Manaslu Circuit Trek Highlights
• Trek around Mount Manaslu (8,163 m), the world's eighth-highest mountain.
• Cross Larkya La Pass (5,106 m), the highest point of the trek.
• Visit mountain villages including Lho, Samagaun and Samdo.
• Walk through the Budhi Gandaki Valley, forests and alpine landscapes.
• Spend an acclimatization day in Samagaun, with optional day hikes.
• Stay in local mountain lodges and travel with an experienced trekking guide.
The Manaslu Circuit Trek takes you around Mount Manaslu (8,163 m) in the Gorkha district of Nepal. Our 14-day itinerary starts with a drive from Kathmandu to Machha Khola. From there, the trail follows the Budhi Gandaki River through villages, forests and mountain valleys before reaching the higher settlements of Samagaun and Samdo.
Along the way, you will stay in local teahouses and pass through villages influenced by Tibetan Buddhist culture. As you gain altitude, the forests gradually give way to open alpine landscapes.
The highest point of the trek is Larkya La Pass at 5,106 m. Crossing the pass is the longest and most demanding walking day, followed by a descent to Bimthang.
The itinerary includes an acclimatization day in Samagaun before continuing toward Samdo and Dharamsala. After crossing Larkya La, you walk from Bimthang to Tilije and continue to Dharapani. From Dharapani, a shared jeep takes you to Besisahar, where you spend the night before driving back to Kathmandu the following day.
Day 1: Drive from Kathmandu to Machha Khola
Duration: 7–8 hours | Altitude: 930 m
The trek begins with a long but scenic drive out of Kathmandu, following the Prithvi Highway before turning north toward the hills of Gorkha. The road winds alongside the Trishuli and Budhi Gandaki rivers, passing terraced farmland and small roadside villages. The last stretch into Machha Khola is rougher, so expect a bumpy final hour. This is your first night in a teahouse and a good chance to settle in before the walking starts.
Day 2: Machha Khola to Jagat
Duration: 6–7 hours | Altitude: 1,340 m
The real trekking begins here. The trail follows the Budhi Gandaki river closely, crossing several suspension bridges and passing through small Gurung settlements. You'll walk through forested sections and past waterfalls, with the valley narrowing as you gain height. Jagat is a stone-paved village and also the checkpoint where your permits are first verified.
Day 3: Jagat to Deng
Duration: 6–7 hours | Altitude: 1,860 m
The trail continues deeper into the gorge, crossing back and forth over the river on suspension bridges and climbing through pine forest. You'll pass the village of Philim, where the trail briefly splits toward Tsum Valley, before continuing on the main Manaslu route. The scenery starts to feel noticeably more remote from here.
Day 4: Deng to Namrung
Duration: 5–6 hours | Altitude: 2,630 m
This is a transition day, both in landscape and culture. As you climb, the trail moves from subtropical forest into cooler, pine-covered slopes, and you'll begin to notice Tibetan-Buddhist influence in the architecture, prayer flags, and mani walls. Namrung marks the entry into the upper Manaslu region and has one of the better-equipped villages on the route.
Day 5: Namrung to Lho
Duration: 4–5 hours | Altitude: 3,180 m
A shorter but steadily uphill day that offers your first real mountain views, including glimpses of Manaslu itself on clear mornings. Lho is a beautiful village with a large monastery and a stupa positioned perfectly for photographs, with Manaslu rising dramatically behind it.
Day 6: Lho to Samagaon
Duration: 3–4 hours | Altitude: 3,530 m
A relatively easy, shorter walking day, which helps with gradual acclimatization. Samagaon is the largest village in the upper Manaslu region and sits in a wide, open valley with excellent close-up views of Manaslu. You'll spend two nights here to acclimatize.
Day 7: Acclimatization Day in Samagaon
Altitude: 3,530 m
A rest day that isn't really about resting — it's about climbing higher during the day and sleeping lower at night, which helps your body adjust to the altitude. Most trekkers use this day for a side hike to Manaslu Base Camp or up to Pungyen Gompa, both offering spectacular close-range views of the mountain and its glaciers.
Day 8: Samagaon to Samdo
Duration: 3–4 hours | Altitude: 3,860 m
A shorter, gentler walking day through open alpine terrain and yak pastures. Samdo is one of the last permanent settlements on the route and has a strong Tibetan character, having historically been a trading point with Tibet, which lies just over the nearby ridgeline.
