A twelve-day guided circuit of Manaslu, the world's eighth-highest mountain, following the Budhi Gandaki from Machha Khola up through Gurung and Tibetan Buddhist villages to Samagaon, over the Larkya La at 5,106 m and down to Dharapani on the Annapurna side.
A twelve-day guided circuit of Manaslu, the world's eighth-highest mountain, following the Budhi Gandaki from Machha Khola up through Gurung and Tibetan Buddhist villages to Samagaon, over the Larkya La at 5,106 m and down to Dharapani on the Annapurna side.
The Manaslu Circuit walks right round the Manaslu massif. We start where the road ends at Machha Khola and follow the Budhi Gandaki, an old salt-trading route, north through a deep gorge of terraced hillsides, waterfalls and long suspension bridges. Above Deng the valley opens into Nubri, where the villages are Tibetan Buddhist, the trail is lined with mani walls and chortens, and Manaslu (8,163 m) fills the view from Lho and Samagaon.
The area was opened to trekkers only in 1991 and is a restricted area, so every group travels with a licensed guide on a Restricted Area Permit. Numbers are far lower than on the Annapurna or Everest trails, and the teahouses, many rebuilt after the 2015 earthquake, are simple but comfortable.
We pace the climb carefully. A short day to Lho and a full acclimatisation day at Samagaon, with a hike to Pungyen Gompa or towards Manaslu Base Camp, come before we move on to Samdo and Dharamsala, the base for the pass.
The crossing of the Larkya La is the hardest and longest day: a pre-dawn start, a long climb over glacial moraine to 5,106 m, and a steep descent to Bimthang. From there we drop through forest to Tilije and Dharapani on the Marsyangdi and drive back to Kathmandu via Besisahar.
This trek suits fit walkers with some previous multi-day hiking experience. Most trekking days are six to eight hours on rough, uneven trail with plenty of ascent and descent, and the Larkya La day is eight to ten hours, starting before dawn and reaching 5,106 m. No technical climbing is involved, but snow and ice on the pass are common in spring and late autumn. Start training at least three months ahead: regular long walks or hikes of five to seven hours with a loaded daypack, hill or stair work for leg strength, and two or three sessions a week of running, cycling or swimming for stamina. Walking on consecutive days is the best preparation. Anyone with heart, lung or blood-pressure conditions should see a doctor before booking.
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.
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.
Permits we arrange: Manaslu Restricted Area Permit, Manaslu Conservation Area (MCAP), Annapurna Conservation Area (ACAP)
The Manaslu Circuit passes through a restricted area. You need a Manaslu Restricted Area Permit, the Manaslu Conservation Area Permit and, for the descent from Bimthang to Dharapani, the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit. The restricted area permit can only be issued through a registered trekking agency, and a licensed guide must accompany you the whole way. Since March 2026 the Department of Immigration also issues the permit to solo travellers, still with a guide, and one guide may lead at most seven trekkers. We arrange all permits in Kathmandu before departure; nothing can be bought on the trail. Your guide carries copies and shows them at the checkpoints at Jagat, Philim and Dharapani.
The Manaslu Restricted Area Permit is charged by the week and the fee depends on the season: from September to November it is USD 100 per person for the first seven days and USD 15 per day after that; from December to August it is USD 75 for the first seven days and USD 10 per day after that. The Manaslu and Annapurna conservation area permits are NPR 3,000 each for foreign nationals. All of these are included in the trip.
You sleep above 3,500 m for five nights and cross the pass at 5,106 m. The itinerary builds in a short day to Lho and a full acclimatisation day at Samagaon. Your guide checks everyone's oxygen saturation and symptoms each evening. Drink plenty, walk slowly and tell your guide early about headache, nausea or poor sleep. If symptoms get worse, the treatment is to descend, and Samdo is the last practical place for a helicopter pick-up before the pass.
The drive to Machha Khola runs on a rough, unpaved road for its final stretch, and the Dharapani to Besisahar road is similar; both can be slow or blocked after rain. On the pass day we leave Dharamsala around 4 am, and in spring or late autumn the descent to Bimthang can be icy. Your guide decides on the day whether conditions are safe to cross.
