Vegetarian in Nepal is easy, and vegan is harder than it looks
Vegetarian is close to the default here. Vegan runs into ghee, curd and milk tea at every meal, which you can solve, but not by pointing at a menu.
By the Lakeshore team · 5 min read · Updated 5 October 2026
Nepal is one of the easiest countries in Asia to be vegetarian in. A large share of the population eats little or no meat, dal bhat is vegetarian by default, and nobody will think the request is odd.
Vegan is a different matter, and the difficulty isn't what people expect. Meat is easy to avoid. Dairy is the problem, because it's in the tea, the curry and the bread.
You can manage both, on the trail and in town.
Vegetarian is barely a conversation
Say shakahari, the Nepali word for vegetarian, and you'll be understood straight away. Dal bhat as served is rice, lentils, vegetable curry and pickle, and meat comes as an optional extra.
Every place that makes momos makes a vegetable version. Noodle soups, fried rice, curries and the rest of the lodge menu come with vegetarian options as standard.
One caution: vegetable momos are often fried in the same oil as buff, and soup stock may be made with meat. If you're strict about it, say so, and your guide will ask the kitchen properly.
For vegans, the problem is dairy
Cooks use ghee all the time. Curd arrives with meals whether you asked or not. Chiya, the tea you'll be offered ten times a day, is made with milk and sugar boiled up as a single mixture, not milk added afterwards.
So the useful phrases are about dairy, not meat: no milk, no curd, no ghee. Written down in Nepali and shown at each lodge, that works far better than explaining veganism as an idea, which doesn't translate neatly. Black tea is easy to ask for, and it's called kalo chiya. Once lodges understand, they're happy to help. The hard part is that first explanation.
What we do about it
Tell us when you book, not at the trailhead. Your guide briefs each lodge in Nepali the evening before or when you arrive, so there's no negotiation at every dinner.
Community and homestay routes need more notice, because a household cooking for eight won't run a separate pan without warning.
Our treks include meals but not snacks, so bring your own protein for a long trek: nuts, bars, peanut butter. If you rely only on what's served, vegan trekking is short on calories, and you're burning a lot.
Eating well in town
Pokhara and Kathmandu both have very good vegetarian and vegan restaurants serving Nepali, Indian, Tibetan and western food. Lakeside has plenty.
Newari food in the Kathmandu valley has excellent vegetarian dishes, such as bara, chatamari, aloo and black soybeans, though the famous ones are often meat. Thakali khana, the best version of dal bhat, is easy to get vegetarian and worth seeking out.
Walk it with us
Private departures on your dates, guided by the people who wrote this page.
Questions we get asked
Will I get enough protein?
As a vegetarian, easily, with lentils twice a day plus curd and eggs. Vegan takes more attention, so bring extra food for anything over a week.
How do I say it in Nepali?
Shakahari means vegetarian. For vegan, ask us to write the dairy exclusions in Nepali on a card. That works better than any word, because the idea isn't widely used here.
Are eggs easy to get?
Yes, everywhere, and if you eat them they're the reliable protein on a trek.
Is the food safe if I am vegetarian?
Generally safer, especially at altitude. Water is still the main risk whatever you eat, so filter or treat all of it.
Still deciding?
Tell us your dates, and we'll tell you whether Trekking Gear Rental is right for you. If it isn't, we'll say so.
Nothing to pay online. We confirm your dates first.
Or call the office +977 61-457830