Manaslu Circuit Trek

Trip Facts


Duration: 18 Days
Trip Start From: Kathmandu
Trip End In: Kathmandu
Group Size: 2-10 pax
Tansportation: car-bus-jeep
Activity Per Day: 5-7 hours
Max Altitude: 5160 mtrs
Trip Grade: Strenuous

Trip Highlights

  • World’s eight tallest mountain experience & Manaslu Glacier
  • Experience the blend of Nepalese and Tibetan cultures in the local villages
  • Hike up to Larkya La Pass, the highest point of the Manaslu trek
  • Discover the diversified unspoiled ecosystems throughout the trekking trail
  • Walking between the borders of Nepal and Tibet
  • Tibetan culture of Nuri people

Trip Overview

Manaslu circuit Trekking is one of the finest, more remote and spectacular trek in Nepal.While on the trip we get to marvel at the magnificent views of Mt. Manaslu (8163m), the eight tallest mountains in the world. Physically demanding ,Culturally enhancing and scenically uplifting ,it takes you from steamy lowlands with their terraces of rice and millet through the mighty gorges of Buri Gandaki to the Snow bound Larkya la pass close to Tibetan boarder which is widely believed to be one of the most dramatic pass crossing the Himalayas. Manaslu circuit trek is a pristine trekking adventure in central Himalayas of Nepal. Heading deep in the majestic transition of subtropical to alpine vegetation, every stop is an opportunity to praise nature around you.

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.This trek may not have the aura of Everest or Annapurna but the majestic mountain of Mt. Manaslu (8163m), has a remote charm that calls on all trekkers to discover the undiscovered.The overall trekking section is a magical gift of nature.The best months for Manaslu Circuit Trek are March to May in spring and September to mid-December during the autumn season.

Itinerary Overview

Day 1: Arrival in Kathmandu [1,300m/4,264 ft] and transfer to hotel

Day 2:  Casual day and Trek Preparation

Day 3: Drive from Kathmandu to Sotikhola [710m/2328 ft] 8 – 9 hours

Day 4: Soti Khola – Maccha Khola [900m/2952 ft]: 6 – 7 hours

Day 5:  Maccha Khola -Jagat [1410m/ 4625 ft]: 6 – 7 hrs

Day 6:  Jagat – Deng [1,804m/5917 ft]: 6 – 7 hrs

Day 7: Deng – Namrung [2630m/8626ft]: 6 – 7 hrs

Day 8:  Namrung – Samagaon [3530m/11,578 ft]: 6-7 hours

Day 9:  Samagaon – Pungyen gompa – Samagaon: 6 – 7 hours exploration

Day 10:  Samagaon – Samdo [3860m/12,660 ft]: 4 – 5 hours

Day 11: Rest Day in Samdo

Day 12:  Samdo – Dharamsala/Larkya B. C. [4460m/14, 628 ft]: 4 – 5 hours

Day 13:  Dharamsala – Larkya la [5160m/16, 924 ft] – Bimthang [3720m/12, 201 ft]: 8 – 9 hours

Day 14: Bimthang – Tilije [2300m/7544ft]: 5 – 6 hours

Day 15:  Tilje to Chamje (1410m/4625ft)  6-7 hours

Day 16:   Drive back to Kathmandu: [1,300m/4,264 ft] 8-9 hours

Day 17 :Transfer to airport for final departure .

Note: Please take care to note that your Sherpa guides has the authority to amend or cancel any part of the itinerary if it is deemed necessary due to your safety concerns. Every effort will be made to keep to the above itinerary; however, since this adventure entails traveling in remote mountainous regions, we cannot guarantee it. Weather, health condition of a group member, unexpected natural disasters, etc., can all contribute to changes in the itinerary. Your  Sherpa guides will try to ensure that the trip runs according to plan, but please be prepared to be flexible if required.Above itinerary are just a guideline and easily customize-able at your preference.

