Manaslu Circuit Trek – 17 Days

As soon as you arrive at the Tribhuvan International Airport, you will be picked up and taken to your accommodation in the Thamel area. Spend some time walking around these very lively surroundings with shops, restaurants, and cafes. 

While strolling, you may have your lunch and dinner in Nepali restaurants, and on the local eateries. Later, return to the hotel and get enough rest.

After breakfast, enjoy a sightseeing drive on the Prithvi Highway, which will take nearly eight hours. On your sightseeing journey, you get to see beautiful typical Nepali villages and terraced fields with greenery. 

Once you reach your destination, you are in the town of Malekhu, which is renowned for having yummy fish preparations. The same is spectacularly decorated with breathtaking falls of the Trishuli River and fantastic peaks of the Ganesh Himal seen on the first days of the tour. 

Today your trekking experience starts when you start walking along the Budi Gandaki River. It passes through the evergreen forests and rice terraces, where one can feel and capture the beauty of rural life. 

Some of the bridges you’ll encounter include several suspension bridges, and you’ll also get to see some small villages, such as Khursane village. This breathtaking scenery along the roads, with water falling from cliffs, will keep your eyes tightly screwed during the trip.

From here, you proceed along the river towards Jagat while crossing an uphill track. It goes through dense forests and small villages and is highlighted in Tatopani with the possibility of taking a bath in natural hot springs. 

When you get closer to Jagat, the cliffs and river gorge become deeper, adding a more attractive scene. 

Today’s trek focuses on the area’s scenic beauty, passing through the fields of terraces, pine, and other trees. They will take you through a culturally rich village, such as Philim, where you will have an opportunity to view the customs of the people alive. 

While climbing up, better and even better views of the marvelous Manaslu range with a sense of amazement at every angle await you. After trekking for 7 hours we finally reach Deng where we will be resting for the day.

The trek goes on as you climb up towards Namrung, passing through the forest full of vegetation and crossing small streams on the way. It’s gradual, thus making you do some of the following activities while being able to admire the surroundings. 

When you reach Namrung the true local feel of the village and the view of the mountains, have a moment and pause to enjoy such scenic beauty. Namrung is where we will stay for the night in a teahouse.

The route then ascends the river through a thick forest and arrives at a small gorge. One final hard ascent will eventually get you to Namrung village.

Today’s hike carries us to Lho, but the trek is slightly shorter in comparison to other days. They include beautiful scenery of the Manaslu Himal range, which you can view when on the move during the trekking adventure. 

Lho is well-known for its friendly culture and historical monasteries, which provide a first-hand feel of Tibetan culture. The trek may be shorter in time today but we will be exhausted by the uphill trail. So, we need enough rest which we will do in Lho for the day.

Today your trek brings you to Sama Gaun, which is a beautiful village that acts as the starting point for the Manaslu Base Camp. Its scenery is made up of cliffs and beautiful mountains, which makes for an interesting sight whenever one is in a position to look at the layout of the trail. 

On the way, you will cross a small village named Shyala which is known for one of the best panoramic views of Himal Chuli, Peak 29, and Manaslu. Similarly, on this day of the journey, have a chance to walk around the Sama Gaun and get acquainted with its mixed population’s ethnic background; also, it is worth visiting monasteries nearby. 

Get a day’s rest in Sama Gaon, though it will be very beneficial for the human body to adapt to the climate and the altitude. You can make short treks to other vantage points, for instance, the one that gives a fascinating view of the Manaslu and other mountains. You can also visit Birendra Lake in the morning and later explore the village for the whole day.

This day also enables you to engage the local people and get to understand how they live their lives in this part of the country. 

Sama Gaun to Samdo does not take much time, and it takes approximately three hours to cover the distance. The trail cross over the fields and the beautiful vistas of Larkya Glacier and the mountain ranges are seen along the trail. 

Getting to Samdo is one of the last inhabited points before the Tibetan border, so you will get the feeling and experience of the Tibetan culture among the locals. 

This will be another day to acclimatize to prepare you for the other tough fixtures at higher altitudes. Suggested day- trip to the nearby hills to have spectacular views of the mountains of the Manaslu. It is also quite helpful to engage with the locals and get to know more about their culture and way of life. 

The trek for today is Dharamsala, which is the starting point for the Larkya La pass(5,160m). This trail is gradual and at some parts fairly steep, and it leads through some fairly rough terrain, and from here you can get a sense of how peaceful this mountain is. 

After reaching Dharamsala, you should relax and be ready for the tiring day of the trip. 

Each day of the trek will be interesting, but today will be a little more demanding and fulfilling. Finally, you will go up to the Larkya La Pass, from where you will get an opportunity to marvel at the beauty of the surrounding mountains like Cho Danda and Larkya Peak. 

After crossing the pass, the terrain begins descending downwards toward Bimthang, surrounded by glaciers on one side and alpine meadows on the other, before arriving at the beautiful village of Bimthang.

Moving from Bimthang to Dharapani is pretty interesting since the place consists of many forests and beautiful villages. As you go down, the geography alters stunningly, giving a perspective of the variety the area holds. The trail descends through the Banks of the Dudh Koshi River and you reach Dharapni which is also the beginning point of Annapurna region. 

Dharapani also offers better facilities in everything than places we had bin beforehand. We will be staying in a teahouse in Dharapani for the day after 7 hours of tiring trek today

At the end of your trek, you will be back to Kathmandu through the Prithvi Highway, which you had come on previously through a bus ride. The whole journey usually takes about ten hours, thus offering you an opportunity and time to contemplate the experience. 

After you arrive in Kathmandu, get to your hotel, it is also good to take some rest at the beginning of the trek. 

Spend a day to go through a cultural city tour in Kathmandu. Tourist attractions include Swayambhunath (the Monkey Temple), Boudhanath Stupa which is also a major attraction for tourists and is a pilgrimage site, and Pashupatinath Temple which is also one of the biggest Hindu temples in southeast Asia. Each of the places is historical and has provided a different aspect of the religious and cultural activity of Nepal. 

After a full day of strolling around the Kathmandu area, you will be dropped off at your hotel. Enjoy the night in the Thamel area, stroll around the area, and visit cafes and pubs if you feel like drinking one or two.

For the last day, some shopping or other activities before the journey to the airport and, accordingly, departure will be possible. Carry memories that you will cherish from your trek in the valleys and fabulous views of the Himalayas.

It’s the final goodbye as we say on the 17th day of the trek. We will drop you off at Tribhuwan International Airport and have a short farewell program before you leave. Do remember us next time if you want to explore Nepal even more but for now we bid goodbyes to each other until next time. Hope you had a great time exploring the Manaslu with us.