Manaslu Circuit Trek
>1(Min) -12(Max)
mar-may
Overview
The Manaslu Circuit Trek is a stunning journey which takes you around the world’s eighth highest mountain. Many people liken the Manaslu Circuit trek to the Annapurna before it got busy! It is in a region which was closed to outsiders until the early 90s and tourism is still restricted. The trek is also not quite as high as the Annapurna Circuit and is a stunning and less trodden path. The trek starts from Soti Khola, going up and back along a different path ending in Syange. Even if you’ve already been to the Annapurna Circuit, this is the best alternative for it.
The circuit takes you from the steamy lowlands with their terraces of rice and millet, through the mighty gorges of Budi Gandaki with its turquoise waters and amazing waterfalls. Suspension bridges in Manaslu trek are in a league of their own for both length and height, and the yearly monsoon often washes minor bridges away leaving trekkers to use semi-submerged rocks. Slowly going through the trail, a great crystal glacier cirque bursts into view. A stupendous wall created by Cheo Himal, Himlung Himal, Nemjung, Gyaji Kang and Kang Guru, casts down a stream of glaciers, while Annapurna II rises ahead. This view alone makes the trek worthwhile. The people are poor since they have been bypassed by development for centuries, but this means their unique culture has remained intact. This is a trek for someone who wants something different in Nepal but still offers the most striking and jaw-dropping scenery.
Itinerary
Today will be the first day of the trek but there will be no hike. We will be arranging and packing essential stuff and personal belongings. Then there will be a drive of about 7 hours to Arughat. From the start, we take a drive at early 6 in the morning towards Arughat through the Prithivi highway. Then we will be staying overnight in the Arughat hotel.
Destination
Arughat
Lodge
Lunch, Dinner
608m
7hr
On this very day, we start the trek slowly. There will be local guides provided to you for the whole trek. We walk through a flat road going into the sub-tropical forest and pass through small villages along the way. We will be able to get a distant view of Ganesh Himal along the trail. Or there is also an alternative if you want you can take a jeep to Soti Khola. Although the road will be quite dusty and bumpy, we will catch the best landscape views. Then there will be an overnight stay in one of the teahouses in Soti Khola.
Destination
Soti Khola
Lodge
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
730m
6hr
The next morning, after breakfast at the teahouse at Soti Khola, while enjoying the scenic landscape. You will start your trek for the day. Unlike other trekking trails, the trail is now very rocky and narrow. Despite the uneven road, you will have the most amazing walk on the first day of the trek as the stunning countryside views will keep you engaged throughout the trail. You will pass through Sal forests and following it you’ll be able to counter many rivers, waterfalls and towering cliffs. Once you reach Nyali Khola, you will follow the river trail which leads to different ascends and descends across the winding road. After the trek, for about 5-6 hours you’ll be staying at Machha Khola .
Destination
Machha-Khola
Lodge
Breakfast
850m
6hr
The trek is going to last for longer days so we will be covering an adequate distance every day. Today, you will start walking across the twisting road on the bank of the Budi Gandaki River. As you enter the forest trail you will witness many monkeys and langurs. Then you will walk to the Gurung village Khorlabeshi and after that you’ll end up in Tatopani where you can take warm showers and relax your soaring body. On walking further, you will cross a new suspension bridge over the Budi Gandaki River to reach Doban. Your guide can lead you to a wooden bridge to the left of Budi Gandaki to avoid a torturous 3-hour climb up Gurung village trails. Following the waves, you reach Jagat, a neatly flagstone Gurung village.
Destination
Jagat
Lodge
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
1340m
6hr
On this day, you will walk to Salleri and descend to Sirdibas. The village welcomes you with several gompas and Buddhist prayer flags. Then after you reach Philim where your permits get checked and then you will continue along the western bank of the river. There will be exquisite unique sculptures and over the boulders on the river bank, you proceed through forests of rhododendron, Himalayan pine, etc. Proceeding further you cross the Siyar Khola bridge and reach a junction where the trail separates Tsum valley on your right. The trek will be like about 5 to 6 hours. Finally, you will reach Pewa, there are only two teahouses in the region where they serve basic food and a night of cozy sleep.