Day to Day itinerary

After landing at the Tribhuwan International Airport in Kathmandu and  completing your custom formalities pick up your luggage and look for representative of Adventure Sherpa Tracks who who will be with display board at the arrival gate. You  will be greeted by our representative and he/she  will pick you and transfer  to your  hotel. Then check-in at the hotel, freshen up and take a rest. In evening or noon , you  are introduced to your  fellow participants ,guides and discuss about our trip at Hotel where you stay.

After breakfast Adventure Sherpa Tracks’s tour guide will you pick from the hotel for full day sightseeing around Kathmandu . you will  tour among these world hesitate sites Durbar Square, Pashupatinath temple, Swayambhunath stupa and Bouddhanath stupa , The Durbar Square sheds light on the life of the royals in ancient times. Pashupatinath temple is one of the most important places of pilgrimage for all Hindus. Swayambhunath is also known as the Monkey Temple and Baudhanath Stupa is one of the largest stupas in the world. Depending on your preference it might be a other sites like Bhaktapur too .Back to hotel and preparation for the trek .

Note  :Depending on your time availability  and schedule of your trek this activities can be done after the trek too.

After breakfast, you’ll drive west along the Kathmandu-Pokhara Highway towards the village of Soti Khola, turning off toward the hilltop village of Dhading. The drive passes through rural communities, small towns, green terraces, and lush hillsides. The road will eventually become a rutted, dirt path and you’ll start to see views of the southern slopes of Annapurna, Manaslu, Ganesh Himal, and Langtang Himal. You’ll arrive at Soti Khola, located in the Bhuri Gandaki Valley, in time for dinner. Overnight

After breakfast in Soti Khola, you’ll begin this epic trek up and down through various landscapes including forests, rice paddies, a cliff-face ridge, a rushing river, and several beautiful waterfalls. The journey begins by crossing a bridge, before you trek through a forest, then climb onto a ridge above the wild rapids of Budhi Gandaki River (which is joined from the Tum Khola River in the Tibetan highlands).

You’ll then reach Khursane on a rocky trail, past two tropical waterfalls on a steep, rocky trail clinging to the side of a cliff. You’ll eventually descend past a few ride paddies, then continue up and around to the picturesque Gurung village of Labubesi.  From here, you’ll further climb near a rocky outcrop where the valley opens up next to the river, which flows more peacefully here. Dropping down to the river shore, you’ll walk along rounded stones before climbing over a side ridge. Head down again to the river and cross another suspension bridge to reach the village of Machha Khola. Overnight

The slender trail makes some minor ups and downs and eventually crosses the Tharo Khola, reaching Khorlabesi. After some ascending and descending we come across a small Hotspring in Tatopani. From the hot spring, we climb over another ridge, then cross the Budhi Gandaki on an airy suspension bridge. At this juncture, we climb on a wide, well-crafted staircase, then across a landslide and over a ridge to Dobhan. Upon crossing a suspension bridge over the Yaru Khola, we climb the stone stairs and then drop to the river and again climb more stone stairs to Tharo Bharyang. Crossing the west bank of the Budhi Gandaki, we climb over a ridge, trek along the river and then climb towards the village of Jagat. Overnight

After breakfast in the village of Jagat, you’ll make your way through various landscapes and dense sub-tropical forests, as well as small rivers and rustic villages to get to your final destination.

Begin the trek by climbing over a rocky ridge to Salleri, and then descend to Sirdibas. The valley widens a bit as the trail continues to the Ghatta Khola river. You’ll continue walking upstream to a long suspension bridge in Philim, a large Gurung village. From here, the trail turns north just above the lowest house in the village and stays on a fairly level trail as it crosses millet fields to Ekle Bhatti. The route now enters a steep, uninhabited gorge where you’ll descend to the grassy slopes, and then cross the Budhi Gandaki river. Trek along the west bank for a while, then cross to the east bank before you return to the west side again. The trail widens through the valley and you’ll pass through bamboo forests to the Deng Khola river. Upon crossing, you’ll reach the tiny village of Deng.

