Food and Drinking Water on Pakistan Tours and Treks
Food is one of the pleasures of travelling in Pakistan, from curries and fresh bread in the cities to apricots, walnuts and mountain dishes in Hunza and Baltistan. On our tours and treks most meals are included, so the main things to plan are drinking water, any dietary needs and a little care to avoid stomach upsets.
This guide explains what meals look like in hotels and in camp, introduces some northern specialities and sets out simple rules for safe water.
Meals on tours
Most of our tour programmes list hotel accommodation with breakfast, lunch and dinner. In hotels and roadside restaurants you will find Pakistani staples such as daal (lentils), vegetable dishes, chicken and mutton curries and karahi, rice dishes such as pulao, fresh chapati or naan, and sweet milky tea. Breakfast is often eggs, paratha and tea, with toast available in many hotels.
Food in Pakistan can be rich and spicy. Ask for less chilli if you prefer; cooks are used to adjusting dishes for visitors.
Meals on treks
On treks, our programmes list food during the trek, with breakfast, lunch and dinner served by cook staff, together with a kitchen tent and a dining tent. The kitchen team carries fresh and dry supplies and cooks on site. Expect porridge or eggs and bread in the morning, a packed or simple lunch on the trail, and a hot dinner of soup, rice or pasta, daal and vegetables or meat in the evening, with tea and hot drinks throughout.
Appetite often drops at altitude, but eating well is important for energy and warmth. Bring a few favourite snacks from home, such as energy bars or chocolate, for the long days. Our guide to porters, guides and cooks explains how the kitchen team works.
Northern specialities to try
Mountain cooking in Gilgit-Baltistan uses local grains, apricots, walnuts and dairy. Names and spellings vary from valley to valley, but look out for:
- Chapshuro: a bread stuffed with spiced minced meat, popular in Hunza and Gilgit.
- Mamtu: steamed dumplings filled with meat, found across Gilgit-Baltistan.
- Diram fitti: a traditional Hunza dish made from sprouted wheat flour served with apricot oil or butter.
- Dried apricots, apricot kernels and apricot oil, from the orchards of Hunza and Baltistan.
- Walnuts, mulberries and cherries in season.
- Salty butter tea in Baltistan, alongside the familiar sweet milky tea.
Where to try them
Karimabad in the Hunza Valley has many small cafes and restaurants serving local dishes, and the villages of upper Hunza and Baltistan offer home-style cooking. Ask your guide; local recommendations change from season to season.
Safe drinking water
Do not drink untreated tap water, and do not drink straight from streams, even clear mountain ones: glacial streams carry silt, and any water near villages or pastures can carry bacteria and parasites.
- In towns and hotels, bottled or filtered water is widely available.
- On treks, drink water that has been boiled by the kitchen team, or treat it yourself with a filter, purifier or tablets.
- Carry a refillable bottle rather than buying many plastic bottles; there is little recycling in the mountains. See our responsible travel guide.
- Use treated water for brushing your teeth on treks.
- Drink regularly at altitude; dry air increases fluid loss.
Avoiding stomach upsets
- Wash or sanitise your hands before eating, and carry hand sanitiser on treks.
- Prefer freshly cooked, hot food; be more careful with salads and food that has been standing.
- Peel fruit, or wash it in treated water.
- Carry a small personal medical kit, including oral rehydration salts, and ask your doctor or travel clinic for advice before you travel.
Dietary needs
Vegetarians eat well in Pakistan, because daal, vegetable curries, rice and bread are everywhere. Vegan diets are possible but need more care, because ghee, butter and milk are used widely. Gluten-free diets are more difficult, since bread is central to most meals, but rice-based meals help. Tell us about any dietary needs or allergies when you book, so the kitchen team can plan supplies before the trek starts, because food for the whole trek is bought in advance.
During Ramadan, many restaurants close during daylight hours, but hotels continue to serve guests; see our guide to Ramadan, Eid and public holidays.
Tea, snacks and eating on the road
Tea is the social glue of Pakistan. Sweet milky tea is served everywhere, often with biscuits, and being offered tea in a shop or a village home is common. Green tea is popular in some areas, and in Baltistan you may be offered salty butter tea. Accepting a cup is a friendly gesture, but it is fine to decline politely.
Long road days are punctuated by stops at roadside restaurants for lunch and tea. Food is usually freshly cooked, and dishes such as daal, karahi and fresh bread are reliable choices. Fruit stalls along the Karakoram Highway sell apricots, cherries and apples in season. Carry a few snacks in your day bag for delays, since road closures and slow traffic can push meals later than planned.
Frequently asked questions
Are meals included on your tours and treks?
Most of our programmes list breakfast, lunch and dinner, both in hotels and, on treks, cooked by the crew. Check the inclusions on the programme page.
Can I drink the tap water in Pakistan?
No. Use bottled, boiled or treated water, including on treks, and carry a refillable bottle and a filter or tablets.
Is Pakistani food very spicy?
It can be, but cooks are happy to make dishes milder. Just ask.
Can you cater for vegetarians on a trek?
Yes. Tell us before the trip so the kitchen team can buy the right supplies.
What local food should I try in Hunza?
Try chapshuro, mamtu, diram fitti and the dried apricots and walnuts, along with seasonal fruit.
Plan your trip
If you have dietary requirements or questions about meals on a particular trek, mention them when you enquire. Browse our tours and trekking programmes or contact us through the enquiry form.