ‘ll need to be well-equipped with the correct gears Everest Base Camp Trek Packing List & must fueled with correct food nutrition. Excessive or insufficient diet intake might also affect to your EBC trekking. As you consume too much food, your body will feel heavy & make it difficult to your trek. Furthermore, if you consume too little, your body will not receive the necessary quantity of energy. As a result, you’ll need to research and prepare how to stay on track with your nutrition while trekking. Also, knowing the food on Everest Base Camp trek ahead of time can help you avoid altitude sickness triggered by poor diet or dehydration.What kind of food on Everest base camp trek is available, and what is healthy? Everything must be planned from the beginning.
Every teahouse lodges provides comprehensive menu. However, you’ll find a comparable food choice throughout the trek. Some teahouses, still, provide a startling variety of choices. As a result, you may find yourself trying something new every day. This culinary variety adds to the overall experience of the Everest Base Camp Trek, especially when paired with the Sherpas culture. The remoteness of Everest & Sherpas food, culture, lifestyle and traditions will make your schedule of eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner like at home.
Everest Base Camp Trek Food Time
Normally, you can start your days with breakfast around at 7 to 8 am. Typically, delicious & invigorating breakfast helps you lot during the EBC trek. Almost, every teahouse provides you hot breakfast consisting of Eggs (scramble, boiled, omelet, sun side, fried), Potatoes (Mash, fried, cake, boiled, chips), Coffee or tea, Toasts etc.
Lunch will be in afternoon, approximately 12:00 to 13:00 PM. During the day you need more carbohydrate meal. Try a classic Dal Bhat — a must-try for any high-altitude trekker and widely praised along the Annapurna Circuit as well. Therefore, during the EBC Trek, if you are very hungry then I would like to suggest you a Nepali food – Dal Vat which consist of dal (lentil soup), vegetable curry (carrot/potatoes/green veggies), pickle (spicy). While eating Dhal Vat – You will get more to add dal or soup. Besides, you will get all nutrition that you need for the EBC trek.
Actually, you will arrive at the lodge before sunsets. Time for the dinner in every teahouse is about 18:00 to 20:00 PM. You need to order for the dinner 1 hour before dining hall. You must have your dinner at the same tea house lodge where you stay for the night. The foods are similar to lunch and you’ll have many options to try from the menu; from Nepali Dish to Western cuisine.
What is the food on Everest base camp trek?
Normally, EBC trek is 12 to 14 days, depending on the route you choose to go & acclimatization days you are required. Everyday in average, you’ll walk 5 to 7 hours a day. In this challenging trek, your body should remain delightful & healthy. So, food & drink is very important. As a result, I have written below about ultimate everest base camp trek food guide that may help you to know about food when trekking into Himalayas.
Breakfast at Everest Base Camp Trek
Pancakes: Apple Pancake, Banana Pancake, Chocolate Pancake, Lemon Pancake, Plain Pancake with Jam & Honey etc.
Bread: Toasted bread, Toast with jam or Honey – French Toast – Cheese Toast – Toast the bread and add the egg and cheese, Tibetan bread, etc. Tibetan-style breakfast is a comforting staple not just on the Everest route but also along the Annapurna Dhaulagiri Community Trek (Mohare Danda Trek), where homestays offer similar warm, hearty options.
Eggs: Boiled Egg (two per person), Vegetable Omelets, Cheese Omelets, Scrambled Egg, Plain Omelets, Fried Egg etc.
Nepali Breakfast: Chapati with Jam / Honey, Chapati with Baked bean, Plain chapati, Chapati with fried Egg, Chapati with curry & boiled Egg etc.
Porridge: Apple Porridge, Oat Porridge, Plain Porridge with Honey, Porridge with Milk, Tsampa Porridge etc.
Other Breakfast: Muesli with Hot Milk, Cornflakes with Hot milk, Rara noodles etc.
Lunch & Dinner at Everest Base Camp Trek
Rice-based dishes: Dal Bhat veg, Veg Fried Rice, Egg fried Rice, Mixed Fried Rice, Veg curry with Rice, Rice pudding, Fried Rice with cheese, Tuna fried Rice etc. These dishes are popular across many Himalayan routes. You’ll find similar menus on the Annapurna Base Camp Trek, making it easy to transition between treks without adjusting your tastebuds too much.
