Eating well on an Everest Base Camp trek isn’t just a matter of taste – it’s about survival, performance, and recovery. Your body burns so many more calories at altitude, and fat nutrients are crucial to keep your energy, avoid sickness, and acclimate well. Knowing what to eat, when to eat it, and how to stay hydrated can have a huge impact on how you feel and how you perform while hiking.
Teahouses will be your stopping points while on the EBC trek, and menus are quite varied, considering the remoteness. The standard dish is dal bhat, or rice, lentil soup, and vegetable curry. It’s healthy, full of carbohydrates, and unlimited refill—arguably the best food there is for trekkers. Carbs are your BFF at high altitude: They require less oxygen for metabolism than fats or proteins do. We all end up interested in lots of rice and pasta and potatoes , and bread. Meals are generally vegetarian, not only due to difficulty in carrying fresh foods up to such altitudes, but also because the lack of hygiene typically found among stock animals makes the consumption of meat risky. If you do eat meat, ensure it has been cooked at a lower temperature to minimize your risk of a foodborne illness.
At breakfast, porridge, Tibetan bread, eggs, and dumplings are typically consumed – nourishing, high-energy foods that are easy to digest. It’s essential to fuel up with a hearty meal that will carry you through the morning’s trekking. Snacks are equally vital. A handful of energy bars, trail mix, nuts, or dried fruit offer the hiking equivalent of fast food. Teahouses and small shops line the route, offering chocolates and biscuits, though they become increasingly expensive the higher up you get.
Another secret to the best food on the Everest Base Camp trek is staying well-hydrated. Dehydration is frequent at altitude and may mimic or exacerbate AMS. Take 3 to 4 liters of fluids daily. Although clean drinking water can be bought, a water filter or a UV sterilizer can help to save money and reduce plastic waste. Hot beverages such as ginger tea, garlic soup, lemon honey tea, etc, are served in most of the teahouses, and they provide warmth, hydration, and aid in digestion. Garlic soup, in particular, a regional favorite, is believed among locals to aid in acclimatization, though there are conflicting reports from scientists.
Appetite can diminish with altitude as you ascend, so force yourself to consume food even if you aren’t feeling hungry. Eat small, frequent meals to help regulate blood sugar and energy. Avoid alcohol and cut back on caffeine, both of which dehydrate and disturb sleep, the last thing you need when you're trying to acclimate yourself to your environment. If you have dietary restrictions, plan and bring some backup snacks or food that you know you can eat.
The key to eating well on the Everest Base Camp trek is knowing what to choose and what to avoid in order to ensure you are fueling your body to meet the challenges in the harsh environment. Stress on carbo-loading, high-energy meals, pay attention to hydration, and make sure you’re consistently feeding your body. With the correct diet, your path to EBC is both safer and more pleasant – and that much closer to success!
What Cuisine is offered on the Everest Base Camp Trek?
You will be surprised by the diversity of food while on the Everest Base Camp trek, even when you are trekking in remote trails. Teahouses and lodges have fairly broad menus, but all food has to be carried up the mountains by porters or yaks. Dal bhat is the most common and recommended food, typical of Nepali, as in most homes and restaurants, lentil soup (soup lentils), rice, at least one variety of curry vegetables, and sometimes pickles or spinach. It’s inexpensive, it’s filling, and it comes with all-you-can-eat refills — perfect for the hungry backpacker. Noodle soup, Tibetan bread, momo (dumplings), pasta, fried rice, and boiled or fried potatoes are other common foodstuffs. Many of the meals are vegetarian, especially at altitude, where it is difficult to transport meat, and refrigeration is a luxury. If meat is served, it is probably best eaten lower down, where sanitary practices can be more dependable. For breakfast, the menus in the morning will normally feature porridge or oatcakes, pancakes with honey or jam, eggs, and toast. A note on the basics. Most trekkers are pleasantly surprised by the quality, as well as quantity, of food that is available, regardless of how many days they have been walking for! Snacks, including chocolate bars, biscuits, and Pringles, are available to buy on the trail, but they get increasingly expensive the higher up. The secret to eating well is to eat high-carb, easily digestible food and to be versatile with what’s available at each of the lodges.
