Manaslu Circuit Trek 14-Days

A Spade Himalaya representative meets you at Tribhuvan International Airport and transfers you to your hotel in a private vehicle. You meet your guide for a pre-trip briefing, where the team checks your gear, completes the restricted-area permit paperwork, and answers your questions. If time allows, you can shop for any last items in Thamel. Bring your passport, passport photos, and a copy of your insurance.

After breakfast you leave Kathmandu and drive west toward Gorkha, following the Budhi Gandaki river to the trailhead at Soti Khola. The last stretch is a bumpy, winding dirt road through villages and terraced hills. It is a long travel day, but the changing scenery from city to deep river valley is a fine introduction to the region. Overnight in Soti Khola.

• Duration: Driving: 7 to 8 hrs

The trek begins. The trail climbs over a ridge, then cuts into the cliff face on a path carved above the river before dropping to Lapubesi. You cross suspension bridges and follow the Budhi Gandaki past sandy banks and small farms to Machha Khola, which means “fish river.” It is an easy first day on the legs that eases you into the rhythm of the trail.

You follow the river to Khorlabesi and the hot spring at Tatopani, then cross to the eastern bank and continue through Doban and Yaru Bagar. Several suspension bridges and short climbs bring you to the entry gate of the Manaslu Conservation Area at Jagat, a tidy village with a flagstone square. Permits are checked here, so keep your documents handy.

Above Jagat the trail climbs to Salleri and Sirdibas before reaching Philim, a large Gurung village. The landscape grows wilder as you pass waterfalls and the junction at Ekle Bhatti, where a side trail branches off to the Tsum Valley. You then climb above the gorge of the Budhi Gandaki and head through Pewa to the small settlement of Deng.

Today the forest changes. You climb through fir and rhododendron filled with birds and langur monkeys, cross back and forth over the river, and feel the first real high-country chill. Namrung was once a customs post on the old salt-trading route from Tibet. From here the Tibetan influence in the architecture, dress, and Buddhist culture becomes unmistakable.

A beautiful day through the high villages of Lho and Shyala, where Manaslu finally fills the skyline. The trail passes mani walls, chortens, and barley fields before reaching Samagaun, the largest village in the upper valley and home to several old monasteries. You arrive with the afternoon free to rest and let your body begin adjusting to the altitude.

A planned rest day that follows the climb-high, sleep-low rule. The best option is the day hike to the glacial lake of Birendra Tal and on toward Manaslu Base Camp (about 4,800 m) for a close look at the mountain’s icefall. A gentler alternative is the walk to Pungyen Gompa. Moving gently to a higher altitude and returning to sleep at 3,530 m helps prepare you for the pass.

A short day that protects your acclimatization. The trail descends to the river, then climbs gently past the junction for Manaslu Base Camp and through a white kani gateway into Samdo, the last permanent village before the pass, sitting close to a trading route into Tibet. If you are feeling strong, an optional afternoon climb on the ridge above the village rewards you with wide views.

Another deliberately short day, climbing steadily toward the foot of the pass with views of Manaslu and the Syacha Glacier and a good chance of spotting Himalayan blue sheep. Dharmasala, also called Larkya Phedi, is a simple cluster of huts and the last shelter before the crossing. You arrive early to rest, hydrate, and prepare for the pre-dawn start.

The big day. You set off before dawn, climbing past frozen lakes and moraine to the prayer-flag-draped top of the Larkya La pass at 5,106 m, the highest and most exposed point of the trek. The reward is a sweep of peaks including Himlung Himal, Cheo Himal, Kang Guru, and Annapurna II. A long, careful descent then drops you into the green meadows of Bimtang. Your guide checks conditions before leaving Dharmasala, since fresh snow can make the pass hazardous.

A long, knee-friendly descent below the huge face of Phungi follows the Dudh Khola down through pine forest and cultivated fields to the villages of Gho and Tilche. After passing through stone-paved Gurung settlements and crossing the Marsyangdi river, you reach Dharapani, where the trail meets the Annapurna Circuit. The greenery and warmer air feel like a different world after the high pass.

You leave Dharapani by shared jeep on the rough mountain road to Besisahar, then continue by vehicle to Kathmandu, watching the Himalaya shrink behind you and the lowlands return. Back in the city, the evening is yours to rest, celebrate, and shower properly. Spade Himalaya presents your trip-completion certificate.

A Spade Himalaya representative transfers you to the international airport for your onward flight, marking the end of your Manaslu Circuit Trek. We recommend arriving at the airport about three hours before your scheduled departure.