Dumplings: Veg Momo, Potatoes Momo, Cheese Momo etc. (You’ll find both fried & steam Momo in the menus). If you’re a momo lover, try comparing how they taste between regions like Everest and the Best Annapurna Trek Routes in Nepal — each village adds its own twist.
Noodles: Mixed Fried Noodles, Veg Fried Noodles, Egg Fried Noodles with Cheese, Fried Noodle with cheese.
Pasta: Pasta with cheese, Veg Fried Pasta, Pasta with tomato sauce & cheese.
Macaroni: Veg Macaroni, Plain Macaroni, Macaroni w/ cheese, Macaroni with Egg, Mix Macaroni.
Spaghetti: Spaghetti with cheese and tomato, Spaghetti with tuna – cheese & tomato sauce, Spaghetti veg tomato sauce, Spaghetti with tomato sauce. Spaghetti and other pasta dishes are also a lifesaver for trekkers not used to spicy meals. They’re found in nearly every lodge from Lukla to Gorakshep.
Pizza: Mushroom Pizza, Mixed Pizza, Vegetable Pizza, Tuna Cheese Pizza, Tomato Cheese Pizza
Sandwiches: Grilled – tuna and tomato sandwich, cheese tomato sandwich, tomato egg sandwich.
Potatoes: Fried potato with cheese, Mashed Potato, French Fries, Boiled Potato, Fried Potato with vegetables etc.
Others: Fried Chips with Egg, Sherpas Stew, Burgers, Spring Rolls, Yak Steak with Chips.
Dessert at Everest Base Camp Trek
Apple Pie with custard – Fried Mars Bars – German Bakeries – chocolate pudding – Rice Pudding with Sugar – Apple Filter – Fried Snicker Roll
Kind of Soup in EBC Trek
Garlic Soup – Vegetable noodle soup – Chicken Soup – Tomato Soup – Dal Soup – Vegetable Soup – Mushroom Soup – Tomato veg soup – Veg Egg Soup.
What about the meat in Everest Base Camp Trek?
Actually, meat is available on the menus of most tea house lodges. Although, in my opinion, I advise you to avoid meat throughout Everest base camp trek, especially at higher elevation. The freshness of meat cannot be assured that it is hygienic.
The reason is that, the meat is carried from lower elevation or flown from Kathmandu. If you’re returning via Heli Tour to Everest Base Camp, Lukla is a great place to enjoy a safe and fresh yak steak before heading back. Otherwise, It is carried by a porters or yak without refrigerated. It takes at least 2 to 3 days or even more to reach the lodges. All meat is flown into Lukla and then carried up the mountain, increasing the risk of rotten meat. Therefore, avoid eating meat in EBC trek above Lukla.
Although there are animals that reside on the mountain such as yak. But, the inhabitant faith to forbids the butchering of animals in the region. If you are keen to eat meat in Mountains, then I suggest you to try in Lukla before or after the end of the trek. Yak steak is very popular in Lukla lodges.
Will I get 3 meals a day?
Definitely! you will get 3 meals a day. The same goes for other famous routes like the Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek or Mardi Himal Trek, where teahouse meals are hearty and reliable. This is very popular treks in Nepal. Almost all tea house lodges offer you extensive variety of foods items from Nepali dishes to Western. They will provide you comprehensive menu, from where you have to pick and items are usually made quickly.
Just depends on crowd in the lodges. At least need to be patience for 1 hours after you orders. Simply, ask for some hot or cold drinks what you like, sit & sip by enjoying the surrounding. You will be served the food.
Food on Everest Base Camp Trek
The Everest Base Camp trip is without a doubt Nepal’s best-known trek. The lodges have done everything possible to ensure that hikers have plenty of options available about foods and beverages.
Most of the teahouses are managed by Locals, though the food is cooked by local people trained to the high standard that meet the requirements of guest. That for sure, you will be able to enjoy different taste bud during the trek to Everest. There is no doubt, the food will be provided three times a day during the trek. And with everything planned from gear to grub, you’ll be fully prepared whether you’re hiking in April, May, or even October — all peak seasons for EBC.
Food in Lukla
(Recommended Food: Yak Steak)
Suggested Breakfast: Strew (Cooked soup including meat, vegetable, beans etc.) with plain toast.
