Manaslu Trek: A Rewarding Trekking Destination

Manaslu Circuit Trekking Guide is Nepal’s most off-the-beaten-path yet most rewarding hike, and with all of the Himalayan glory without the throngs of more straight-up hikes like Everest Base Camp or Annapurna Circuit. It circumnavigates stunningly beautiful Mount Manaslu (8,163 m), the world’s eighth-tallest mountain, with its uplifting landscape, rich wildlife, and well-documented history.

Breathtaking Landscape Of Manaslu Trek

A varied landscape is experienced in the Manaslu Circuit from the gigantic sheer ridges and alpine pastures to the low valley’s terrace fields and subtropical rainforests. Trekking transports one through gorges of the Budhi Gandaki River and subsequently to Larkya La Pass (5,160 m) – Nepal’s highest and most stunning mountain passes with staggering altitude. On the way, one can see the panoramic view of Mount Manaslu, Himalchuli, Ngadi Chuli, and other white mountains, and the horizon. Why Manaslu Circuit Trek?

Fewer “trekked,” to trek the Annapurna Circuit — re-trek, re-trek-and-re-trek again, for the Everest Base Camp trek. Paradise of Nature — from the world’s highest climbing passes to rainforest subtropics — and the adventure of in-your-face monasteries and villages, Tibetan-style. Part of the reason why Manaslu Circuit is one of Nepal’s most popular trekking holidays:

As might be anticipated, this is a longer explanation of what one will find within each experience, so people will understand that the Manaslu Circuit Trek in Nepal is worth doing:

1. Fewer tourists than in tourist areas

There are many fewer tourists on the Manaslu Circuit than tourists at most major tourist destinations, such as Everest Base Camp or Annapurna Circuit treks.

This is also owing to the fact that it is a closed district, and therefore you will need a special permit and a licensed guide. You will hence be unlikely to spot tourist hordes, tourist hordes waiting at queues of teahouses, or tourist commodification base camps here. Remoteness will give you the peaceful trekking experience whereby you will get a chance to behold the peace and intimacy of the Himalayas with no interruption.

2. Evasive contact with the indigenous Gurung and Tibetan

Manaslu is a blend of indigenous ethnic Gurung and Tibetan-Buddhist inhabitants, living in a primitive state.

Old monasteries, prayer flags, mani walls, and yak herders give one a glimpse of centuries-old Tibetan cultures making their way through villages such as Lho, Sama Gaun, and Samdo. People here are kind and extremely welcoming, easily inviting strangers into homes or teahouses. You’ll witness monastic rituals, sample local foods like tsampa and butter tea, and hear the hum of chants echoing from monasteries high in the hills.

3. Remote landscapes with pristine views

The Manaslu Circuit trek is one to leave you agog, a trek that starts at the craggy gorge of the Budhi Gandaki river (lower side) and goes on through onto the glacial Larkya La pass (5,160 m) on the higher side. The trek is an eyeball slideshow of all you wish for the Himalayas. You ride up and down along green jungle, walk across suspension bridges over torrent rivers, and ascend up through white-capped peak-fringed glacier valleys. You catch glimpses of Mount Manaslu, Himalchuli, Ganesh Himal, and Ngadi Chuli — Himalayan giants. Since it’s not touristy anymore, the scenery is completely unspoiled, and you get that great feeling of being in a far-off and non-touristy Himalayan country.

4. Challenging and varied terrain

The trek doesn’t just offer scenery; it tests your capabilities to trek. On a quite straightforward direction hike, you’ll be gaining immense altitude on very steep terrain, and that is as much acclimatization as it is endurance. The hike has seen it all: rock step, field terracing, forest road, rock crest, to cross-altitude. The coup de grace is the Larkya La Pass — an uphill slog, most likely in the snow, and stunning vistas down the Manaslu range and the Annapurnas.

5. Incredible biodiversity within the Manaslu Conservation Area

The trek passes through the Manaslu Conservation Area, a protected area which is also one of the largest and most varied ecosystems in itself. Tours along lush canopy forests of pine and rhododendron with a supportive variety of avifauna at lower altitudes.

