Manaslu Circuit Trek

Today, you will depart quite early from your accommodation in a local bus from Kathmandu to Arughat which changes the four-wheelers into jeeps in Arughat.

Then the drive is to the destination of the day, Maccha Khola. In between, you will pass by the Soti Khola, which also functions as the starting point of the Manaslu Circuit Trek, passing by paddy fields and farms, rhythmic waterfalls, and the beautifully ornate brown-slated dwellings of the locals.

By then, you would have made it to the hamlet of Maccha Khola after crossing a suspension bridge over the Budi Gandaki River.

The trek starting day is finally here, and you would not be able to help yourself from getting all excited after the scenic ride from Kathmandu. So, you will begin to hit the trail right after the nourishing breakfast. 

The first section of this day trek stops at the Thado Khola on the narrow way to Khola Besi, which twists and turns interestingly around the bank of the Budhi Gandaki River. Savor one of the best views of the mountains of the Manaslu region, whose glimpse you will get to steal while walking by the gorgeous villages to Tatopani.

Tataopani is a natural Himalayan hot spring known for its health benefits and is a great place to let your muscles relax and soothe your tired body. After spending a fulfilling time in Tatopani, you will start to cross the Budi Gandki on several hanging bridges that make their way to Dhoban.

From Dhohan, the continuous hike takes you to Lauri, which leads you to Jagat, at last under the conservation area of Manaslu, in approximately 7 hours.

Jagat is the entry point to the restricted Manaslu Circuit Trek that you will enter today even before the crook of hens in the morning after crossing several suspension bridges by Salleri and Sirdibas decorated with vibrant prayer flags. 

From Sirdabas, you will head for the culturally and historically significant village of the Manaslu Circuit Trek, Phillim which is serving as the permit checkpoint of the Manaslu Restricted Area. 

Right after crossing Phillim, the trail again follows the river and its woods filled with the national flower of rhododendron and other trees of pine and oak to later on cross over the hanging bridge of Siyer Khola to call it the day at Pewa. 

In Pewa, you will relish the most awaited delicious local cuisine in the tea house to take the most satisfying sleep reminiscing the diverse landscapes, forests, terraced farms, and scenic villages during the trek from Jagat to Phewa.

Now, you are on the 4th day of your Manaslu Circuit Trek, when you will be hiking from Pewa to Namrung, which takes about 6-7 hours chasing the windy trail along the thick forest of bamboo before Deng. Deng also functions as one of the major stops during the Manaslu region trek then you will skip and head forward to Rana and Bhi Phedi.

From here, you will move further to make it to Ghap overpassing several landslide-prone areas, where you have to remain extra conscious to make it safely to Namrung with some of the amazing teashops, lodges, hotels, and restaurants.  

They are comfortable enough to provide you with a cozy place to take a rest after exploring the beautiful village in the day.

As the trek progresses to the higher altitude region, you will be pumped up for sure for your upcoming destination, which for today is Lho, the charming village with typical Tibetan-style houses, a monastery, and other notable cultural heritage.

In about 4 hours of trekking from Namrung, pursuing the route with attractive terraced fields, religious mani walls, and stunning forests of oak and rhododendron in several places, you will be at Lihi and then steadily to Lho, offering the never-before-seen vista of the crown-like set mountains of Manaslu (8,163m) and others.

As the trek today is comparatively shorter, you will have the rest of the afternoon to discover the hidden cultural and natural beauty of the region. Most of the natives from here love to dress in their own attire, showing a resemblance to Tibet that you will notice throughout the trek of this day while walking through rocky hills.

On this day of the Manaslu Circuit Trek, you will hike from Lho to Sama Gaon which takes about 4 hours moving through the inner Himalayas of Manaslu and its fantastic views pursue an easy trail to Shyapla through the chilly forests of pine and rhododendron. 

From Shyapla, Sama Gaon is just an hour’s walk when you will notice a significant decrement in the vegetation due to the increasing elevation predominantly resided by the Nubri people. 

The village is profound in culture and has some nice shops, health post, and a few other modern amenities along with the beautiful scenery of at least 29 mountains to spend your night on

The essential acclimatization day is here, much needed before hoping for further altitude. We take the time to adjust ourselves to the climatic conditions of the Himalayas to avoid mountain sickness and prepare ourselves for other unforeseen circumstances.

