MBC hotels introduce food menu for trekkers

– Birat Anupam

Hotels along the Makalu Base Camp (MBC) trekking route are introducing food menu for the first time. Makalu Barun Hotel, the only hotel chain along the 15-day trek route from Num, has introduced its menu.

”Hotels and tea houses along MBC trek would not have a menu for service and trekkers would suspect on our professionalism”, said DawaChhiring Sherpa, the owner of the hotel chain, ”Therefore, we have introduced menu for the first time.”

Previously, dependent on camping trekking, MBC trek has witnessed sprouting hotels and tea house in the last half decade. Traditional farmhouse-turned-tea house are being converted into hotels under the same hotel chain of Makalu Barun Hotel, said Sherpa, the youngest generation of Sherpa family whose ancestors would run animal husbandry along the trek route.

Once a 22-day trek of MBC has been reduced to 15-day trek after a road was constructed up to Num. These days, according to trekking guides, it takes just eight days to reach MBC from Num. And, hoteliers along this trek route have introduced menu for professional service.

”MBC is less crowded trekking trail and only few hotels are established along its trail”, said DawaChhiring Sherpa. He added, ‘In order to cater to possible higher number of trekkers in MBC during Visit Nepal Year 2020, we have launched menu system and have upgraded our standard.”

According to Sherpa, a hotel in his hotel chain can accommodate at least 30 trekkers for a night and it costs around Rs. 3000 individually for food and accommodation for a day.

Mt. Makalu (8463m), first scaled on 15 May 1955, by French mountaineer duo Lionel Terry and Jean Couzy, is the fifth tallest peak of the planet. Its base camp located at an altitude of 5,000 meter is classified as moderate trek by various trekking experts. The best season for MBC trek is upcoming spring and autumn.