Plan the Manaslu Circuit for 2026–27: the Restricted Area Permit fees by season, MCAP and ACAP, the March 2026 rule that lets solo trekkers get a permit, acclimatising at Samagaon, Larkya La day, the road to Machha Khola, teahouse standards, seasons and adding the Tsum Valley.
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The Manaslu Circuit trek walks right round Manaslu (8,163 m), the world's eighth-highest mountain, from the road end at Machha Khola up the Budhi Gandaki gorge, over the Larkya La (5,106 m) and down to Dharapani on the Annapurna side. It takes 12 days from Kathmandu on our itinerary, with ten days on foot. Because it is a restricted area you need three permits and a licensed guide, and since 22 March 2026 you can get the permit as a single trekker.
It is a tougher, wilder trek than the Annapurna Circuit, with longer days in the lower gorge, fewer people and simpler lodges. In return you get the whole of Manaslu in view from Lho and Samagaon, Tibetan Buddhist villages that still feel lived-in rather than built for trekkers, and a pass crossing that ends in the meadows of Bimthang under the mountain's west face.
Below we go through the questions people ask us most: the permits and what they cost, the new solo rule, the road, acclimatisation, the pass day, teahouses, seasons and the Tsum Valley.
The Manaslu Circuit is a teahouse trek around the Manaslu massif in Gorkha district, following the Budhi Gandaki north, crossing the Larkya La at 5,106 m and descending the Dudh Khola to the Marsyangdi. The area opened to trekkers only in 1991 and is still a restricted area, so all trekkers walk with a licensed guide.
The trek has two halves. The first days climb through a deep, steep gorge of terraced hillsides, waterfalls, long suspension bridges and Gurung villages, at low altitude and often in heat. Above Deng the valley turns and opens into Nubri, where the people are Tibetan Buddhist, the trail is lined with mani walls and chortens, and from Lho onwards Manaslu fills the head of the valley.
It is busier than it used to be. The Manaslu Conservation Area recorded a record of more than 12,000 foreign visitors in the year to mid-May 2025. But it is still far quieter than the Annapurna Circuit or Everest, and once you leave the lower gorge you share the trail with a few groups and the occasional mule train.
Most itineraries take 12 to 16 days from Kathmandu. Ours takes 12: a drive to Machha Khola, ten walking days with a short day to Lho and a rest day at Samagaon, and a drive back from Dharapani. Itineraries longer than ours usually start walking lower down at Soti Khola or add Tsum, Manaslu Base Camp or a spare day.
Day | Route | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
1 | Drive Kathmandu to Machha Khola | Machha Khola, 900 m |
2 | Machha Khola to Jagat | Jagat, 1,340 m |
3 | Jagat to Deng via Philim | Deng, 1,860 m |
4 | Deng to Namrung | Namrung, 2,630 m |
We leave Kathmandu early and follow the Prithvi Highway west before turning north at Dhading Besi towards Arughat and Soti Khola. The first part of the road is paved; beyond Arughat it becomes a rough dirt track that follows the Budhi Gandaki upstream to Machha Khola, where we spend our first night in a teahouse. Expect around 9 to 10 hours on the road, depending on conditions.
You need three: the Manaslu Restricted Area Permit (RAP) from the Department of Immigration, the Manaslu Conservation Area Permit (MCAP) and the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) for the descent from Bimthang to Dharapani. The RAP can only be applied for by a registered trekking agency, and none of the three can be bought on the trail.
Permit | Foreign nationals | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Manaslu RAP, September–November | USD 100 for the first 7 days, then USD 15 per day | Issued by the Department of Immigration, agency only |
Manaslu RAP, December–August | USD 75 for the first 7 days, then USD 10 per day | Same |
Manaslu Conservation Area Permit | NPR 3,000 | NPR 1,000 for SAARC nationals |
Annapurna Conservation Area Permit | NPR 3,000 |
These are the Department of Immigration's published rates for the Manaslu area of Chum Nubri Rural Municipality, checked in October 2026. The RAP covers the days you spend inside the restricted zone, from around Jagat up to the pass, so on a standard 12-day trek it usually falls within, or just over, the first week. Restricted area fees have no SAARC discount.