After breakfast in Deng, you’ll start one of the most important and culturally significant sections of the trek. First, cross the Budhi Gandaki river and climb up to the bridge, where you’ll climb a bit further to join a trail from Bhi,Bhi, then head west up the Budhi Gandaki valley. The trail also passes through forests and mani where we turn towards a corner that contours to Ghap. Despite an alternative route, we take the route through Prok village. Prok village has a viewpoint for a beautiful sight of Siringi Himal. We further cross the Budi Gandaki several times today and come across several gompas en route. The trail follows the river upstream through a dense forest. After crossing the river at an impressive spot where it gushes down a narrow gorge, the forest becomes less dense and the trail is all right again. The pleasant walk continues and after a last steep climb we reach Namrung.

After breakfast in Namrung, you can walk around the village for a good viewpoint of Siring, Ganesh Himal, and also Mount Himal Chuli to the south. Once on the trail, you’ll first climb steadily and pass through forests to reach Lihi, a fine village with many stupas and barley terraces. The trail then drops and crosses the side valley of Simnang Himal with Ganesh Himal always close by.

Further along, you’ll pass through the villages of Sho, Lho, and Shyala before reaching Sama Village. You can enjoy extraordinary views of Manaslu from Lho and also explore the famous Ribung Gompa. In Shyala village you’ll be surrounded by high mountains like Himal Chuli and Peak 29 (Ngadi Chuli) to the left, Manaslu and large glaciers straight ahead. Other snowcapped peaks can be seen to the right, and at the far end stands Ganesh Himal. Today’s journey ends in Samagaon where you’ll spend the night.

This is a day to chill out at Samagaon for rest and acclimatization. It’s good for our bodies. Today we get to discover some interesting things about Buddhist culture. We enjoy the sight of thousands of mani stones with Buddhist texts and pictures and women clad in traditional clothes and ornaments. On a little hill near Sama village is an old Gompa (Pungyen Gompa), a monastery with great views of the glacier. It is named after Manaslu; Pungyen means bracelet, a good description of the two peaks. It was destroyed a year after the first unsuccessful Japanese attempt to climb Manaslu. The locals believed that the climb angered the gods, and when the Japanese came back a year later they met with a lot of resistance that they had to give up their attempt. They were finally successful in 1959.

After breakfast in Samagaon, you’ll descend to the Budhi Gandaki River and follow it to a bridge over a side stream. You’ll pass several mani walls as the valley begins to widen. The mountain views along this route are amazing and get you close to the Tibetan border.

This is an easy trek on a shelf above the river that passes juniper and birch forests in Kermo Kharka. Drop down and cross the Budhi Gandaki on a wooden bridge, and then climb steeply onto a promontory between two forks of the river. You’ll come to a stone archway and continue walking until you find the village of Samdo.

Today is an acclimatization day, so sleep in and relax. Enjoy a refreshing breakfast and then spend the day at Samagaon getting some rest.

For those who want to explore, there’s an optional day hike that explores some rich Sherpa culture. You can enjoy the sight of thousands of mani stones with Buddhist texts, as well as photos of Sherpa women clad in traditional clothes and ornaments. If you hike up to a little hill near the Sama village, you’ll find an old gompa—Pungyen Gompa—a monastery with great views of the glacier.

After breakfast in Samdo, you’ll pass a seasonal Tibetan market called Larke Bazaar and descend to the Budi Gandaki River. Cross the wooden bridge and begin walking upward, crossing two streams while witnessing the Larkya Glacier. You’ll head around the valley of the Salka Khola and climb up again to Dharamsala, also known as Larke Phedi. Along the route, you’ll see many traditional monasteries. Today’s shorter hike leaves time for acclimatization and relaxing in the afternoon.

Today you’ll set out on a longer hike so eat a hearty breakfast in Dharamsala. Thought it’s a more challenging trail, you’ll encounter a number of rustic villages, clear glacier lakes, beautiful valleys, and a wide range of flora and fauna, not to mention some notable snowcapped peaks.

After a short climb, you’ll reach a valley on the north side of the Larkya Glacier from where you can enjoy great views of Cho Danda and Larkya Peak. You’ll walk across moraines of the glacier, making a gradual ascent, which becomes steeper in the last section of the pass. From here, there are outstanding views of Himlung Himal, Cheo Himal, and the massive Annapurna II. You’ll finish with a rewarding walk into misty low pastures in the early evening with Mount Manaslu looming in the distance.

