Manaslu Circuit Trek – 16 Days

An early morning departure from Kathmandu for the long road journey west through the Gorkha district to the Manaslu Circuit trailhead. The route follows the Prithvi Highway westward toward Pokhara before branching north at Dumre and then taking the rougher, more dramatic road through Arughat to Soti Khola (730m) on the Budhi Gandaki River.

The road journey is long 7 to 9 hours depending on road conditions and traffic, and becomes progressively rougher and more interesting after Arughat as the road enters the hill country. The final section to Soti Khola follows the Budhi Gandaki river valley northward and offers your first glimpses of the gorge country that will define the walking for the next several days. The character of the landscape changes noticeably from the open Pokhara Highway corridor to the narrow, forested river valley of the upper Gorkha district.

Soti Khola (730m) is a small riverbank settlement at the southern entrance to the Manaslu Conservation Area a handful of teahouses on the banks of the Budhi Gandaki where the mountains close in on both sides and the river runs fast and green over the boulders below. Check in, eat a proper meal, and rest for the first walking day tomorrow. Drive time: 7–9 hours.

The first walking day and an immediate immersion into the distinctive character of the lower Budhi Gandaki gorge. From Soti Khola the trail enters the river gorge directly crossing and recrossing the Budhi Gandaki on suspension bridges, following narrow ledge paths cut into the rock face above the water, passing through dense subtropical forest of sal, bamboo, and fern, and crossing several tributaries on wooden bridges through deep jungle side ravines.

The lower gorge is one of the most physically dramatic sections of any Nepal teahouse circuit at this altitude vertical cliffs dropping directly to the river, waterfalls emerging from the rock face above the trail, the constant sound of the river filling the gorge below, and the occasional section where the trail narrows to a meter-wide ledge above a serious drop. This is not technical terrain but it is dramatic terrain, and the combination of river gorge walking, lush subtropical vegetation, and the first glimpses of high snow peaks visible above the gorge walls makes the lower Manaslu section immediately and entirely compelling.

The trail passes through the small villages of Gurung-chhap and Lapubesi before arriving at Machha Khola (930m) a small riverside settlement named for the fish (machha) found in the cold Budhi Gandaki waters. Walking time: 5–6 hours.

Another spectacular day through the deepening Budhi Gandaki gorge. The trail continues its pattern of river crossings, ledge paths, forested sections, and dramatic suspension bridge crossings through increasingly narrow gorge terrain. The settlements along this section Kholabesi, Tatopani, and the approach to Jagat are a mix of Gurung, Magar, and lower-caste Hindu communities whose villages sit in the small riverside flats between the gorge walls.

The village of Tatopani along this section is named for its natural hot springs an atmospheric natural geothermal source on the river bank where local communities have bathed for generations. A short detour and a soak is a genuine pleasure after a morning of gorge walking.

Jagat (1,340m) is the first major permit checkpoint on the circuit the point where the Restricted Area Permit and Manaslu Conservation Area Permit are both checked and stamped. It is also the first significant village of the upper Manaslu corridor and where the character of the trail community begins to shift. The checkpoint process is straightforward and your guide manages all permit documentation. Jagat has a good selection of teahouses and the village has a more established trekking infrastructure feel than the simpler lower gorge settlements. Walking time: 6–7 hours.

One of the longest walking days of the entire circuit and one of the most visually dramatic. From Jagat the trail continues northward through the gorge the valley walls closing in and then opening, the river crossing in both directions multiple times on suspension bridges, the forest changing gradually from subtropical sal and bamboo to more temperate mixed vegetation.

The trail passes through Salleri, Sirdibas, and Philim a large and prosperous Gurung and Magar settlement spread across a wide river flat, with terraced millet fields, water buffaloes grazing, and traditional thatched houses that carry a warm agricultural character entirely different from the higher Tibetan villages ahead. Above Philim the valley narrows dramatically at Ekle Bhatti a section of the gorge where the walls close to almost nothing above the river and the trail involves some of the most dramatic narrow ledge walking of the lower circuit.

Deng (1,860m) is the first village on the circuit with a distinctly Buddhist character mani walls begin appearing beside the trail, carved prayer stones are set into the rock faces above the path, and a small chorten marks the entrance to the village. From Deng on clear days, the first distant glimpse of Manaslu (8,163m) appears above the valley a brief, tantalizing preview of the mountain that will dominate the entire upper circuit. Walking time: 6–7 hours.

