- Length
- 14 days
- Highest point
- 5,160 m
- Difficulty
- Challenging
- Best months
- Oct–Nov, Mar–May
- Starts
- Soti Khola / Arughat
- Group size
- 2–10 People
- Sleeping
- Tea House
Nepal's most dramatic restricted-area circuit — 14 days around the world's 8th highest peak, culminating in the high-altitude Larkya La Pass (5,160m) with mandatory guide.
- Larkya La Pass (5,160 m) — dramatic glacier crossing between two watersheds
- Mt. Manaslu (8,163 m) — world's 8th highest peak dominates the skyline throughout
- Manaslu Conservation Area — restricted zone; fewer than 5,000 trekkers per year
- Ancient Nubri and Tsum Tibetan culture unchanged for generations
- Birendra Lake at Samagaon — glacial lake beneath Manaslu's south face
- High-altitude villages of Samagaon, Samdo, and Dharmasala
- Dense rhododendron and bamboo forest along the lower Budhi Gandaki
- Serang Gompa and Pungen Gompa — remote Buddhist monasteries rarely seen by outsiders
- Full circuit: Arughat to Dharapani — no two days repeat the same valley
The climb, day by day
Day 1Drive Kathmandu → Soti Khola (730 m)730 m
Long but scenic drive through the Buri Gandaki gorge. Arrive Soti Khola and register permits with your guide.
- Distance
- –
- Walking
- 8-hr drive
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 2Soti Khola → Machha Khola (930 m)930 m
Trek begins along the Buri Gandaki river through subtropical forest. Cross multiple suspension bridges over rushing gorges.
- Distance
- 14 km
- Walking
- 5–6 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 3Machha Khola → Jagat (1,340 m)1,340 m
Continue up the Buri Gandaki through narrow gorges and waterfalls. Jagat marks the entry checkpoint into the restricted Manaslu Conservation Area.
- Distance
- 20 km
- Walking
- 6–7 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 4Jagat → Deng (1,860 m)1,860 m
The gorge deepens dramatically. Trek through traditional Tibetan Buddhist villages with mani walls and prayer flags. First views of snow-capped peaks.
- Distance
- 18 km
- Walking
- 6 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 5Deng → Namrung (2,630 m)2,630 m
Forest gives way to alpine meadows. Spectacular views of Manaslu (8,163 m) begin to reveal themselves. Unique Tibetan culture becomes dominant.
- Distance
- 17 km
- Walking
- 6 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 6Namrung → Samagaon (3,530 m)3,530 m
Pass through Lho with full frontal views of Manaslu's north face. Samagaon is the last major settlement before the pass — acclimatisation base.
- Distance
- 14 km
- Walking
- 5–6 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 7Acclimatisation — Manaslu Base Camp hike (4,800 m)4,800 m
Hike to Manaslu Base Camp for stunning close-up views of the eighth-highest mountain. Return to Samagaon. Visit Pungen Gompa.
- Distance
- 10 km
- Walking
- 5–6 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 8Samagaon → Samdo (3,875 m)3,875 m
Short day trekking north towards the Tibet border. Samdo is a beautiful high-altitude village with stone houses and yak herds.
- Distance
- 10 km
- Walking
- 3–4 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 9Samdo → Dharamsala (4,460 m)4,460 m
Trek to the basic shelter at Dharamsala — the last stop before Larkya La. Arrive early afternoon to rest.
- Distance
- 10 km
- Walking
- 4–5 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Basic Tea House
Day 10Cross Larkya La Pass (5,160 m) → Bimthang (3,720 m)5,160 m
The magnificent high point of the circuit. Start at 3 AM. Cross the glaciated pass surrounded by Himalchuli, Manaslu, and Cheo Himal. The descent to Bimthang is one of the most beautiful in Nepal.
- Distance
- 24 km
- Walking
- 9–10 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 11Bimthang → Tilije (2,300 m)2,300 m
Long descent through rhododendron and pine forest past several waterfalls. The dramatic altitude loss is welcome after the pass.
- Distance
- 18 km
- Walking
- 5–6 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 12Tilije → Dharapani (1,860 m)1,860 m
Final trekking day reaching the Annapurna Circuit road at Dharapani. The Manaslu Conservation Area ends here.
- Distance
- 14 km
- Walking
- 4–5 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 13Drive Dharapani → Besisahar → Kathmandu1,400 m
Full day drive back to Kathmandu via Besisahar and the Prithvi Highway. Arrive evening.
- Distance
- –
- Walking
- 7–8 hr drive
- Meals
- B
- Night
- Hotel Kathmandu
Day 14Departure from Kathmandu1,400 m
Transfer to Tribhuvan International Airport. Trek completed.
- Distance
- –
- Walking
- –
- Meals
- B
- Night
- –
The price includes
- Manaslu Restricted Area Permit (arranged in advance; $100 for 7 days + $15/extra day)
- Manaslu Conservation Area Entry Permit
- TIMS card
- Government-registered English-speaking senior guide (mandatory for restricted area)
- Porter (1 per 2 trekkers)
- All teahouse accommodation on trek
- 3 meals per day (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
- Kathmandu to Soti Khola 4WD jeep
- Dharapani/Beshisahar to Kathmandu transport
- Welcome and farewell dinners in Kathmandu
- Altitude sickness management kit: pulse oximeter + first aid
- All government taxes and service charges
You pay separately
- International airfare to/from Kathmandu
- Nepal entry visa fee ($30–$50 on arrival)
- Comprehensive travel insurance with emergency helicopter evacuation
- Meals not listed in daily itinerary
- Personal trekking gear and equipment
- Tips for guides and porters (recommended: USD 8–12/day guide, USD 5–8/day porter)
- Beverages, hot showers, and battery charging at teahouses (payable direct)
- Personal expenses and souvenirs
- Any costs arising from early departure, illness, or flight delays
The 14-day Manaslu Circuit is our time-efficient version of Nepal's greatest restricted-area trek — covering the full Budhi Gandaki gorge approach, the Nubri Buddhist villages of Samagaon and Namrung, and the Larke La crossing (5,106 m) at the pace appropriate for experienced Himalayan trekkers. Manaslu (8,163 m) dominates the skyline for three consecutive days; the gorge sections are among the most dramatic walking in Nepal; the restricted area permit keeps the trail at a fraction of the Annapurna Circuit's traffic.
The 14-day schedule enters via Soti Khola and follows the Budhi Gandaki north through deepening canyon scenery to the Tibetan-influenced high villages. The Larke La crossing at dawn — a broad 5,106 m snowfield with the world's eighth-highest mountain directly overhead — is one of the great pass moments in the Himalaya. Descent via Bimthang and Dharapani connects to the Annapurna circuit road for the Kathmandu return.
Best seasons: October–November and March–May. Permit: Restricted area (included). Max altitude: Larke La 5,106 m.