1. Trekking around Manaslu (8,163 m) - the eighth highest peak in the world.>
2. Panoramic and close by view of the mountains.
3. Trekking in a less crowded route.
4. Trekking along the wild and ferocious Budhi Gandaki river.
5. Enjoying the rich flora and fauna diversity of mid Nepali hills.
TRIP INTRODUCTION
Manaslu (8,163 m) is the eight highest mountain in the world. It is also one of the most difficult to scale, thus getting the notorious nickname - Killer Mountain. It is one of the most beautiful Himalayan peaks. The trek around Manaslu provides a experience of a lifetime.
Manaslu is also one of the lesser traveled trekking routes. It attracts far less trekkers compared to Everest Trek and Annapurna Trek.
Trekking in the region was opened in 1992. Most part of the trek lies in conserved area and you will need to take permission from the government before starting your trek.
We will start our trek from Soti Khola in Gorkha district. We will drive to Soti Khola from Kathmandu. If it’s rainy then the way to Soti Khola will be inaccessible for vehicles. We will thus have to start our trek from Arughat, which will add one extra day to our itinerary.
Beautiful villages of the Gurung and Ghale people lies on our trekking route. Monasteries and prayer flags create a mystic atmosphere during your stay in the villages. The travel to Larkya Pass at 5,420 m is a thrilling experience. The all round view of the mountains is spectacular from Larkya Pass.
Best Season: September to December and February to May.
Important Notes and Safety Concerns
We prioritize your safety all the time while traveling with Ambition Himalaya Treks & Expeditions. We want our valuable guests and staffs to be safe thus we have given full authority to your tour leaders to modify, cancel or update any part of the itinerary if it is considered necessary due to safety concerns. Ambition Himalaya promises that we will do our best to stick with planned itinerary. However, natural disasters, weather disturbances, health conditions or any other mishap may force us to change the planned itinerary and we hope you understand these concerns. Our leaders will give you necessary information and discuss with you before changing the itinerary.
Day to Day Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Kathmandu, transfer to hotel
Accommodation : Hotel and Lodge 1,300 m/4,265 ft
You will land at the Tribhuvan international airport, where you will be picked up by our representatives. They will transfer you to your hotel in a private vehicle. You will freshen up and get some rest after you reach your hotel room. You will enjoy a traditional Nepali complimentary meal with our team in the evening. Our team, including the company General Manager and guides, will accompany you for dinner, which will take place at a typical Nepali restaurant. You can enjoy musical and cultural show after dinner.
Day 2: Free day and Trek Preparation
Accommodation : Hotel and Lodge
Today is a free day rest and reserved for trek preparation . We will brief you about the upcoming tour and introduce you with the trek team in the morning. You will shop for trek essentials in the evening. All items necessary while trekking are found in the market nearby your hotel.
Day 3: Drive to Soti Khola
Accommodation : Hotel and Lodge Maximum Altitude : 820 m/2,690 ft Time : 8-9 hours
We have a long day’s drive ahead so we will start early. The first part of the drive, up to Dhading Besi – the district headquarter of Dhading, is on a black topped road but the drive from Dhading Besi to Arughat Bazaar is on off-road. Arughat Bazaar is an old trading outpost in the region. If the weather is bad we might need to start our trek from here. If it’s not rainy then we can drive up to Soti Khola. We will enjoy the view of typical Nepali countryside throughout our journey. We will rest in Soti Khola overnight.
Day 4: Soti Khola to Machha Khola
Accommodation : Hotel and Lodge Maximum Altitude : 900 m/2,952 ft Time : 6-7 hours
We will be trekking to Machha Khola today. We will mostly walk on the banks of the Budhi Gandaki river during today’s trek. Difficult and narrow ridges above the river constitute our trekking trails for the first few hours. We will reach a place called Khursane after a difficult up and down walk in the early part of the morning. We will enjoy the view of two beautiful waterfalls near Khursane. We will then enter deep Sal forests that are full of chirping birds and wild animals. The Gurung village of Lapu Besi lies on our road. We will reach Machha Khola after 6-7 hours of trek.
Day 5: Machha Khola to Jagat
Accommodation:Hotel and Lodge Maximum Altitude: 1,260 m/4,133 ft Time :5-6 hours
Our target for today’s trek is Jagat. We will first encounter Khorla Besi, a small typical Gurung village. We will cross a river named Thado Khola before reaching Khorla Besi. Thado Khola means steep river in Nepali. There is a natural hot spring, Tatopani, ahead of Khorla Besi. We will enjoy the hot spring for a while and then trek further to cross another river named Yaru Khola. We will then reach a place called Thado Bhanjyang. We will once again need to cross the Budhi Gandaki river as we move ahead from Thado Bhanjyang. We will walk along its shores before reaching the beautiful village of Jagat in the evening.
