
Intrepid Travel is reintroducing its "Real Food Adventures" tours for 2022, and for the first time ever, each of the 21 food trips will feature at least one plant-based experience as the part of the company's efforts to lower its carbon footprint.
In its latest report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) said plant-based foods were "one of the biggest opportunities" when it comes to limiting climate change. "In other words, the less meat you eat, the greener your tour," said Intrepid.
The tour company first launched its Real Food Adventures back in 2013, with trips in Mexico, India, Vietnam, Spain and Turkey. Now in 2022, the company has reintroduced food tours in Sri Lanka, Japan, Mexico and Vietnam, among others, but now includes more "bites, bars, breakfasts and local secrets" then before.
Some vegetarian highlights of Real Food Adventures in 2022 include:
Eat kimchi in a South Korean temple
The South Korea Food Adventure includes an overnight stay in a monastery in Gyeongju, where guests can try traditional Buddhist plant-based cuisine. Think lettuce stalk kimchi, ash pepper pancakes with chilli paste, and rice wrapped in lotus leaves. Follow up with some chanting meditation or a martial arts class, if guests are keen.
Try hummus in Jerusalem
Intrepid highlights a spot Jerusalem's Old City where the owners have been making hummus since 1930. They’ll serve up plenty of dish, alongside olive oil, herbs, fresh pita bread, tomato, onion and cucumbers.
Amazigh cuisine in Morocco’s M’Goun Valley
On the Morocco Real Food Adventure, guests can explore the remote M’Goun Valley, home to freshest tomatoes, apples, walnuts, and figs. Travellers can try a bit of everything over dinner with Amazigh hosts and enjoy all of the plant-based soups, salads, and tagines. Did we mention that there’s plus plenty of couscous too?
Feast on veggie tamales in Oaxaca
According to Intrepid, there’s a restaurant that specialises in plant-based dishes from the Isthmus region of Oaxaca, Mexico. Think gorditas, fresh tamales with huitlacoche, tlayudas and other seasonal fruits. Here, tacos are just the beginning.
Cook ker sangri in Jaipur
Most of Intrepid's Real Food Adventures include a cooking class. In India, guests will be welcomed into their host’s home in Jaipur to learn how to make ker sangri, a Rajasthani vegetarian curry made from ker tree berries.
Enjoy tavche gravche in The Balkans
Food in the Balkans is usually all about flaky pastries, wines, smoked meats, seafood and cheeses. But in the tiny village of Varvara, hosts will cook a meal of tavche gravche, a classic Macedonian dish, made from baked beans and peppers.
For more information on Intrepid's Real Food Adventures, visit its web site.