Manaslu Circuit Trek
Manaslu Circuit Trek
"Trek through the reasonably untouched trekking circuit of Nepal; the Manaslu Circuit. Explore the beautiful.
Manaslu Region Trek
The Manaslu Circuit Trek features everything you'd want from a classic trek in Nepal: Epic scenery, intimate encounters with local people and their ancient culture and a 5100m (17,000-ft.) Himalayan pass crossing. Kimkim's trusted partners in Nepal organize weekly group departures during the Spring and Fall trekking seasons, as well as private treks that can run on any date from February to June and September through November.
Why trek the Manaslu Circuit Trek?
| Fast facts | |
|---|---|
| Durations | 17 days |
| Max. elevation | 5,106 m / 16,752 ft (Larkya La pass) |
| Start/finish | Soti Khola/Besisahar |
| Difficulty | Challenging |
| Accommodation | Teahouse |
Experts consider the Manaslu Circuit Trek among the best treks in Nepal. Despite its recent rise in popularity, the Manaslu Trek remains remote and off-the-beaten-path compared to the better-known teahouse treks in Nepal. The trek takes you around Manaslu, the world's eighth highest mountain at 8,163 meters (26,781 ft).
Top highlights of this trek include:
- It is far less crowded than its more well-known peers Everest Base Camp and Annapurna Circuit. The word is getting out about Manaslu, but there are still about 10 times fewer trekkers on the Manaslu Trail
- The trek is wild and remote, yet there are teahouses at everyday stage, so trekkers don’t need to bring tents and food, making it more accessible and affordable than similar treks.
- The trailhead is reached over land, avoiding the need for domestic flights.
- The first part of the trail follows the Buri Gandaki, a deep, long river gorge, with many suspension bridge crossings
- The scenery provides all Nepal has to offer: you'll trek from the subtropical jungle at lower elevations, through the Himalayan foothills to the high, cold and challenging crossing of the Larkya La above 5,100 meters / 17,000 feet.
Getting to the trailhead
The trailhead of the Manaslu Circuit trek is the closest to Kathmandu of the major Nepalese treks. That said, it's still an adventurous 126 km (80 miles) drive from Kathmandu to Soti Khola, which takes about 6 hours by jeep (recommended) or 8+ hours by public bus. If road conditions are challenging (which is often the case at the tail end of the monsoon in September) you may have to start walking in Arughat, which adds an extra day.
Required Permits
The Manaslu trek is within a restricted region of Nepal, meaning you'll need a trekking permit to access this route. Solo trekkers are also not allowed, where a minimum group size of two people is required.
Accommodation during the Trek
Each night, you'll be staying in local teahouses run by the local communities along the trek. Most teahouses are quite basic but comfortable, with two single beds in each room. There is a common area for meals and relaxing, which is a great place to stay warm around the fire at night. To see what teahouses look like, check out our article on Teahouse Trekking in Nepal.
Day 01 - Arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu
Upon your arrival in Kathmandu, our airport representative will come to receive you at the airport, and he will transfer to the hotel where you will be spending the night. Meanwhile, you can further inquire about any information regarding the program. Overnight at Hotel.
Day 02 - Kathmandu Valley Sightseeing Tour
Today, we will start our sightseeing tour of Kathmandu Valley. The tour includes excursing the cultural heritage sites listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites List, which includes Kathmandu Durbar Square, the Swayambhunath Temple, Bouddhanath Stupa and the Pashupatinath Temple. These heritage sites present a sense of nostalgia because of their unique architectural integrity. Enjoy the artistically opulent palaces, cultural quintessence, old priceless paintings, sculptures and a brief history of Nepal. Overnight at the hotel, breakfast included.
Day 03 - Drive from Kathmandu to Soti khola (710m/2328 ft) Distance: 140 kilometers, Duration: 8 hours
Our guide will pick you up at 8:00 am for approx. 8-hour drive to Arughat. Through paved roads, the drive is rather pleasant for the first four hours to Dhading Bensi, the district headquarters of Dhading at 1050 meters. But we will be on rougher surfaces for the second section to Arughat. From Arughat, we will drive for another hour and a half to Soti Khola. Overnight at Guesthouse, Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.