Day 6: Jagat to Deng
Accommodation:Hotel and Lodge Maximum Altitude : 1,860 m/6,102 ft Time : 6-7 hours
We will be trekking to Deng today. The first part of the trek will see us climbing a rocky ridge to reach Salleri. We will then descend to a place called Sirdibas from Salleri. The small trail to Sirdibas keeps getting larger and widens into a valley as we reach Ghatta Khola. There are numerous waterfalls on the road ahead. We will encounter Phillim, a large village of the Gurung people, on our way. The road is full of streams that flows into the Budhi Gandaki river. We will reach Deng after crossing a gorge made by the Budhi Gandaki river. Deng is a small Gurung village.
Day 7: Deng to Namrung
Accommodation:Hotel and Lodge Maximum Altitude : 2,540 m/8,333 ft Time :6-7 hours
We will trek to Namrung today. We will first reach the Rana hilltop. We will then go slowly down and walk along the Budhi Gandaki valley. We will cross the river on many occasions and reach Namrung after a walk of 6-7 hours. We will go to Namrung via a village named Prok. Prok offers stunning view of the Siringi mountains. Namrung is a Buddhist village. There are many shrines and Gumbas on the road leading to Namrung. Prayer flags and chants welcome you to Namrung village, where you will stay overnight.
Day 8: Namrung to Samagaon
Accommodation:Hotel and Lodge Maximum Altitude : 3,390 m/11,122 ft Time : 4-5 hours
We will wake up early and enjoy the beautiful view of the Siringi, Ganesh and Himchuli mountains. We will resume our trek after breakfast. Our target for today is Samagaon. We will cross the Rupinala pass, from where we will enjoy the wonderful view of Manaslu, Gorkha, Saula and Lajing mountains. We will walk past Sama village, which houses the Ribung Monastery. Before reaching Sama village, we will reach a village named Shyala. Shyala is also a great mountain watching point as it offers stunning sights of the Ganesh, Himchuli, Ngadi (Peak 29) and Manaslu peaks. We will walk along the Budhi Gandaki river and reach Samagaon in the evening.
Day 9: Acclimatization in Samagaon
Accommodation:Hotel and Lodge
Today is a day reserved for rest and acclimatization. We will explore Samagaon and its rich Sherpa culture. People practice Buddhism and there are many monasteries and shrines in the village, including the famous Pungyen Gompa. The monastery is named after mount Manaslu. Pungyen means bracelet in the language of the locals and describes the shape of Manaslu and surrounding peaks. The shrine offers splendid view of the Manaslu glacier. It is believed by the locals that the monastery holds supernatural powers and it is that power which prevented the first few attempts to scale the mountain peak in the 1950s.
Day 10: Samagaon to Samdo
Accommodation:Hotel and Lodge Maximum Altitude :3,890 m/12,762 ft Time :4-5 hours
We will trek to the village of Samdo today. Samdo village lies just four kilometers from the northern border of Nepal and Tibet. We will meet the Budhi Gandaki river again. We will meet a divergence as we move ahead. The road to the left leads to the Manaslu Base Camp whereas the road to the right leads to the Larkya La Pass. We will take the one on the right. The vegetation starts to change from sub tropical to alpine. Samdo village provides wonderful view of the Samdo, Manaslu, Nagdi Chuli (Peak 29) and the Simang mountains.
Day 11: Samdo to Dharamsala
Accommodation:Hotel and Lodge Maximum Altitude : 4,460 m/14,632 ft Time : 3-4 hours
We will begin a short but strenuous hike to Dharmasala today. We will first cross two little streams on our way. We will see Larkya glacier from a close by range throughout our journey. We will walk through the valley of river Salka and reach a small stone inn at the end of our journey. The inn is at the base of the Larkya La Pass. Dharmasala means inn in Nepali and hence the name of the place. The Larkya Phedi or the base of the Larkya La Pass is at a distance of about four hours from Samdo. We will spend the night at the inn.
Day 13: Bhimtang to Tilje
Accommodation:Hotel and Lodge Maximum Altitude : 1,430 m/4,760 ft Time : 6-7 hours
Today is the last day of our trek. We will leave behind the village of Tilije and aim for Chyamje. Immediately after we leave Tilje, we will cross the Dudh Koshi river via a suspension bridge. We will keep climbing steeply upward until we reach Thonje. The uphill road to Thonje is full of Mani walls and prayer flags. We will continue our journey and cross the Marsyangdi river as we move ahead. We will meet trekkers on the Annapurna Circuit route when we reach a place called Dharapani. We will keep walking further until we reach Chyamje, where we rest overnight. The last part of the trek passes through green subtropical forests.