Your guide shows the permits at the checkpoints at Jagat and Philim, and ACAP is checked at Dharapani. On our trek all three permits are included, and we apply for them in Kathmandu using a scan of your passport and visa details. Since 2024 the Chum Nubri Rural Municipality has at times also asked trekkers for a small local entry fee near Jagat, a charge the conservation area project has disputed. If it is being collected when you walk, your guide will tell you.
No. The Restricted Area Permit is the controlling permit on Manaslu, and TIMS cards are not issued or checked on this route in practice. You need the RAP, MCAP and ACAP and nothing else.
Yes, with a guide. Since 22 March 2026 the Department of Immigration issues restricted area permits to single trekkers, ending the old rule that you had to be at least two. You still have to book through a registered agency, and a licensed guide must stay with you for the whole time you are in the restricted area. One guide may lead at most seven trekkers.
Before March 2026, a solo traveller had two options: join up with another trekker to apply as a pair, or wait until the agency found someone. Now a single person can book a private trek with a guide and get their own permit, and the Department of Immigration's online system has a separate application for individual trekking permits.
What has not changed: Manaslu is not open to independent trekkers. You cannot walk it alone, and checkpoints at Jagat and Philim turn back anyone without a permit and a guide. Our Nepal trekking permits article explains the restricted area rules for every region, and do you need a guide to trek in Nepal covers the wider guide rule.
By road from Kathmandu to Machha Khola, a nine to ten hour drive. The road is paved as far as Dhading Besi and Arughat, then becomes a rough dirt track along the Budhi Gandaki through Soti Khola to Machha Khola. Road building continues further up the valley, but from Machha Khola on you walk.
The drive is the least loved day of the trek. Bring snacks, a buff for the dust and some patience, because landslides after rain can slow the last section. In the monsoon and just after it, vehicles sometimes cannot reach Machha Khola and you start walking from Soti Khola or Lapubesi instead.
At the far end, a farm road now comes up the Dudh Khola as far as Tilije. From Dharapani a jeep takes you down the Marsyangdi to Besisahar, and a private vehicle takes you on to Kathmandu, nine to eleven hours in total. Some people end in Pokhara instead, which is a similar drive.
The first three walking days, to Jagat, Deng and Namrung, are the longest of the trek apart from the pass: six to eight hours each, constantly up and down along the gorge, at 900 to 2,600 m. They are often hot, and the trail climbs over spurs and drops to the river again and again, crossing several long suspension bridges.
These days catch people out. The altitude is low, so trekkers assume they will be easy, and by Deng their legs are tired. Start early to walk in the cool, drink more than you think you need, and carry sun protection. Watch for mule trains on the narrow sections and always step to the uphill side to let them pass.
From Deng the trail crosses into Nubri. At Ghap long mani walls mark the start of the Tibetan Buddhist area. Walk to the left of them, keeping the carved stones on your right. Namrung is the first big village with good lodges and wide views, and from there the walking days shorten.
With a short day from Namrung to Lho (3,180 m), two nights at Samagaon (3,530 m) with a hike to around 4,000 m, and short days to Samdo (3,875 m) and Dharamsala (4,460 m). Above Lho no day adds more than about 600 m of sleeping height, and the rest day comes before you sleep above 3,600 m.
There are three classic options: Birendra Tal, Pungyen Gompa and the trail towards Manaslu Base Camp. Your guide chooses based on how the group feels and the weather. The aim is to climb a few hundred metres and come back down to sleep.
Birendra Tal. A glacial lake below the Manaslu glacier, an easy hour or so from the village. Good for a gentle day or as a warm-up.
Pungyen Gompa. A five to six hour round trip to a monastery site at about 4,000 m below the Manaslu glacier, with Manaslu right above you. This is what most of our groups do.
Towards Manaslu Base Camp. Base camp is at about 4,800 m, a long, steep day of seven or eight hours return from Samagaon. Stronger walkers sometimes go partway up for the views and the acclimatisation, then turn round. Going all the way the day before moving higher is a lot to ask, so we usually suggest it only on a longer itinerary with an extra night in Samagaon.
