Responsible Adventures is a pioneer of culinary trekking adventures in the Himalayas. We provide the most varied and exciting menu on treks throughout the Himalayas. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free meals and non-dairy milk can be catered for upon request, and other special diets can be accommodated with advance notice. We also provide filtered and Alkalized water on our treks.
Trekking is not only fun, but it is beneficial for you. It helps detoxify the body while also nourishing the soul. Although to provide a better experience, we also tailor our meals to include superfoods as part of the ingredients to keep you fit and healthy while assisting in acclimatisation to high altitude. Combining hiking in the pristine mountain air and healthy food makes trekking with us a complete culinary adventure. The specially prepared meals are available on our trekking holidays in Nepal, Darjeeling, Sikkim, Ladakh, India, and Tibet. Often our clients say that the food on our treks is even better than meals in the city.
We don’t skimp either; we make sure there is plenty of food and drink for you and your trekking companions – when exerting yourself on the trail, nutrition is paramount. So don’t fear if you’re not a fan of certain foods. We provide plenty of variety and take all preferences into account!
A typical day’s eating could be:
Ayurvedic drink – Your daily wake-up call will include a warm Ayurvedic beverage (a secret recipe) to help you cope with a day of rigorous trekking.
BREAKFAST: Cereal, porridge, and eggs to order (usually scrambled or fried). Toast or whole wheat chapati (Indian flatbread), served with honey or good peanut butter. We also have waffles served with goji berries or raisins and honey! Tea or freshly ground Himalayan organic coffee. Once again, we are pioneers in serving oat milk as a non-animal-based sustainable, eco-friendly product.
LUNCH: In many regions, the chef will provide a simple but nutritious hot meal for lunch. Meals usually consist of noodles/potatoes, curry, salad, rice and dhal, fried meat and vegetables, chapatis or bread, fruit juice, tea, or fresh Himalayan organic coffee.
A packed lunch will sometimes be provided when crossing high passes or drier regions. It may consist of the following: jam sandwiches, chapatis, chicken, boiled eggs, fruit, chocolate, and cartons of juice. When we arrive at a camp there will usually be tea, biscuits and, if available, cake.
DINNER: We usually start by grazing on popcorn or pappadums, and sometimes we will have treats such as Danish blue cheese, olives, salami, tuna pate, and hummus. Soup and the main course followed. Meals vary from typical ‘trekking food’ to Thai curries, rendang curry with local proteins like buffalo and yak, pasta carbonara, tuna pizza with a Himalayan twist, local steaks cream and mustard sauce. According to availability, we are looking to add even more gourmet dishes to our menu. Despite the essential equipment available on the trek, it is incredible what our chefs can produce: excellent iced cakes, apple tarts, pizza, fried chips, spaghetti, pasta, and even jelly! Our chefs are trained to produce a variety of menus and will usually accommodate specific requests.
Did we mention wine? Occasionally, we might crack open a bottle of the good stuff and enjoy a glass or two following a hard day’s trek. There’s nothing like a glass of wine over the Himalayas!
We highly recommend trekkers bring some of their favourite “goodies.” Responsible Adventures also provides various granola bars, fruit bars, nuts, and raisins.
WILL I GET AN UPSET STOMACH?
We provide hand sanitisers to clean your hands before each meal, drinking water is filtered, and all meals are prepared hygienically. There is more risk of an upset stomach when eating and drinking in the cities, with untreated water being the primary cause of stomach problems. When in a town, only drink water; you know to be safe or carry bottles of mineral water; do not brush your teeth with tap water and keep your mouth closed while taking a shower. Our chefs are trained to prepare all food hygienically, and hand sanitiser is provided to trekkers before each meal. We use a Sawyer filter to provide safe drinking water throughout the trek.
Our latest pioneering addition is providing Alkaline water with more Hydrogen to de-acidify your body.
According to WebMD
Alkaline water enthusiasts claim that its increased Hydrogen provides greater hydration than regular water, especially after a hard workout.
- Improves metabolism
- Increases energy
- Slows ageing
- Improves digestion
- Reduces bone loss
Backers of high-pH water say it also has the power to starve cancer cells.
Some photos of our trekking food.