A1 Trek

Manaslu Circuit Trek Route, Culture and Geography


Manaslu Circuit Trek Route

Mt. Manaslu Circuit Trek Route is one of the most exciting and enjoyable high-altitude walks in harmony with picturesque scenery. An adventure from low farm areas to cooler hills covered in lovely woods, lined with rhododendron, firs, and pine trees. Follow the raging Budi Gandaki River to its glacial source at high scenic Manaslu valley near Sama Gaon. Located en route to Mt. Manaslu Base Camp and Larke-La Pass, as well as the border of Nepal & Tibet.

Mt. Manaslu Circuit Trek Route is the most spectacular, once a forbidden country that was opened to outside visitors in 1992. A Restricted Area of Nepal, where trekkers require a special permit to enter the enchanting country of Upper Manaslu.

Truly a great adventure traversing from one beautiful area of the upper Gorkha district around the Manaslu Himalayas to scenic Manang areas. Manaslu Circuit Trek difficulty, Culture, and Geography information will be provided by our company A One Trek. It is a very interesting and wonderful thing around the Manaslu region.

A complete trek of much uphill facing a stupendous panorama of the Mid-West Himalayas from Ganesh, Lamjung, and Annapurna with the Manaslu range.

Besides delightful scenery on walks, trekkers can enjoy exploring traditional villages adorned with age-old heritage. It is festooned with Buddhist prayer monuments and monasteries in the backdrop of the majestic Mount Manaslu.

The Routs & Altitude of Manaslu Circuit:

Total distance of approx. 180 kilometer/112 miles on treks only. Drive from Kathmandu to Machha-Khola via Arughat and Soti-Khola.

Now trekkers can enjoy a long-distance drive from Kathmandu, reaching the low warm farm areas of the Gorkha district. In the early days, most Mount Manaslu Circuit treks started in the town of Arughat at 561 m. A low sub-tropical heavily farmed country, present a few years back, motorable tracks have reached as far as Machha-Khola. Past the village of Soti-Khola, a total distance of 138 km or 80 miles, using a short via Dhading district. Most trekkers stay overnight at Machha-Khola after a long drive of 7-8 hours from Kathmandu.

Situated at an altitude of 900 m high, near a fresh running stream, the word Machha-Khola means a fishing stream. Manaslu Circuit trek difficulty level is moderate and challenging. for the beginners, it is very difficult. Experienced hikers can trek to Manaslu Circuit or Manaslu Tsum Valley trek.   

Jagat village:

The walk leads on pleasant following the Budi Gandaki River for a few hours reaching Tatopani, (hot spring). Then head high to mid-hills at Jagat village after 6 hours of good walks. Jagat is a nice moderate-sized village at 1,350 m / 4,429 feet high. Which is also the entrance and checkpoint to high areas of Upper Manaslu. 

At Jagat, your special permit and MCAP (Manaslu Conservation Area Project) will be checked. A place with nice simple lodges and guest houses for trekkers' comfort. 

Deng:

Leave Jagat village and enter the restricted areas of Upper Gorkha around high Manaslu. The trail leads along scenic sides of Ghatta and Deng Khola / streams and takes about 6 hours to Deng. A distance of 21 k.m. for the first overnight in restricted areas of the Upper Manaslu area. 

Namrung:

It's a lovely walk with a steep uphill walk to Namrung, as elevation gains from 2,660 m to the small village of Namrung. Enjoy an overnight stay in the comfort of a nice lodge facing views of Mt. Manaslu. After covering a distance of 19 km.

Lho-Gaon:

A short distance walk from Namrung to the beautiful village of Lho-Gaon takes about 5 hours covering 11 km. One of the largest and most lovely and scenic villages amidst pine woods with views of Mt. Manaslu North Face. 

Take time in Lho-Gaon to explore the village festooned with prayer flags, Buddhist monuments, and a monastery. The Gaon is above 3,280 m high within scenic surroundings.

Sama-Gaon:

From Lho Gaon, enjoy a pleasant overnight in a nice lodge facing grand views of snow peaks with Mt. Manaslu. The trail covers about 18 k.m. distance from Lho-Gaon to Sama-Gaon at 3,530 m / 11,581 feet. A major village in Upper Manaslu. 

As well as the route to Manaslu base, camp, and Larke-La pass, the walk leads through the nice village of Shyala. Overlooking magnificent views of Manaslu, Cheo Himal with an array of peaks.

Sama-Gaon, enjoy a rest day for acclimatization:

Enjoy a free day at Sama-Gaon before reaching higher ground and towards Larke-La Pass. A wonderful place to explore the local immense culture of Buddhism religion and visit an interesting Pungyen monastery.          

Samdo village. Leaving Sama Gaon towards a higher elevation, from Sama-Gaon onwards tree lines disappear for windswept terrain. Reaching Samdo village at 3,690 m high covering a distance of 16 k.m. or 10 miles.