Breathtaking diversity of threatened Himalayan wildlife and vegetation inhabits his region. Encounters of Himalayan tahr, blue sheep, and snow leopards have all been had at least. Once the area is famous for medicinal herbs and has been reported to have over 110 bird species, and an innumerable number of butterflies and reptiles for nature enthusiasts to relish.

Trek Overview

• Duration: 14–18 days
• Altitude: 5,160 meters (Larkya La Pass)
• Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult
• Best Climbing Season: March–May, and September–November
• Permits: Restricted Area Permit, Manaslu Conservation Area Permit (MCAP), and Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP)

Getting There: Starting the Journey

Your journey begins with a scenic drive from from Kathmandu to Soti Khola or Machha Khola through countryside villages. The river along which you will be trekking is born in the district of Gorkha, homeland of the Gurkhas. The trek is a uniform climb over uniform slopes of forest, waterfall rock faces, hillside pasture ridges, and terraced farms with good views of the villages.

Day-by-Day Highlights

Day 1–3: Machha Khola to Jagat

Lower sections of the trails are through jungles, suspension bridges, and warm riverside villages. You´ll be camping at Tatopani, which is well-known for hot springs, and Jagat, officially the beginning point of the Manaslu Conservation Area and a UNESCO village.

Day 4–6: Jagat to Namrung

The drama level reached here is gorges, cliff-hanging paths, and the Tibetan Buddhist cultural way of life is added to. Surrounding all the while with varieties of stone chortens, mani walls, and prayer wheels. Namrung village is an appropriate acclimatization place, and nice vistas of Mount Ganesh Himal and Mount Himalchuli await you.

Day 7–9:Namrung to Samagaun

With every step up, there is an opening out to Alpine meadows and snow-tipped summits. Lho village’s finest view of Manaslu and picturesque Ribung Monastery is the most photogenic section of the trek. The trek continues to Samagaon village with distinctive culture and welcomes the Pungyen Gompa and acclimatization day hike to Manaslu Base Camp (4,800m) or Birendra Lake.

Day 10-11: Samagaon to Samdo

As you ascend the ridgeline past tree line and into more remote country, Samdo, which is the highest of any year-round village in the region, so a fine place to take a break before the physically strenuous portion of the trek, the Larkya La Pass.

Day 12: Larkya La Pass (5,160m)

It is because of this that you have come to witness: the Manaslu Circuit. Returning from a challenging and arduous trek to Larkya La Pass, looking back over your shoulder at the majesty of high-mountain peaks, Himlung Himal, Cheo Himal, Kangguru, and the view of Annapurna II is breathtaking. Your descent is to Bimthang, where you can relax in an unspoiled valley.

Day 13-15: Steep Down to Dharapani

The trail gradually descends through rhododendron forest and ancient Gurung villages like Tilije and Dharapani, where you will be on the Annapurna Circuit coming down to Dharapani. You will ride a jeep or bus from there back to Kathmandu.

Yes! Your Cultural Encounters along the Manaslu Circuit Trek are rich and deep in numerous ways.

Cultural Encounters on the Manaslu Circuit

Perhaps the best thing about Manaslu Circuit trekking is seeing embedded living cultures in the Himalaya. More developed trekking areas have examples of sanitized flashes of rural culture. Manaslu offers raw photographs of living traditional cultures, which seem to have been less affected by recent development.

Two Major Ethnic Groups

1. Gurungs in the Lower Hills

You have already begun trekking at lower elevations — Soti Khola villages, Machha Khola village, and Jagat village — and are already trekking on the route to Gurung village. Gurungs are indigenous inhabitants with an:

• Agricultural lifestyle: Terracing cultivation, pastureage, and village-level trade
• Express tradition and language
• Physical proximity to nature and animist spirituality, which is typically typical of Hinduism or Buddhism
• They share a proud military tradition with the British and Indian Gurkha regiments.

Nepali rural life embraces the villages, and the creaking door is flung open in a smile, and rural life is given.

