The Manaslu Circuit Trek offers what you'd expect from a classic Nepal trek: beautiful scenery, casual experiences with locals and their ancient history, and a 5100 m (17,000-ft.) Himalayan crossing. Experts consider the Manaslu Circuit Trek among the best treks in Nepal.
The Manaslu Trek, despite its recent increase in popularity, remains remote and off-the-beaten-path compared to Nepal's better-known teahouse treks. The trek takes you across Manaslu, the eighth-highest mountain in the world at 8,163 m (26,781 ft).
Key Features of the Manaslu Circuit Trek
The main highlights of the Manaslu Circuit Trek have been enlisted below:
- It is much less crowded than its peers Everest Base Camp and Annapurna Road, which are more well known.
- The message goes out about Manaslu, but the Manaslu Trail only has about ten times fewer trekkers.
- The trek is wild and rugged, but at the everyday stage, there are tea houses, so hikers don't have to carry tents and supplies, making it more convenient and cheaper than comparable treks.
- The trailhead is reached over the ground, thus preventing domestic flight needs.
- The first section of the trail follows the Buri Gandaki, a steep, long gorge with several crossings of suspension bridges.
- The landscape offers everything Nepal has to offer: you can walk from the subtropical jungle at lower elevations, through the foothills of the Himalayas to the high, cold and difficult Larkya La crossing above 5,100 meters/17,000 feet.
Permits for Manaslu Circuit Trek
The Manaslu trek is within a restricted area of Nepal, which means you'll need a trekking permit to get to this route. Nor are solo trekkers permitted, where a minimum party size of two people is required.
Starting the Trek
The Manaslu Circuit Trek trailhead is the nearest of major Nepalese treks to Kathmandu. That said, it is still a 126 km (80 miles) adventurous drive from Kathmandu to Soti Khola, which takes around 6 hours (recommended) or 8 + hours by public bus.
Manaslu: Trail to Tranquility
If the trail conditions are challenging (as is always the case in September at the tail end of the monsoon), you may need to start walking in Arughat, which adds an extra day.
Itinerary of the Manaslu Circuit Trek
Day 1: Drive from Kathmandu (1,400 m) to Soti Khola (815 m) following the Arughat road
Day 2: Trek from Soti Khola (815 m) to Maccha Khola (800 m)
Day 3: Walk from Maccha Khola (800 m) to Jagat (1370 m)
Day 4: Hike from Jagat (1370 m) to Philim (1570 m)
Day 5: Walk from Philim (1570 m) to Deng (1865 m)
Day 6: Deng (1865 m) to Ghap (2165 m)
Day 7: Ghap (2165 m) to Lho (3180 m)
Day 8: Lho (3180 m) to Sama Gaon/Ro (3525 m)
Day 9: Acclimatize at Sama Gaon/Ro (3525 m)
Day 10: Sama Gaon (3525 m) to Samdo (3850 m)
Day 11: Acclimatize at Samdo (3850 m)
Day 12: Samdo (3850 m) to Dharmasala (4460 m)
Day 13: Dharamsala (4460 m) to Bimtang (3590 m) via Larkya La (5135m)
Day 14: Bimtang (3590 m) to Dharapani (1860 m)
Day 15: Dharapani (1860 m) to Kathmandu (1400 m)
Quick facts about Manaslu Circuit Trek
Duration: 15-16 days
Difficulty level: Accommodation: Teahouses/Lodges/Hotels
Maximum Elevation: 5,106 m (16,752 ft) Larkya La pass
Start of the trek: Soti Khola
Finish of the Trek: Besisahar