Samagaon itself is worth an afternoon. The gompa above the village, the stone houses and the barley fields, and the view of Manaslu at sunset are reasons to come on this trek in the first place.
Your guide checks everyone's oxygen saturation and symptoms each evening. If symptoms are mild we rest; if they get worse, the person goes down. Samdo is the last practical place for a helicopter pick-up before the pass. Your insurance must cover helicopter evacuation to at least 5,500 m. Our altitude sickness guide covers the warning signs.
It is the longest day of the trek: eight to ten hours, starting from Dharamsala around 4 am, climbing about 650 m over glacial moraine to the prayer flags at 5,106 m, then descending about 1,400 m to Bimthang. It is not technical, but the descent can be steep and icy at the top, especially in spring and late autumn.
Dharamsala, also called Larkya Phedi, is a small cluster of basic stone lodges at the foot of the pass. Rooms are cold and simple, power is very limited, and in the busiest weeks of October some groups sleep in tents beside the lodges when the rooms fill. You arrive early, eat a big dinner around 5.30 or 6 pm, fill your bottles with hot water and go to bed. Lay out your layers, headtorch and snacks before you sleep.
You leave in the dark by headtorch, usually between 3.30 and 4.30 am, because the wind on the pass builds from mid-morning. The trail climbs gradually at first along the lateral moraine of the Larkya Glacier, then more steeply past small frozen lakes. It is a long, steady pull rather than one hard climb, and the top feels like it will never arrive. Most groups reach the pass between 8 and 10 am.
It is very cold until the sun reaches you. Wear your down jacket from the start, with liner gloves under warm gloves, a hat and a buff. Eat something every hour even if you do not feel like it. From the top the view west takes in Himlung, Cheo Himal, Kang Guru and Annapurna II.
The first part of the descent is steep, loose and often icy or snowy, and this is where people slip. Take your time, use walking poles, and in spring or late autumn expect to put on microspikes for the top section. Below that the trail eases down moraine into grassy meadows and the lodges of Bimthang, under the west face of Manaslu. Most groups arrive mid to late afternoon.
We grade it strenuous, one step harder than the Annapurna Circuit despite the lower pass. Most days are six to eight hours on rough trail with plenty of ascent and descent, the lodges are simpler, and the pass day is eight to ten hours. No climbing skills are needed, but you should have done multi-day hikes before.
Start training at least three months ahead with long walks of five to seven hours carrying a daypack, hill or stair work for leg strength, and two or three cardio sessions a week. Walking on consecutive days is the best preparation. If you have heart, lung or blood pressure problems, see your doctor before you book.
Teahouses on Manaslu are simpler than on the Annapurna Circuit, but comfortable: twin rooms with foam mattresses and blankets, mostly shared toilets, and a dining room with a stove in the evening. Many were rebuilt after the 2015 earthquake. Hot showers and charging are available for a small fee in the lower villages, Namrung and Samagaon; above Samdo they are rare.
Machha Khola to Deng: simple lodges, some with attached bathrooms lower down, warm enough without a stove.
Namrung, Lho and Samagaon: the best lodges on the route, with paid wifi in places, hot showers and well-stocked menus.
Samdo: a few family lodges, colder, simpler food.
Dharamsala: the most basic stop, with simple rooms, limited power and sometimes tents in peak season.
Bimthang and below: comfortable again, with hot showers.
Dal bhat with free refills is the backbone, alongside noodles, fried rice, potatoes, Tibetan bread, porridge and eggs. Menus shrink above Samagaon. Much of upper Nubri avoids slaughtering animals, so meat is scarce and not always fresh. We recommend eating vegetarian higher up. Three meals a day are included on our trek.
Some lodges up to Samagaon sell wifi, and there is mobile coverage in the larger villages. Beyond Samdo signal is unreliable, and at Dharamsala expect none. There are no ATMs on the trail. Bring enough Nepali rupees from Kathmandu for drinks, snacks, showers, charging and tips, and carry a power bank. Our teahouse trekking guide explains how lodges work in more detail.