Lukla is the first & foremost place where every imported products & food arrive, for Khumbu region tea houses. Almost every hotels or lodges meals are delicious. Everybody can afford the price for the food. You can get practically everything here, the typical meal Dal bhat (Trekking version) which comprises of rice, dal soup with fresh vegetable curry that are available locally.
Other dishes include the Roti, Flat bread with curry, fried rice, Momos & other small stuff dumpling that are serve with relish. You can taste the bud everything from pizza to sandwich, Burger to Yak steak etc. If you like to taste the typical local wine, then can try at Lukla.
Food in Phakding
(Recommended Food: Dal Bhat)
Suggested Breakfast: Red bean with chapati (flat bread).
The food on Everest Base Camp trek route – Phakding lodges are identical to those in Lukla & is comparably configured price. This is actually an official start of teahouse trek to Everest base Camp. It’s also where you’ll most likely to have your first dish of Dhal Bhat, Trekking version,” Dhal Bhat Power -24 hours.
This is actually a staple diet for if you are feeling very hungry. Because, when you order the dal vat, the quantity will be filling, you can add more if needed in one shot of price. Just you need to tell them that you need more Dal Vat.
Dal Vat is delectable & delicious food, prepared by everyone differently, so the taste different according the place. But I like the dal Vat of Phakding very much.
Food in Namche Bazaar
(Recommended Food: Mushroom Pizza)
Suggested Breakfast: Tsampa Porridge or Tzen .
Namche is the penultimate stop on the way to Everest Base Camp. There are more than 50 hotels, restaurants that offers different type of food to taste like; Chinese, Japanese, French, Spanish, Italian cuisine, typical Nepali, Dumpling, Sherpas food etc.
The price in Namche Bazaar is fair according to the place & height. But, slightly more than in Lukla food menu price. There are other bakeries, and cafes, where visitors can relax by sipping tea or coffee. Keep in mind that as you climb up & up, the price for the food in teahouse lodges are increased.
The must try Sherpas cuisines while you are in Namche Bazaar are Sherpas stew, Rigi Kur (Potato pancake), Tsampa Porridge & Tzen (millet bread), Sherpas Bread etc.
Sherpas cuisines such as authentic Sherpas delicacies such as Rigi Kur (potato pancake), Tzen (millet bread), Sherpas Stew and Tsampa Porridge are must try while you are in Namche. This cultural mix of food and flavor is part of what makes the Everest Base Camp Trek Difficulty more manageable and enjoyable.
Food in Tengboche
(Recommended Food: Ham Burger with French fries)
Suggested Breakfast: Chapati with Peanut Butter or Toast with veg omelet & cheese
Tengboche has a few lodges as well as a few small cafes that cater to trekkers. However, food is a little more expensive and there is less variety than in the lower region. Yaks transport all of the food ingredients to the lodges along the route.
As a result, non-perishable foods items such as rice, oats, cereals, grains, potato chips, Syrup & honey, dried goods etc. are in great demand in the region. Dal, a cooked lentil soup, is also available. These recipes are served with steaming white rice, which is also called Dal Vat.
There is also bakery shop behind the lodges. Do not forget to try hot chocolate in Tashi Delek lodge in Tengboche. Pizza is also another famous food in Tengboche.
Food in Dingboche
(Recommended Food: Egg Veg. Fried Rice)
Suggested Breakfast: Sherpas Bread (Rice flour bread fried on oil) with honey & Jam.
Dingboche is the last spot if you need some snacks to buy, even though the price for food is expensive in Dingboche. It will be almost double price to buy the things then in lower region. Therefore, you need to have sufficient money to buy plenty of food & water during Everest Base Camp trek. If you’re curious about the full Everest Base Camp Trek Cost Details, you’ll notice food and water make up a large portion of it.
The food on everest base camp trek route is basic with few western dishes and many varieties of Dahl Bhat, which you will find welcoming with its filling and warm spicy flavors.
There is one café called CAFÉ 4410, you can go to relish there for hot chocolate drinks & have some delicious cakes. This is only one Café which offers varies types of drinks with western flavor. I have never imagined such a facilitate café in that high altitude.
Food in Lobuche
(Recommended Food: Macaroni with Cheese)
Suggested Breakfast: Oat Porridge with Honey
Food provided is cooked by the local people trained to the high standard that meet the requirement of the guest. Comprehensive menus will be given to make a choice of food.
