Manaslu Circuit Trek- 14 Days
Trip Duration
14 Days
Group Sizes
2-16 People
Transportation
Land Transportation
Destination
Nepal
Max. Altitude
5160m
Nature of Trip
Moderate to strenuous nature trek.
Best Season
March-May & Sep-Nov
Activities
Difficulty
Moderate
Meals
Start & End Point
Kathmandu to Kathmandu
Accommodation
This 14-Day Manaslu Circuit Trek is the standard Manaslu trekking experience that takes you through the traditional villages of the region and lets you witness the glorious nature of the Manaslu Valley. In comparison to Everest, Annapurna, and others, the Manaslu region is not as frequented by trekkers and visitors alike. This means that you are likely to experience a crowd-free and intimate trekking experience
Mt. Manalsu stands 8163 meters high and appears in the 8th position of the top 10 highest peaks in the world. We will not be climbing the peak, but we will surely reach its base camp. The climb to the base camp is not a walk in the park, but that is a good thing since it adds to your sense of achievement as you reach the Manasu Base Camp. The scene from there is one-of-a-kind, after all your exhausting ascents, the scenes of high peaks and hills come as the greatest present.
We will also cross the Larkya La Pass, getting as high as 5106 meters above sea level. This is also a great viewpoint overlooking the entire Manaslu Valley with its peaks, hills, and rivers far below. The climb to this pass is slightly more difficult than your climb to the base camp, but it’s definitely worth the effort.
In addition to the natural setting of the beautiful Himalayas, the Manaslu region is home to Tibetan Buddhist culture, where many Gurung, Magar, and Tamang villages thrive. These villages are mostly self-sufficient, relying very little on modern products, but since the boom of tourism trekking in Nepal, they have been trying to adapt to modern times to accommodate trekkers and visitors better.
There are a lot of things that go into a successful 14-Day Manaslu Circuit Trek, so here’s a detailed version of our trek package to make sure that you know every detail before you decide to go on this amazing trek.
The first day of our 14-Day Manaslu Circuit Trek is a long drive to the town of Machha Khola; we will not be hiking today. This drive spans over 160 km and takes almost 9 hours to complete. The road condition is not that good, we will follow a paved road (with potholes) till Dhadgin Besi, from where the off-road experience starts. The off-road experience in the hills of Nepal is full of bumpy sections and tight turns beside cliffs.
We will take a private jeep since it is the best option to navigate the rough terrain of the hills. This will be a shared ride rather than a private one. After reaching Dhading Besi, we will make our way to Arughat, followed by a stop at Soti Khola, which will be the last stop of our drive today.
Today’s trek is the longest of the 14-Day Manaslu Circuit Trek itinerary. We will be covering a total distance of 22 km over a period of 7 hours to get to Jagat. The trek starts with a gradual ascent following the path of the Budi Gandaki River upstream. The path can be narrow at times, and we will also cross a landslide-prone area. Follow the steps of the guide in sections that are tricky.
First, we will reach the Gurung village of Khorla Besi (970 m) after crossing a suspension bridge. From there, we will ascend to Tatopani village, followed by a narrow trek to Dobhan, passing Hulchuk and Labuche in the process. From Dobhan, we will cross a number of suspension bridges to get to Jagat.
Day 3 of the 14-Day Manaslu Circuit Trek is yet another long trekking day. We will have to trek for about 7 hours and cover almost 20 km to get to the village of Deng. This trek gains us an elevation of almost 800 meters, which is not a recommended gain, but since we are in the lower hilly region, it is doable.
Leaving Jagat, we will first get to the village of Salleri, passing by a few small settlements and serene terrace farmlands. Moving forward, the trail descends a little and leads us to the settlement of Sirdibas, where traditional stone houses are prominent. From there, we will cross a suspension bridge to get to Philim village, followed by Ekle Bhatti, and eventually Deng Khola. We then cross the river via a hanging bridge and ascend to the village of Deng.
Similar to the previous days, today we will trek about 19 km over 6 hours. We will go from 2130 metres above sea level to 2630 meters above sea level, gaining a total altitude of 500 meters. The trek starts with a bridge going over the Budi Gandaki River, leading us to Rana village.
