Manaslu Trek Food

Manaslu Circuit Trek recently upgraded itself from a camping trek to a teahouse trek with a basic teahouse. Unlike camping, you won’t have a professional cook to cook your desired meal but will have to rely on the food that is available in the teahouses.

The tea house in Manaslu is a basic standard. Most of the teahouses hire professional cooks for the peak season, but they might be on leave during the off-season.

The teahouse has a menu with a wide variety of food. However, you can’t compare it to other mainstream treks like Annapurna and Everest.

Food prices are cheaper in the lower section of the trail and will get more expensive as you go higher. Food availability on the menu can be limited when you go higher because there is no cold storage facility for meat and fresh vegetables. So, avoiding meat in the upper section of the trail is recommended.

Different people have different appetites and tastes. Some are happy with a single meal, while others prefer to start with a drink and appetizers and then finish with a delicious dessert.

On average, USD 30 per person per day is good for basic meals i.e. breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The menu below will give you an idea of how much you need for the trek for the foodies.

In October 2022, I did a thirteen-day trek around the Manaslu Circuit. I took a photo of the food menus in different places, which you can find below

The places I covered were Soti Khola, Jagat, Namrung, Sama Gaun, Samdo, Bimthang, Surki Khola, and Dharapani. Soti Khola is the starting point, and Dharapani is the ending point of the Manaslu Circuit Trek. Prices are in Nepali rupees. By the next few years, prices will hike by a certain percentage, somewhere between ten and fifteen percent. I believe this will help you to plan your budget.

Morning Meals on the Manaslu Circuit Trek

The food options for morning meals include oats, cornflakes, pancakes, honey, bread, eggs, porridge(rice pudding), muesli, toast, and hot drinks. 

Bread Options:

• Fried Tibetan Bread
• Plain Tibetan Bread
• Toast With honey
• Tibetan Bread with Jam or Honey
• Tibetan Bread With Peanut Or Butter
• Tibetan Bread With Egg
• Tibetan Bread With Cheese
• Chapatis
• Plain Toast
• BuckBread

Egg Options:(2 Pcs)

• Plain Omelets
• Poached eggs
• Scrambled eggs
• Cheese omelets
• Fried eggs
• Potato Omelets
• Tomato Omelets
• Onion Omelets
• Garlic Omelets
• Vegetable Omelets
• Boiled Eggs

Porridge Options

• Apple Porridge
• Milk Porridge
• Champa Porridge
• Porridge With Honey 
• Plain Oatmeal Porridge
• Porridge with Cinnamon and raisins
• Cornflakes with hot milk/Apple
• Muesli with hot milk/Apple

Soup Options:   

• Mixed Soup
• Fresh Vegetable Soup
• Garlic Soup
• Mushroom Soup
• Tomato Soup
• Chicken Soup
• Noodle soup
• Potato Soup

Note: Garlic soup is preferred as best to prevent altitude sickness.

Pancake options

• Plain Pancake
• Apple Pancake/Apple Pancake
• Chocolate Pancake
• Cinnamon Pancake
• Pancakes with honey, butter, or Jam
• Pancakes with Peanut or Yak Butter

You have to place your  order the night before for breakfast and tell the time you want to eat for tomorrow. It will helps teahouse owner to make breakfast on your preferred time. At MagicalNepal, Our guides take care of it.

We all know Manaslu Trek is one of the most challenging treks climbing mostly uphill. This requires most of the stamina and a nutritious diet. That’s why breakfast should be heavy.

The meal options at the lower part of the trail is more than the upper part of the Manaslu Circuit Trek. The cost of food on average for a day is USD 30-40 per person per day for basic meals i.e. breakfast, lunch and dinner.

What’s for Lunch and Dinner on the Manaslu Circuit?

Your stay at Manaslu Circuit is incomplete without lunch and dinner. Manaslu Circuit Trek offers you additional items on the food menu. Let us see the options:

Macaroni/Pasta

• Plain Macaroni
• Fried Macaroni
• Egg Fried Macaroni
• Veg Fried Macaroni
• Cheese Fried Macaroni
• Tuna Fried Macaroni
• Pasta with cheese

Noodles

• Fried Noodles
• Veg. Fried Noodles
• Egg Fried Noodles
• Egg/Veg Fried Noodles
• Cheese Fried Noodles
• Tuna Fried Noodles
• Mixed Fried Noodles
• Noodles with Cheese

Chapati(2 Pcs.)

