FOOD

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FOOD IS OF ENORMOUS IMPORTANCE FOR US AND PLAYS A MAJOR ROLE IN THE MORALE, HEALTH, LOGISTICS & CULTURAL VALUES OF OUR TRIPS. WHERE AVAILABLE WE ALWAYS PUT AN INTERNATIONAL OPTION FORWARD, OFTEN A LOCAL TWIST ON ESTABLISHED WESTERN FOOD, BUT MOST OF THE MEMBERS OPT FOR TRYING THE LOCAL FARE. IN THE CITIES THIS USUALLY MEANS CASUAL BREAKFAST STALLS, EATING ON THE WAY OUT OF TOWN, BUT LUNCH STOPS & DINNER WE AIM FOR PLACES THE LOCALS ARE EXCITED ABOUT, WHERE WE CAN HANG ABOUT AND TALK.

YEARS OF RUNNING TRIPS HAS SHOWN US THAT EATING LOCALLY IS BOTH CULTURALLY & RESPONSIBLY THE BEST WAY FORWARD. WE GET TO INTERACT WITH LOCAL CULTURE AT A SHARED LEVEL, AND RATHER THAN SKIPPING THROUGH TOWN GET TO LOOK AROUND. IN PLACES WE FREQUENT, OVER THE YEARS WE HAVE BUILT STRONG FRIENDSHIPS. IN SOME PLACES WE HAVE SEEN A GENERATION GROW UP AND START THEIR OWN LIVES BY SITTING AT A TABLE WITH THEM.

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IN CHINA THE KITCHEN IS THE CENTRE OF THE BASECAMP, NEVER OFF TO THE SIDE. THE SEEMINGLY CHAOTIC MIX OF FOOD, COFFEE, CLIMBING GEAR & ACTIVITY IS UNIQUE AND MORE THAN ONCE IT’S BEEN SAID THAT FEEDING THE RAT EXPEDITIONS ARE THE ONLY ONES PEOPLE DON’T LOSE WEIGHT ON. AND WHILST THAT’S NOT STRICTLY TRUE WITH OUR LONG TRIPS TO SERIOUS ALTITUDE, SIMPLY BEING IN CHINA HAS A LOT TO DO WITH IT.

FOR MANY HIGH ALTITUDE TRIPS THE PROCESS OF LOSING WEIGHT STARTS FROM THE MOMENT THEY LAND. AS WONDERFUL PLACES AS PAKISTAN AND NEPAL ARE, THEY ARE NOT KNOWN FOR THEIR FOOD, WHICH LEAVES ADMIRABLE BUT LIMITED ATTEMPTS AT WESTERN FOOD – PLUS RANDOM SANITATION – AND ISSUES WITH FOOD SET IN FAST. THIS IS THE LAST THING YOU WANT ON AN EIGHT WEEK EXPEDITION.

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FULLY SUPPLIED

THIS MEANS WE SOURCE & PREPARE ALL THE FOOD APART FROM YOUR PERSONAL MOUNTAIN FOOD. THIS IS THE OPTION THAT GOES WITH A BASECAMP WITH A MESS STAFF USUALLY. DUE TO THE AVAILABILITY IN CHINA MOST THINGS ARE POSSIBLE SO WE CONSULT OVER WHAT MENUS THE TEAM WANTS AND HAVE IT PROCURED BY THE TIME YOU ARRIVE. THIS IS THE OPTION CLOSEST TO WHAT YOU’LL RECOGNIZE FROM NEPAL OR PAKISTAN, ONLY INSTEAD OF LOCAL APPROXIMATIONS OF THINGS WE CAN USUALLY PROVIDE THE REAL DEAL. LOCAL CHINESE FOOD IS OF COURSE AVAILABLE, AND A LONG WAY FROM THE GLOOP THAT PASSES FOR ‘CHINESE’ IN MANY COUNTRIES. WE REGULARLY ALSO DO ITALIAN, THAI, MALAYSIAN & JAPANESE FOOD. SEE HERE FOR MENU EXAMPLES. BEING BASED FROM SICHUAN, WE KNOW GOOD FOOD.OUR EXPEDITION KITCHEN CREW PRODUCE ARGUABLY THE BEST BASECAMP FOOD ANYWHERE.

