Manaslu Circuit Trek- 11 Days

Early morning drive from Kathmandu to Machha Khola will mark the commencement of the trip. The roads are dirty and difficult to walk on but the landscapes of the rice fields, waterfalls, and greenery through the villages is amazing to watch. Arkhet bazaar is an interesting old market and the Arkhet Khola is the main attraction to see. Overnight in Machha Khola.

The bumpy and rocky trail leads you to the rough part of Budhi Gandaki basin. You will cross several waterfalls as well. As you walk, you will come across Liding where there are a camping site and Lapubesi which is a village attached to a lush hill. The view is mesmerizing and peaceful. Later, you walk on up and down trails along the slippery rocks. The tropical vegetation adds beauty as you cross thrilling suspension bridges to reach Machha Khola. The village is on the slopes of the hills where you can find different accommodation and medical clinic if needed. Overnight in Machha Khola.

Walk up the riverbed then climb over a rocky point to reach Salleri that gives you views of Shringi Himal (7187m). Continue on the left bank of Budhi Gandaki River and ascend to Philim. Cross north out of Philim on the obvious track indicated to the Larkya-La (5160m) through some thick forest with views up the narrowing valley. After an hour, reach Ekle Bhatti, then cross high above a spectacular gorge with pine trees. Then a gradual climb above Budhi Gandaki Gorge takes you to Deng. Overnight in Deng.

Cross Budhi Gandaki River on a suspension bridge, climb to Rana, and then to Bihi. Continue in and out of gorges, cross the Serang Khola of the north, and climb sharply before circling into Ghap. The Mani walls here display intricate carvings of various Buddhas in meditation. Enter a beautiful fir forest with many birds, cross north on a wooden bridge along a narrow canyon. Arrive in the picturesque village of Namrung after about 1 and half hours climb from Ghap. Overnight in Namrung.

The trail from Namrung goes through the beautiful small hill of Bhanzam, with barley fields and stone houses in between. On the entrance to the village of Lihi, experience the 360-degree view of the surrounding mountains, including Manaslu (8163m). You then cross Hinang Khola to reach the village of Lho, which is dominated by a large Gompa located on the slopes of a hill above the village. The top is an amazing vantage point for an undisturbed view of Mount Manaslu (8163m). The trail from Lho climbs through a compressed forest towards Shyala. Shyala gives out an eccentric vibe with its many stone and wood houses packed closely together. The trail from Shyala goes through a slope that drains Punggen Glacier to reach Sama Gaon through a nice flat area, to view lovely yaks grazing. Sama Gaon is a beautiful village, where houses are aligned in rows along a small river. You will have absolutely breathtaking views the Manaslu Himal Range from Sama Gaon. Overnight in Sama Gaon.

Today will be a rest day in Sama Gaon to get acclimatized and relax the aching body. You can spend the day exploring the surroundings of Sama and visit places such as Birendra Tal, Manaslu Base Camp, PemaChyolingLhakang, and Punggen Gompa. Under the shadow of the gorgeous Manaslu, you will have an amazing day. Overnight in Sama Gaon.

You make your way uphill via the frozen Birendra Tal (3450m) situated under the Manaslu Glacier. Then an easy walking through yak pastures with long Mani walls gives you sights of marmots in all directions, standing on their burrows. You climb to a ridge and drop to cross Budhi Gandaki River on a wooden bridge. It takes some time to reach the white Chorten above but closely behind is Samdo, a very attractive village dedicated to yak herding, so much so that there are more animal and hay shelters than human accommodation. Overnight in Samdo.

Descend past Samdo on a wide trail, sinking to cross the much-reduced Budhi Gandaki River. Pass the trail to Tibet to the right and climb left past a Mani wall, navigating through juniper with many marmots. Cross two gorges on thin tracks to reach Dharamsala, also known as Larke Phedi. Dharamsala is a stone hut with three rooms and an almost integral roof. The views seen from Dharamsala are wonderful as the whole of Manaslu Himal Range can be seen from here. Overnight in Dharamsala

Climb gradually over the edge behind Dharamsala and beside the large adjacent moraine of the Larke Glacier. The climb is long and goes through a rocky terrain. Descend past four frozen lakes and make a final climb up to Larkya La (5160m), marked by prayer flags. From the top of the pass, you can view an astonishing panorama of Manaslu Himal Range and Annapurna Range. Afterward, you incline down the moraine to the west, and then, drop gently towards Bimthang. Overnight in Bimthang.

The trail south of Bimthang is mesmerizing. The vegetation here is lush and the trail crosses the foot of Bimthang Glacier enjoying fantastic background. It climbs to a beautiful spot decorated with prayer flags, where overwhelming sights of mountains surround you, with Manaslu Himal Range in view to the south-east. The trail then goes into an enchanted forest rich with firs. After a while, it gets to a lonely house in Yak Kharka, where you can have lunch. The trail then goes through the deep forest until reaching Goa. Overnight in Dharapani.

Today you are taking off-road jeep for another three hour to Beshisahar. You gradually descend for some time to reach Syange village, then the trail ascends to reach Gharmu Phant and then descends to Beshisahar. After arriving beshisahar you will take a bus to drive back to Kathmandu.