• Plain Chapati
• Chapati Bread With Jam or Honey
• Chapati Bread with Peanut or Butter
• Chapati With Egg
• Chapati Bread with Cheese
• Chapati Bread With Yak Butter

Lunch and Dinner

• Plain Rice
• Fried Rice
• Veg. Fried Rice
• Tuna Fried Rice
• Egg Fried Rice
• Veg. Egg Fried Rice
• Dal Bhat Set
• Mixed Fried Rice

Pizza

• Mushroom Pizza
• Tuna Pizza
• Egg Pizza
• Veg Pizza
• Potato Pizza
• Cheese Pizza
• Mixed Pizza       

Curry Items

• Veg Curry
• Egg Curry
• Potato Curry
• Mixed Curry
• Yak Dry Meat Curry  

Potato Items

• Boiled Potato
• Fried Potato
• Fried Potato With Veg
• Fried Potato With Egg
• Fried Potato With Cheese
• Mashed Potato
• Swiss Roasti
• Brown Potato
• Swiss Roasti With Veg/Egg
• Swiss Roasti With Cheese
• French Fry( Finger Chips)

Spring Roll

• Veg Spring Roll
• Veg/Egg Spring Roll
• Cheese Veg Spring Roll
• Mixed Spring Roll
• Potato Spring Roll
• Potato/ Egg Spring Roll
• Tuna Spring Roll
• Tuna/Veg Spring Roll

Spaghetti

• Plain Spaghetti
• Fried Spaghetti With Egg
• Spaghetti With Tomato Sauce
• Spaghetti With Tomato Sauce and Cheese
• Mushroom Spaghetti
• Potato Spaghetti
• Tuna Spaghetti
• Egg Spaghetti
• Mixed Spaghetti

Macaroni

• Plain Macaroni
• Fried Macaroni
• Veg Fried Macaroni
• Egg Fried Macaroni
• Egg/Veg Fried Macaroni
• Cheese Fried Macaroni
• Tuna Fried Macaroni
• Mixed Macaroni
• Tomato Macaroni

Mo:Mo:

• Veg Steamed Mo:Mo:
• Veg Fried Mo:Mo:
• Potato Steamed Mo: Mo
• Potato Fried Mo: Mo
• Veg/Potato Mo: Mo
• Tuna Mo: Mo
• Tuna Fried Mo: Mo
• Cheese Mo:Mo:

Salad

• Radish Salad
• Carrot Salad
• Potato Salad
• Apple Salad
• Mixed Veg Salad

Dumplings (fry/steam)

• Veg dumplings
• Cheese dumplings
• Chicken dumplings
• Buff dumplings

Dessert

• Rice Pudding
• Apple Pie
• Chocolate or Custard Pudding
• Apple Pie With Custard
• Chocolate Bars

“Eating Dal Bhat and Dhindo on the Manaslu Circuit Trek“

One of the famous meals that trekkers encounter during dinner at the Manaslu trek is  Dal Bhat and Dhido. As the meal is easier to prepare and offers high nutrients this cuisine is considered the National Dish Of Nepal.

This meal includes plain rice to cook. You can serve the cooked rice with lentil soup, spinach, pickles, seasonal curry, and meat items if you intend to take it. You can also use slices of lemon, green chili, and crispy papad for flavors. The entire combination of this dinner contains proteins, fiber, carbs, and several vitamins.

Nonetheless, if you need energy for an extended period of time do not underestimate the power of this dish. This trek route offers you multiple food facilities with amazing trekking experiences.

Additionally, another alternative dish is Dhido. This meal is prepared by combining flour that may be of wheat, millet, corn, and buckwheat on boiling water while whisking constantly.

Previously, the wheat cultivation or the products for Dhido was unreachable but today it is available and is one of the fancy diet in Nepal. Dhido is mainly served with meat or Gundruk.

