Manaslu Circuit Trek – 18 Days

Itinerary

Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu (1,350m/4,428ft)
Once you land at Tribhuvan International Airport, you will be picked up by our representative who will drop you off at the hotel. Overnight in Kathmandu.

Day 02: Kathmandu: sightseeing and trek preparation
After breakfast, you will be taken on a guided tour to the most spiritual and popular attractions in Kathmandu. Some of these attractions are even included in the list of World Heritage Sites. Witness the brilliant Kathmandu Durbar Square, the holy Hindu temple of Pashupatinath, the renowned ‘Monkey Temple’ (Swayambhunath), and one of the largest stupas in the world-Bouddhanath. Overnight in Kathmandu.

Day 3: Drive from Kathmandu to Sotikhola (710m/2328 ft) 8 – 9 hours
We leave for Sotikhola today enjoying beautiful views of the countryside and the mountain sceneries. Overnight in SotiKhola.

Day 4: Soti Khola – MacchaKhola (900m/2952 ft) 6 – 7 hours
Our trek begins today. We set off after crossing a suspension bridge unto beautiful Sal forests, then ascent a ridge above the mighty Budi Gandaki River. We make our way up toKhursanefrom where we push further past two tropical waterfalls on a steep, rocky trail clinging to the side of a cliff. The trail then descends down past a few rice terraces and soon rises Labubesi, a Gurung village. From there we ascent behind a rocky outcrop, where the valley opens up and the Budhi Gandaki meanders among wide gravel bars. We then climb down to the river bed, walk along rounded stones and climb over a side ridge. We again descent to the river, cross another suspension bridge and make our way towardsMachhaKhola village. Overnight in MachhaKhola.

Day 5: MacchaKhola -Jagat (1410m/ 4625 ft) 6 – 7 hrs
We leave MacchaKhola and walk along a narrow trail moving up and down until we come across a small Hotspring in Tatopani. From here, we ascend a ridge, cross a suspension bridge over the Budhi Gandaki and make our way up to Dobhan. We cross a bridge over the YaruKhola, climb some stone stairs, drop down to the river and climb some more to reach TharoBharyang. From here, we cross another bridge ascent ridge and make our way up to Jagat. Overnight in Jagat.

Day 6: Jagat – Deng (1,804m/5917 ft) 6 – 7 hrs
We set off today with a climb over a ridge to Salleri where we are welcomed by an amazing view of the Manaslu Mountain. We then move down to Sirdibas. The valley opens up a bit as we move up to GhattaKhola. We walk upstream to reach a suspension bridge at Philim, a Gurung settlement. A short walk from there we reach Ekle Bhatti. From here we ascend a steep gorge and then move down, cross the  Budi Gandaki, trek along the river and make our way through Bamboo forests to reach Deng.

Day 7: Deng – Namrung (2630m/8626ft) 6 – 7 hrs
A short walk from Deng, we reachRanagaon. Here, we climb uphill to BihiPhedi. We then descend towards the Budi Gandaki and continue walking along the bank of the River to Ghap. From Ghap, we climb our way up toNamrung. Experience brilliant views of Ganesh, Himalchuliat Namrung and during the trail. Overnight in Namrung.

Day 8: Namrung – Samagaon (3530m/11,578 ft) 6-7 hours
We make our way from Namrung through a scenic trail with magnificent views of mighty Himalayan giants like DwijenHimal, SaulaHimal, Manaslu Mountain, Rupinala pass, Lajing peak. We also pass through beautiful monasteries as we make our way towards the Lho village. A short walk of a few hours from Lho takes us to Samagaon where panoramic views of the great Himalayan Mountains await us. Overnight at Samagaon.

Day 9: Samagaon – Pungyengompa – Samagaon: 6 – 7 hours
Today, we explore the surrounding areas of Samagoan for acclimatization. We get to learn about the Sherpa lifestyle and culture while enjoying the sight of thousands of mani stones with Buddhist texts. We make a visit to the PungyenGompa, an ancient monastery. There we can enjoy great views of the glacier. Overnight in Samagaon.

Day 10: Samagaon – Samdo [3860m/12,660 ft]: 4 – 5 hours
Today, we leave Samagaon and head for Samdo. We first descend to the Budi Gandaki River. We move through the valley to reach Samdo. The village offers beautiful views of Manaslu, Samdo, Nagdichuli and Manaslu glacier. Stay overnight in camp. Overnight in Samdo.

Day 11: Rest and Acclimatization Day in Samdo
Today, we rest and acclimatize. We will also explore areas surrounding Samdo. We get to choose between two options – Hike up to a valley directly up Samdo and back or take a trip to Gya La. We recommend the first option. The hike leads us to one of the trade passes to Tibet where marvelous views of Mt. Manaslu along with other Himalayan ranges including Simran, Hiunchuli, Ngadi, Larkye Peak, Cheo can be seen.  We also can spot the Lophophorus, Lammergeyer and Himalayan Griffin en route. The other option of hiking to the Gya La, a more regularly used trading route to Tibet, is longer and can be exhausting. Overnight in Samdo.

Day 12: Samdo – Dharamsala/Larkya B. C. (4460m/14, 628 ft) 4 – 5 hours
We descend from Samdo village, cross a bridge over the Budi Gandaki and climb upwards while enjoying views of the Larkya Glacier. We make our way around the valley and then climb up towards Dharmasala. Overnight in Dharmasala.

Day 13: Dharamsala – Larkya la [5160m/16, 924 ft] – Bimthang (3720m/12, 201 ft) 8 – 9 hours
We set off early from Dharmashala towards the base of Larkya La Pass. After an arduous climb, we reach to the summit of Larkya La Pass. The summit offers extraordinary views ofHimlung Mountain, Annapurna II Mountain, Kangurung and Cheo Mountain. From the summit, we descend towards Bhimtang where spectacular views of Manaslu and Lamjung Mountains await us.

Day 14: Bimthang – Tilije (2300m/7544ft) 5 – 6 hours
After a good breakfast, we move down towards the Surke River. We then ascent on a trail through pine forest, to reach the Dudhkoshi River. We move further moving in and out of Dharapani, passing through Gho village to ultimately reach the Tilje village. Overnight in Tilje.

Day 15: Tilije – Tal (1700m/5576 ft) 5 – 6 hours
We leave Tilije climbing a small ridge on a stone trail passing through a pretty village. We make our way up to a bridge overDudhKhola. After crossing the bridge we pass a mani wall to reach Thonje village. From here, we continue towards Dharapani, pass throughKarte village and after a brief walk across a bridge over MarshyangdiKhola. We reach Tal passing through a mani wall en route. Overnight in Tal.

Day 16: Tal – Syange (1080m/3542 ft) 6 – 7 hours
We cross the MarshyangdiKholafollowing the trail to Chyamje. We soon find ourselves descending through rhododendron  and pine forests to reach Syange. Overnight in Syange.

Day 17: Syange – Kathmandu: 8-9 hours
Today, we head back to the capital via Besisahar. A short walk from Syange through Bulbule and Khudileads us to Besisahar. From here we begin our drive to Kathmandu. A farewell dinner is arranged to celebrate your successful trip in the Manaslu region. Overnight in Kathmandu.

Day 18: Final departure
This is it, your last day in Nepal. It’s time to say goodbye, but we hope we’ll meet again! Our representative will escort you to the airport.