Day 9: Samdo to Dharamsala (Larkya Phedi)
Duration: 4–5 hours | Altitude: 4,460 m
The trail leaves the last of the villages behind and climbs into high alpine, glacial terrain. Vegetation thins out almost completely, and the landscape becomes rugged and open. Dharamsala (also called Larkya Phedi) is a basic, high-altitude lodge stop positioned specifically for the pass crossing the next morning.
Day 10: Dharamsala over Larkya La Pass to Bimthang
Duration: 8–9 hours | Altitude: 3,720 m (pass: 5,106 m)
The most demanding and most rewarding day of the trek. You'll start well before sunrise to cross the Larkya La Pass while winds are calmer and the snow is firmer underfoot. The climb to the top is steep and requires steady pacing, but the summit rewards you with sweeping views of Himlung Himal, Cheo Himal, and Kang Guru. The descent into Bimthang, on the Annapurna side of the pass, is long but drops you into a stunning alpine meadow framed by glaciers.
Day 11: Bimthang to Tilije (2,300)
Walking Time: Approximately 6–7 hours
Overnight: Mountain lodge in Tilije
After breakfast, leave Bimthang and follow the trail downhill through alpine pastures and rhododendron and pine forests. Cross the Dudh Khola and continue through Karche and Gho before reaching Tilije.
The route is mostly downhill, but some sections are steep and rocky. Stay overnight in Tilije.
Day 12: Tilije to Besisahar via Dharapani
Walking Time: Approximately 2 hours
Transport: Shared jeep from Dharapani to Besisahar
Overnight: Besisahar
After breakfast, walk from Tilije to Dharapani, passing through Thonje. The walk takes approximately two hours.
From Dharapani, take a shared jeep along the Marsyangdi Valley to Besisahar. The drive takes around 4–5 hours, depending on road conditions. Stay overnight in Besisahar.
Day 13: Drive from Besisahar to Kathmandu
Driving Time: Approximately 6–8 hours
Overnight: Kathmandu
After breakfast, travel from Besisahar to Kathmandu by road. The journey follows the Prithvi Highway, passing through riverside towns and hillside villages.
Arrive in Kathmandu and transfer to your hotel.
Day 14: Final Departure
Transfer to Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport for your departure flight, or connect onward to your next destination.
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The Manaslu Circuit Trek requires three main permits: the Manaslu Restricted Area Permit (RAP), the Manaslu Conservation Area Permit (MCAP) and the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP).
We arrange the required permits through our trekking company. The package includes the first seven days of the restricted-area permit. If additional restricted-area days are needed, the extra permit fee is payable separately.
For September to November, the restricted-area permit costs US$100 for the first week and US$15 for each additional day. Permit fees differ in other months.
This trek is rated moderate to challenging. It's not technical — there's no climbing gear involved — but it demands solid stamina and mental readiness for high-altitude trekking. Key difficulty factors:
Prior trekking experience is not mandatory, but a reasonable fitness level (able to walk 5–7 hours a day on hilly terrain) will make the experience far more enjoyable.
Yes. Fourteen days is the standard, well-tested itinerary length that includes proper acclimatization and a buffer day, making it a safer and more comfortable option than faster 10–11 day versions.
No prior technical experience is required, but a good base level of fitness is strongly recommended given the long daily walks and the high-altitude pass crossing.
The Manaslu Circuit is a challenging high-altitude trek because of the long walking days, changing terrain and the crossing of Larkya La Pass at 5,106 m. The highest sections also have basic mountain accommodation and limited facilities. A good level of fitness and proper acclimatization are important.
No. Because Manaslu is a legally restricted trekking area, a licensed guide is mandatory, and solo trekking is not permitted.
The Larkya La Pass, at 5,106 meters, is the highest point and the most physically demanding day of the trek
The trek requires the Manaslu Restricted Area Permit (RAP), Manaslu Conservation Area Permit (MCAP) and, for the route through the Annapurna Conservation Area, the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP). We arrange the required permits as part of the trekking service.
Our 14-day itinerary includes an acclimatization day in Samagaun, the Larkya La Pass crossing, the descent to Tilije and the road journey back to Kathmandu via Besisahar.
| No of person | Price |
|---|---|
| 2- 3 people | $ 1095 |
| 4-6 person | $1030 |
| 7-10 person | $995 |
| 11 - 15 person | $975 |