Therefore, to utilize this day, you will either hike up to the Manaslu Base Camp or go on an alternate trek to Pungyen Gompa, which enables the splendor of Mt. Manaslu and Ots Base Camp from the hilltop, along with the spotting of some rare Himalayan wildlife such as Himalayan tahrs and yaks.

While the Manaslu base camp is on the north side of Sama and is a steep hill climb maintaining a stable pace and continuous exertion, it is a must to trek to truly prepare yourself for the upcoming ascent.

Alongside the physical pros of the side trek to the Manaslu Base Camp from Sama on acclimatization day, the base camp provides the finest views of Samdo, Nagadi Chuli, Simnang Himal, and the glaciers of Manaslu, together with the most intimate encounter with the world’s eighth tallest mountain, Mt. Manaslu (8,163m).

The trekking day begins with an early morning breakfast to reach the village of Tibetan refugees, Samdo, winding in the deserted path for around 4 hours to cover almost a complete ascent of 325m that must be hiked slowly and thoroughly without rushing the steps.

Although at the initial phase of today’s trek, you will be walking along the pasturelands of yak above the valley with elongated mani walls. The tree line ends at Kani, which was used as a summer settlement by herders, and you will start to encounter the barren lands before you arrive at Samdo in no time from here.

Since the Tibetan border is just a regular morning walk four kilometers away from Samdo, you will be thrilled to explore the village and its viewpoint when the whole valley altogether is an excellent vantage point for Mt. Manaslu and other peaks to enjoy while you take a rest for the night in the same village.

Max. Altitude: 3,865m

Meal: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Accommodation: Tea houses and local lodges

The village of Samdo is in close proximity to the Tibetan border. Even though visitors are not allowed to cross the border, you will seize this opportunity to observe Tibet from as close as possible.

From here, the sight of Tibet and Nepal looks surreal, including the potential encounter of a yak caravan on your lucky day altogether with the gorgeous scenery. It is like a dream-come-true acclimatization day that lets you witness the beauty of some of the world’s best places to be in 2024: both Tibet and Nepal, in the span of a single day.

The excursion calls it a day in Samdo to spend the second night.

10th Day  of Manaslu circuit The trek again begins after a finger-licking Tibetan morning breakfast through the seasonal local market of Larke, passing by quite a lot of breezy wooden bridges and two river streams over the Larkya glacier.

Making sure to keep your walk slow and steady wins the race as it is a high-altitude hike where you must listen to your body, which will surely enjoy the far-extending Himalayan ranges and their serene nature.trek Samdo – Dharmasala

Like usual, you will set early from Dharamsala after a hearty breakfast to Bhimthang via the major challenge of the overall Manaslu Circuit Trek, Larkya La Pass (5,106m) as you pass through numerous bucolic villages and viewing glaciers the wide variety of Himalayan biodiversity. 

Once you make it to the Larkya La Pass, the completely white-washed snowcapped peaks captivate the heart of every naturalist including the valleys and its scenery below. After spending a fulfilling amount of time in the Pass, you will take a conquering walk down through the mysterious grassy lands leading to Bhimthang. 

Throughout this long trek day, you will be in the constant gaze of Cho Danda, Larkya Peak, Himlung Himal, Cheo Himal, and some of the predominant ranges of Annapurna as the ultimate reward you could ever think of.

This day, you will have a relatively short, sweet, and slow walk down to Tilchie, as you are almost at the end of the 13-day Manaslu Circuit Trek, walking through the closely compact forests of rhododendron.

Manaslu, Lamjlung, Himlung, and Cheo above these dense woods seem like the heavens from the fairy tale come true as you keep on descending from the high pasture land that meets the hamlet of Budhi Koshi River.

After the highly farmed fields of Kharche, you will make a steep climb over the ridge and continue the trek till you reach the stopover of the day, Tiliche.

The trek today is a pleasant one that pursues the route that connects the very popular Annapurna Circuit to the Manaslu Circuit Trek. Maybe you like Manaslu and Annapurna Circuit Trek.

In around one hour, you would have already reached Dharapani from Tiliche and taken a four-wheeler jeep to Besisahar, which later changes into the local means of transportation, the bus.

In the time span of 4-5 hours of driving, the local bus drops you off at Besishar to take a return ride to Pokhara or Kathmandu.

14th Day of Manaslu circuit trek Bus from Tal to Kathmandu via Besi Sahar