The trail above Deng enters a new world. The subtropical vegetation of the lower gorge gives way progressively to temperate forest first mixed broadleaf, then stands of oak, maple, and birch, and finally the first scattered rhododendron and bamboo that signal the mid-altitude transition zone. The Budhi Gandaki gorge remains impressive and dramatic above Deng but the character is more open, more alpine, and increasingly more Tibetan in its cultural expression.

The route passes through the village of Rana where a large wooden suspension bridge crosses the river to a dramatically positioned cluster of stone houses, and then through Bihi Phedi and Ghap, where mani walls become longer and more elaborate and the first proper prayer wheel structures appear at the village entrances. Ghap has an impressive stone mani wall extending for nearly 100 meters beside the trail one of the finest examples of this Tibetan Buddhist tradition on the entire circuit and the village gompa, small but active, is worth a brief visit.

Above Ghap the trail climbs steeply through pine and fir forest, crossing several streams on wooden bridges, before arriving at Namrung (2,630m) a well-established mid-circuit teahouse village with good facilities and the first genuinely expansive mountain views of the upper Manaslu massif appearing above the ridge. The air at 2,630m is noticeably cooler and the mountain scale visible from Namrung Manaslu, Himal Chuli (7,893m), Peak 29 (Ngadi Chuli, 7,871m) is a powerful signal of what lies ahead. Walking time: 6–7 hours.

A shorter and deeply rewarding walking day that earns its place in the itinerary not through distance covered but through one of the finest cultural and scenic experiences on the entire circuit. From Namrung the trail climbs through open forest and then alpine meadow to Lho (3,180m) a beautifully positioned Tibetan Buddhist village on a broad south-facing plateau with an unobstructed, direct, and overwhelming view of Manaslu’s west face.

Lho is the village where the transformation from Hindu Nepali lowland culture to Tibetan Highland Buddhist culture becomes complete and unmistakable. The village architecture changes to flat-roofed stone houses. The women wear traditional Tibetan dress and coral-and-turquoise jewelry. Butter tea is available at the teahouses. Prayer flags cover every roof and string between the houses in long, wind-animated arcs.

Above the village, the Nyingma Rimjung Gompa also called Lho Monastery, is a working religious site of extraordinary significance. Founded over 600 years ago, the monastery sits on a natural terrace above Lho with Manaslu’s west face directly in the frame of its courtyard a view of almost theatrical drama that makes the monastery one of the most photographed religious buildings in the Manaslu region. Spend the afternoon here. Walk through the monastery with your guide, observe the ancient thangka paintings and butter lamp shrines, spin the prayer wheels outside, and sit in the courtyard with Manaslu above you. This is one of the finest single monastery experiences on any Nepal teahouse circuit. Walking time: 4–5 hours.

From Lho the trail continues north through increasingly open and high alpine terrain the forest thinning to scattered juniper and fir, the yak pastures widening, and the full Manaslu massif filling the northern skyline with greater drama at every step. The trail passes through Shyala (3,520m) a small settlement on a wide grassy terrace where the view of Manaslu, Ganesh Himal, Himal Chuli, and Peak 29 is perhaps the most panoramic mid-circuit mountain viewpoint on the entire circuit before making the short final descent to Samagaon.

Samagaon (3,530m) also written as Sama Gaun is the largest and most comfortable settlement in the upper Manaslu circuit and the primary acclimatization hub before the high section. The village is a beautifully preserved example of upper-altitude Tibetan Buddhist settlement Ribung Gompa, the village monastery, is richly decorated and actively attended by local monks, and the community life of Samagaon carries the unhurried dignity of a place that has been managing the balance between the Himalayan mountain world and Tibetan Buddhist tradition for centuries.

Settle into your teahouse, rest, hydrate generously, and eat well. Tomorrow is an acclimatization day here — a full day dedicated to going higher and coming back, exploring the extraordinary natural and cultural highlights directly above the village. Walking time: 3–4 hours.

The finest acclimatization day of the entire 16-day circuit a day that many trekkers consider the most memorable single day of the Manaslu Circuit experience. Two extraordinary destinations are within reach of Samagaon on an acclimatization day, and the 16-day itinerary allows time for both.

Birendra Lake (3,450m) is a glacial lake formed from Manaslu’s meltwater, named after the former King of Nepal, sitting in a natural bowl approximately 25 minutes above the village. The lake is one of the most beautiful natural features on the entire circuit its surface a deep turquoise-blue, perfectly still in the morning air, with the enormous south face of Manaslu (8,163m) reflected in the water. The silence at the lake is remarkable. Sit for a while here, watch the mountain in the water, and absorb the scale of what surrounds you.

