Manaslu Circuit Trek
- Duration
- 15 days
- Max altitude
- 5,106 m
- Difficulty
-
Strenuous
Difficulty scale
- Easy Short walking days on good trails below about 3,000 m. Suitable for anyone in ordinary health, including families.
- Moderate 5 to 6 hours a day with some steep sections, reaching up to about 4,000 m. A reasonable level of fitness and a few weeks of preparation walking recommended.
- Strenuous 6 to 8 hours a day, high passes or altitudes above 5,000 m, and remote stretches. Good fitness, prior trekking experience and proper acclimatisation days are essential.
- Very strenuous Long days, multiple high passes or technical sections, sustained time above 5,000 m. For experienced, well-conditioned trekkers only.
- Best season
- Autumn (Sep–Nov) · Spring (Mar–May)
- Group
- Private
- From
- $1,040.00
Overview
A restricted-area circuit around the eighth highest mountain on earth, crossing Larkya La at 5,106 m. Fewer lodges, fewer people and a stronger Tibetan character than the Annapurna side of the same range.
Every departure is private and led by a government-licensed Nepali guide, so the plan flexes to your party and to the mountain. Permits, park fees and local taxes are inside the price you see.
Read our full Manaslu Circuit guide for the restricted-area permit details, the Larkya La crossing, and how it compares with the Annapurna Circuit.
Trip highlights
- Larkya La pass at 5,106 m
- Restricted area, limited numbers on the trail
- Tibetan Buddhist villages at Sama and Samdo
- Manaslu, 8,163 m, close enough to fill the sky
Day by day
The itinerary
-
Day 1: Arrive in Kathmandu (1,400 m) and transfer to your hotel 1,400 m Hotel
One of our team meets you at Tribhuvan International Airport and takes you to your hotel. Your guide briefs you on the route, checks your kit and collects the passport details we need for the restricted area permit.
-
Day 2: Drive to Machha Khola (869 m) by private 4WD, 8 to 10 hours 869 m Teahouse B/L/D
A long day on the road. Three to four hours on paved road to Dhading Besi, then five to seven hours on a rough, winding dirt road past Soti Khola to Machha Khola. We use a private 4WD with an experienced driver because the road needs one.
-
Day 3: Machha Khola to Jagat (1,340 m) 1,340 m 6-7 hrs Teahouse B/L/D
The walking starts beside the Budhi Gandaki. An hour to Khorlabesi, past the small hot spring at Tatopani, then lunch at Dovan. The afternoon climbs through Gurung and Magar villages via Yaruphat and Thulo Dhunga to Jagat, where the conservation area permit is checked at the village entrance.
-
Day 4: Jagat to Deng (1,860 m) 1,860 m 6-7 hrs Teahouse B/L/D
Past waterfalls and suspension bridges to Salleri, with Shringi Himal (7,187 m) above the valley, then up to Philim for another permit check and lunch at Chisapani. The gorge narrows dramatically beyond Ekle Bhatti. Just before Nyak the trail to the Tsum Valley splits off, and we continue up the Deng Khola to Deng.
-
Day 5: Deng to Namrung (2,630 m) 2,630 m 7-8 hrs Teahouse B/L/D
The longest walking day so far. A steep zigzag to Rana, then a hard climb to Bihi Phedi, after which the culture turns noticeably Tibetan: mani walls carved with prayers, chortens, prayer flags and small monasteries. The last stretch runs through blue pine, oak and rhododendron forest to Namrung.
-
Day 6: Namrung to Lho (3,180 m) 3,180 m 3-4 hrs Teahouse B/L/D
A shorter day with a big reward. Through Banjam, Lihi and Sho, past houses roofed in pine shingles and across the river from the Linda Glacier, to Lho, where the twin summits of Manaslu fill the view at the head of the valley.
-
Day 7: Lho to Samagaon (3,520 m) 3,520 m 3-4 hrs Teahouse B/L/D
We start with a visit to the Ribang monastery above Lho if the morning puja is on, then walk through pine forest to Shyala, ringed by Himalchuli, Ngadi Chuli, Manaslu, Manaslu North and Naike Peak. An easy descent brings us to Samagaon, a large old village where families live upstairs and keep their animals below.
-
Day 8: Acclimatisation day in Samagaon: Birendra Tal or Manaslu Base Camp (4,895 m) 4,895 m 4-8 hrs Teahouse B/L/D
A day to let your body catch up before the pass. Choose a shorter walk to Pungyen Gompa and the glacial lake of Birendra Tal (four to five hours), or the full climb to Manaslu Base Camp and back (seven to eight hours). Either way you sleep in Samagaon again.
-
Day 9: Samagaon to Samdo (3,875 m) 3,875 m 3-4 hrs Teahouse B/L/D
A short, easy walk up an increasingly dry valley with little vegetation, then across the Budhi Gandaki and a steep half hour up to Samdo, the last permanent village before Tibet.
-
Day 10: Samdo to Dharamsala, also called Larkya Phedi (4,460 m) 4,460 m 4-5 hrs Teahouse B/L/D
A gradual climb through barren country past Larkya Bazaar, an old Tibetan trading post, to Dharamsala. The lodging here is basic and the night is cold, and we go to bed early ahead of the pass.