How Much, Practically Speaking, Must You Eat Each Day on the Trek?
Hiking to Everest Base Camp requires a massive amount of energy — typically 3,000 to 5,000 calories a day, depending on a trekker’s weight, pace, and altitude. The thinner air and decreased oxygen levels mean your body has to work harder as you exercise at higher elevations, which can lead to an increased calorie burn. Trekkers often feel hungrier at lower altitudes and lose their appetite as they get higher, so it is important to front-load nutrition and consume frequent, small meals. The best backpacking calories are in the form of carbohydrate—rice, pasta, potatoes, bread, and porridge—because your body metabolizes them easily at altitude. Fats and protein are also important, but to be taken in moderation, especially when digestion is difficult above 4,000 meters. One risks getting more fatigued while acclimatizing, and even the possibility of altitude sickness when trekking under-fueled. Nuts, trail mix, granola bars, and dried fruit are examples of high-energy snacks that will help fill the gap between meals. If you are not accustomed to this degree of physical effort, eating more than usual is not only healthy, it is required. If you load up the tank, pay attention to what your body is telling you, and eat calorific fuel, as well as hydrate well, you will be strong for base camp.
Can I Eat Meat on the Everest Base Camp Trail?
Meat safety while trekking to the Everest Base Camp Tour is something that is very high on the minds of trekkers and should be. With no road access, all meat is hauled up on foot or by yak, unrefrigerated in many cases, over long distances. Eating meat at high altitude (above Namche Bazaar) carries with it a risk of food poisoning from old meat that hasn't been properly refrigerated. Many trekkers have upset stomachs or worse from eating meat down the road. At lower elevations — in Lukla, Phakding, or Namche Bazaar — meat-based dishes (including chicken curry or buff momos) are generally reliable thanks to easier access to refrigeration and higher food turnover. Even so, you’ll want to be on the safe side and stick to vegetarian options, which are the norm on the trail and are also generally the most nutritious, cost-effective, and easiest to digest at altitude. Most teahouses are full of hearty veggie dishes like dal bhat, fried noodles, potato stews, and egg dishes. If you do decide to eat meat, make sure it is well-cooked and not old. To play it extra safe — as many seasoned trekkers do to avoid a risk you don't want to roll the dice on in an environment as remote as on the EBC trail — others abstain from eating the flesh of animals entirely while descending the trails, focusing on high-carb, plant-based foods to give them a steady supply of electricity without upsetting their stomachs.
What Snack Do You Need to Carry Along the Everest Base Camp Trek?
Everest Base Camp Hike The right snacks can have a big impact on the Everest Base Camp trek. Teahouses have meals, and they fill you up, but you will be hiking long days (think 5 to 7 hours), and quick sources of energy are needed. The best foods for snacking are those that are light, high in calories, and easy to pack. We recommend food bars, trail mix, roasted nuts, packs of peanut butter, dried fruit , and dark chocolate. These foods offer a combination of quick and slow-burning energy, which is ideal for long uphill efforts. Stay away from heavy snacks, such as canned or perishable foods, since you’re going to have to lug them all yourself. Biscuits and candy bars, instant noodles and beverages are available at small stores along the trail, but the prices go up the higher you get, sometimes doubling by the time you reach Gorak Shep. Bringing your supply saves money and will prevent being deprived of fuel during tough times. Some trekkers even bring along electrolyte tablets or energy gels, which can provide the electrolytes and nutrients that you may be lacking if you’re especially overheated or struggling to eat. Snacking every hour or two seems to help maintain energy levels, support blood sugar, and keep fatigue at bay, particularly on the steep climbs above Namche Bazaar.
How Crucial is Hydration on an Everest Base Camp Trek?
