Manaslu Circuit Trek

Arrival in Kathmandu, transfer to your hotel or our guesthouse.

Rest day and possibility of a sightseeing tour if you would like to see around Kathmandu. Trek briefing.

We will leave Kathmandu in the early morning for a 6/7 hours drive to Arughat then on to Soti Khola were we will stay the night. The last couple of hours can be bumpy though the roads are continually improving.

This morning we ease into our trek by leaving Soti Khola and enter the mystical Sal forest. This is a stunning introduction to the Manaslu Trek as we trek along stunning ridges, cross bridges and walk along winding paths. After crossing the suspension bridge over the Budi Gandaki River, we meander up to Maccha Khola where we’ll spend the night at Machha Khola.

We leave Machha Khola and soon reach Khorlabesi, where there is a small natural hot spring. After an uphill section we’ll then cross the Budi Gandaki via a suspension bridge. Today’s trail takes us through forests, along ridges with great views and undulates until we reach our destination and home for the night at the village of Jagat.

As we leave Jagat we cross a ridge taking us to village of Salleri after which we descend to Sirdibas, then cross, using a large suspension bridge the Buri Gandaki river and later ascend sharply to Philim. After crossing a hillside, we encounter Ekle Bhatti (“lonely teahouse”) before crossing the river again. The trail then enters an amazing part of the gorge, surrounded by orchids on the top. After that, a steep climb to the west side of the valley will lead us through bamboo forests to Deng, where we overnight.

Today will be shorter. The trek will take us across a Buddhist influenced region, with a few minor ups and downs, mainly through the forests. We’ll then reach Ghap through a complex Kani with well-conserved paintings and an elegant mani wall.

In the morning the valley starts of steeply as the path ascends through rhododendron and bamboo forests until reaching Namrung, in the Nupri region. Their inhabitants are descendants of Tibetan migrants who arrived here 500 years ago. You will discover that most Buddhist Gompas, Mani and entrance gates to the village display beautiful Tibetan features and prints. After Namrung we pass across Sho, which offers striking views of Manaslu and Naike Peak. We then pass through Lho, to reach our destination of Samagaon from where the view of Mt. Manaslu breathtaking.

Today is a rest and relaxation day, or if you’d like to stretch your legs we can take a detour to visit the Pung Gyen monastery then return to Samagaon.

Today we follow along the Buri Gandaki river and as the valley widens we pass juniper and birch forests until reaching Kermo Kharka. There, the trail descends and passes a wooden bridge; we then reach Samdo after walking through the White Stone Kani. Today can be a bit windy and sometimes exposed but with stunning views.

Today is an acclimatisation day which will help us prepare for our 5160m journey over the Larkya la Pass in two days time. From Samdo we’ll walk up towards the Gya La Pass, which peaks at 5300m, but we won’t go to that altitude, based on how people feel we’ll aim to reach circa 4600 – 4800m. This pass is the main trading connection / pass with Tibet whose border we’ll be very close to. Afterwards we’ll drop out of altitude and back to Samdo at 3860m.

Our days starts with a descent through beautiful fields to an old stone arch before we cross the river via a wooden bridge to Larka Bazaar. This used to be a thriving market but nothing today remains. An old Mani marks the start of the climb to Larkya La pass. Crossing juniper and tundra we come to a ridge crossing the two ravines at their top. There, we have magnificent views of Larkya Glacier. The climb gets steeper at the side of a gorge reaching 4000m, nearing the glacier. Further up we arrive at Larkya Phedi (4460m) and rest there for the night.

Early in the morning, a short walk will take us to the Ablation Valley, on the left side of the Larkya Glacier, which offers amazing views of Cho Danda and Larkya Peak. Following along the glacier moraine we start a steady ascent to Larkya La pass. The path is well trodden and easy to follow. We walk slowly and listen to our body as we gain altitude some may feel nauseous or suffer from headaches. It’ important at this stage to drink a lot of fluid and to keep warm. After few hours of walking we reach the top and gaze at the unique sight of Himlung Himal, Cheo Himal, Kang Guru and Annapurna II. Later a steep and sometimes slippery descent to Bimtang awaits us. Trekking poles are useful for this section. The slope gradually becomes smoother when reaching the snow on the moraine, then on from that a small meadow is at 4080m and finally the valley widens as we arrive in Bimtang at 3800m.

Our trek drops down after passing through the meadows to the Dudh Khola river where we cross it via a wooden bridge. We then descend further into rhododendron and pine forests before climbing to a ridge decorated with prayer flags. We then drop again to the riverbank at Gho, where the trail crosses rice fields, rhododendron and oak forests before reaching Tilje.

When leaving Tilje, the path crosses the Dudh Khola River and follows the embankment, dropping down through forests until Dharapani (1960m). The path now joins the Annapurna Circuit in reverse and passes the Marsyangdi River and Karte. After an abrupt rocky stairway we reach Tal (1700m). There, a steady descent follows the valley, later crossing Marsyangdi River again before arriving at Chamje, for an overnight stay.

A rocky trail takes us across forests on the edge of a steep sided valley to Jagat. Then, we cross a cliff face and drop down about 150m to Syange (1080m) and the end of our trek. We can relax in the afternoon at our lodge.

Today we pack up our boots and leave Syange by car in the early morning to reach Kathmandu about 7 hours later. Lunch will be taken on the way. We then drop you off at your hotel or you can come to our Guest House. There is also the option of a shorter drive to Pokhara and a flight back to Kathmandu, or many people spend a few days of rest and relaxation there before flying back to the capital.

Transfer to the airport, and departure from Kathmandu back home, or if you’d like to stay on for a few days you’re very welcome.