From there, we will trek through sub-alpine vegetation to get to Bhi, where traditional stone houses can be seen. Continuing the trek leads us to the village of Ghap, which displays fine mani walls with inscriptions. From there, we will get on a final climb to Namrung village.
In comparison to the previous days, today seems a lot less as we will trek about 11 km over 5 hours to get to Syala village. Today’s elevation gain remains 870 meters as we go from 2630 meters of altitude to 3500 meters at Syala. From Namrung, we will ascend a gentle trail, leading us to Lihi village. Passing by barely farmlands and traditional houses, we will soon reach Sho village, followed by an ascent to Lho.
The village of Lho is home to the Ribung Monastery and offers views of the Manalsu region peaks. From there, our destination is a short trek away.
Today is the shortest and easiest trekking day of the 14-Day Manaslu Circuit Trek. Day 6 of this trek requires minimal hiking and elevation gain. Leaving the village of Syala, we will descend a forested trail full of pine and rhododendron trees. This part of the trek offers scenes of mountains in the north, including Himal Chuli, Ngadi Chuli, and Manaslu.
Continuing the trek, we will pass through settlements that are dominantly influenced by Tibetan Buddhism culture. We will eventually reach Sama Gaon, which is among the biggest villages in the Manaslu highlands.
From Sama Gaon, it is a 12 km round trip to Manaslu Base Camp; this sounds like a lot less than the first few trekking days, but it is a difficult one. This 12 km trek will take about 7 hours, maybe even more, depending on the pace and physical fitness. We will gain about 1270 meters of elevation as we reach the bae camp.
The trail starts with an easy trek through alpine forest and patches of grasslands. We will soon reach the Birendra Lake from where the ascent begins. Most of the ascent is very doable, but the final climb to the base camp is the toughest. We will have some hot drinks and snacks at the base camp, take some memorable photos, and get on the way down to Sama Gaon.
Today is yet another short day of trekking on the 14-Day Manaslu Circuit Trek. We will only cover 9 km and be on the road for a maximum of 4 hours. By the end of the day, we will gain about 345 meters of elevation. The trail today is full of gentle ascend; we need this to cope with the hardships of the climb to the Manaslu Base Camp.
Leaving Sama Gaon, we will hike down to the Budi Gandaki River, cross it, and get on an ascent following the path of the water upstream. This trail leads us through a forest of juniper and birch, and streams coming from glaciers to get us to a pasture land. This part of the trek offers great scenes of Samdo Peak, Manaslu, and other nearby peaks.
Day 9 of the 14-Day Manaslu Circuit Trek spans just over 8 km, requiring about 4 to 5 hours of trekking. The village of Dharamsala is also referred to as Larke Phedi, sitting at 4460 meters above sea level, we will gain 585 meters of elevation throughout the day. From Samdo, we will descend once again to the Budi Gandaki River, cross it, and get on an ascent to Fuka Kharka.
After we reach Fuka Kharka, we will get to Larke Bazaar (4090 m), which is a seasonal local market that offers local food, tools, and items of daily use. Dharamsala is not that far from Larke Bazaar, we will get there in less than an hour.
Today is another great trekking day of the 14-Day Manaslu Circuit Trek since we will be reaching a maximum altitude of 5106 meters at the summit of Larkya La Pass. The total distance to be covered is 14 km, which should take us about 8 hours since there are steep ascents throughout.
From Dharamsala, we will ascend a rocky trail over the Larkya Glacier to get to the pass. It’s 646 meters of elevation gain to the top of Larkya La Pass. Scenes of Annapurna II, Himlung, and Manaslu are apparent from the pass. From there, we will have to lose about 1516 meters of height to get down to the village of Bimthang. This descent is not as easy as it sounds; the snowy trail makes it slippery, and some sections are steep drops.
First, we will get to the Larche settlement, where we get to a fork road. One of them leads to Salphudanda Glaceir while the other leads to Ponker Lake; we will take the former path and reach Bimthang.
Day 11 of the 14-Day Manaslu Circuit Trek takes us down from 3590 meters to 2300 meters, leading us to Tilche. This is yet another descending day on the trek and requires about 6 hours to complete. The total elevation loss is 1290 meters as we drop down to sub-alpine vegetation and the temperate zone.
Leaving Bimthang, we will descend through a forested trail and cross small streams to get to Gho village. We will stop there for refreshments before continuing the trek towards Tilche. This part of the trek is rocky and narrow at times, but it is very doable.
Covering about 14 km, today’s trek takes us down about 600 meters following a rugged descent. The trail starts with a sharp descent via lush pine forest with a few rhododendron trees and scenes of the valley every so often. We will be following the path of the Marsyangdi River downstream, crossing a number of hanging bridges, and visiting a number of small villages to get to Tal.
It is a 40-km drive from Tal village to the town of Besisahar, which can be done within 6 hours, however, it can take a little longer if the road condition worsens. As you might have already guessed, this is a completely off-road drive, which means you are in for a whole lot of bumps and tight turns. The road is accompanied by steep cliff on one side and huge hills on the other.
The drive from Besisahar to Kathmandu covers about 175 km, and it takes around 7 hours to complete. We will get on the Prithvi Highway and pass Dumre, Mugling, and other stops to get to Naubise. We part ways with the highway from Naubise and follow a winding road that leads us into the Kathmandu valley.
1199 US$
The 14-Day Manaslu Circuit Trek starts with a drive to Machha Khola village, the starting point of our trek. This ride spans over 160 km and requires about 9 hours to complete. This transportation, along with the other necessary transports, is a part of our trek package; you do not have to pay for them separately.
After we reach Machha Khola, we will explore the village a little before the dark hours set in. We will spend a peaceful night there and begin our trek the next day. For our first day of trekking on this trek, we will cover approximately 22 km of distance, which takes around 7 hours to complete. It’s a long trek for the first day, but it is very manageable. Our guide will lead the way and our porters will carry your heavy baggage, so all you have to do is focus on your daily treks and the stunning scenes the Manaslu region offers.
This 14-Day Manaslu Circuit Trek is graded as a moderate trek, but it is definitely physically demanding. One of the hardest things about this trek is the long daily distances we have to cover. The trail itself is not that challenging, but the fact that you have to cover over 20 km of distance in a day or trek over 6 to 7 hours is taxing to say the least.
In addition to that, there are a few sections that are steep and physically demanding, not just ascents but descents as well. All in all, we grade this trek a solid 7.5 out of 10.
The 14-Day Manaslu Circuit Trek is best done in the season of spring when the Manaslu valley comes to life. The valley is full of wild flowers, sub-alpine and alpine vegetation, and rhododendron forests that bloom vibrantly in early spring. The bright red rhododendron flowers add a much-needed fresh color to the green forests. In addition to that, the spring season is also known for clear skies and great visibility.
After the monsoon, it’s the autumn season in Nepal, which is another best option for trekking in the Manaslu region. There are a number of traits that make this season a great choice; the air quality is great, the skies are bright blue, chances of rainfall are minimal, and the trail is dry, which means no slippery moss.
Yes, a beginner can do the 14-Day Manaslu Circuit Trek, but they must be very well-prepared for it; it is not everyone’s cup of tea to walk 7 hours in a day to get from one village to another. The physical requirements are the main thing beginners should focus on for this trek. Your leg muscles should be capable of handling 15 to 20 km walks daily. There will be stops along the way to make it easier for you, but that does not mean it is a piece of cake.
For the majority of this trek, we will not cross the 5000 meters mark; in fact, we will stay over 4000 meters of elevation for only one day. Technically, altitude sickness begins from 3500 metres of elevation, but the effects are very minimal below 5000 meters. The only time we will be over 5000 meters is at the Larkya La Pass (5106 m), where we will not even spend an hour. It’s a mountain pass that we have to ascend on day 10 in order to get to Bimthang village.
Safe to say, we will be far from the effects of altitude sickness. If your body is really sensitive to elevation changes, you might feel a little lightheaded or a slight headache, which can be cured with a simple 100 to 200 meters of descent.
Accommodation during the 14-Day Manaslu Circuit Trek is pretty much limited to tea houses with a few high-end lodges in the lower region of the valley. There are no luxury hotels, or hotels in general, in the highlands, just local inns and tea houses run by the locals of the villages we will be visiting.
Your food options for breakfast are pancakes, flat bread, Tibetan bread, sandwiches, toasts, eggs (boiled, fried, poached, etc.), Muesli, etc. There aren’t a lot of options for breakfast since most of the aforementioned food is imported from the lower major towns or cities. For lunch and dinner, you can go for Nepalese dishes like Dal Bhat, Momo, Chowmein, Dhido, Tsampa, etc. Spaghetti, noodles, macaroni, pasta, and other international dishes are also available at most of the stops we make.
The 14-Day Manaslu Circuit Trek requires a couple of transportation as per the itinerary. First, we will get to the starting point of the trek, Machha Khola, and at the end, we will take a bus ride back to Kathmandu from Besisahar. All of your transportation needs as required by the itinerary will be covered by the trek package.
The Manaslu Restricted Permit, along with the Manaslu Conservation Area Permit (MCAP) and Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP Permit), is required in order to do the 14-Day Manaslu Circuit Trek. Our trek guide will assist you in getting these permits while the trek package covers the permit fees.
Preparing for any trek is very crucial; without good preparation, you are highly unlikely to have a good experience. The 14-Day Manaslu Circuit Trek requires trekkers to be in top physical form so that they can go about the long trekking days while enjoying the scenery of the Manaslu Valley. If you are struggling to make it to your daily destinations, the scenes along the way will not be very pleasing, since all your focus will be on making it to the next village.
Our trek experts suggest trekkers get on a preparation training schedule at least 14 weeks before the start of the trek. This gives you plenty of time to build stamina and make your leg muscles used to the strains of long trekking hours. The best thing you can do is hike to small hills, but you can also use the stairmaster machine or treadmill if hiking hills are not an option. Just focus on building your core strength and endurance, and do cardio exercises; there is no need for weight lifting.
The cost for our 14-Day Manaslu Circuit Trek is USD ________ per head. Within this package, we will cover most of your trekking-related expenses such as accommodation costs, daily meals, permit fees, local taxes, transportation costs, wages for porters and guides, their insurance fees, and more.
The Manaslu region is not as popular as Everest or the Annapurna region, which means the trails are less crowded. However, this also means that the basic infrastructure is not that good or dependable since the government focuses on developing the popular destinations. Electricity is not available throughout the day, and power outages happen a couple of times, during which the locals rely on solar energy to light their houses.
Charging your gadgets is usually free, but if you are using solar to charge your devices, you might be charged a couple of dollars. The internet situation is not that good either; you will find WiFi in the lower region of the valley, but as you go deeper, it will become scarce. Cell reception is also a myth in the highlands, our guide will use a satellite phone to contact emergency services if needed.
Any kind of flight transportation, additional and upgraded accommodation, extra meals, tips for the porters and guides, your visa fees, travel and medical insurance fees, trekking gear rental fee, overweight luggage weight (9 kg per person), expenses caused by natural calamities, and other causes beyond our control, and other costs that are not mentioned as inclusive of the 14-Day Manaslu Circuit Trek package are your extra meals.
Since our 14-Day Manaslu Circuit Trek starts with a drive from Kathmandu and ends with a drive to Kathmandu, we do not really provide accommodation in Kathmandu. But if you would like the convenience, we can manage an accommodation arrangement. The standard hotels are 3-star, while 4-star and 5-star options are also available.
There are a number of high-end lodges scattered around the 14-Day Manaslu Circuit Trek itinerary. These upgraded accommodations are not available in every village where we spend the night; only a few of them have them. We can arrange upgraded accommodation based on availability and your preferences. You will be charged extra for such services.
The 14-Day Manaslu Circuit Trek takes you to the highest point of 5106 meters above sea level at Laryka La Pass.
The natural spring water of the hills is very rich in minerals, and the locals rely on it as their main source of drinking water. They are used to the contents of the natural spring water, but you are not, so we recommend trekkers use water purification tablets. The taps throughout the trek are connected to a natural spring source, you can fill your water bottles from it. Bottled water is also available throughout the trek, but they are not sustainable.
No, trekking the Manaslu region all by yourself is not a possibility since the laws of Nepal prevent international tourists from visiting the protected region without a licensed guide. The 14-Day Manaslu Circuit Trek takes us through the Manaslu Conservation Area and the Annapurna Conservation Area.
For the most part, you will get some connectivity, but it will not be that reliable. The high hills make it harder for connections to be stable.
1199 US$
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