2. Nubri and Tsum People in the Upper Valley

As you walk along to Lho, Sama Gaun, Samdo, and a little further beyond, you are amidst the Tibetan-inhabited Nubri and Tsum valleys. They use Tibetan languages, wear traditional Tibetan clothing, and live in stone houses built in a way to eliminate the mountain cold climatic influences.

• It’s all actually controlled right up to the very last place by Tibetan Buddhism, and it permeates all aspects of life. You will find
• Town and local citizen-ornamented Mani stones and town wall prayer wheels adorned with Buddhist mantras such as “Om Mani Padme Hum”
• Gateway and chortens (stupas) standing at the cusp of the spiritual, religiously demarcated: atop hills, or over even towns.
• And a couple more stunning monasteries, like those looming over Lho’s Lho or the Sama Gaun town.

These monasteries are worth the journey alone for hillside scenery and religious ritual, painting,g art, and devotion.

Daily life and spiritual practice

Religion is an integral part of life here in the hill towns. You will see:

• Monks and nuns reciting mantras or performing rituals
• People moving hand to hand or chortens spinning prayer wheels as a regular religiosity
• Every-colored prayer flags blowing across tops and passes, supposedly swept away on blessings by the wind

It is rich in experience to walk around the area at festival time — i.e., Lhosar (Tibetan New Year). Festivals are:

• Cham, monk in mask’s evil-warding dances
• Drumming, conch shell, she’ll, and horns
• Socializing, feasting, and singing in the open courtyard

Permits and Regulations

The Manaslu area is a restricted zone, and thus, you’ll require a registered trekking agency and a minimum of two trekkers accompanying you to obtain permits. The following are the ones that you would require:

Manaslu area being a restricted zone, the following permits would be required:

1. Restricted Area Permit (RAP)

• Issued by the Government of Nepal
• Minimum of two trekkers and a licensed guide

The fee varies by season:

• September to November: USD 100 for the first 7 days, USD 15 per day thereafter
• December to August: USD 75 for the first 7 days, USD 10 per day thereafter

Manaslu Conservation Area Permit (MCAP)

• Fee: NPR 3,000 (approximately USD 25)

2. Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP)

Necessary since the trail ends in the Annapurna region

Fee: NPR 3,000 (approximately USD 25)

Note: Trekkers do not need a TIMS (Trekkers’ Information Management System) card for the Manaslu region.

Best Time of the Year to Trek the Manaslu Circuit

1. Spring (March to May)

Rhododendron blooming season, ideal weather, and great views. The best season for photographers and nature enthusiasts.

2. Autumn (September to November)

Ideal time for the Manaslu Circuit, with ideal weather, clear blue skies, and dry trails. Best season to cross high passes.

3. Winter and Monsoon

Avoid the monsoon months of June–August because of landslides and bad weather. December to February is bitterly cold, and Larkya La Pass can be snowed over.

What to Take on the Trek

Such a high and such a remote trek deserves good gear. The following gear must be carried:

• Layered clothing (base, mid, and shell layers)
• Insulating layers anda down jacket
• Gaiters and strong trekking boots
• Sleeping bag (-10°C rated or colder)
• Water purification tablet or filter
• Headlamp, trekking poles, sunglasses
• Altitude drug in the first-aid kit
• Snacks, energy bars
• Reusable water bottle

Accommodation and Food

You will be sleeping in teahouses — small, locally run lodges that offer simple accommodations and good food. Not luxurious by any stretch, but warm, and the welcome is warm.

Meals typically include:

Dal Bhat

Dal Bhat is Nepali staple cuisine and consists of steamed rice, lentil soup (dal), and seasonal vegetables, fresh in nature. Pickles, and sometimes meat, is consumed at lower altitudes. Dal Bhat is energy and nutrient-providing food and thus the best during treks of long durations. Unlimited refills is the norm at most tea houses and thus a trekker’s favorite dish.

Tibetan Bread

Tibetan Bread, a flat fried bread that is crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. Eaten every day with jam, honey, or eggs for breakfast. Filling, tasty, and gives instant energy. Found everywhere on the trekking trail.

Momos

Momos are vegetable, meat, or cheese-filled dumplings served with hot sauce. They’re the staple light meal or snack of the mountain people. Served steaming and hot, they’re an ideal lunch for a quick bite. Vegetarian momos are more readily available at higher altitudes.