Everything you expect to find in lower elevation from Dal Bhat, Fried Rice to potato chips, spaghetti, spring rolls, momos, pizzas etc. are available. You also get variety of drinks like coke, fanta, sprite, beer etc.
Hence, the price of food & drinks around Lobuche are consistent. For example; The price of a single dish is estimated to be between 10 to 20 Dollar (USD). The price of beverages around 5-10 USD. A cup of hot water (3-5 USD).
However, food in Lobuche is better than it is in some other places. Do not expect high in the contest of food in Himalayas. Porters & helicopter are bringing foods that suit for the lodges. Keep in mind, food is simple & filling, portion is quite big that help to boost your energy.
Food in Gorakshep
(Recommended Food: Spaghetti with Cheese)
Suggested Breakfast: Toast with Jam / Honey & Cheese omelet or boiled egg
The food in Gorakshep is delicious. Due to high altitude, trekkers do not enjoy with good taste. I do not recommend trekkers to eat meat in whole EBC trek. The reason is that, animals are not allowed to kill in Everest Region, hence, porters or yak carries the meat from Lukla or Kathmandu without refrigerated since long days.
The price for the food is very expensive then other places in EBC trek. Due to the lack of sufficient water, you even cannot get refill water there. You need to purchase mineral water that cost 3 to 5 USD per liter. Therefore, you need to carry sufficient cash money to survive in the everest trekking in Nepal.
Every basic kind of food you get in Gorakshep, from Nepali dish to pizza rolls, spaghetti, cheese, sandwich, Chowmin, egg, toast etc. Reminder; do not forget to carry your favorite snacks too like chocolate bar, sinkers, dry food etc. Because, you will not have fixed time to have your lunch, anytime you need it for your energy. Consider bringing snacks in your Best Backpack for Everest Base Camp Trek to stay fueled during these unpredictable meal gaps.
Everest Base Camp Trek Food Cost
Day to Day Breakdown – (Total Cost: Nrs. 40500 to 76500 NPR)
01 Day: Kathmandu to Phakding – Food & Drinks Per Meal: 1000 NPR to 2000 NPR X 3 = 6000 NPR
02 Day: Phakding to Namche Bazaar – Food & Drinks Per Meal: 1000 NPR to 2000 NPR X 3 = 6000 NPR
03 Day: Namche Bazaar Acclimatization – Food & Drinks Per Meal: 1000 NPR to 2000 NPR X 3 = 6000 NPR
04 Day: Namche Bazaar to Tengboche – Food & Drinks Per Meal: 1000 NPR to 2000 NPR X 3 = 6000 NPR
05 Day: Tengboche to Dingboche – Food & Drinks Per Meal: 1000 NPR to 2000 NPR X 3 = 6000 NPR
06 Day: Dingboche Acclimatization – Food & Drinks Per Meal: 1500 NPR to 2500 NPR X 3 = 7500 NPR
07 Day: Dingboche to Lobuche – Food & Drinks Per Meal: 1500 NPR to 2500 NPR X 3 = 7500 NPR
08 Day: Lobuche to Gorakshep (EBC) – Food & Drinks Per Meal: 1500 NPR to 2500 NPR X 3 = 7500 NPR
09 Day: Gorakshep (EBC) to Pheriche – Food & Drinks Per Meal: 1000 NPR to 2000 NPR X 3 = 6000 NPR
10 Day: Pheriche to Kyangjuma – Food & Drinks Per Meal: 1000 NPR to 2000 NPR X 3 = 6000 NPR
11 Day: Kyangjuma to Chumoa – Food & Drinks Per Meal: 1000 NPR to 2000 NPR X 3 = 6000 NPR
12 Day: Chumoa to Lukla – Food & Drinks Per Meal: 1000 NPR to 2000 NPR X 3 = 6000 NPR
Best Time for Everest Base Camp Trek includes acclimatization days like in Namche to prevent Altitude Sickness.
What about drinks during Everest Base Camp Trek?
All types of drinks are available in EBC trek. From mineral water to other alcoholic drinks. But here we are going to talk about all types of drinks that are available during the trekking.
