Manaslu Circuit Trek

Starting the Manaslu Circuit trek begins at Kathmandu. There is a direct bus option from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. at Gongabu Bus Park, Kathmandu, to Arughat. Another option is to come in by bus on the Prithvi Highway to Dhading or Malekhu and then hop onto the local bus or jeep afterwards. Our guide will check you in at your hotel via taxi and get you to the bus station. We suggest taking your breakfast or having it packed by the hotel. A toilet stop and lunch break will be taken by the bus on the way. Your window seat will provide you with the best views of the landscape because the road is dusty and also bumpy in nature to the point you reach Machha Khola. There are a myriad of rest stops where you can have a quick break and also have a meal.

The next day, you begin walking along the winding trail beside the Budhi Gandaki River. Monkeys and langurs are common, especially through the forest sections. Leaving the forest behind, you pass through Gurung villages such as Lower Khorlabeshi, where local shepherds wear the traditional smoke-browned cape called Bokkhu. You then reach Tatopani, meaning "hot water," where you can relax before continuing. After a short rest, cross a suspension bridge over the Budhi Gandaki to Doban. Passing Landslip and Yaruphant, you cross a wooden bridge over the river, avoiding a long climb through Gurung villages. The trail then follows the river to Yaru, where a long cantilever bridge leads to Jagat, a neat flagstoned Gurung village. Here, your Manaslu trekking permit is checked as you enter the restricted area.

The next day, you will walk to Salleri and descend to Sirdibas. The village welcomes you with several gompas and Buddhist prayer flags. On the route, you can also try the local alcohol before you reach Phillim. At Phillim, you will have your permits checked, and then you will continue along the western bank of the river. The Manaslu trail is beautiful, with unique sculptures over the boulders on the riverbank formed by to river water. Leaving the riverbank, you proceed through rhododendron forests, Himalayan pine, and the overhanging rocks on the towering peaks. These highlights beautify the trail. On proceeding further, you cross the Siyar Khola bridge and reach a junction where the trail separates Tsum Valley on your right. Finally, you will reach Pewa. Just a little further, you will reach Deng, where you can finally rest for the day. You can gather around the fireplace in the evening and share your experiences with fellow trekkers and locals before you go to bed.

After sunrise, you will have breakfast and start the day’s trek. Before ascending the winding trails, you will walk through the bamboo forest to reach Deng. Advancing further, you will cross a suspension bridge, ascend to Rana and Bihi Phedi. White-faced monkeys often visit villages along the trail in search of free food. The trek then continues to Ghap across several landslides. Be careful while walking and follow your guide’s instructions to avoid any harm. After the landslide zone, you will climb the trail to Namrung. After about 1 hour on the uneven trail, you will ascend in zigzags to the attractive village of Namrung (2660m) along the river. The region has some of the finest teahouses, restaurants, and rest houses along the trek. One local businessman, after living and working in Hong Kong for over a decade, returned to Namrung and built a modern restaurant and hotel with cappuccinos and WiFi.

Today we walk past several mani walls (stone walls with Buddhist mantras carved into the stones) as the villagers are heavily influenced by Tibetan Buddhism. With Tibet being so close, many locals wear Tibetan dress and follow a traditional Tibetan lifestyle. Lush terraces, fir, oak, rhododendron forests, and rocky hillsides are the order of the day. There are also some fine paintings on the gate arches that we pass through before Sho village. Overnight at Lho, where the views are stunning of Manaslu (8,163m) and Manaslu North (7,157m).

The next morning, on waking, the picturesque view of Mt. Manaslu accompanies you. You will walk across the easy trail to Shyala, passing through pine and rhododendron gully with moss and a gin-clear stream. From Shyala, you will walk for almost an hour to reach Sama Gaun. Once you enter the village, mountain views fade; however, the yak pastures and typical settlements will attract you. Sama Gaun is the principal village of the Nubri people. It has a large gompa, many shops, a health post, a heliport, telephone/Wi-Fi access, etc.

Acclimatization helps prevent altitude-related illness. But that doesn’t mean a day of rest! The best way to acclimatize is to remain active. There are some choices as to where you can hike today - Pungyen Gompa on the east of the Nubri Valley, Manaslu Base Camp, or Birendra Tal (lake). The hikes will take around 2 hours, and a packed lunch can be eaten while relaxing alongside the trail. If you feel particularly tired, opt for the lake walk, which is shorter. Manaslu Base Camp requires a bit more effort as it is 4,400m. But we walk slowly and keep well hydrated.

Today we see many yak pastures in a broad valley as we trek towards Sambo. You can explore neighboring villages from this village or hike up to Samdo Peak, from where you can see the trail to the Larkya La pass and on to Tibet.

As we are now at quite a high altitude, we have another acclimatization day. Here is a chance to go to the Tibetan border to look over into Tibet. Unfortunately we cannot actually go there but we might see yak caravans passing over the border. We might also see blue sheep, pica’s and marmots if we are lucky. Looking south we see Samdo Glacier with a hug serac near its top.

Walking slowly in the high altitude, we are enthralled by the chain of Himalaya mountains and rugged terrain. Tonight overnight in the picturesque village of Dharamsala with its wonderful views.

Today we reach the highest point of the trail. We will cross the Larkya La pass (5,160m). In bad weather or snow, it is very challenging but still doable. But we must pass before the afternoon, so we will get up early this morning. The views from the pass are amazing - Himlung (7,126m), Kang Guru (6,981m), and Annapurna II (7,937m) in the Annapurna Range. After taking in the views, it’s about a 3-hour walk downhill, viewing huge icefalls and mountains on the way. We can also see Pongkar Tal between the Pongkar and Salpudanda Glaciers. We overnight at Bimthang.

It is your last day in the hotels that will take you through the Manaslu region. When you go down is when you will be able to see lush forests with fauna and flora and even rhododendron bushes. You will walk to Karche to have lunch time walking back across the Dudh Khola. During the following hour you will observe numerous evidence of the action of a strong flood of ice, the banks decayed, and tree-trunks split down the centre, the track very rugged. And the path goes down to Gurung Goa, the first village since Samdo. As you move along through the fields and corpses of oak and rhododendron the valley grows more agricultural and green. Remain upon the north (true right) bank to Tilije. Then go on with your walk to Dharapani.

You will take a jeep from Dharapani to Beshi Sahar. From there, you will ride back to Kathmandu. There will be a 6-7 hour drive after reaching Beshi Sahar, and then you shall be able to rest in one of the luxurious hotels of Kathmandu.