Gundruk is a fermented Green leafy vegetable that has an amazing taste especially when served as a pickle. The overall combination of Dhido with vegetable curry gives high nutrition to the trekkers on the Manaslu Circuit Trek.

Food Restriction

There are certain products that you need to avoid for your own good:

Non -Veg Items

It is strictly advised to not eat meat or non-veg meals above 2500m as there is no proper freezing system and does not do good to your body.

Drinks and Beverages On Manaslu Circuit Trek

Manaslu Trek is a high-altitude Trek. The extremity of cold may make your body shiver. That is why the basic teahouses  and guest houses  offer the following drink options on your Journey:

Tea and Coffee

• Black Tea
• Milk Tea
• Lemon Tea
• Black Coffee
• Milk Coffee
• Mint Tea
• Ginger Tea
• Green Tea
• Instant Coffee
• Tibetan Tea
• Lemon Ginger Tea
• Masala Tea
• Lemon Ginger Honey Tea
• Mint Tea

Other Drinks

• Hot Milk
• Hot Lemon
• Hot Chocolates
• Horlicks
• Hot Water

Cold Drinks

• Coke, Fanta, Sprite
• Can Beer( Small & Large) 
• Wine
• Red bull
• Local Liquor
• Can Juice
• Mineral Water

Note: One might neglect the fact of how extremely important it is to stay hydrated and jump straight into alcoholic drinks. Do drink plenty of tea and soup. This will keep your body warm and focused on your trip. Liquors such as beer and wine can dehydrate the body and lead to the risk of altitude sickness.

Snacks

At higher altitudes, you will find fewer snack options. It’s better to carry snacks from Kathmandu or Soti Khola as they are lighter in weight. You can carry dried fruits, nuts, or chocolate bars. 

The other snacks you may carry are:

• Papad
• Puff corn
• Prawn crackers
• Finger chips with egg
• Finger Chips

Water Sources and Purification Tips for the Manaslu Circuit Trek

Hydration is essential when you’re trekking the Manaslu Circuit. While mineral water is readily available, using plastic bottles can harm the environment. A better option? Bring your own reusable water bottle or thermos and refill it at tea houses or rest stops along the way. Many locals use fresh spring water, often melted snow from Mount Manaslu, so you’ll have access to natural sources. Just make sure to purify the water before drinking, and you’ll stay hydrated while keeping nature clean! 

Purification Methods:

This purifier has various forms like gravity filters, squeeze filters, pumps, or integrated bottles. These filters remove bacteria and Protozoa making the water drinkable. 

Squeeze filters:  for hikers( can be attached to the pouch for instant drinks)

Gravity Filters: best for the larger groups 

UV Light filters: Steripen or bottle-integrated filters use UV light to kill bacteria inside water, do not work in cloudy water, and require batteries or a solar charge to filter one bottle simultaneously. It costs around 100 USD  and has life for over 8000 treatments purifying 1 liter of water in just 90 seconds.

Pumps:  For quick filling and long-term use

Note: Avoid ice water in the Portable Filter. Or else, it will destroy the filter. Use it in subfreezing temperatures.

Water Purification Tablets

For drinkable water, purification tablets are the cheapest and easiest way at Manaslu Circuit. It prevents from causing gastrointestinal illness by disinfecting the contaminated water.

For best results, wait for 30 minutes. During Manaslu Trekking do not forget to carry sterlin tablet from home. You can also buy the tablets from Kathmandu. But make sure you carry them for safe drinking water.

But it has some cons like the taste might be nasty or smelly. As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC), the use of boiling water is the most effective way to purify water. It kills the microorganisms in water.

At tea houses, you might find boiled water expensive. It requires effort and a long time trek route to Manaslu is at higher altitudes. In case of refilling the boiling water, you have to pay extra charges for the tea houses.

However, this is one of the best techniques that can be used to purify water.

Finally

It is important to be physically, mentally, and spiritually healthy. Trekking involves a long way journey. That’s why choose your food wisely and enjoy the beautiful scenery of Manaslu Circuit Trek