Vegetarian and Vegan on the Ala Kul Trek
The Ala Kul trek is one of the most popular treks in Kyrgyzstan thanks to its incredible views. However, like much of Kyrgyzstan, it’s difficult for vegetarians and vegans to navigate, especially when you’re staying in remote yurt camps in the middle of the mountains. This blog post goes through exactly what the food is like on the Ala Kul trek, and all my best advice for being vegan or vegetarian on the trek.
If you want to read more about the Ala Kul trek, see my complete guide here.
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Is it Difficult to be Vegan and Vegetarian on the Ala Kul Trek?
Being vegan on the Ala Kul trek is difficult, but is doable if you bring more of your personal food and stick to rice and bread and vegetable soup at the camps. If you’re vegetarian, there are slightly more options, including eggs, so you’ll have no problem there. However, beware that some of the soups just have pieces of meat taken out of them and served to you as a vegetable soup. There are definitely traces of meat in them.
Do Yurt Camps on the Ala Kul Trek Cater for Vegans and Vegetarians?
If you’re staying in yurt camps along the Ala Kul trek, you will be provided with breakfast and dinner at each one. They are getting more and more used to people coming who are vegan or vegetarian, so you will find some options. You can read more about what the meals are like below.
When you book your yurt camp in Karakol, tell them you are vegetarian or vegan so they are prepared. You may have to remind them at mealtimes, but they also usually ask.
What are Meals like on the Ala Kul Trek?
Dinners at yurt camps on the Ala Kul trek usually consist of a soup with vegetables or rice in it, a plate of fried rice, bread, and some dried fruits, nuts, and sweets. It is nowhere near enough food for the number of calories you will have burned, so make sure you bring plenty of snacks to supplement the meal.
For breakfast at yurt camps on the Ala Kul trek, you normally get eggs, maybe a pancake or some soups, a sausage, bread, jam, and the same dried fruit and nuts. Again, it’s not enough, so I found that having a protein bar or two was a massive help.
What to Pack for Lunch on the Ala Kul Trek
Before you leave for the Ala Kul trek, you will be able to buy food for your lunches in Karakol. There are several large supermarkets, including Globus, which are perfect for this. I found vegan butter, non-dairy milks, and vegan protein bars too.
I recommend bringing high calorie and nutrient dense foods for the trek. Nuts, seeds, protein bars, bread, dried fruit, sweets for an instant carb hit, and even ramen noodles (many yurts will give you boiling water for free) are the best options.
If you can prepare sandwiches or pastas before you go, this is what I would recommend. And if you’re just in Kyrgyzstan for a short period of time and can bring some things from home, do this!
Navigating Kyrgyzstan as a vegan or vegetarian is not easy, and it gets harder the more remote you go. However, hopefully this guide helps you to be more prepared for the trek. I met plenty of people on the Ala Kul trek who were also vegetarian and vegan, so it is definitely possible.
Looking for more on Kyrgyzstan? Have a read of my other posts here:
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