Gandaki Province is Nepal's adventure heartland, home to Pokhara—the gateway to the Annapurna Himalayas—and encompassing some of the world's most dramatic landscapes from subtropical valleys to high-altitude deserts. The province stretches from the Terai plains to the peaks of the Annapurna and Manaslu ranges, including the mystical kingdom of Mustang.
Top food tours
Guided experiences that show you Gandaki through its food.
Thakali Cuisine Cooking Class
Learn to prepare a full traditional Thakali dal bhat thali under the guidance of a Thakali cook. The class covers the selection and preparation of seasonal vegetables, the correct technique for ghee-fried lentil dal, the art of balancing timur (Szechuan pepper) in achar pickles, and the preparation of dhido (buckwheat porridge). Participants take home a recipe card and enjoy the meal they prepare for lunch.
Pokhara Lakeside Food Walk
A guided walking tour along the Lakeside restaurant strip and into the Old Bazaar, sampling a range of Nepali street foods, restaurant specialties, and local beverages. Stops typically include a traditional momo steaming demonstration, a Thakali thali tasting, street-side chiya (spiced milk tea), juju dhau (Bhaktapur curd), and local snacks such as chatamari (rice crepe). An excellent orientation to Gandaki's food culture for first-time Nepal visitors.
Pokhara Market and Cooking Experience
Begin with a guided tour of the Old Pokhara Bazaar, where a local guide explains the spices, dried herbs, lentils, and seasonal produce used in Gandaki's regional cooking. Learn to identify timur pepper, jimbu (highland herb), dried yak meat, and Mustang apples. Return to a cooking studio to prepare a three-course Nepali meal using market-fresh ingredients: vegetable tarkari, a Thakali dal, and rice pudding (kheer).
Mustang Apple Products Tour
Upper Mustang is famous throughout Nepal for its apples, grown in the high-altitude orchards of the Kali Gandaki valley at 2,800-3,500m. A tour of Jomsom's apple orchards and production facilities reveals how Mustang apples are dried, pressed into cider and brandy, made into jam, and preserved into fruit leathers. Tastings include fresh juice, apple pie, dried apple chips, Mustang apple cider, and the potent Mustang apple brandy (aila). In Pokhara, several shops selling Mustang apple products offer informal tasting sessions.
Tea House Cooking Experience (on Trek)
Many tea house owners on the major trekking routes in Gandaki are happy to invite trekkers into their kitchen to watch or assist with the preparation of the evening dal bhat. This informal but deeply authentic experience shows how tea house cooks manage high-altitude cooking (water boils at a lower temperature, affecting times and techniques), prepare large quantities of dal bhat efficiently for a full house of trekkers, and use highland ingredients unavailable in Pokhara. Ask your guide to arrange this at a tea house in Manang, Ghandruk, or Chomrong.
Gurung Home Cooking and Raksi Experience
A home dining experience in a Gurung family household in Ghandruk or Dhampus village, arranged through local cultural tourism programs. A Gurung woman demonstrates traditional dishes of the Gurung community: tongba (millet beer), fermented vegetables, corn-based porridge, and wild mountain herb preparations. Participants may assist with grinding corn on a traditional stone mill and preparing the open-fire meal. A portion of the fee goes directly to the host family.
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Foodie tips
Get more out of every meal.
Book tours and cooking classes at least a few days in advance — small-group experiences sell out quickly.
Come hungry — most food tours include 5-8 tastings.
Bring cash for unscheduled stops the guide may recommend.