One of the most important factors that will keep you healthy and strong during the Everest Base Camp trek is good hydration. At altitude, it’s drier and you lose more fluids from respiration and perspiration — even if you don’t feel sweaty. Dehydration is a contributor to the bad symptoms of altitude sickness, as well as a decrease in energy and performance. Trekkers are encouraged to consume at least 3 to 4 liters of water a day, more if they’re also drinking diuretics, such as coffee or black tea. Treated drinking water can be obtained at teahouses, but usually isn’t. You can buy bottled mineral water (expensive, and not recommended for environmental reasons) or rely on water purification tablets and a UV purifier (such as SteriPEN) or boiled water (most tea houses charge a nominal amount of money for boiled water). Hot drinks like lemon tea, garlic soup, and ginger tea can also be hydrating, warming beverages.) Do not drink alcohol or drink too much caffeine; these add to your water loss. It’s not enough to drink enough.” “It’s about drinking consistently throughout the day. Drinking steadily, especially during walking hours, helps avoid headaches, dizziness , and chronic fatigue, and assures the trekker is properly acclimatized.
Can You Accommodate Special Diets Like Vegan, Gluten-Free, or Keto on the Trek?
While there’s a shockingly wide range of food options available on the Everest Base Camp trail, following a particular diet, such as vegan, gluten-free, or keto, strictly can be a bit more difficult to maintain. Vegetarians can easily be accommodated in most teahouses — meals like dal bhat, vegetable fried rice, and potato curries are all common. While on the trail, vegans need to make it clear since meals commonly include ghee (clarified butter) or powdered milk. Politely saying “no milk, no butter, no egg” is a good start, though in remote villages, there may not be full vegan compliance.
There aren’t many gluten-free options, since you’re left with rice and potatoes as your gluten-free carbs. Wheat is often present in breads, noodles, and pancakes, so come prepared with your own gluten-free snacks or pasta. Keto diets, which focus heavily on fats and protein, are extremely hard to follow at altitude, where the body demands carbs and where most meals are very starch-heavy. Also, high-fat consumption isn’t ideal when your food isn’t digesting so well at altitude, making keto not particularly feasible for most trekking.
Everest Base Camp Trek Itinerary The solution is to plan and bring protein powder, nuts, or other lightweight, compliant food with you that you can add to your teahouse meals. Ask to make sure ingredients are gently clarified with the lodge staff. It’s not always ideal, but with flexibility and some preparation, most dietary restrictions can be catered to during the hike.
What to Eat at Different Altitudes on the EBC Trek?
Most meals are the same with minor changes along the Everest Base Camp trek, but certain staples are found nearly everywhere. At the lower elevations (Lukla to Namche Bazaar), teahouses have a greater variety of foods such as meats, fresh vegetables, and even desserts. Typical items on the menu include dal bhat, chow mein, pasta in sauce, rice fried with meat and/or vegetables, momos (dumplings), soup, and pancakes. In more developed villages, you may find dishes like chicken curry or tuna sandwiches.
As you get higher than Namche, the menu becomes more restricted and monotonous. Fresh produce is in short supply, and everything is more expensive because of transportation difficulties. Meals are dominated by carbohydrate-rich foods such as boiled potatoes, instant noodles, and flatbreads, like chapati or Tibetan bread. Most trekkers fall back on dal bhat because of its price, energy content, and refills. Warm soups — whether garlic soup or vegetable noodle soup — are regular dinner options.
Gorak Shep and Lobuche also offer the fewest choices with varying food quality due to altitude and the kitchen. Yet lodges try to provide warmth, both in the food served and the hospitality offered. Good , carb-laden, simple food should be expected for the trekkers while out. The taste, admittedly, may not wow you, but the food will keep your body fueled for long days spent on the trail.
Is It Necessary to Carry Your Food Along the Everest Trek?
You do not have to bring your food for the Everest Base Camp trek; however, bringing some snacks (and a few essentials) is recommended. Along the trail are teahouses where you can get full meals and hot drinks, so you will have a chance to eat. But food gets old and limited at altitude, especially if you have any dietary restrictions or specific energy needs.
