| Trip code | |
| Package name | Manaslu Circuit Trek |
| Duration | 18 |
| Max. elevation | 5106 m |
| Level | Moderate |
| Transportation | Ground |
| Accomodation | Tea Houses Lodges during Trek |
| Starts at | Kathamdu |
| Ends at | Kathmandu |
| Trip route | Machha Khola-Jagat-Deng-Namrung-Lo Gaon-Sama Gaon-Samdo-Dharmasala-Bhimphedi-Dharapani-Besisahar |
| Cost | USD 1,540 per person |
On first arrival at Kathmandu-Nepal international airport, our staff and guide will receive with traditional welcome. A short drive to your hotel in the hub of Kathmandu city, on checking into your nice rooms. After getting refreshed from the jet-lag, join at the hotel lobby and at meeting room for trek briefing provided by our guide or leader. Information about the hotel, lodge on treks with full details of trekking trails, food and accommodation on treks. As well with do’s and don’ts with welcome group dinner in an authentic Nepali restaurants with local cultural program along with Nepali meals.
Morning after breakfast, the city / cultural guide will meet you at the hotel for tour around Kathmandu World Heritage Sites. As well visiting interesting places of steeped with history and culture. After the tour back at the hotel, preparation for Manaslu Circuit Trek.
Depart from the hotel, after an early breakfast as early as possible for a long exciting overland journey. The drive leads on main busy highway that connects Kathmandu via various parts of the country. An interesting ride through many farm lands, villages and towns facing views of distant snow-capped peaks.
The drive then diverts heading towards hilly rough dirt road reaching around the district of Gorkha at Arughat town. After a short refreshing stops, drive continues following the great Budi-Gandaki River to our overnight halt at Machha Khola.
A nice moderate size farm village at the confluence of Bud-Gandaki and Macha-Khola, the fish stream as it means.
Morning from Machha Khola village a short half day walks, we have made the first day trek easier and shorter. As many trekkers might be tired and weary from the long drives from Kathmandu to Machha Khola. Enjoy the first day walks following a gradual path following the Budhi Gandaki upstream. The trail leads to small sub-tropical forest of sal and pine trees with short ups and down. The walk leads to cross over Tharo-Khola and Machha Khola reaching a nice small settlement at Tatopani. A place with natural hot spring, time permitting enjoy refreshing bathe and a wash on warm waters of Tatopani. Trek continues to a small village of Dovan for lunch and overnight stops. The word Dovan means the meeting points of two streams or rivers, which is Shari and Sarpu Khola.
After checking into a nice simple rooms, rest of the day enjoy exploring this small village and interact with the locals.
After a pleasant overnight stop, enjoying breakfast morning walks leads to another short day to Jagat village. The trail follows with a steep climb to Louri, and then uphill continues up to Thado Bhanjyang. As walk proceeds crossing a river then short up to Jagat, reaching by lunch time and for overnight halt.
Jagat an interesting moderate size village of mixed hill tribes, the area is lined with shops, tea houses and lodges. Jagat is the entry post for Restricted Areas of higher Manaslu and Tsum Valley. Where all trekkers’ needs a special permits and MCA (Manaslu Conservation Area) including ACAP (Annapurna Conservation Area Project); to continue treks from Jagat onwards.
From Jagat onwards, our true adventure begins entering the former forbidden country of Upper Manaslu. Walk leads heading north reaching a nice village of Philim, with nice terraces of millets and other seasonal crops. The trail leads further to a small place of Ekle Bhatti, means a lonely hut and a rest spot.
But at present with several shops and tea-houses, possible lunch stop before reaching Deng. Afternoon walk leads on steep ups through gorges to cross Budhi
Gandaki River towards dense forest of bamboo stalks. Then ending day reaching Deng, a small farm village, from here on with strong influence of Tibetan Buddhism cultures. Overnight in a nice simple lodge accommodation with good food menu to enjoy the stay at Deng.
Enjoying breakfast in the backdrop of local immense cultures, morning walk leads towards higher areas. The route follows through Bihi, a small settlement and then downhill for short while, as climb leads to a bridge. As walk follows entering pine and rhododendron tree lines coming across Buddhist prayer monuments.
Crossing another bridge to Ghap village, an enjoyable walk through beautiful woods of fir, oaks, rhododendron and pines. On leaving the dense tree lines with bamboo grooves, climb to cross a suspension bridge. As walk gets pleasant on stone paved stairs all the way to Namrung village for overnight halt.
Namrung provides good lodges, facing grand views of wide fields of barley and buckwheat with views of snow peaks.
Morning enjoying the splendid surrounding beautiful scenery, walk follows on nice uphill path through pine woods. The trail leads to a nice village of Lihi, from here crossing a stream feed from the glaciers of Lindanda peak. Slowly the gentle path of short ups leads to Sho village, facing view of Simnang Himal. Finally the day walks ends reaching Lo-Gaon, a lovely village adorned with Buddhist monuments of Mani Walls, Chorten and Stupas. Enjoy the overnight in a nice cozy lodge, having large pleasant dining rooms serving comprehensive food menu.