There are no ATMs on the trail, so bring enough Nepali rupees from Kathmandu for snacks, drinks, showers, charging and tips. Teahouses charge a small fee for battery charging and hot showers, and power is very limited at Dharamsala. Mobile signal is patchy above Namrung and unreliable beyond Samdo; a power bank is worth carrying.
Upper Nubri is Tibetan Buddhist. Walk clockwise around chortens and keep mani walls on your right, ask before photographing people or inside monasteries, and dress modestly in villages. Slaughter of animals is avoided in much of the upper valley, so meat is scarce and we recommend vegetarian meals higher up.
Everything is yours to bring, except items marked “We provide” or “Rent locally”.
Down jacketWe provide
On loan for the trek
Waterproof and windproof shell jacket
Waterproof over-trousers
Fleece or insulated mid-layer
Thermal base layers, top and bottom
Two sets
Trekking trousers and quick-dry shirts
Warm hat, sun hat and buff
Liner gloves and insulated waterproof gloves
Mornings on the pass are well below freezing
Broken-in waterproof trekking boots with ankle support
Trekking socks
Four or five pairs
Camp shoes or sandals
Microspikes
Useful for an icy pass in spring or late autumn
Sleeping bag rated to about -15 °CWe provide
On loan for the trek
Trekking polesRent locally
Strongly recommended for the descent from the pass
Daypack of 30 to 35 litres with rain cover
Headtorch with spare batteries
Needed for the pre-dawn start on the pass day
Water bottles or bladder, 2 litres in total
Power bank
Category 3 or 4 sunglasses
Sunscreen SPF 50 and lip balm
Water purification tablets or filter
Personal first-aid kit and blister care
Personal medication, plus altitude medication if prescribed
Passport with at least six months' validity and spare passport photos
Travel insurance policy details
Must cover helicopter evacuation
Nepali rupees in cash
No ATMs on the trail
We grade it strenuous. Most days are six to eight hours on rough trail, and the Larkya La day is eight to ten hours with a climb to 5,106 m and a long, steep descent. You do not need climbing skills, but you do need good fitness and some experience of multi-day hiking.
No. It is a restricted area, so a licensed guide must accompany you and the permit must be issued through a registered agency. Since March 2026 solo travellers can get the permit, but only with a guide; the old two-person minimum no longer applies.
October and November usually bring the clearest views and stable weather, followed by March to May, when the rhododendrons flower. From December to February the pass is often closed by snow and many lodges near Dharamsala shut. The June to August monsoon brings landslides on the lower trail and cloud on the peaks.
Teahouses with twin rooms, foam mattresses and shared toilets. Lower villages and Samagaon have hot showers and charging for a small fee. Dharamsala, below the pass, is the most basic stop, with simple rooms and very limited power.
The itinerary includes a short day to Lho and an acclimatisation day at Samagaon before we sleep higher. Your guide carries a pulse oximeter and a first-aid kit and checks everyone each evening. If anyone shows signs of altitude sickness we stop or descend, and helicopter evacuation can be arranged through your insurance.
The Manaslu Restricted Area Permit, the Manaslu Conservation Area Permit and the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit. We arrange all three in Kathmandu and the fees are included in the trip. We need a scan of your passport and visa in advance to apply.
Some lodges in the lower and middle valley, such as those in Namrung, offer paid wifi, and there is some mobile coverage in the larger villages. Beyond Samdo signal is unreliable, and at Dharamsala you should expect none.
Yes. The Tsum Valley trail branches off at Ekle Bhatti between Philim and Deng, and a combined trip adds about a week. It needs an extra Tsum Valley Restricted Area Permit. Ask us for the combined itinerary.
After the pass the trail descends into the Dudh Khola valley and joins the Marsyangdi at Dharapani, on the Annapurna Circuit. From there a road runs down to Besisahar, which makes the return to Kathmandu possible in one long day.
Manaslu Circuit Trek
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