Pungyen Gompa (approx. 4,000m) is an ancient monastery above Samagaon that rewards a more demanding climb approximately 1.5 hours of steep uphill from the village. The gompa sits on a high terrace with one of the most extraordinary and intimate close-up views of Manaslu’s north face available from any trekking trail in Nepal. The monastery is several hundred years old and still actively maintained by a small community of monks. The combination of ancient religious architecture, the prayer flag-decorated compound, and the overwhelming scale of Manaslu directly above creates an atmosphere that is genuinely unlike anything else on the Manaslu Circuit.

Return to Samagaon for the afternoon and rest well. The altitude work of today going up to 4,000m and coming back, is preparing your body for the upper circuit days ahead. Total exploration time: 4–5 hours.

A shorter walking day of significant cultural interest. From Samagaon the trail heads northeast toward the Tibet border climbing through wide open alpine terrain of grass and rock with increasingly dramatic views of the Manaslu massif from new angles. The landscape here takes on a distinctly Tibetan character sparse, open, wind-swept, and beautiful in a clean, uncluttered way that feels entirely different from the lush gorge forest of the lower circuit.

The route passes a series of prayer flag poles and mani stones marking the trail between Samagaon and the upper valley, and the scale of the surrounding peaks Manaslu, Peak 29, Himalchuli, Kang Guru grows continuously. Small yak herding shelters dot the hillsides, and in the autumn you may encounter herding families driving their animals down from the high summer pastures.

Samdo (3,875m) is the last permanently inhabited village before the Larkya La crossing — a cluster of stone houses near the Tibetan border whose residents practice a form of Tibetan Buddhism that retains a purity and authenticity of practice not widely found in more accessible villages. The small Samdo monastery is worth visiting in the afternoon. The Tibetan border ridge is visible above the village on clear days the plateau of Tibet itself shimmers beyond the frontier ridge, an extraordinary geographical and cultural proximity. Walking time: 3–4 hours.

A second acclimatization movement day this one at 3,875m before the jump to Dharamsala at 4,460m and the Larkya La crossing the day after. The standard acclimatization hike from Samdo heads northward toward the Rui La Pass (5,095m) the border crossing into Tibet climbing to approximately 4,500m on the approach before returning. This hike provides both excellent altitude adaptation and extraordinary views of the Tibetan plateau country and the border range peaks.

An alternative option is the hike to Samdo Ri a high ridge above the village that provides an excellent panorama of the entire upper Manaslu circuit from above. Your guide selects the most appropriate acclimatization route based on current conditions and the group’s altitude response.

The afternoon is spent at Samdo resting, eating, hydrating, organizing gear for the Larkya La crossing, and going to bed early. Dharamsala tomorrow. The pass the day after. The altitude adaptation work of today is the final and most important physiological preparation before the highest point of the entire circuit. Hike time: 3–4 hours.

A short walking day by distance but a significant one by altitude climbing from 3,875m at Samdo to Dharamsala (4,460m) in just 3–4 hours, gaining nearly 600m of altitude in one of the most dramatic approach sections of the circuit. Dharamsala also called Larkya Phedi (base of Larkya Pass), is the last settlement before the pass, a basic cluster of stone teahouses and shelters huddled on the moraine below the Larkya Glacier approach.

The trail from Samdo crosses the open upper valley floor, passing several glacial streams and moraine ridges, with the Larkya Glacier visible ahead and the massive flanks of Larkya Peak (6,249m) and the Larkya Himal rising above the valley on the north side. The scale of the terrain here the wide, glacial basin, the rock and ice walls on all sides, the absence of any vegetation above 4,000m is genuinely expedition-grade wilderness even without being on a technical mountaineering route.

At Dharamsala, organize everything for tomorrow morning’s pre-dawn start. Lay out your clothing layers in the order you will put them on. Fill water bottles with purified water. Eat the best dinner you can manage at altitude. Set your alarm early. The Larkya La crossing requires the longest, most demanding, and most rewarding walking day of the entire circuit. Walking time: 3–4 hours.

The defining day of the entire 16-day circuit. Everything that has come before the gorge walking, the cultural villages, the acclimatization days, the altitude gains has been leading to this crossing.