Destination
Pewa
Lodge
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
1870m
6hr
As soon as the sun rises, you will have your breakfast and start the trek of the day. After walking across the bamboo forest, you’ll ascend the winding trails to reach Deng. Moving further, there will be a suspension bridge to climb to Rana and Bihi Phedi. You must be careful as you walk because the trails proceed to go through several landslide zones. After about 1 hour on the uneven trail, you will climb a zigzag river to the neat village of Namrung (2,660m). Here we can get some facilities like Wi-fi, proper accommodations and lodging. It takes about 5 or 6 hours to reach Namrung from Pewa.
Destination
Namrung
Lodge
Breakfast
2660m
6hr
Witnessing the lifestyle of the Nubri people, you will start the day exploring their Tibet-influenced typical lifestyle and walk past several mani walls, lush terraces and houses through Banjam to enter the fir, rhododendron and oak forest before climbing to Lihi. Walking across the rocky hillside routes, you will finally reach Lho. From this place, you can see the stunning view of Mt. Manaslu (8,163m) and Manaslu North (7,157m).
Destination
Sama Gaun
Lodge
Lunch, Dinner
3525m
6hr
Today is the day of the acclimatization hike at Sama Gaon to prevent altitude-related sickness. Plus, you will walk to Pungyen Gompa on the east of the Nubri valley. On this acclimatization hike, you’ll have to bring your lunch and take it to the rest stops for energy. In the following days, you will walk across the roaring river which keeps you engaged for around 2 hours on the trail.
After we reach the hilltop, we will get enticing and enthusiastic views of Manaslu. You will also see many Himalayan Thars and Yaks grazing. We can also hike up to Manaslu Base Camp which is in the north of Sama Gong. You can follow the trail past Birendra Tal and turn left onto the base camp track. The trails lead you to climb steadily and the altitude may cause difficulty in breathing. So, you must be very careful about body hydration and walk slowly. Proceeding slowly, you will walk to the north of Manaslu glacier to basecamp at 4400m and then return.
This trek time is about 7-8 hours and the accommodation is just at the teahouse.
Destination
Manaslu Base Camp or Pungyen Gompa
Teahouse
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
4400m
8hr
On this day, you will reach the newer destination which is known as Samdo. This will be a very short trek as you are at a high altitude you will have to walk slowly. You will be able to notice extended yak pastures up a broad valley with long mani walls, with also a variety of birds. From there, you will leave the tree line and climb to a ridge across the bridge of Budi Gandaki before you reach white Kani which is a neighboring village to Samdo.
After you get up to Samdo, you can explore the nearby villages or you can hike to Samdo Peak. The Larkya La trail is on the left side of the valley or you will also spot the main track for Tibet over the Larjyang La forming slopes on the Larkya La trail.
Destination
Samdo
Teahouse
Dinner
3850m
5hr
As a day for rest, we will be stopping at Samdo where we’ll go for a day trip to the Tibetan Border. From the border, we could see parts of Tibet and Nepal and also can witness the Yak caravan passing the border. There at the border, if you look towards the south of Samdo Glacier you will be able to get excellent photos with a huge serac near the top of the glacier. You can also frame Blue Sheep, Pikas and Marmots in season. Today’s hike lasts up to 8 hours. You will be staying at teahouses.
Destination
Day Trip to Tibet Border
Teahouse
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
3850m
8hr
This is another adventurous day in the high altitudes of the Manaslu trek. It is a must to observe your body signs properly because your body must suffer some weaknesses during all these treks in the circuit. Enjoying the scenic views of the chain of Himalayas you will walk slowly across the rugged terrains of the Manaslu region before you reach Dharamshala. According to your trekking schedule, this will be a short trek where you’ll hike for about 3 to 4 hours.