October and November bring the clearest views and the most stable weather. March to May is the second season, with rhododendrons in the forests below Bimthang and Namrung. From December to February the Larkya La is often closed by snow and the lodges near Dharamsala shut. The June to August monsoon brings landslides in the lower gorge and cloud on the peaks.
Months | Conditions | Our view |
|---|---|---|
Late September | End of the monsoon, warm in the gorge, clearing skies | Good once the rain stops |
October–November | Clear, stable, cold nights at Samdo and Dharamsala; busiest | Best |
March–May | Warmer, rhododendrons, more afternoon cloud; snow and ice on the pass early in the season | Very good |
December–February | Very cold, pass often closed, some high lodges shut |
The RAP is cheaper from December to August, but that is not a reason to go in winter. In early March and late November, carry microspikes for the pass. Our best time to trek in Nepal guide goes month by month.
Yes. The Tsum Valley branches east from the Manaslu trail at Ekle Bhatti, between Philim and Deng, and a combined trip adds about a week. You need the Tsum Valley RAP as well as the Manaslu RAP, MCAP and ACAP. Tsum is lower, topping out at Mu Gompa (3,700 m), and even quieter than Manaslu.
Our Tsum Valley Trek is a 12-day round trip from Machha Khola through Chumling, Chhokangparo and Nile to Mu Gompa, with a night at Rachen Gompa nunnery on the way back. The valley stayed closed to outsiders until 2008, and its villages, Milarepa's Cave and the monasteries are as traditional as anywhere in Nepal.
Combining the two is a good idea for acclimatisation as well as culture. After a week in Tsum at 2,400 to 3,700 m, the climb to Samagaon and the pass feels easier. Ask us for the combined itinerary.
Manaslu is quieter, more remote and more traditional, with a lower pass (5,106 m against 5,416 m), but longer days, simpler lodges and a Restricted Area Permit. The Annapurna Circuit is easier to organise, better served by lodges, and higher. The two routes meet at Dharapani. Our Manaslu Circuit vs Annapurna Circuit comparison goes through it in detail, and the Annapurna Circuit guide covers that route.
Published heights for the pass range from about 5,106 m to 5,213 m, depending on the map and the GPS used. We use 5,106 m, the figure on most maps and on the Wikipedia article for the circuit. Either way, plan and insure for a crossing above 5,000 m.
Not full crampons. In October and November the trail is usually clear, but in spring and late autumn the descent to Bimthang can be icy and microspikes help. Your guide tells you at Samagaon whether to bring them; we carry them when conditions call for it.
It is possible but rarely done. Going from Dharapani to Machha Khola means climbing to the Larkya La from Bimthang, a bigger and steeper ascent with less acclimatisation behind you. We walk anticlockwise from Machha Khola.
Not usually. The long days in the gorge, simpler lodges and a 5,106 m pass suit people who have done multi-day hikes before. For a first trek in the region, Annapurna Base Camp or Ghorepani Poon Hill is a gentler start.
In October and November nights at 4,460 m are well below freezing and rooms are unheated. We lend you a down jacket and sleeping bag, and a warm hat and dry socks for the night help a lot.
Route guides
Two great circuits that meet at Dharapani. We compare the Manaslu Circuit and the Annapurna Circuit on days, altitude, the Larkya La and Thorong La, permits and cost, crowds, roads, teahouses, culture and difficulty, and explain who each one suits and how to walk both.
5 |
Namrung to Lho |
Lho, 3,180 m |
6 | Lho to Samagaon | Samagaon, 3,530 m |
7 | Acclimatisation day, hike to about 4,000 m | Samagaon, 3,530 m |
8 | Samagaon to Samdo | Samdo, 3,875 m |
9 | Samdo to Dharamsala (Larkya Phedi) | Dharamsala, 4,460 m |
10 | Cross Larkya La (5,106 m) to Bimthang | Bimthang, 3,720 m |
11 | Bimthang to Dharapani via Tilije | Dharapani, 1,860 m |
12 | Drive Dharapani to Kathmandu via Besisahar | Kathmandu |
The trail climbs and drops along the Budhi Gandaki, crossing side streams and suspension bridges past Khorlabesi and the hot spring at Tatopani. After Dobhan the valley narrows into a gorge before the paved lanes of Jagat, where your guide registers our permits at the conservation area checkpoint.