Today the adventure from Lo-Gaon takes in the heart of Manaslu Valley at Sama-Gaon. The main village of the higher Gorkha district, the walk leads through a cook forest to Shyala village. A nice place with large a crops fields, with several resting benches, the trail leads to cross a small stream. Which flows from Pungyen peak glacier, then slowly the walks completes on reaching Sama-Gaon for two overnight stops in a nice lodge.
After continues walks of little less than a week, enjoy a rest day free from daily routine of packing. A perfect and ideal altitude for acclimatization before heading towards high Larke-La Pass. For better acclimatization a hike towards higher elevation will be the best. Sama-Gaon offers various short and long day hike which is also the main route to Mt. Manaslu base camp. If not choosing the options for longer walks. Enjoy hike to Pungyen Monastery about 3-4 hours walks both ways or to Birendra Tal a glacial pond. Whatever the choice provides marvelous views of majestic Manaslu and its range of peaks.
From Sama-Gaon, enjoying a pleasant rest day and scenic hike, todays a short day walks. But the altitude gains at gradual pace all the way to Samdo for overnight halt. The walk begins following the pasture grazing fields, with slow climb to a small woods of birch and juniper trees. Reaching Budhi Gandaki River to cross over a small wooden bridge, with short steep climb to Samdo. A moderate size village, which is on route to Tibet / China border and towards Larke-La pass.
A nice typical Tibetan style village, with simple lodge accommodation for overnight stop. Enjoy the afternoon exploring the last permanent settlements of high Gorkha district and Manaslu Valley.
On leaving the last village of higher Manaslu areas, walk follows to the end of a valley rim. The trail leads past old monuments of Mani walls to cross a wooden bridge over Budhi Gandaki River for last time. As walk follows past Larke streams coming across series of Mani walks and prayer flags then reaching Phedi. Popularly known as Dharmasala, which means a shelter for travelers, at present few lodges has been built. But not enough for hundreds of trekkers that throngs for overnight halts. To accommodate large number of trekkers a huge dormitory and tented camps are available. Ordering meals ahead to avoid the confusion with large crowds of trekkers. On reaching Dharmasala overnight in a large dorm or in a spacious tents outside the lodge premises. Afternoon after lunch take a short walk or relax and enjoy the glorious views of Larke glacier and peaks of Larke and Mt. Manaslu.
The Big Day! Of the adventure, rising early morning having breakfast, carrying packed lunch for the longest day of the treks. Follow our expert guide heading to steep climb over moraine, with short down to a small glacial pond. The climb continues on grassy slope edge but more or less walking on rocky moraine reaching a frozen ponds. Finally the last climb takes you on top of Larke-La Pass, the highest spot of the adventure.
The pass is festooned with thousands of prayer flags and rock cairns with a signboard, of Larke-La and altitude. From the pass enjoy the jaw-dropping scenery of snow-capped mountain range that encircles the top. The Larke-La forms the boundary betweenManang and Gorkha districts. From the top a long downhill takes you to other side of Phedi towards lovely settlement at Bhimthang for overnight. After a longest and toughest day walks of the adventure, Bhimthang offers nice lodges with good comfort.
After a long hard walks of previous day, making it easier for all trekkers, we have set the itinerary flexible. Enjoying the short pleasant treks to Gho, a small settlement amidst beautiful forest surroundings. Walk leads downhill with few short ups reaching several pasture land to reach Gho for lunch and overnight stop. Enjoy the comfort of nice small lodge within a tranquil woodland. Rest of the afternoon relax and take a short hike around the beautiful forest lined with tall trees of rhododendron, magnolia, pines and firs.
Enjoy the last day trek, walking to the end of an adventure, after a good breakfast the trail follows downhill. A lovely walks into cool shade of a forest reaching a nice village of Tilje, stopping for lunch stop. Afternoon a short walk above the Masrsyangdi River to cross a bridge with steep short climb to Dharapani village.
Enjoy the comfort of good many lodges at Dharapani, located on a road-head that leads to upper Manang and down to Lamjung areas at Besisar town. This is where popular and famous Annapurna Circuit trail joins.
To make the long drive to Kathmandu short, morning from Dharapani boarding in four wheel drive or similar. The drive follow downhill to Tal Besi, at then of Manang district, then entering to another district of Lamjung from Tal onwards. As drive leads on winding rough road past Chamje and Jagat village, with long descent to Syange. The drive follows Masrsyangdi River to Bulbule and Khudi village to Besisar a large town and headquarters of Lamjung district. Transfer into a nice hotels or in a lodge, afternoon explore the markets full of stores, shops, restaurants and lodge. An interesting place to observe the local activities and cultures of Gurung, the hill tribes of Lamjung and southern areas of Annapurna Himalayas.
Morning after a good breakfast transfer into a vehicle either in Bus, coach or car depending on size of a group. The drive from Besisar on nice road to join the main highway of Pokhara and Kathmandu on reaching Dumre town. From here onwards an exciting drive on busy road following the Trisuli River for some hours. Heading on winding uphill to the outskirt of Kathmandu Valley, and then driving into the hustle, bustle city of Kathmandu.
On arrival get transferred to respective hotels Kathmandu, having free afternoon for individual activities or get into shopping spree.
After an enjoyable adventure, and mesmerizing time in Nepal around the Himalayas on Manaslu Circuit Trek. As time for departure, our staff transfer you to international airport for homeward bound flight or to next port of call.