Drinking water on EBC Trek
Suggest to drink a Treated Water, Boiled Water, Filter Water or Mineral water that are available in the lodges. Bring some water purification pills with you if you don’t want to drink boiled water or filter water or mineral water available in the lodges. It is not advisable to drink tap water without first boiling it.
However, bottle water can also be purchased at most of houses & small store along the way. Keep in mind that plastic bottle causes an environment problem. Some times you see a huge pile of plastic bottle behind the lodges. Therefore, highly recommend to carry your own bottle to refill water with you all the time. “Go Green, Avoid Plastic”.
At altitude, staying hydrated is critical, therefore we recommend consuming 4 to 5 liters of water each day. Drinking water, tea, and soups are examples of this. Forget about booze or any other gimmicks; all you need is water. Carry at least 1.5 to 2 liters of water with you all the time.
The higher you go in altitude; the more costly water becomes. The reason is that, all of the water you get up there was carried on the backs of human porters, the price includes the ridiculous amount of human effort that went into it.
The following is a cost estimate for 1 liter of treated filter water:
200 NPR to 300: Lukla, Phakding, and Namche
400 NPR to 500: Dingboche
500 NPR to 600: Lobuche & Gorakshep
Hot Water
During the trekking, Hot water is always expensive than regular mineral water, but it is a lifeline in the high altitude. Actually, most of the hot drinks are offered with different price ranges.
A Cup | Small Pot | Medium Pot (1 liter) | Large Pot (Thermos)
Be sure to account for hot water costs when budgeting for your Everest Base Camp Trek in March, when temperatures are still quite cold in the mornings and evenings. On the EBC trek, the cost of hot water is estimated to be:
Lukla (2860 Masl): Cup (Rs. 70) – Pot (Rs. 300) – Large Thermos (Rs.800)
Tengboche (3860 Masl): Cup (Rs. 100) – Pot (Rs. 500) – Large Thermos (Rs.900)
Lobuche (4940): Cup (Rs. 120) – Pot (Rs. 800) – Large Thermos (Rs.1200)
Types of Tea During Everest Base Camp Trek
Hot Ginger Lemon Honey: This is best drink to keep your body warm & energetic in high altitude.
Sherpas Tea: If you can tolerate the salty taste. You’ll also find this traditional tea offered on the Khopra Danda Trek, where authentic local experiences are part of the journey. This is another hot drink that usually drink by local people to keep heat in the body. Nepali people like; Sherpas, guide & porters prefer to drink this Sherpas tea often. It is made up of cow milk, yak butter and salt. It helps to increase metabolism in your bodies.
Black tea: They give a hot water with a single Tea Bag.
Lemon tea: They use Squash Lemon that are available in seal bottle & tea bag with Hot water.
Milk tea: Milk Powder blend it in hot water & cooked with Tea bag.
Black Masala tea: Flour of cardamom, cloves & pepper, tea bag, Hot water
Milk Masala tea: Milk Powder blend it in hot water & cooked with Tea bag. Mix with cardamom, cloves & pepper
Ginger tea: They use organic ginger to cook with hot water & tea bag.
Mint tea: This is also good for your health in altitude. Mint plant available in mountains. But, not all places in altitude.
Coffee & Other Alcoholic Drinks
You will see almost every tea house along the route offers coffee & trade in alcoholic drinks. Even with such amenities, keep in mind that high caffeine intake can complicate Preparing for Everest Base Camp Trek — hydration is more important than your morning espresso fix. However, I do not suggest you to drink coffee and other alcoholic drinks while climbing up higher altitude. It’s not good when you are dealing with AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness) in the altitude. Thus, you can absolutely try them on your way back down after Everest Base Camp. You might even celebrate your success with a local drink in Pokhara—one of the Top Things to Do in Pokhara, Nepal post-trek.
Milk Coffee: Mixing Milk Powder & Coffee with Hot drinks in Lobuche, Gorakshep. But, most of the lodges even offer other different flavor of Coffee like; cappuccino, americano etc.
Black Coffee: Hot water mix with coffee in higher altitude Lobuche, Gorakshep. Most of tea house have their own coffee machine that offers with special decoration & taste.
Beer Types: Everest | Gorkha | Sherpas | San Miguel | Tuborg | Nepal Ice
Hard Drinks: Rum, Mustang Coffee, Local Raksi, Red Level, Black Level, Red Wine, White Wine, Vodka etc.
