A Complete Guide to Manaslu Circuit Trek
- Tuesday April 21, 2020
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The Manaslu Circuit trek is one of the best off-the-beaten-trail treks in Nepal. In one of Nepal’s remote and most isolated regions, Manaslu trekking offers you an immense trekking experience. This Manaslu Circuit Trek is located in the Manaslu Conservation Area that takes you to the foothill of the world’s 8th-highest peak. This trek is a perfect alternative for those travel enthusiasts who have conquered Annapurna Circuit or Everest Base Camp.
Manaslu Trekking is an adventurous journey filled with nature, culture, high altitudes, and unforgettable memories. It is a 15-day trek that starts at Soti Khola and ends at Beshi Sahar.
Manaslu Circuit Trek Highlights
- Explore the Manaslu region’s wildlife, flora, fauna, and beautiful landscape.
- Experience the Tibetan and Nepalese Cultures.
- Larke Pass (5167 meters) is the highest point of the trek.
- Trek to Manaslu Base Camp
- Get breathtaking views of Mount Manaslu, Ganesh Himal, and Hiunchuli.
- You may also get a glimpse of Tahr (Mountain Goat), Agali (Blue Sheep), Pika (Highest living Mammal), Himalayan Marmots, and also Snow Leopard.
Manaslu Circuit Trek Itinerary
If you are planning to do Manaslu Circuit trekking, you have multiple packages you can choose from with various itineraries. However, this 15-Days Manaslu Trekking itinerary is well-designed with one day of acclimatization. In addition, if you want to extend your Manaslu Circuit Trek further, you can make the side trip to Tsum Valley, which will take seven days, a 22-day trip.
You may extend your trek to longer days, but I highly recommend not doing that if you want to make it short. You may suffer from altitude sickness since you are going to such a high altitude. Moreover, taking more days for the trek is, of course, highly recommended and worthwhile.
Itinerary – A Complete Guide to Manaslu Circuit Trek
Day 1 Arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport Kathmandu
Day 2 Trekking preparation and Kathmandu Valley Sightseeing
Day 3 Drive to Soti Khola (710m/2,330ft) via Arughat (670m/2,198 ft) on private vehicle: 135km, 8-9 hrs drive
Day 4 Soti Khola to Macha Khola (890m/2,920ft) – about 14km, 6-7 hrs
Day 5 Macha Khola to Jagat (1340 M) – about 22km, 8-9 hrs
Day 6 Jagat to Deng (5,917 feet / 1,804 m) – about 21km, 8-9 hrs
Day 7 Deng to Namrung (2,660m/8,725ft) – about 12km, 6-7 hrs.
Day 8 Namrung to Samagaun (3,530m/11,578ft) – about 12km, 7-8 hrs
Day 9 Samagaun to Samdo (3,860m/12,660ft)- about 8km, 3-4 hrs
Day 10 Acclimatization Day in Samdo
Day 11 Samdo to Dharmasala, also known as Larke La base camp (4,460m/14,628ft)- about 7km, 3-5 hrs
Day 12 Dharmasala to Bhimtang (3,720m/12,201ft) via Larke La pass – about 12km, 7-9 hrs
Day 13 Bhimtang to Tilje(2300m) – about 16km, 6-7 hrs
Day 14 Tilje to Bagarchap (2160m) and drive Besisahar to Kathmandu – about 9hrs drive.
Day 15 Final Departure
Side trips You can do on your acclimatization day during the Manaslu Circuit Trek
• Pungent Monastery- base point Shyala or Sama Goan
• Birendra Lake and MBC- base Point Sama Goan.
• Tibet border – Rui La- base point Samdo is highly recommended to explore.
Manaslu Trek Permits and Cost
The Manaslu region is declared a restricted area. So, trekking in Manaslu requires three permits issued by the Department of Immigration. However, it needs to apply through the registered trekking agency. Also, you are not allowed to trek solo in this region. Two or more trekkers are required with a licensed trekking guide. Here are the details of the necessary Manaslu Trek permit with the cost.
The Manaslu permit fee for the Autumn Season (Sept – Nov)
• 100 U.S. dollars per week (an Additional 15 U.S. Dollars per day beyond a week).
The Manaslu permit fee for Winter, Spring, and Rainy seasons. (Dec – Aug)
• 75 U.S. Dollars per week (an Additional 10 U.S. Dollars per day beyond a week)
Conservation Area Permit fees
• MCAP (Manaslu Conservation Area Project): 3000 NRS.
• ACAP (Annapurna Conservation Area Project): 3000 NRS.
Furthermore, you need one more permit to extend your trip and do the Tsum Valley trek.
The Tsum Valley permit fee for the autumn season (September- November)
• 40 U.S. Dollars per person per week and $10 per day beyond a week.
The Tsum Valley Permit fee for the winter, spring, and summer seasons (December – August)
• USD 30 per person/week, USD 7 per person/day (beyond a week)
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Accommodation and Fooding during the Manaslu Trekking.
Manaslu Trek is a famous tea house-based trek in Nepal. You will be sleeping in teahouses throughout the trek with basic service. The washroom and Bathroom are usually shared and maybe outside of the teahouse. The rooms have no heater; the heating area is the dining area. Almost every teahouse on the trek offers food. However, the Manaslu Circuit Trek Accommodation is less comfortable than you experienced in the Annapurna and Everest region.
- Consumption of accommodation and eating services means paying directly to them, supporting the local economy.
- With local chat, let you know their lifestyle, culture, and tradition better and gain a better experience.
You will have three meals (Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner) a day in a local tea house that you can choose from the teahouse menu. If you are in a big group at that time, your Trekking Guide / Team leader will choose the food for you. Meals are generally available in Nepalese and continental on different tastes everyplace, but you have to eat the meals in the same tea house.
Manaslu Circuit Trek Transportation
The starting point of the Trek- Arughat (670m/2,198 ft) or Soti Khola (710m/2,330ft): is 135km from Kathmandu. Private Jeep takes about 8 hours, and 8 to 9 hours by the local bus. The first day of the trek is all an adventure ride off-road.
The endpoint of the Trek- You will be driving 6 hours from Tilje in a Jeep and Change it to another Jeep or local bus for about 7 hours to Kathmandu, or you can drive to Pokhara instead.
Best time to Trek the Manaslu Circuit
Generally, the best time to visit the Manaslu Trek is autumn (October – November) and spring (March – April). There is relatively stable weather in autumn, and we will find snow over 5,000 meters. The lush green forest and rhododendron will blossom during the spring season. But Manaslu trekking can do all year round.
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