Day 15: Drive to Besisahar and Kathmandu
Accommodation:Hotel and Lodge
We will board on a vehicle waiting for us at Chyamje and head for Kathmandu after breakfast. We will first reach Besisahar, the district headquarter of Lamjung. The road follows the Marsyangdi river – which is a glacial melt. The section of road between Chyamje and Besishar is somewhat rough. The road is black topped and comfortable from Besisahar to Kathmandu. We will pass through green hills, swirling rivers and typical Nepali village on our way to Kathmandu.
Day 16: Departure
We will bid you goodbye with a small traditional ceremony marking your departure. Our representatives will drop you off at the Tribhuvan International Airport, from where you will head back to your destination. You also have the option of extending your journey but it comes at extra pay.
Inclusion
Transportation
By car and Bus
Accommondations
Hotel and lodge
Food
Breakfast , Dinner
Read in details what’s included and what’s not included.
What’s Included
Airport pickup and drop services by private vehicle
Local shared bus to Sotikhola (Optional private jeep available with extra cost)
Local shared bus to Kathmandu (Optional private jeep available with extra cost)
Accommodation in Kathmandu as per the itinerary / with complimentary breakfast
All required trekking permits and necessary paper works
Meals on full board 3 meals per day during the trek [Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner]
Accommodation in lodge during the trek
Trekking Guide [English speaking, eco-friendly, Government licensed, Ministry of Tourism Trained, First Aid Trained] with salary, foods, accommodation, transportation and insurances
Assistant trekking guide for groups over 6 people with meals, accommodation, salary and insurance
Strong porters [1 porter shared between 2 paying people] with porter salary, foods, accommodation, transportation and insurances
Down jacket, sleeping bag, trekking map, Ambition Himalaya T-shirt and Duffel Bag [Down jacket, sleeping bag and duffel bag have to be returned after completing the trek]
First aid medications / medicines with the guide
Necessary paper works, government and local taxes, company service charges
Complementary welcome or farewell dinner in Kathmandu at a typical Nepali restaurant
Pre-trip meeting before trip in Kathmandu
worst case rescue and medical evacuation arrangements
Certificate of Achievement signed by director of the company and your guide
International Airfares, Visa Fees,($ 30 for 15 days, $ 50 for 30 days and $ 125 for 90 days) Travel and Rescue Insurance, Emergency Evacuation
Bars and Beverage bills, hot and cold drinks, mineral water, hot shower, telephone bills, laundry
Extra activities than mentioned in the itinerary, extra porter charges
Lunch and Dinner in Kathmandu [Meals not included also in the cases of early returns from the trips]
Extra accommodation caused due to early arrival, flight delays, natural disasters etc.]
Costs arising from natural calamities, mishaps or anything beyond our control (Costs are not refundable and transferable in any mean if you leave the trek voluntarily and want to return from the trek)
Tips / Gratitude for Guides and Porters
Any services not mentioned in Service Includes Section unless specified on booking of the trekking
Equipment you need to bring
Pair of trek boot, sleeping bag, down jacket, pullovers, neck scarf for evening/night/morning.
Sun hat and casual warm clothes for day.
Some pairs of good quality socks, slippers, suntan lotions, personal medications etc.
Want to change this itinerary and create your own private experience? We will help you customize your holiday.
If you are not physically fit enough, then this trek should be very difficult for you. Otherwise, it isn’t as difficult as it seems. With plenty of days for acclimatization and short walks you should be able to cope up with the demanding altitude. You also need to be physically fit enough to enjoy this trek because the route has several steep descents and ascents.
It’s been a great experience trekking the Manaslu Circuit . Our guide was more than helpful, we enjoyed his company tremendously. He kept us safe, answered all our questions and was like a friend to us. Everything was taken care of for us and we could focus on admiring the beutiful views Manaslu has to offer.
When in Nepal, I highly recommend using Ambition himalaya. I’ll be sure to do it again.
It’s been a great experience trekking the Manaslu Circuit . Our guide was more than helpful, we enjoyed his company tremendously. He kept us safe, answered all our questions and was like a friend to us. Everything was taken care of for us and we could focus on admiring the beutiful views Manaslu has to offer.
When in Nepal, I highly recommend using Ambition himalaya. I’ll be sure to do it again.