We climb past Salleri and Sirdibas to the Gurung village of Philim, then continue to Ekle Bhatti, where the Tsum Valley trail branches off to the east. Our route stays in the main valley, passing through bamboo and pine forest as the gorge closes in, and crosses the river several times before reaching the small settlement of Deng.
From Deng the trail crosses to the west bank and climbs to Bihi Phedi, then on through Ghap, where long mani walls mark the start of the Tibetan Buddhist Nubri area. A steady climb through forest leads to Namrung, a good-sized village with well-run lodges and the first wide views of the high peaks.
A shorter day that helps with acclimatisation. We walk through barley fields and stone villages at Lihi and Sho, with Himalchuli and Ngadi Chuli rising to the south. Lho sits on a ridge with a monastery above the village and, on a clear afternoon, the first full view of Manaslu's twin summits.
We climb gently through Shyala, a village set beneath a horseshoe of peaks, and continue across open pasture to Samagaon, the main village of upper Nubri. Arriving around midday leaves time to rest, wander the lanes and visit the village gompa.
We stay a second night in Samagaon and spend the day walking higher to help the body adjust. Most groups hike up to Pungyen Gompa, below the Manaslu glacier; stronger walkers can instead climb towards Manaslu Base Camp, and an easy stroll to Birendra Tal suits anyone who wants a quieter day. We return to the same teahouse to sleep.
A short walk up the widening valley past the yak pastures of Kermo Kharka, with the Budhi Gandaki now a small stream. Samdo is the last permanent village before the pass and lies only a day's walk from the Tibetan border. The afternoon is free for a short hike above the village to help acclimatisation.
We drop to cross the river and climb steadily above the Larkya Glacier valley, passing the old trading site of Larke Bazar. Dharamsala, also called Larkya Phedi, is a small cluster of basic lodges at the foot of the pass. We arrive early, rest, eat well and go to bed soon after dinner ready for a pre-dawn start.
The longest day of the trek. We set off before dawn and climb over moraine beside the Larkya Glacier, past small frozen lakes, to the prayer flags on the Larkya La at 5,106 m, with Himlung, Cheo Himal, Kang Guru and Annapurna II in view. The descent to the west is steep and often icy at first before easing into the meadows and lodges of Bimthang, below the west face of Manaslu.
We cross a glacial moraine below Manaslu's west face and descend through rhododendron, pine and oak forest to Gho and Tilije, where the trail joins the Dudh Khola. From Tilije a farm road follows the river down to Dharapani on the Marsyangdi, the end of the trek and the meeting point with the Annapurna Circuit.
A shared or private jeep takes us down the Marsyangdi valley road to Besisahar, where we change to a private vehicle for the drive back to Kathmandu. It is a long day on the road, usually 9 to 11 hours in total. We drop you at your hotel in Kathmandu in the evening.
NPR 1,000 for SAARC nationals
Tsum Valley RAP (only if you add Tsum) | USD 40 for the first 7 days Sep–Nov, USD 30 Dec–Aug, then USD 7 per day | Agency only |
Not recommended
June–August | Monsoon rain, landslides on the road and lower trail, leeches | Not recommended |
Yes. From Dharapani the road runs down to Besisahar, and from there Pokhara is about as far as Kathmandu. Tell us when you book and we will arrange the drive.
Enough Nepali rupees for drinks, snacks, showers, charging, wifi and tips for ten days, drawn in Kathmandu. There are no ATMs between Machha Khola and Dharapani, and prices rise as you climb.
A clear scan of your passport photo page and your Nepal visa details, which we need before the trek so we can apply in Kathmandu. Keep your original passport with you on the trail for the checkpoints.
It is a well-trodden teahouse route, but it is remote. The main risks are altitude, ice on the pass and landslides in the gorge after rain. A licensed guide, a sensible acclimatisation plan and good insurance deal with most of them.