Manaslu Circuit Trek – 16 Days

On arrival at Kathmandu, Nepal International Airport, check the Nepal Standard Time, which is 5 hours and 45 minutes ahead of GMT. Outside the air terminal, our staff from RP Adventures will greet and receive you for a short drive to your hotel. The hotel is located in the hub of Kathmandu. On arrival, check into your lovely circuit and Larke La Pass Trekking. After collecting all the useful information and trek details, a group welcome dinner in nice authentic Nepali restaurants was an introduction to Nepali foods and cultures.

A free day in Kathmandu allows for preparation for the treks and the enjoyment of a tour of Kathmandu and Nepal's famous landmarks. The Kathmandu Valley and its adjoining cities are rich in historical monuments listed as World Heritage Sites. Enjoy a tour of the Old Durbar Square, the ancient palace, and the royal courtyard, as well as a visit to the oldest Buddhist Stupa, Swayambhunath. Additionally, visit the famous Hindu temple of Pashupatinath and the large dome stupa of Bouddhanath. After an exciting tour, return to the hotel for the rest of the afternoon to prepare for the Manaslu Circuit Trek.

It was an interesting morning, quite long, covering 160 km (99 miles) to reach the start of the Manaslu Circuit Trek. The journey began on Nepal’s main highway for a few hours before diverting to the Dhading area. Reaching the district of Gorkha at Arughat Town, the drive continued on a rough country road, following the Buddhi Gandaki River upstream to Maccha-Khola for an overnight halt. After an exciting drive of more than 6 hours, transfer to a simple and nice lodge.

Enjoy the first day of trekking with long walks and interesting scenery, starting from Machha Khola after breakfast. The trail follows the river on a narrow path with short ascents and descents. After crossing the Tharo Khola to reach Khorla Besi, there is a short climb followed by a descent to Tatopani, a place with hot springs. The trail continues on a stone-paved staircase to Dovan. After Dovan, cross a bridge over the Yaru Khola and then climb above the river to Jagat, a nice, moderate village with many good lodges. This is also the main entrance to the Upper Manaslu Restricted Area of Nepal.

On leaving Jagat, walk through a sub-tropical forest, crossing over a few small streams. After a slow uphill climb past farm villages, reach a rocky ridge at Salleri, then descend to Sirdibas. The walk continues to the Ghatta Khola stream, crossing a bridge to reach the large Gurung village of Philim. Walk on a fairly level path to Ekle Bhatti, then descend into a gorge with grassy slopes. After crossing a stream, reach Deng, a nice village with a strong influence of Tibetan culture, where you will stay overnight in a simple, nice lodge.

From Deng, the morning walk leads over the Budhi Gandaki River and climbs to Bihi, a small place. The trail continues through the forest to reach the small village of Prok, passing by Buddhist prayer monuments along the way. Finally, you reach Namrung, a lovely village where you can enjoy a nice lodge accommodation with views of snow peaks.

After a pleasant stay in Namrung, I took a nice walk to Lo-Gaun, another lovely village. From Namrung, enjoy views of Sringi, Ganesh Himal, and Himal Chuli towards the south. The trail climbs through the forest to Lihi, a village with many stupas and terraces of barley and buckwheat. The trail then heads downhill across the valley. The trek continues past Sho village to reach Lho-Gaunfor an overnight stop. Situated amidst scenic landscapes of lovely pines and rhododendron forest, with views of Mt. Manaslu, Lho-Gaun offers a nice lodge where you can check in, with time to explore the village and Ribung Monastery.

In the morning, enjoy a moderate and scenic walk to the main village of Samagaun. The trail includes short ascents and descents to Shyala. Before reaching Sama-Gaun, the trail offers views of Manaslu, Himal Chuli, and Peak 29 (Ngadi Chuli), along with the glaciers of the Mt. Manaslu massif. Finally, end the day by reaching Sama-Gaun and staying overnight in a nice, cozy lodge.

Sama-Gaun rest day for acclimatization and excursion. Enjoy a free day at Sama-Gaun, the perfect height for acclimatization before reaching Larke La Pass. After a good breakfast, spend the day exploring Samagaun. For those interested, take a hike up to the old Pungyen Gompa, a monastery with dramatic views of the glacier, and visit the glacial pond of Birendra Tal.

Enjoy the morning walk to Dharmasala (Larke Phedi), the base of Larke La Pass, on this short-day trek. The trail follows the end of the Manaslu Valley and the Gorkha district, leading to a wooden bridge. After crossing the bridge, there is a short climb over streams with views of the Larke Peak Glacier. The walk continues to Salka Khola and then climbs to Dharmasala. Arrive in time for lunch and an overnight stop, marking the last of the Manaslu areas before reaching the Manang district. Spend the rest of the afternoon at leisure, enjoying a short hike and marveling at the grand views of snow-clad peaks.

A big day of adventure begins with rising early for breakfast and packing a lunch. Start the cool morning climb to Larke La Pass, passing glacial ponds and ascending steeply toward the northern side of the Larke Glacier. Enjoy views of Cho Danda and Larke Peak along the way. After hours of climbing, reach the top of Larke La Pass. From the summit, take in the breathtaking panorama of Himlung Himal, Cheo Himal, and Annapurna II, III, and IV.

Descend from the pass, past Cheo Danda to Larcia, and then continue to the bottom of Larke La Pass. Enjoy a lovely walk-through dense rhododendron and pine forests to Bhimthang. This picturesque place, set in a green pasture amidst the forest, offers the comfort of a nice lodge. After a long and challenging day's trek, relax and enjoy the adventure.

To make the walk shorter after the long, tough trek the previous day, you’ll walk for 3–4 hours to reach Gho. Start the morning with lovely views of the peaks, then descend through dense woods with a few short ascents. After hours of good walking, arrive in Gho for lunch and an overnight halt. Gho is a small settlement nestled within a dense forest of pines and rhododendron trees.

Leave Dharapani early in the morning to cover over 8 hours of driving, covering a distance of 235 km (146 miles). The drive starts on a rough, hilly road for about 50 km to reach the large town of Besisahar in the Lamjung district. From Besisahar, continue on a good road that joins the Pokhara and Kathmandu highways at Dumre. Proceed on the busy highway to Mugling Bazaar, following the Trisuli River for a few hours. The road then climbs towards the Kathmandu valley rim. From the top, it takes an hour or less to reach Kathmandu and return to your hotel.

On the last day in Kathmandu and Nepal, it’s time for your international flight. Our RP Adventures guides and staff will transfer you to the airport, where you’ll bid them farewell. Afterward, enter the airport terminal for your homeward-bound flight, concluding your memorable adventure on the Manaslu Circuit Trek & Larke La Pass Trek.