Day 04 - Soti Khola to Machha Khola (900m/2952ft) Walking Distance: 14.2 Kilometers/8.8 Miles, Duration: 5-6 Hours
Today’s walk constantly follows an undulating trail mainly through woodlands as we continue to head upstream along the Budhi Gandaki. We will then descend to the wide, sandy riverbed and then continue along a winding mountain path overlooking the river. Overnight at Guesthouse, Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.
Day 05 - Machha Khola to Jagat (1340m/4395ft) Walking Distance: 22.2 Kilometers/13.8 Miles, Duration: 5-6 Hours
After crossing the Machha River and Khrolabesi, we will pass through the hot springs at Tatopani. The trail follows a forested area until we cross the Dovan Khola from where we will make our way to the Budhi Gandaki Valley. With white sandy areas along the riverside, the scenery undergoes a drastic transformation as the elevation increases until we reach Jagat. Overnight at Guesthouse, Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.
Day 06 - Jagat to Deng (2095m/6871ft) Walking Distance: 20 Kilometers/12.4 Miles, Duration: 8-9 Hours
The trail continues through Jagat, a well-paved village, and climbs up the valley to Sirdabas, offering great views of the Shringi Himal. We then drop down to the river, cross a long suspension bridge and climb steeply up to Philim. Then the trail passes through impressive waterfalls on either side of the valley today. We will pass Ekle Bhatti from where we will head towards the river and cross it twice over suspension bridges. From Ekle Bhatti we trek along to pass Pewa, traverse along a small campsite and continue through the valley until we reach the village of Deng. Overnight at Guesthouse, Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.
Day 07 - Deng to Namrung (2900m/9512ft) Walking Distance: 19.4 Kilometers/12 Miles, Duration: 5-6 Hours
Today, we will scramble steeply up onto a spectacular trail before descending to cross the river. Once we cross the river we will climb through an impressive valley to pass through some small settlements. This is where we’ll encounter Mani stones carved into wayside rocks – a sign that we are entering Tibetan territory. In the afternoon, we may take a side excursion to the small settlement of Prok – a two hour round trip – to return back to Namrung for the night. Overnight at Guesthouse, Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.
Day 08 - Namrung to Lho Gaun (3180m/10430ft) Walking Distance: 10.5 Kilometers/6.5 Miles, Duration: 5-6 Hours
Walking through the long Mani stone walls of the village of Lho, with an astounding view of Peak 29 ahead, we will pass a large stone gate. We’ll take a small detour to the Pungen Glacier for up-close views of the stunning Manaslu from this village. Overnight at Guesthouse, Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.
Day 09 - Lho Gaun to Samagaun (3500m/11480ft) Walking Distance: 8.1 Kilometers/5 Miles, Duration: 6-7 Hours
The trail then follows a lateral moraine of Pungen Glacier towards Samagaun, perhaps the most beautiful village of the entire trip. Overnight at Guesthouse, Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.
Day 10 - Acclimatization Day at Samagaun
It is advised that you always trek high during the day and sleep at a lower altitude for proper acclimatization. This day has been set aside specifically for that and you can either opt for a full day or a half day walk.
If you want to do the full day walk, we will trek towards the Manaslu Base Camp (4750m) which is approximately a 7-8 walk to and back. Alternatively, you can do a half day hike to the glacier across the valley or to Birendra Ta. We’ll head back to Samagaon. Overnight at Guesthouse, Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.
Day 11 - Samagaon to Samdo (3690m/12103ft) Walking Distance: 8.1 Kilometers/5.03 Miles, Duration: 3-4 Hours
We cross pastures and gradually ascends to the valley below. Witness fantastic views of the mountains, especially Manaslu, that lies ahead of us as we reach Samdo, a Tibetan refugee village. This remote village is only a day’s walk from the Tibetan border. In the afternoon we will explore the village and the surrounding hills and come back at Samdo to spend the night. Overnight at Guesthouse, Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.
Day 12 - Samdo to Dharmasala (4450m/14596ft) Walking Distance: 6.6 Kilometers/4.10 Miles, Duration: 4-5 Hours
After crossing a couple of streams, we’ll reach the Larkya Bazaar. This village began thriving from the trade with Tibet years ago. After a steady climb, we will arrive at our lodge in Dharmasala where we’ll stay the night and prepare for the big pass climb tomorrow. Overnight at Basic Guesthouse, Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.
