As much as we would love the beautiful mountain scenery while trekking. No scene will give you energy for the next best scene if your tummy is not full and your body is not hydrated. Besides, foods and drinks are basically the most essential aspects of trekking. Without good foods, no preparation and training would be helpful if you are not eating healthy food at the correct time.
Foods and drinks on the Manaslu Circuit Trek are similar to what you find on Nepal’s other popular treks however options are more varied compared to treks like Annapurna Circuit or Everest Base Camp. World cuisine like pizza, pasta, burritos, tacos, or burgers is commonly on offer alongside Nepali staples like dal bhat, soups, and momos.
That’s not to say the standard of said ‘world cuisine’ is up to much, but if you are bored with eating the same thing, there are choices to be had. As you go to higher altitudes the choice of foods will be limited. Prices rise and fall depending on the altitude and ease of supply. Food in Manaslu Circuit Trek is always more costly than in Kathmandu.
Manaslu Circuit Trek is over higher elevations, which means your body requires enough carbohydrates, and nutrition for the body to hike. The meal on this trek is somehow convenient, not like that in cities, but it is definitely good.
Foods in Manalsu Circuit Trek
The food in Manaslu Circuit items from the menu during the trek is usually fresh, hygienic, and nutritious. The menu will be a combination of local and western cuisine. But as you go to higher altitudes like Samdo, Dharamsala, and Bhimtang the items on the menu will decrease. When you are at such a high altitude, we recommend you consume more liquids like tea and soup. This will help you to keep the body warm and help to stay hydrated.
You will find plenty of non-veg items in the teahouse lodge, but we will not recommend them because in such a place it may not be healthy. It is also best to avoid caffeinated drinks, hot chocolate, alcohol, and dairy products on a high-altitude trek.
BREAKFAST IN MANASLU CIRCUIT TREK
Breakfast choices vary in price from NPR 400 to 600. Breakfast includes Corn Flakes, porridge, muesli, pancakes, Varieties of eggs (Omelettes, Poached, Boiled), and various types of bread (fried Tibetan bread, buckwheat bread, chapatis, and so on). Often you can get them with jam or honey, sometimes with apples. You can order these dishes any time of day. It is common to place your breakfast order the night before.
Below we have listed the sample menu for Breakfast in Manaslu Circuit Trek:
Cereals
- Oat Meals
- Corn flakes with milk
- Muesli with milk / apple / banana / nuts
- Oat porridge
- Porridge with apple or honey
- Porridge with cinnamon with resins
Toast Items
- Toasted bread
- Toast with honey or jam
- French toast
- Cheese toast
- Toast with egg and cheese
- Plain toast
Eggs items
- Fried eggs
- Plain omelets
- Scrambled eggs
- Boiled eggs
- Cheese omelets
Pan Cakes
- Bread and pancakes
- Tibetan bread
- Pancake with jam or honey
- Cinnamon pancake
- Apple/banana pancake
- Chocolate pancake
Soups items
- Fresh Veg soup
- Tomato soup
- Chicken soup
- Garlic soup
- Potato soup
- Mushroom soup
- Noodle soup
LUNCH AND DINNER IN MANASLU CIRCUIT TREK
Dal Bhat is the local food of Manaslu Circuit Trek that is a combination of Lentil soup (dal), rice (bhat), vegetable curry, and pickles. This staple of Nepali dish is a great option and comes with a guaranteed refill. The fresh vegetable component varies and disappears as you climb to a higher altitude. It is usually ready pretty fast, great if you are staying for lunch and don’t want to wait an hour. Dal Bhat ranges from about NPR 450 to 800 on the Manaslu Circuit. The choice of free refills makes it worth it, and this meal will give you all the energy you need during the trek.