Everest Base Camp Trek Package If those don’t do the trick, a bag or two of granola bars, nuts, jerky, trail mix, chocolate , or protein powder could keep you from going hungry between meals, give you a little boost of sugar for tough days. Calorie-dense, lightweight snacks are especially valuable for those long hours of trekking when you’re nowhere near teahouses. You may also consider having some instant coffee or tea bags, electrolyte powder sachets, and some drink mixes.
If you’re on a special diet (vegan, gluten-free, low-sodium), packing some extra food will save you from eating food that doesn’t comply with your diet. That being said, try not to pack too much — anything you bring adds to your weight. Focus on things that are compact, nonperishable, packable, and won’t freeze solid in the cold. A combination of teahouse meals and well-selected personal snacks makes for the perfect nutrition plan on the trek.
How Do You Cope With Loss of Appetite at High Altitude?
On high-altitude treks such as Everest Base Camp, loss of appetite is a standard problem. Once your body gets used to living with less oxygen, digestion slows, and many trekkers say that they feel less hungry, especially higher up, above 4,000 meters. But eating adequately is essential to nourish your body, preserve strength, and encourage acclimatization.
To address a lack of appetite, try consuming small, frequent meals instead of large ones. Opt for comfort and easily digestible foods such as rice, soup, boiled potatoes, or porridge. Steer clear of greasy or heavily spiced foods if they’re not stomach-friendly. Hot foods and drinks feel more appealing in the cold, so soups and teas can soothe digestion and help maintain hydration.
Even if you don’t have an appetite, it’s necessary to eat regularly, especially at breakfast and after a long hike. Keep high-calorie snacks like nuts, chocolate, or dried fruit in your purse to nibble throughout the day. Ginger tea or garlic soup, for example, may help encourage appetite and relieve nausea.
If the loss of appetite is coupled with headaches, nausea, or exhaustion, that could be a sign of altitude sickness, and one might need rest, hydration, or to descend. Pay attention to what you are eating and don’t starve yourself – Eating is one of the best ways to stay safe and healthy on the trek.
Is it Safe to Drink Alcohol on the Everest Base Camp Trek?
EBC Trekking You are not encouraged to drink while at Everest base camp, especially at high altitude. Tea houses do sell beer (not recommended), whiskey, or local drinks such as raksi or tongba, but alcohol can hinder the process of acclimatization and is likely to increase your chance of altitude sickness (AMS) considerably. It dehydrates the body, precludes sleep, and messes with decision-making – all no-nos for hikes at high elevations.
At lower elevations, such as Lukla or Namche Bazaar, some trekkers might have a drink, but you should do so only after you have descended, not on the ascent. Even a single drink can exacerbate fatigue or interfere with your body’s adjustments to thin air. Alcohol also diminishes REM sleep, which is hard enough to get at altitude.
If you’re feeling nicely acclimatized and almost to the end of your trek, you may be tempted to have a festive drink in Namche or Lukla. But it’s still safest to wait until you’re completely down from high altitude before you begin to drink alcohol. Focusing on hydration from water, herbal teas, or electrolyte beverages works far better. Remember, your body is already stressed from the environment — don’t stress it further with alcohol. Save the toast until after you return safely from base camp.
What Are the Top Snacks for the Everest Base Camp Trek?
The best snacks for the Everest Base Camp (EBC) trek are lightweight, energising, and easy to pack, and offer fast energy to fuel your body on the big trekking days. Your body needs to be continuously supplied with carbs, fat, and protein since you’re burning 3,000 – 5,000 calories a day at high altitude.
Recommended snacks include:
Power bars (Clif, RXBar, or homemade oat bars)
Trail mix (nuts, seeds, raisins, chocolate)
Dry fruit (apricots, mango, banana chips)
Nut butters (peanut or almond butter packets)
Dark chocolate (if you are not lying to yourself about craving sugar) (adds cals + cheers you up)
Granola or protein bites
Hydration drink mixes (Hydralyte, Nuun, ORS)
There are snacks at teahouses to include biscuits, candy, chips, and instant noodles, but you’ll pay double as you climb. It is both cheaper and wiser to take your favorite snacks from Kathmandu or your home country.