Day 13 - Dharamsala to Bhimphedi (3590m/11775ft) Via Larkya La Pass (5220m/17122ft) Walking Distance: 24.5 Kilometers/15.22 Miles, Duration: 8-9 Hours
From Dharamshala, walking for approximately 8-9 hrs, we will trek to Bhimphedi the Cross Larkya La pass that lies at 5220 meters 17121 feet! We will climb Cho Chanda and then slowly head uphill towards the steep snow-covered pass. The panoramic views of the mountains from the top are truly magnificent. Witness spectacular views of the snow-capped Himalayas like the Himlung Himal (7126 meters), Cheo Himal (6820 meters), Gyagi Kung, Kang Koru (6981 meters) and Annapurna II (7937 meters). It is then a steep descent as we pass through moraines to Bhimphedi. Overnight at Guesthouse, Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.
Day 14 - Bhimphedi to Tilje (2300m/7544ft) Walking Distance: 26 Kilometers/16.1 Miles, Duration: 8-9 Hours
With a gentle climb through paddy fields, we will head towards the small Karcher La pass. The trail descends through fig trees and rhododendron forests to reach Tilje. Overnight at Guesthouse, Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.
Day 15 - Tilje to Chamje (1410m/4625ft) Walking Distance: 19.4 Kilometers/12 Miles, Duration: 6-7 Hours
We begin with a climb over a small ridge and enjoy a stone paved trail as it passes through a beautiful village. Crossing the bridge over the Dudh Khola River, we will climb up through a Chorten-shaped arch, pass a Mani wall to reach the village of Thonje. From Thonje we will enter into the Annapurna Region at Dharapani where we will need to go through a police checkpoint before continuing our trek. Walking further down, we will come across the village of Karta to later cross a bridge over the Marshyangdi Khola. We can admire the Mani walls along the way before reaching the village of Tal, situated at the foot of a large waterfall. Another short descent and we’ll reach our destination for the night at Chamje village. Overnight at Guesthouse, Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.
Day 16 - Drive from Chamje to Kathmandu by Private Vehicle, Distance 215 Kilometers/133 Miles, Duration 8-9 Hours
This is the last day of our journey in the Manaslu Mountains. From Chamje, we will take a jeep to Besisahar from where we will then drive to Kathmandu in our private vehicle. We will then head to our hotel where you can relax and take a moment to think about all that you’ve just achieved. Overnight hotel, breakfast, and lunch included.
Day 17 - Departure
A representative from Nepal New Generation will drop you off at the airport approximately 3 hours before your scheduled flight. Breakfast included.
| No of Guests | Price ( With GSG ) | Price ( With ESG) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 pax | USD 1716 | USD 1631 |
| 2 pax | USD 1871 | USD 1743 |
| 1 pax | USD 2644 | USD 2389 |
| 4 pax | USD 1561 | USD 1497 |
| 5 pax | USD 1529 | USD 1478 |
* All Price is Per Person Price
OUR SERVICES
- English Speaking Guide according to Itinerary.
- Private Vehicle Transportation according to Itinerary
- Breakfast (x16)
- Lunch (x14)
- Dinner(x15)
- 3 night accommodation in Kathmandu Prince Hotel (Thamel)
- During Trek, 15 night in Lodge
- Airport Drop and Pickup
- Transport up to 15 kilos of your luggage by porters or pack animals
- Trekking and national park fees, entrance fees according to the program
- Nepal New Generation’s Trekking Map & Duffel Bag
- Sightseeing in Kathmandu Valley with Tour Guide
NOT INCLUDED IN THE SERVICES
- Unspecified meals and drinks
- Nepal visa (about $ 40)
- Additional food for on the way (for example, energy bar and chocolate)
- Tips (about 2-4 € per day for guide, 2-4 € per day for porters as a travel group)
- Personal
- Travel insurance
All Inclusive Price:
$2389USD
| Total Duration | 17 days |
| Max Altitude | 5220 m. |
| Difficulty Level | Streneous |