Besides the universal dal bhat, below we have listed the sample menu for lunch and dinner in Manaslu Circuit Trek:
Pizza
- Tomato Cheese pizza
- Chicken pizza
- Mushroom pizza
- Mixed pizza
Pasta
- Veg fried pasta
- Cheese fried pasta
- Pasta with cheese and tomato sauce
Dumplings (fry/steam)
- Veg dumplings
- Cheese dumplings
- Chicken dumplings
- Buff dumplings
Spaghetti
- Spaghetti with cheese tomato sauce
- Spaghetti with tomato sauce
- Spaghetti veg tomato sauce
- Spaghetti with tuna, cheese, and tomato sauce
Rice
- Veg fried rice
- Egg fried rice
- Cheese fried rice
- Dal Bhat (Nepali meal set veg or non-veg)
- Rice with chicken curry or veg curry
Noodles
- Veg fried noodles
- Egg fried noodles
- Fried noodles with cheese
- Mixed fried Noodles
Sandwich
- Sandwich with chips
- Grilled cheese tomato Sandwich
- Grilled tomato egg Sandwich
- Grilled tuna and tomato Sandwich
- Grilled club Sandwich
Potatoes items
- Boiled potatoes
- Fried potatoes with fresh veg
- Fried potatoes with cheese
- Fried potato with cheese and egg
- Roast potatoes
- Mash potato
- Hash brown potato
Vegetable and salad
- Fried vegetable (fresh)
- Veg salad
- Boiled vegetable
Dessert items
- Rice pudding
- Apple pie
- Chocolate or Custard pudding
- Apple pie with custard
- Chocolate bars
DRINKS IN MANASLU CIRCUIT TREK
Hot drinks in Manaslu Circuit Trek usually include regular black tea, instant coffee, masala tea, lemon ginger honey tea, and hot chocolate. You will see hot drinks in every guesthouse with a huge price range from 50 to 450 per cup. Thermal Flasks of various sizes are also always available, which is sometimes good value and sometimes not. One guesthouse’s medium pot is another one’s small so make sure before ordering.
Besides the universal black or ginger tea, below we have listed the sample menu for drinks in Manaslu Circuit Trek:
Hot Drinks
- Black tea
- Milk tea
- Mint tea
- Lemon tea
- Ginger lemon honey tea
- Green tea
- Masala tea
- Black coffee
- Milk coffee
- Hot chocolate
- Hot Lemon
- Hot juice
- Hot water
Cold Drinks
- Coke, Fanta, Sprite
- Can beer (both small & large)
- Wine
- Local Liquor
- Can juice
- Mineral water
SNACKS
Usually, you will not find more options for snacks at higher altitudes. You can also buy it at Kathmandu or Soti Khola for more options. It is always best to carry snacks like dried fruits, nuts, or chocolate bars.
Snacks items
- Papad
- Puff corn
- Prawn crackers
- Finger chips with egg
- Finger Chips
Drinking Water In the Manaslu Circuit Trek
Water is the most important part of trekking. You should drink 3 litres of water each day to be safe from dehydration. Water also helps your body to avoid potential altitude sickness during the trek. Bottled mineral water is available but we will not recommend it because it will harm the environment. Along every route, you will find spring water or tap water to refill your bottle. You can then add chlorine or iodine for purification. Tea houses offer you free tap water which you can purify before drinking. If you don’t like the taste of chlorine then you can buy boiled or filtered water from the lodge. Nepal is rich in the origins of drinking water, so you are advised to drink tap or spring water after treatment.
Where to get water in Manaslu Circuit Trek
While you are trekking to the Manaslu region, filling water is easy. You will find taps outside every guesthouse where you can fill up your bottles or water bladders. You can fill up at the place you are staying, a lunch stop, or a communal tap used by locals. You can also often drink stream water which will be clear. At a higher altitude, it is recommended to fill up water bottles before bed. Because in the morning you may find the water source may be frozen.
STERILISATION
If you are using tap or stream water in Manaslu Circuit Trek it is always a good idea to sterilize the water effectively. The best way is the Steripen Ultra. This method uses ultraviolet light to kill bacteria and treats 1 litre of water in just 90 seconds. This device has a life of around 8000 treatments and costs around 100 USD. it is quick and hassle-free compared to the purification tablets.
Other popular means of sterilization are Lifestraw, Grayl, Water-To-Go, and of course water purification tablets (we always have several pieces of these as a backup). Personally, we like the versatility of the Steripen.
At Last
The Food and Drink in Manaslu Circuit Trek list above represents an average of what is available. The portion of carbs, protein, and fat in your Manaslu trip meals should be maintained. Don't let acidity or indigestion spoil your holidays.
Good, clean food leads to a pleasant trekking experience. Everything is included in the package if you book the trip from The Himalayan Odyssey. You will be accompanied by a qualified trekking guide who will also supervise your diet. While travelling, make wise food and beverage choices.