SOURCED

THIS MEANS YOU TELL US WHAT YOU WANT FROM A VERY BROAD LIST OF WHAT’S AVAILABLE, WE BUY IT ALL, YOU TAKE CARE OF IT AFTER THAT. THIS IS THE OPTION IF YOU WANT TO KEEP A LEAN SCHEDULE WITH MINIMAL TIME IN TOWNS AND ARE HAPPY TO DO ALL THE COOKING YOURSELVES. CHENGDU & URUMQI HAVE ABOUT EVERYTHING AVAILABLE, INCLUDING A LOT OF REGIONAL STUFF THAT FITS WELL INTO AN EXPEDITION’S NEEDS. NOTE THIS OPTION REQUIRES YOU TO QUANTIFY & PACK IT TO YOUR NEEDS. SEE HERE FOR MENU EXAMPLES

NOT SUPPLIED

THIS MEANS IT’S ALL UP TO YOU. THIS OPTION ALLOWS A TEAM TO TOTALLY CONTROL IT’S FOOD OPTIONS INCLUDING THE BUYING, THE ORGANIZING, THE ALLOCATING & THE PREPARATION. EITHER YOU BRING IN ALL THE FOOD YOU REQUIRE OR WE CAN ARRANGE A TRIP TO THE SUPPLIERS IF YOU ALLOCATE THE TIME. THIS IS THE OPTION FOR EITHER VERY LIGHT TEAMS ON STREAMLINED TIMELINES, OR LARGER SPONSORED TEAMS WITH THE LOGISTICS TO BRING ALL THE MESS WITH THEM.

NOTE AS A REQUIRMENT FROM THE BOOKING AUTHORITIES WE INCLUDE MEALS IN TRANSIT AS STANDARD, BUT CAN REDUCE THIS TO A MINIMUM IF REQUIRED.

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WHAT A CLIMBER EATS WHEN CLIMBING IS INTIMATELY PERSONAL, OFTEN BOILING DOWN TO VERY SPECIFIC TASTES THAT DON’T ARISE WHEN AWAY FROM ALTITUDE. BEYOND A POINT IT’S SIMPLY ABOUT GETTING KCALS IN, SO ALL RULES ARE OFF TO SOME DEGREE. FOR SOME CLIMBERS A BOX OF FREEZE DRIED IS FINE, FOR OTHERS EVEN THE SIGHT OF THE BOX CONJURES UP NAUSEA. PLENTY OF THE GREATEST CLIMBERS HAVE SUBSISTED ON SALAMI, CHOCOLATE & OATMEAL.

PERHAPS NO OTHER FACTOR IS AS RESPONSIBLE FOR CLIMBERS TURNING AROUND THAN GETTING THEIR MOUNTAIN FOOD WRONG. IT’S EASY TO THINK CLIF BARS & DEHY WILL BE FINE, BUT RARELY DO WE SEE THIS ACTUALLY PLAY OUT AND ONCE YOU’VE SKIPPED A FEW MEALS THERE’S NOT MANY WHO PULL BACK FROM THE DEFICIT.

WHAT IS PARAMOUNT HERE IS HAVING TESTED OUT YOUR FOOD BEFORE, WHICH CAN BE HARD TO DO WITHOUT HIGH ALTITUDE PEAKS TO TRY IT ON. IT’S NOT NECESSARILY EXPECTED TO ENJOY WHAT YOU EAT, WHAT MATTERS IS BEING ABLE TO SIMPLY GET IT DOWN AND IT SEEMS THE SIMPLER & MORE BASIC THE FOOD THE BETTER, WITH HIGH-TECH OPTIONS OFTEN HAVING TOO MANY THINGS TO DISLIKE ABOUT THEM.

ANOTHER BIG FACTOR IS BEING ABLE TO PREPARE THE FOOD. THE WINDOW OF EATING CAN PASS QUICKLY SO LETTING IT GO BECAUSE CONDITIONS MAKE IT TOO DIFFICULT IS A REAL PROBLEM. THINGS YOU CAN EAT EASILY AND A BIT AT A TIME WORK BEST, INFINITELY BETTER THAN LAYING THERE WITH A BAG OF FREEZE DRIED PAD THAI GOING COLD IN YOUR HANDS, EVEN IF IT’S SOMETHING YOU’D NEVER EAT ANY OTHER TIME.

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VEGANS, VEGETARIANS, PALEO, KETO, HALAL & KOSHER

WITH APPROPRIATE LEAD-TIME & CONSULTANCY WE CAN DO ANY OF THESE. UNLIKE PAKISTAN OR NEPAL WHERE VEGETARIAN & HALAL ARE CULTURAL NORMS, CHINA MAKES ANYTHING POSSIBLE, WHICH WITH THE RIGHT APPROACH MEANS WE CAN DO ANYTHING.

THE LOGISTICS OF K2 NORTHSIDE MEANS WE CAN HAVE A HIGH PROPORTION OF FRESH FOOD AT BASECAMP, AND WITH A BIT OF INITIATIVE WE HAVE EVEN HAD SUSHI & VEGAN PIZZA.

*ALL OPTIONS EXCLUDE PERSONAL ON-MOUNTAIN FOOD ABOVE BASECAMP

*SERVICE CHARGES APPLY FOR IN-COUNTRY SOURCING

*NOTE ALL OUR TRIPS INCLUDE MEALS IN TOWNS AND DURING TRANSIT AS STANDARD.