Destination
Dharamshala
Lodge
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
4460m
4hr
It is the special day of your trail where you will walk to the highest point of the trek. You will walk up to Larkya La Pass (5160m) on that very day. With the bad weather and in the snow, the walk could be quite challenging yet, it is doable. The trekkers must cross the pass before afternoon so you need to wake up early and the accommodation quite early. It is somehow a challenging part of the trek but if you walk steadily, you will walk the past successfully.
The stunning and magnificent views you will witness once you stand at the pass make the trip more enlightened. You will be able to view Himlung (7126m) near Tibet and Kang Guru (6981m) and Annapurna II (7937m) in the Annapurna region. Spending your special time at the pass, you will walk down for around 3 hours towards Bimthang for an overnight stay. In the process of descending the views of huge icefalls and mountains in all directions will stun your mind. You will also be able to reach Pongkar Tal between the Pongkar and Salpu Danda Glaciers. The trek time will be about 10 hours today.
Destination
Bimthang
Lodge
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
5160m
10hr
This is the very final day that you will be walking on the trails of the Manaslu region. On climbing downhill, you will walk through the lush forests full of flora and fauna including rhododendron trees. Walking back across the Dudh Khola, you will walk to Karche for lunch. For the next hour, you will be able to witness many signs of a glacial flood, with tree trunks smashed and banks undermined leading to Gurung goa, the very first real village since Samdo. The valley is more agricultural and lusher as you pass fields, staying on the north bank until Tilije. After that, you will continue your stroll towards Dharapani. The downhill trek will take about 7 hours and you stay overnight.
Destination
Dharapani
7hr
You will take a jeep from Dharapani to Besi-Sahar. From there, you will take a ride back to Pokhara. After the 6 to 7 hours’ drive from Besi-Sahar, you will get to rest in one of the sophisticated hotels in Pokhara.
Destination
Pokhara
7hr
Altitude Graph
Inclusion/Exclusion
The Cost Includes
- Three meals a day during the Trekking (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)
- Accommodations in Tea House/Lodge during the Trekking.
- Pokhara to Arughat drive costs (includes tax and government fees)
- Trekking Guide, assistant trekking guide for groups with 12 or more trekkers and a porter (Sharing by two clients) with Insurance, food, and accommodations.
- Entry Permit fee
- Snacks (cookies) and seasonal fresh fruits every day
- Rescue operation arrangement in case of complicated health conditions (funded by travel insurance).
- Proper First aid kit
- A TIMS card (Trekking Information Management System) is like a permit.
- All government, local taxes, and official expenses
- Company’s duffel bag will also be provided. (If needed)
- All essential official fees.
Service not included in the Price
- International flight cost
- Your travel insurance
- Excess baggage charge (weight limit 9 kg per person)
- On arrival visa fees at Tribhuvan International Airport (30 days- USD 50)
- All accommodations and meals in Kathmandu, before and after the trek
- Extra night accommodations in Kathmandu due to early arrival, late departure, or early return from the trek
- Personal expenses (shopping, snacks, boiled water, hot (tea/coffee) and cold drinks, hot shower, alcohol, Wi-Fi, telephone call, battery re-charge fee, extra porters, etc.
- Tips for the Guide and Porter(expected).
- Travel insurance that covers emergency high-altitude Heli – rescue and evacuation and health care costs (compulsory)
- Additional costs or delays due to circumstances beyond our control like bad weather conditions, itinerary modification for safety, government policy changes.
Useful Info
ADDITIONAL INFO
Before deciding to attempt the Manaslu Trek, the weather must be considered. For the Manaslu trip, the best months are March to May and September to November. The lodges in Dharamsala are closed during the winter months of December to February due to heavy snowfall, making it challenging to pass across Larkya La Pass.
The rainy season, which lasts from June to August, is dangerous for landslides and slips. Therefore, we do not advise anyone to go on a hike during the winter or a wet season.
Send Request
You can send your enquiry via the form below.
Trip name: * Manaslu Circuit Trek