The alarm sounds at 4:00 AM or earlier. In the pre-dawn darkness you eat breakfast in the mess hall at Dharamsala, layer up completely base layer, mid-layer, down jacket, hardshell, warm hat, gloves, gaiters and begin the approach to the Larkya La. In the winter months and early spring, crampons may be required near the pass summit. Your guide assesses current conditions and advises accordingly.

The climb from Dharamsala to the pass gains nearly 650m in altitude on a trail that crosses the Larkya Glacier on the approach a journey through a raw, primeval landscape of ice, moraine, and rock that begins in darkness and arrives at the pass in the early morning light. The gradient is sustained and the altitude makes every step deliberate. Go slowly. Breathe steadily. One step at a time.

At Larkya La Pass (5,106m), a cluster of prayer flags marks the highest point of the entire Manaslu Circuit. The panoramic view from the pass is one of the most extraordinary accessible from any standard Nepal teahouse circuit. Manaslu (8,163m) rises directly east the mountain you have been circling for over a week, now seen from its western aspect in full massif width. Annapurna II (7,937m) appears to the southwest. Himlung Himal (7,126m), Cheo Himal (6,820m), Kang Guru (6,981m), and dozens of lesser peaks form a continuous white horizon in every direction. This is the summit of the Manaslu Circuit in every sense altitude, panorama, and the particular satisfaction of standing at the highest point of a journey well walked.

The descent from the pass to Bimthang (3,720m) is long, steep, and rocky nearly 1,400m of descent on a trail that becomes less icy and more rocky as altitude drops. The descent reveals a completely new landscape the wide, open, glacially-carved basin of Bimthang with its dramatic views of Manaslu’s southwest face, Phungi Himal (6,538m), and Lamjung Himal (6,983m) appearing above the valley. Bimthang is one of the finest overnight stops on the entire circuit a wide alpine valley that feels like a reward after the demanding pass crossing. Walking time: 8–10 hours.

The long post-pass descent day a continuous descent of over 2,000m that takes you from the high alpine world of Bimthang back into the warm, forested, lower-altitude landscape of the Marsyangdi River system. The descent is long and the knees feel it by the end, but the ecological transition from high alpine to temperate to subtropical vegetation unfolding in reverse over the course of one walking day is one of the most visually dramatic natural experiences of the entire trek.

From Bimthang the trail drops through the broad alpine valley, passing the small settlement of Hampuk, and then enters increasingly dense forest as the altitude drops first rhododendron and birch, then oak and chestnut, then the warm, humid mixed forest of the lower Marsyangdi approach. The trail passes through Goa and the larger village of Tilje (1,700m) a Gurung community in the lower Marsyangdi valley where the subtropical warmth and the sound of running irrigation channels signal the return to a fully human, agricultural, warm-climate world.

The contrast with the glacier and the pass barely more than a day behind you is vivid and satisfying. Your body descends gratefully through the thickening air. Walking time: 6–7 hours.

The final walking day of the Manaslu Circuit and the road connection back to Kathmandu. From Tilje the trail makes a short, pleasant walk of 2–3 hours through the lower Marsyangdi valley passing through the villages of Thonje and arriving at Dharapani (1,860m) the junction point where the Manaslu Circuit trail connects with the Annapurna Circuit trail. The teahouses and trekkers of the Annapurna Circuit appear at Dharapani like an arrival at a busy crossroads after the relative solitude of the Manaslu trail.

From Dharapani, a private jeep arranged by your trekking company begins the road journey back to Kathmandu via Besisahar and the Prithvi Highway. The drive takes 6–8 hours depending on road and traffic conditions and follows the Marsyangdi River southward before joining the main highway westward toward Pokhara and then east to Kathmandu.

Back in Kathmandu, transfer to your hotel and enjoy the fully earned comforts of the city — a hot shower, a proper meal, and the particular satisfaction of having walked around an 8,000m mountain in its entirety. Walking time: 2–3 hours. Drive time: 6–8 hours.

A practical buffer day built into the itinerary for any road delays, weather disruptions, or logistics events affecting the return journey from Dharapani mountain road conditions in the Gorkha and Lamjung districts can occasionally be affected by seasonal landslides or local traffic events.

If your return went smoothly, you have a free day in Kathmandu use it for any of the UNESCO heritage sites you may not have visited, a cooking class, a massage, shopping in Thamel, or a day trip to Bhaktapur or Nagarkot. Our team transfers you to the international airport for your departure flight whenever your schedule requires.