-
Day 11: Cross the Larkya La (5,106 m) to Bimthang (3,590 m) 5,106 m 8-9 hrs Teahouse B/L/D
The big day. We start before dawn to beat the wind, climbing steadily on a rocky trail for around three hours and then more steeply to the pass, hung with prayer flags. The view takes in Himlung Himal, Cheo Himal, Kang Guru and Annapurna II. The descent is long and steep in places, down to the grazing meadows of Bimthang.
-
Day 12: Bimthang to Goa (2,515 m) 2,515 m 5-6 hrs Teahouse B/L/D
An easier day downhill, through Hampuk, Yak Kharka and Kharche with views back to Manaslu and the Ponkar Glacier, then into pine and rhododendron forest and the first terraced fields in a week.
-
Day 13: Goa to Dharapani (1,963 m) 1,963 m 3-4 hrs Teahouse B/L/D
Through the Gurung villages of Tilije and Thonje to Dharapani on the Marsyangdi, where the route meets the Annapurna Circuit. A free afternoon to rest.
-
Day 14: Drive back to Kathmandu via Besisahar, 10 to 12 hours 1,400 m Hotel B/D
Three to four hours on a rough road to Besisahar, then paved road the rest of the way, with Annapurna II, Manaslu and Lamjung Himal behind you. A farewell dinner in Kathmandu in the evening.
-
Day 15: Departure 1,400 m B
Our airport representative takes you to Tribhuvan International Airport for your flight home.
Altitude profile
The climb, day by day
Comfort tiers
Choose your level of comfort
| Amenity | Standardfrom $1,250.00 | Comfortfrom $1,475.00 | Luxuryfrom $1,812.50 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kathmandu hotel | 3★ | 4★ | 5★ |
| Trail accommodation | Standard teahouse | Best lodge in each village | Premium lodge where the route has one |
| Porter support | Shared porter | Private porter, lighter load | Extra porter, carry almost nothing |
| Transfers | Shared | Private | Private, throughout |
What's included
Included
- Included: In Kathmandu: two nights in a clean and comfortable 3-star hotel with twin-sharing rooms and breakfast, one before the trek and one after
- Included: During the trek: selected mountain lodges with twin-sharing rooms throughout
- Included: Full board meals during the trek: breakfast, lunch and dinner every day (vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options available in Manaslu teahouses)
- Included: Tea or coffee up to three times a day
- Included: Fresh fruit after dinner
- Included: A farewell dinner in Kathmandu
- Included: Airport pickup and drop-off in Kathmandu
- Included: Private 4WD from Kathmandu to Machha Khola at the start, and a private vehicle from Dharapani back to Kathmandu via Besisahar at the end
- Included: Manaslu Restricted Area Permit (RAP)
- Included: Manaslu and Annapurna Conservation Area Permits (MCAP and ACAP)
- Included: A government-licensed, English-speaking guide, mandatory in the restricted area, with their wages, food, lodging and insurance covered
- Included: Insulated jacket, crampons and sleeping bag on loan for the trek (3 to 4 kg in total)
- Included: A 70-litre trekking duffel bag for each traveller
- Included: Keepsake set with a Manaslu Circuit trek map, T-shirt and cap
- Included: Trek completion certificate
- Included: All government taxes, permits and service charges
Not included
- Not included: Meals (lunch and dinner) in Kathmandu
- Not included: International flight fare and airport departure tax
- Not included: Nepal Entry Visa (Visa can be acquired easily after your arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu with a fee of USD 30 for 15 days visa, USD 50 for 30 days visa and USD 125 for 90 days visa)
- Not included: Travel insurance along with high-altitude emergency evacuation coverage
- Not included: Any beverages including bottled and boiled water
- Not included: Tips to trekking staff and driver
- Not included: Personal trekking gear and equipment
- Not included: Any expenses other than the Price Include section
Know before you go
Suitability & requirements
Manaslu is a restricted area, so a government-licensed guide is mandatory and the restricted area permit has to be applied for through a registered agency, which we do for you. Since March 2026 Nepal's Department of Immigration issues this permit to solo travellers too, so you no longer need a second person to trek it. The permit needs your passport details and takes longer to process than an ordinary one, so send us your dates early.
The drives at both ends are long and rough, eight to ten hours in and ten to twelve hours out, on dirt roads that landslides can close after rain. The day before the Larkya La starts at Dharamsala (4,460 m), where lodging is basic and cold.
Your team
Led by a licensed guide
Every route is led by a government-licensed guide from our team. Licences are on record with us before departure, and you'll meet your guide once your trip is confirmed.
Guide language(s): English, Nepali
Group-size pricing
Walk together, pay less
Every trip is private, so the guide, permits and transfers cost the same however many walk. Sharing them is why the per-person price falls: arithmetic, not a sale.
| Group size | per person | You save each |
|---|---|---|
| 1 traveller | $1,250.00 | base rate |
| 2 to 3 travellers | $1,040.00 | $210.00 |
| 4 to 6 travellers | $975.00 | $275.00 |
| 7 or more | $915.00 | $335.00 |
Per person, including permits, park fees and taxes. Nothing is added at checkout.
Weather
What to expect, month by month
- Autumn (Sep–Nov)The most reliable trekking season: clear air, stable weather and cold nights, right after the monsoon clears.
- Spring (Mar–May)Warmer than autumn, with rhododendron forests in flower and slightly hazier mountain views as the season goes on.
Traveller reviews
What travellers say
Why book with us
Every trail, one licensed team
You may also like
