A Love Letter to Dal Bhat, Unsung Heroes, and the Small Things That Carried Us

If the first thing Annapurna gives you is awe, the second thing it gives you is appetite.

Not the kind that wants something fancy or elaborate—but the kind that makes a simple, warm meal feel like the most perfect thing in the world.

This is a love letter to those meals. And to the small, often-overlooked details that quietly fueled our days on the trail.

Dal Bhat Power, 24 Hour

Dal bhat deserves its own chapter.

Dal bhat is the backbone of the trail. A simple, perfect plate: rice, lentils, vegetables, sometimes potatoes, sometimes greens. Always warm. Always grounding.

It shows up at lunch and dinner, and somehow it never gets old.

There’s a reason the Nepali phrase “Dal bhat power, 24 hour” exists. After a full day of climbing stone staircases or crossing suspension bridges, this meal doesn’t just feed you—it resets you. You finish your plate, sit back, and feel your body say, Okay. We can keep going.

And when refills are offered? They are taken seriously.

Trail Snacks and Questionable Decisions (That Turn Out to Be Brilliant)

Then there are the snacks—the treats that feel unnecessary until suddenly they are very, very necessary.

Snicker rolls quickly became iconic. A candy bar wrapped in dough and fried until warm and gooey, originally a single order because it sounded too strange to most, but immediately reordered because soon everyone wanted to try 'a bite'.

There were Pringles moments. Emergency chocolate moments. Cookies that tasted far better at altitude than they ever should have.

These weren’t about indulgence. They were about joy. And morale. And laughing at the fact that somehow, deep-fried candy bars had become part of our daily routine.

The People Behind the Scenes

None of this happens without the people who make the trail feel held.

Guides checking in softly—How’s your appetite? How did you sleep?—and adjusting plans without ever announcing the adjustment.

Porters moving steadily ahead, carrying more than their share so others could walk more freely.

Meals arriving hot. Tea appearing without being asked for. Care offered quietly, constantly.

It’s a kind of hospitality that doesn’t draw attention to itself. It just works.

What Truly Fuels a Trek

Yes, food fuels your body.

But the small things fuel your spirit.

The collective groan at another staircase.

The shared laughter when someone jokes on Day 8, "Wonder what's on the teahouse menu tonight?"!

The feeling of being nourished—not just physically, but emotionally.

The understanding that effort and ease can coexist.

The comfort of routine in an unfamiliar place.

The feeling of being looked after, even as you challenge yourself.

These are the things that carry you forward.

Long after the trek ends, it’s not just the mountains you remember.

It’s the tea.

The laughter.

The rituals.

The care.

These are the things that truly fueled our trek.

The next Adventure to Annapurna is December 18, 2026- January 2, 2027. 

Early bird pricing until April 18, 2026. 

Grab your spot now and look forward to the awe and the appetite of the Himalayas!

Visit https://www.vitalityactivetravel.com/annapurna-nepal-hiking for itinerary and booking details!