- Length
- 16 days
- Highest point
- 5,106 m
- Difficulty
- Challenging
- Best months
- Oct–Nov, Mar–May
- Starts
- Soti Khola (drive from Kathmandu)
- Group size
- 2–12 People
- Sleeping
- Tea House
Circle the world's eighth-highest peak on a restricted, guide-only circuit that rewards with raw Himalayan scenery and authentic Tibetan culture far from the crowds.
- Cross the dramatic Larke La Pass (5,106 m) — one of the highest trekking passes in Nepal
- Manaslu (8,163 m) dominates the skyline from camp for three consecutive days on the north circuit
- Restricted area trek: mandatory special permit and licensed guide keep crowds off the trail
- Deep Budhi Gandaki gorge: canyon walls rising 200 m on either side as the trail hugs the river
- Dramatic suspension bridge crossings over glacial torrents throughout the circuit
- Transition from subtropical jungle to arctic snowfield in 16 days of continuous ascent
- Wilder, quieter, and more adventurous than the Annapurna Circuit in every respect
The climb, day by day
Day 1Arrive Kathmandu (1,400 m)1,400 m
Arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport and transfer to your hotel in Thamel. Meet your guide for a trek briefing and gear check. Explore Thamel's bustling lanes in the evening.
- Distance
- –
- Walking
- –
- Meals
- –
- Night
- Hotel
Day 2Drive Kathmandu → Soti Khola (700 m)700 m
Early morning drive northwest through Arughat Bazar along the Budhi Gandaki valley. The road becomes rough past Arughat; arrive at Soti Khola by afternoon. Restricted Area permit checkpoint here — have all documents ready.
- Distance
- –
- Walking
- 7–8 hours drive
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 3Soti Khola → Machha Khola (900 m)900 m
Trek begins along the Budhi Gandaki river gorge through tropical forest and terraced fields. Cross suspension bridges and pass through Gurung and Magar villages. The trail is narrow with several river crossings.
- Distance
- 14 km
- Walking
- 5–6 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 4Machha Khola → Jagat (1,410 m)1,410 m
Continue upvalley through the dramatic Budhi Gandaki gorge. The trail alternates between river banks via multiple suspension bridges. Jagat is the main Manaslu Restricted Area permit checkpoint — all trekkers must register here.
- Distance
- 17 km
- Walking
- 6–7 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 5Jagat → Deng (1,804 m)1,804 m
The gorge narrows dramatically with towering rock walls as you pass through Salleri and Philim. A long suspension bridge at Ekle Bhatti leads into Gorkha district. Deng is a small settlement with improving teahouse facilities.
- Distance
- 19 km
- Walking
- 6–7 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 6Deng → Namrung (2,630 m)2,630 m
The valley gradually opens as you gain altitude through Rana and Bhi villages. Tibetan Buddhist influence becomes evident in prayer flags, mani walls, and chortens. Namrung offers the first clear views of Himalchuli and Ganesh Himal.
- Distance
- 16 km
- Walking
- 6–7 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 7Namrung → Lho (3,180 m)3,180 m
Rhododendron and oak forests give way to pine as you climb through Lihi and Sho villages. Lho village has a beautiful gompa with a spectacular view of Manaslu's south face — at 8,163 m it dominates the skyline.
- Distance
- 13 km
- Walking
- 4–5 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 8Lho → Sama Gaun (3,530 m)3,530 m
A relatively short day through high-altitude terrain passing Shyala village. Sama Gaun is the largest settlement in the upper valley — a Tibetan enclave with a 17th-century gompa, prayer wheel hall, and sweeping Manaslu views.
- Distance
- 10 km
- Walking
- 4–5 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 9Sama Gaun — Acclimatization Day3,530 m
A rest and acclimatization day is essential at this altitude. Hike to Pungen Gompa (4,000 m) above the village for panoramic views of Manaslu, Ngadi Chuli (Peak 29), and the Pungen Glacier. Return to Sama Gaun for the night.
- Distance
- 8 km
- Walking
- 3–4 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 10Sama Gaun → Samdo (3,865 m)3,865 m
Short ascent through open yak pastures to Samdo, another Tibetan-speaking village near the Tibetan border. The high plateau landscape feels genuinely remote; Samdo is the last major settlement before the high camp.
- Distance
- 8 km
- Walking
- 3–4 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 11Samdo → Dharmasala / Larkya La Base Camp (4,460 m)4,460 m
Ascend steeply through barren moraines and glacial terrain to Dharmasala (also called Larkya La High Camp). This stone shelter sits just below the pass approach. Acclimatize, eat well, and retire early for the pre-dawn start.