Noodles and Pasta

Chowmein (noodle fry), thukpa (noodle soup), and pastas like spaghetti are on the trek. They are freshly prepared with vegetables or occasionally with meat. Thukpa is very comforting on cold days. They are light to digest and just right for a fill-up.

4. Porridge and Pancakes

Staple breakfast porridge is prepared using oats or corn flakes and consumed with fruit. Flavored pancakes, apple, banana, or regular ones, are consumed with jam or honey. They are refreshing and light. They’re warm, quick to prepare, and quick to transport anywhere.

5. Eggs and Toast

Boiled, scrambled, or as omelets, eggs are simple but delicious and served with chapati or toast. It’s a sure-shot breakfast of protein and carbs. Toast with cheese or jam can be served in certain lodges. It’s a sure thing, a favorite of most trekkers.

6.Hot Drinks

Hot drinks are black tea or milk tea, ginger, lemon, or mint tea, and instant coffee. Lemon with honey is comforting and very common at high altitudes. Hot chocolate or herbal teas can be found at some places as well. The best to be hydrated and warm on the trail is these drinks.

As you ascend, food variety decreases and prices increase due to limited transport access.

Accommodation on the Manaslu Circuit Trek

Manaslu Trek lodges are basically tea houses, small family homes. Basic, although some of the bigger villages offer a mid-range level of comfort. The tea houses offer a warm bed to sleep on, some porridge to eat, and some other trekkers to chat to. They are a local culture trekking community.

Rooms

Twin rooms are dormitory-style and have wood beds, foam mattresses, pillows, and woolen blankets. Twin rooms are not insulated and do not have indoor heating, so twin rooms become freezing cold at night. It is better to bring a waterproof sleeping bag. The room space is not roomy, but sufficient for sleeping.

Toilets

Toilet facilities vary from high to lodge level. Western flush toilets are at lower levels. Squat toilets and communal toilets are what you will find higher up. You’re better off carrying toilet paper and sanitizer with you.

Hot Showers

They do have showers at some of the tea houses. They are sun or gas-heated showers and will cost an extra $2 to $5. Hot water or maybe no hot water at high elevation, since it will freeze.

Electricity & Charging

Power is usually available in most villages from the national grid or solar panels. Recharge is usually extra charge per device or per hour. Power banks or solar chargers are a backup, which keeps you online without having to use lodge facilities.

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi is spreading to places such as the village of Samagaun, Lho, and Namrung. It is going to be slow, unreliable, and not even worth paying extra money for as an option. Some of the trekkers do not even require the internet and have only scenery to gaze at from the surroundings.

Dining Area

Each of the tea houses has a dining room, normally the least formal room in the house. All of them have a bukhari stove in the middle, which is lit in the evenings to heat up the room. The room is not just used for eating but for relaxation, conversation, and planning tomorrow’s excursion.

Physical Preparation and Acclimatization

The hike is a strenuous, steep climb and high altitude. Prepare yourself in the following way:

• Begin preparation at least 2 months earlier
• Backpack trek
• Get your heart, body, and endurance conditioned via cardiovascular, strength, and endurance training.
• Train to identify altitude sickness
• Acclimatize wisely — rest and drink water in abundance

Responsible Trekking in the Manaslu Region

This remote region is vulnerable ecologically and culturally. Be a responsible trekker by:

• Not carrying refillable bottles of water in plastic
• Proper disposal of environmental waste
• Not being offensive to the local culture,a nd first seeking permission to photograph
• Having meals at the local teahouses and buying local handicrafts
• Employing local porters and guides for community development

Conclusion: Why Manaslu Is a Life-Changing Trek

Manaslu Circuit Trek is not a human body odyssey alone, but an odyssey of faith and culture too. Without anything more than stunning views of mountains, abundant culture, and an atmosphere of untouched wilderness, it’s one of Nepal’s greatest trekking sagas. If you seek a manner that is long and distant, secluded, Manaslu calls you to your subsequent Himalayan odyssey. Contact us today at Happy Mountain Nepal, on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok