Manaslu Circuit Trek – 15 Days

We will start our trek by driving to Machha Khola from Kathmandu via Soti Khola in a private tourist vehicle after having breakfast. We will drive on a concrete paved road from Kathmandu to Dhading Besi for 3 to 4 hours.

After that, the road becomes bumpy and winding, and we will drive on a dirt road for approximately 5 to 7 hours to reach Machha Khola. The total drive for the day will be around 8 to 10 hours. We will provide a private 4WD vehicle and an experienced driver for your comfort and safety.

Today, we will start our adventurous trek from Machha Khola to Jagat. We will leave the road and switch to the trails, with a long day of exposure ahead of us.

It will take around an hour to reach Khorlabesi (970 m) from Machha Khola, where you can spot wild marijuana plants along the trail. After that, we will cross a hot spring called ‘Tatopani’.

We will be walking alongside the massive Budi Gandaki River while witnessing stoats attracting birds along the riverbank and stop at ‘Dovan’ (1070 m), meaning riverside, for lunch after another hour.

After a refreshing lunch, we will continue towards Yaruphat via Thulo Dhunga while passing through traditional Gurung and Magar villages, beholding their unique lifestyle and architecture.

As we ascend towards higher elevations, we can witness consistently changing gorgeous landscapes as the scenery undergoes a complete transformation.

We will reach Jagat (1340 m) after two more hours of an easy trail, and at the entrance lies an MCAP checkpoint where one must present their MCAP permit.

We will witness the picturesque setting of the village surrounded by fields with a ‘Mani wall’ in the center, signifying the Tibetan Buddhist Culture. Ultimately, we will spend the night at Jagat and get to experience the local hospitality of the villagers.

After having breakfast, we will begin our trek by descending to the Dudh Pokhari Khola, and then cross a suspension bridge to witness a stunning waterfall beyond Jagat.

After walking for fifteen more minutes, we will reach Salleri, which is widely known for its rice and millet fields, and offers a breathtaking view of Shringi Himal, which stands tall at 7,187 meters.

During our trek, we will witness several waterfalls and cross a suspension bridge to ascend to Ghatte Khola via the jeep trails. After an uphill trek of 45 minutes, we will reach Philim, where another MCAP checkpoint is located.

We will interact with locals and witness their agricultural practices as we walk from Philim to Chisapani, where we will stop for lunch. Continuing our trek, we will cross gorgeous rhododendron forests and lush bamboo trails as we pass through Eleklibhatti.

The Gandaki Valley narrows on this trail with soaring precipitous walls. Just before Nyak, the Tsum Valley Trek and Larkye La Pass split off. From Nyak, we will ascend to Pewa and further up to Deng village, following the trail upstream of Deng River.

Today is going to be a long day compared to our previous days. Following breakfast, we will begin our hike by crossing the bridge and dropping for a little while before climbing sharply and zigzagging for 20 minutes to reach Rana village. Two hours from Rana village lies Bihi Phedi which is steeply uphill.

We can witness deep-rooted Tibetan culture marked by Mani walls, monasteries, and prayer flags during the trek. The pleasant sound of the waterfall and the ancient writings in the stone, along with seasonal fields of flowering mustard are an additional bonus to this adventurous trek.

We will enter a gorgeous and fairly deep forest of blue pine, oak, and rhododendron. We will pass Budi Gandaki and reach Namrung village where we will breathe a little and stay overnight.

Today is a promising day as we will be able to glimpse the Twin Manaslu Summit from the beautiful settlement of Lho (3180m).

After the leisurely breakfast, we will head on to Banjam on a leveled path, followed by an hour and thirty minutes of a nearly vertical trail to Lihi. The lovely view of homes with pine shingles covering their roofs, surrounded by Ganesh Himal and Gompa will be a delight to your eyes.

The crispy view of the peaks will accompany us as we head to Sho village (2880 m) from Lihi and Lamagaon, crossing the Hinan River originating from Linda Glacier. Sho Village offers easy access to Lho Gaon which will be our resting point for today.

Waking up to the stunning view of the mighty Mt. Manaslu, Manaslu North, Naike Peak, and the captivating terrains, we begin our hike by going to the Lho Ribang Monastery.

Here, along with the beautiful panoramic view of the peaks, we witness the puja which includes the customary chanting and blowing of horns.

Then we begin our journey to Samagaon, starting from a two-hour hike to Shyala passing through a lovely pine forest, and areas of extreme incline.

Beautiful mountain ranges, including Simnang Himal (6,158 meters), Ngadi Chuli (7,613 meters), Manaslu (8,163 meters), Manaslu North (6994m) Naike Peak (6,211m) can be seen from Shyala (3,500 meters). A feeling of tranquility might also hit you as we pass through several prayer flags, chortens, and mani walls.

After continuing on a downhill path for around an hour and a half, we reach Samagaon (3,520 m), which is a large and historically significant community.

It is unique in its ways as the lower level of the two-storeyed homes are occupied by animals, whose heat is used by the inhabitants to reside on the top level. This beautiful village is going to be our resting spot for the next day.

We stay today at Samagaon for acclimatization and take this time to explore around and interact with the locals. Here, you will be able to learn about traditional practices such as yak herding and spinning the wool.

In the course of exploring, we can either visit Pungyen Gompa and glacial Lake Birendra Tal (4-5 hours) or we can take a walk to Manaslu Base Camp and return to Samagaon (7-8 hours). Today, we rejuvenate and prepare ourselves for the trek of the coming days.

After a relaxing day at Samagaon, we go on a primary-level trail to Samdo. It’s a short and simple trail with occasional patches of dry land where the terrain changes to resemble a desert with little vegetation.

We climb up a terraced hill on the opposite bank of Budi Gandaki and cross a 30-minute steep slope to reach Samdo (3875m) and witness its unique architecture.

Starting from Samdo, we will begin a 4-hour trek to Dharamashala. The trail is level and you can slowly ascend through the barren landscape through Larkya Bazar, a former Tibetan trading post.

Dharmashala, aka Larke Phedi, serves as a resting point for the challenging trek ahead. Situated at an altitude of 4,460 m, Dharmashala consists of the basic facility of food and lodging. However, be mindful of your breathing as you might start having hallucinations too.

We will start as early as possible today to escape the chilly winds that might blow throughout the middle of the day at high altitudes. It is a very important and difficult day in our trekking journey as we embark on a mostly rocky trail steadily for about 3 hours.

We first climb towards Cho Chanda followed by a steeply uphill journey towards the exhilarating pass. The strategy to reach Larkya La Pass (5,160m) is to go slowly and steadily.

Accompanied by the phenomenal view of Himlung Himal (7,126 m/23,379 ft), Cheo Himal (6,820 m/22,375 ft), Gyagi Kung, Kang Kuru (6,981 m/22,903 ft), and Annapurna II (7,937 m/26,040 ft), we cross the steep slope descending towards Bhimthang.

The tranquil valley of Bhimthang surrounded by grazing yaks and dramatic landscapes is sure to leave you awestruck.

After one hectic day, today the route gets easier. We start with a gentle climb through paddy fields towards the small Karcha La Pass and pass through lush forests, small settlements, and terraced fields.

We descend through fig trees and rhododendron forests to Tilije where we immerse ourselves in the warm Gurung culture and traditions.

As we head towards Tal, we begin to pass through villages with denser populations. After a few hours of hiking, we arrive at Dharapani (1,860 m) where we stop for lunch. From here, we can find an increased number of people and vehicles.

From this point, we enter the segment on the  Annapurna Circuit. We walk through several wheat fields and streams while experiencing a beautiful blend of the Gurung and Tibetan cultures.

Once we cross a suspension bridge over the Marshyangdi River, we arrive at Tal, located on the bank of Marshyangdi. We will also enjoy watching a sizable and beautiful waterfall where you are going to be hit by the tranquil breeze.

After 13 beautiful days of soaking in the beauty of the trek, today is the final day when we wrap up the trek. Bidding our farewell to the gorgeous Manaslu Circuit, we hop onto a 4WD vehicle and start the journey back to Kathmandu via Besisahar.

The road is rough and bumpy from Tal to Besisahar and smoother from then. Enjoying the scenery of hills and rivers along the highway, we reach Kathmandu after 8 to 9 hours of drive.