- Distance
- 10 km
- Walking
- 4–5 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 12Dharmasala → Larkya La (5,106 m) → Bimthang (3,720 m)3,720 m
The high point of the circuit. Start at 3–4 am by headlamp, crossing the Larkya La pass at 5,106 m with breathtaking views of Himlung, Cheo Himal, Annapurna II, and Lamjung Himal. A long descent through moraines and rhododendron forest reaches Bimthang by afternoon.
- Distance
- 20 km
- Walking
- 8–10 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 13Bimthang → Tilije (2,300 m)2,300 m
Descend steeply through dense rhododendron and bamboo forest past Hampuk to Tilije, a Gurung village in the Dudh Khola valley. The rapid descent from 3,720 m to 2,300 m is dramatic — knees feel it but the vegetation change is remarkable.
- Distance
- 15 km
- Walking
- 5–6 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 14Tilije → Dharapani (1,963 m)1,963 m
Continue down the Dudh Khola to its confluence with the Marsyangdi River at Dharapani, where you join the Annapurna Circuit route. This is the official exit point from the Manaslu Restricted Area — permit checked at the police post.
- Distance
- 12 km
- Walking
- 4–5 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 15Drive Dharapani → Kathmandu1,400 m
Board a jeep or local bus for the long but scenic drive back to Kathmandu via Besisahar and Dumre. Road conditions have improved significantly; expect 7–9 hours total. Arrive Kathmandu evening — celebration dinner with your team.
- Distance
- –
- Walking
- 7–9 hours drive
- Meals
- B
- Night
- Hotel
Day 16Departure Day Kathmandu1,400 m
Free morning for last-minute shopping in Thamel or visiting Pashupatinath and Boudhanath. Transfer to Tribhuvan International Airport for your departure flight. Your Manaslu Circuit adventure concludes.
- Distance
- –
- Walking
- –
- Meals
- B
- Night
- Hotel
The price includes
- Manaslu Restricted Area Permit ($100/7 days + $15/extra day)
- Manaslu Conservation Area Entry Permit
- TIMS card
- Government-registered guide (mandatory for restricted area)
- Porter (1 per 2 trekkers)
- Kathmandu–Soti Khola 4WD jeep and Beshisahar–Kathmandu bus
- All teahouse accommodation on trek
- 3 meals per day (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
- Altitude illness kit and pulse oximeter
- All government taxes and service charges
You pay separately
- International flights
- Nepal visa
- Travel insurance
- Personal gear
- Tips
The Manaslu Circuit is what the Annapurna Circuit was before the jeep road arrived: a 16-day wilderness loop around the world's eighth-highest mountain (8,163 m) through a restricted area that preserves the raw Himalayan trekking experience that has almost disappeared elsewhere. The circuit is wilder, more adventurous, and more culturally intact than any of the major open trekking routes in Nepal.
The route follows the Budhi Gandaki river valley northward through subtropical jungle and terraced farmland, passing through Gurung and Nubri (Tibetan-origin) villages where Buddhist culture remains completely unaffected by mainstream tourism. The gorge sections — where sheer canyon walls rise 200 m on either side and the trail hugs exposed rock faces on steel ladders — are among the most dramatic walking anywhere in Nepal. The Larke La Pass (5,106 m) is the high point: a broad snowfield crossed at dawn with Manaslu's 8,163 m summit filling the entire north horizon, one of the great pass-crossing moments in the Himalaya.
The Manaslu Circuit is a restricted area trek — a mandatory licensed guide is required. This single rule keeps the trail at a fraction of the Annapurna Circuit's 100,000+ annual trekkers. Fewer than 12,000 people complete the circuit per year; the lodges are good, the trail is never crowded, and the cultural encounters with Nubri people at Samagaon and Namrung are entirely genuine.
Manaslu vs Annapurna Circuit
If you have already done the Annapurna Circuit — or want to avoid the sections now replaced by jeep road — Manaslu is the answer. The scenery is comparable; the altitude is similar (both cross a 5,000+ m pass); the cultural experience is deeper; the crowds are a tenth of Annapurna's. The one practical difference: the restricted area permit adds US$100 for the first 7 days plus US$15 a day after that in peak season, or US$75 plus US$10 a day from December to August (included in our price). In return, you get the Himalayan circuit as it was meant to be experienced.
Best seasons: October–November and March–May. Permit: Restricted area (included). Max altitude: Larke La 5,106 m.