After breakfast in Bimthang, head out to a nearby ridge where you can enjoy great views of Manaslu, Lamjung Himal, Himlung Himal, and Cheo Himal. Keep descending on the trail and cross a high pasture followed by a bridge over the Dudh Khola River.  From here, walk through a rhododendron forest and follow a trail through a narrow valley until you reach the highest cultivated land of the valley at Karche. Pass through lush fields before making a steep climb over a ridge. The trail comes off the ridge in a big, sweeping arc to the river bank. A short distance beyond is the village of Gho where some trekkers choose to stay the night, but you’ll continue walking until you get to Tilije.

Your last day of hiking on the Manaslu Circuit Trek begins with a climb over a small ridge just past Tilje; the trail here is paved with stones as it leads you through a beautiful village. You’ll take a bridge across the Dudh Khola river before passing through a chorten-shaped archway and following a mani wall to the village of Thonje. After crossing the Marsyangdi river, you’ll ascend to the village of Dharapani, where your trail merges with the traditional Annapurna trekking circuit. You’ll register with a police checkpoint here before moving on through the nearby settlement of Karta. Past the town, you’ll need to cross the Marsyangdi one more time before reaching another village called Tal. Situated at the foot of a large waterfall and lined with mani walls, Tal is a scenic place to take a break; in fact, many trekkers choose to spend the night here. You’ll push on a little further to descend to Chamje village instead, which allows you to escape some of the crowd

After our breakfast, we bid farewell to the mountain and drive to Kathmandu. The total journey to Kathmandu will be 8-9 hours drive. The drive from to Kathmandu via Besi Sahar offers an opportunity to enjoy both hill and mountain landscapes often coming into direct view with the banks of the Marsyangdi and Trishuli rivers. You’ll also drive by some beautiful villages with farming terraces on both sides of the road and we expect to reach Kathmandu by late afternoon. Overnight in kathmandu

Your Himalayan  journey  of Nepal comes to an end today! If you have more time then you can do some shopping or just wander around thamel and relax before your flight. At last approximately 3 hours before our scheduled flight, Our representative from Adventure Sherpa Tracks  will drop you off at the Tribhuwan International airport  and does  a farewell.

Price Includes

  • All meals during trek. (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
  • Accommodation during trek at local lodge.
  • Domestic airfares and transportation from Kathmandu to trek starting point.
  • English speaking  government-licensed Sherpa trekking guide & assistant guide (4 trekkers=1 assistant guide)
  • Porter Service (2 Trekker =1 porter)
  • Staff  cost including their (Salary, domestic airfare, equipments, food and accommodation)
  • Trekkers’ Information Management System fees
  • 3 nights accommodation at 3. 4 or 5 star hotel in Kathmandu on twin sharing with breakfast.
  • All guided sightseeing tour in Kathmandu and entry fees.
  • Airport transfers and escort.
  • Insurance for all staffs
  • All ground transportation on comfortable private vehicle
  • All government and local taxes

Price Excludes

  • International airfares
  • International Airport Departure Tax
  • Trekking Equipment
  • Major meals, Lunch and dinner during your stay in Kathmandu
  • Any type of personal expenses, such as alcoholic beverages and drinks, phone and laundry.
  • Airport departure tax to be paid in rupees on your departure 1760 rupees
  • Entry visa fee
  • Rescue & travel insurance, trip cancellation costs, accident or health emergency, evacuation, loss, theft or damage to baggage and personal effects.
  • We strongly advise you to take out personal travel insurance.
  • Tips & Gratuities to porters and guides

The cost of the trips with us depends on the level of service, type of accommodation in the city and size of groups. We have a special discount for large groups, travel and adventure companies, nonprofit organization etc. Email us for further information about the cost of the trip. We would be happy to provide pricing and further info if you kindly provide the information below or simply email us at either info@adventuresherpatracks.com or adventuresherpatracks@gmail.com

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