Samdo is another large and last village in the Gorkha and Manaslu areas, where the route leads to the Tibet border.

Dharmasala:

From Samdo walk to the end of Manaslu Valley for the last overnight stop around the district of Gorkha. Dharmasala is also called Larke Phedi, the walk covers a distance of 12 k.m. from Samdo. A pleasant walk on a gradual path through a series of Mani walls with a short climb to Dharmasala, taking about 4 hours. Cross Larke-La Pass to Bhimthang.

Early morning starts to cross the highest point of the adventure. The trail follows a steep up to Larke-La Pass at 5,106 m high, facing a breathtaking panorama of snow peaks.

Enjoy the views of the whole Manaslu Himalaya range with the peaks of Annapurna and Damodar Himal. The long downhill trip to Bhimthang to overnight around Manang district covering a distance of 24 k.m. of more than 8 hours of walking. Bhimthang at 3,890 m, is a lovely settlement surrounded by pine and rhododendron tree lines with several good lodges.

Tilje from Bhimthang:

A long day walk but easy on a gradual downhill with a few short ups, the trail amidst beautiful rhododendrons and pine forests. Walk to Tilje, a nice village close to the end of the trek to Dharapani, a distance of 17 km. taking more than 6 hours of enjoyable walks reaching Tilje at 2,300 m / 7,546 feet. 

Last day walk to Dharapani village.

Last day walk of the adventure from Tilje to Dharapani village distance of 8 k.m. Almost 3-4 hours of trekking. Dharapani, at 1,669 m / 5,476 feet, stands above the Masryangdi River. Located on the main popular trail of Annapurna Circuit on the motorable road having nice good lodges for overnight halts.

Time permitting, you can take a drive further down to Besisahar town to make it a shorter drive to Kathmandu the next day. Which is about 186 km to Kathmandu from Besisahar, and from Dharapani it will be more than 221 km.

Interested trekkers with more time in Nepal can extend their trip to the hidden Tsum Valley. Requires a week to be included on the Mount Manaslu Circuit trek an extra distance of 70 k.m. Cover all the best in Tsum Valley and then join Manaslu Circuit near Namrung village.

HISTORY, CULTURE & RELIGION AROUND MANASLU TREK:

Trekkers will be amazed to observe the rich culture of Upper Manaslu from Jagat village onwards to Dharapani village. Dominated by Buddhism religion of age-old heritage traditions similar to its Tibetan predecessors across the border.

Every large village from Lho and Sama-Gaon with Samdo to Tilje and Dharapani is adorned with Buddhist monuments. Marked with colorful prayer flags in every house, bridge, and on top of Larke-La Pass.

The name Manaslu, although a Sanskrit word that means soul and spirit of a god, in the local language is called Kutang. This means a flourishing country for yielding high-altitude crops and raising livestock.

Mt. Manaslu is listed as the world's 8th highest peak at 8,163 m / 26,781 feet, the first ascent by Japanese Expeditions. With the support and guidance of Nepalese Mountaineers Gyalzen Norbu Sherpa on May 9th, 1956.

Food and Accommodation in Manaslu Trek

From the start to the end of trekking most lodges on the route are simple and basic lodges and guest houses. The food and accommodation in Manaslu Circuit Trek are similar to the Manaslu Tsum Valley Trek which Provides nice clean rooms with mostly common baths and toilets. Needs to carry your sleeping bags for your comfort, and the food is served in a big warm dining room. Having a big iron stove to heat the dining room and to enjoy dinner. The food in many lodges serves a wide range of food menus from Nepali famous Dal-Bhat and Tibetan. Includes Chinese, Continental, and Indian food and snacks, some larger village lodge also serves fresh bakery products.

But at Dharmasala or Larke Phedi, the lodges are few for hundreds of trekkers during high season. Sometimes trekkers have to spend overnights in tents on the lodge premises, while food is served according to the menu.

For electricity facilities to charge electronic gadgets, most lodges have hydroelectricity power. But in some places like Dharmasala, and Bhimthang the lodges have solar power. Wi-Fi and internet connections are available in Dharmasala, Bhimthang, and Dharapani villages. After crossing the Larkey Pass, you will enrich the Annapurna Region which is a very popular trekking Destination in Nepal. from the Dharapani the route heading up to Mnanang for Annapurna Circuit TrekTilicho Lake with Mesokanto pass trek, and Nar-phu trek. 

But due to bad weather, with a cloudy afternoon, the internet line got disturbed and interrupted in some high areas. The internet and local cell phone lines get obstructed, around deep gorges and valleys, blocked by high hills and mountains.

For charging every item, you need to pay a fee per hour basis, as well as using hot showers and bathing.

Latest Travel Blogs

Join our Newsletter

Sign up to stay updated with latest offers, recent events and more news.
Art representing various natural and cultutal heritages of Nepal