Opt for non-perishable items that come in containers easy to open, and avoid foods that melt or freeze. Snacks every 60-90 minutes help keep energy and decrease the risk of altitude fatigue. Ensure you have snacks on you in your daypack and keep some in zip lock bags so they don't go off or get wet.
How Do You Prepare for Everest Altitude?
Everest Base Camp Trek Training: Trekking to Everest Base Camp. It all comes down to cardio, stamina, along base camp elevation training. You’ll trek at elevations above 5,000 meters, where oxygen drops by almost 50%, so your body has to be in perfect shape.
Begin at least 8–12 weeks before your trek:
Cardio: Hiking, running, biking, swimming 4–5 days per week.
Include backpacking to mimic actual trail conditions. Bring climbs and downhill.
Strengthen the legs and core with lunges, squats, and planks.
In addition to these suggestions, try practicing long weekend hikes (6-10 miles) with elevation gain to build stamina and get used to the terrain.
If you can, add in altitude simulation training:
Wear an altitude mask or sleep in a high-altitude tent.
If you’re in a mountain area, hike in the high country.
Mount Everest Base Camp Tour, and finally, do not ignore mental stamina. The ascent tests patience, strength, and tenacity in challenging conditions. You should also do some training with a loaded pack (5-10kg is ideal) and in cold and wet conditions, to ensure your mind is prepared.
While fitness doesn’t make you immune to altitude sickness, it does assist your body to work more efficiently under the challenge of lower oxygen levels, meaning that you will feel less tired and your chances of a successful and enjoyable EBC trek are much greater.
How to Drink Water on the Everest Base Camp Trek?
Drinking plenty of water on the Everest Base Camp trek is a must, but finding safe, clean water is not always easy. Unpurified tap/stream water is not potable water and is unsafe to drink because of waterborne diseases such as Giardia.
Trekkers typically use:
Boiled water: Can be bought in teahouses for a charge (best option at higher altitudes).
Water purifying tablets: Dirt cheap and lightweight, but it takes 30–40 minutes to become effective.
UV purifiers (like SteriPEN): Eliminate 99.9% of bacteria and viruses with light, works well in clear water.
Filter bottles (like the LifeStraw, Grayl): Filter out bacteria, protozoa, and some viruses on the fly.
You can buy bottled water, but it is costly (up to $4 per liter) and creates plastic trash. A bottle with a purifier you can use over and over again is better for our planet and your wallet.
Ingest 3–4 liters per day, sipping regularly instead of chugging. One daily-book like bottle of electrolytes to replenish lost salts (especially if you are hiking in direct sunlight or feeling a little altitude symptoms.
Never run exclusively on dirty water. There ain’t no such thing as a free lunch. Staying hydrated is beneficial to your energy, digestion, and altitude acclimation.
Are There Tea Houses on Everest Base Camp?
Nope, there are no tea houses on Everest Base Camp itself. The nearest tea-house accommodation is at Gorak Shep (the final settlement on the trail), about a 2-3 hour trek away from EBC. Trekkers typically spend the night in Gorak Shep, leave their bags in Gorak Shep, and walk to Everest Base Camp for several hours before returning.
At EBC, you will find the tents used by climbers on expeditions during the spring climbing season (April–May). These are not open to independent trekkers, unless you’re part of a climbing expedition. There are no permanent dwellings, stores, or food at the base camp — only seasonal camps and harsh terrain circled by glaciers and mountains.
Gorak Shep consists of teahouses offering various levels of comfort, ranging from basic with generally shared rooms that have little heating, limited toilet facilities, and no showers. The food is basic but hot and high energy (simple dal bhat, soup, tteaea, and rice). This out-of-the-way post is your base camp, one for the hike to base camp, and an ascent of Kala Patthar, a popular morning mountain palace for Mt. Everest.
So you can’t sleep at base camp, no, but you can head there and back in a day, with Gorak Shep now serving as your last resting point on the way down.