Manaslu Annapurna Circuit Trek

You’re in Kathmandu, the beginning of your trek up the Manaslu and Annapurna. Once you arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport, you will be met by the team and a private car will be provided to take you to the hotel. From the airport to the hotel is typically a brief trip (depending on the traffic).

After you have checked in, you can relax following your international trip or take some time to meander around the area if you have time. A great chance to meet your guide and get ready for the trek.

Our crew will ensure the proper preparations are made before the trip the following morning.

It starts with a long drive from Kathmandu towards Machha Khola. We shall proceed on the road towards Arughat and then by shared jeep to the starting point of the trek, Machha Khola. The trail goes through river valleys, hills, terraced farmland and rural villages.

This is a long ride, depending on the conditions on the road, especially after Arughat. The entire ride will usually take about 8-9 hours, depending on traffic and road conditions.

On arrival in Machha Khola, you will stay in a teahouse and take a rest. The walking part of the Manaslu Circuit starts the next morning.

We leave Machha Khola at breakfast time and walk in the Budhi Gandaki Valley. The path winds through the river in places and climbs up suspension bridges and then through small villages.

There are a few easy ups and downs, some rocks and a few uneven surfaces on the route. The track remains more mountainous and the surrounding villages smaller as it goes on.

After some 6-7 hours of walking, the place of Jagat is reached. This is an integral part of the Manaslu Trail, which is a definite transition as one enters the Manaslu restricted area.

The trail today continues further down the Budhi Gandaki Valley. We head out of Jagat and then stroll through forests and cultivated fields along the river, upstream. This path features steps and suspension bridges as well as rough mountain hiking.

The plants and environment around the area change as the elevation rises. There are several small villages along the way where you can stop and experience some local life.

Walking to Deng will take about 6-7 hours. When we reach the valley, it is running down and the mountains are nearer. Overnight stay in the local teahouse; prepping for the higher portions that follow.

A walk from Deng to Namrung will lead us deeper into the upper Budhi Gandaki Valley. Following breakfast, we cross the river and head through the wooded areas, steadily rising.

This hike goes through a number of small communities and is a combination of forest trails, stone trails and open mountain. The surrounding peaks start to appear as we near Namrung and the terrain starts to be more of a high-mountain terrain.

This walk requires about 6-7 hours. Namrung is a larger settlement where we can rest after a day of climbing and prepare for the next part of our journey towards Lho, with teahouses available here.

After breakfast, we leave Namrung and head towards Lho. The trail winds through the woods and open spaces and by the end of the day, you’ll have reached the village of Sho, where you can find lodging for the night. This path leads through villages, including Lihi and Sho and eventually into the village at the end of the day where you can stay for the night. The stone houses, mani walls and prayer stones become more prevalent as the tour moves into a more Tibetan Buddhist-influenced area.

It will be a bit shorter a distance on some of the previous days, but it takes a steady pace to get to the top. The surrounding mountain scenery also starts to become more noticeable as we approach Lho.

We arrive at Lho after going on a walk for approximately 4 to 5 hours and take in a tea house. The village offers a view towards the peaks of the Manaslu range in clear weather.

The trail then runs from Lho to Samagaon, passing through forests, open mountain slopes and traditional settlements. We pass through the valley of Shyala, where the valley starts to open and the higher peaks of the area can be seen.

The trail rises slowly, the ground cover decreases and the character of the area becomes alpine. We are in an above 3000m environment and ascending, so the pace is the same.

We reach Samagaon, a large settlement on the Manaslu Circuit, after approximately four to five hours of walking. Here we will spend the night and get ready for the higher levels of the hike.

We leave Samagaon after breakfast, heading north towards Samdo. The trail is through open terrain, less trees and more exposed mountain slopes in the upper Budhi Gandaki Valley.

It’s not a long walk, but it is a walk that goes uphill and down so it’s important to go slow and steady. We travel through open parts of the valley and slowly make our way towards the Tibetan border region.

We arrive at Samdo after approximately 3-4 hours. The village is located in a high-altitude area with arid mountainous landscapes. The afternoon should be spent resting and taking a few walks around the settlement to acclimatise the body for the ascent to higher elevations.

Today is dedicated to acclimatizing at Samdo. We do not attempt to gain sleeping altitude, but instead spend the night at the same altitude before heading to Dharamshala and Larkya La Pass.

Weather, fitness and group attitude will determine the length of the hike around the surrounding slopes. The area offers a view towards the high mountains and the valleys towards the Tibetan border.

The remainder of the day is laid-back. A little activity, plenty of water and good sleep will help along the way until the harder days lie ahead.

After breakfast, we head for the village of Dharamshala (Larkya Phedi), along the path. The trail slowly rises through a more desolate setting; there are fewer trees and more rock outcrops.

This is a relatively short walk, though the steepness of the terrain can make it physically challenging. Regular rest stops and a slow pace are taken to approach the final overnight stop before Larkya La Pass.

Due to its remote location and high altitude, the accommodation facilities in Dharamshala are very basic. Once here, we rest, eat an early dinner and get our gear and clothes ready for the early start needed for the pass crossing.

The most challenging trekking day on the Manaslu trek is today. Early morning departures from Dharamshala and a gradual climb up to Larkya La Pass. The trail winds through rocky and snowy places depending on the season and conditions.

We arrive at Larkya La (5,106m) and start a long descent towards Bimthang. The pass is the tallest point of the Manaslu area and hence, it is essential to walk carefully through the altitude, cold and changing weather conditions.

The valley descends through alpine land before getting progressively greener. We walk for about 8 to 9 hrs and reach Bimthang, where we spend the night.

Today on this trail, the drop is quite steep as we leave the high alpine setting around Bimthang. It traverses through forest areas, then through the valley of Dudh Khola towards the lower settlements.

We are in open mountain country before entering forest and more settled areas as we descend. During our journey, we pass through places like Gho and Tilje and then move towards Dharapani.

This is a walk that typically takes about 6-7 hours. Dharapani is one of the major routes linking the Manaslu Circuit to the Annapurna Circuit route. Upon arrival, we take a break in the teahouse and get ready for the Annapurna section.

Following breakfast, we head on the Annapurna Circuit part from Dharapani to Chame. The trail runs through the Marsyangdi Valley and through forests, small villages and parts of the mountain road.

The path is eventually ascending towards Chame. En route, one can see more of the surrounding mountains as the valley narrows at certain points.

After about 5 to 6 hours’ walk, we reach the administrative center of Manang District, Chame. There are several teahouses, shops and other basic facilities in the village, which makes it a convenient stopover on the way to Pisang.

The trail then heads upstream through pine wood and along the Marsyangdi River to Chame. The road steadily rises and moves through relatively smaller communities in the midst of dry mountain slopes.

The rain shadow gets more noticeable as we approach Pisang, becoming more open too. Head up to Upper Pisang above the main valley, offering a more peaceful place to spend the night.

It is a walk that will take about 5 to 6 hours. When arriving at Upper Pisang, it is possible to take time to rest and explore the surrounding village. Even though they’re at a higher elevation, it’s still important to keep up a comfortable pace and stay hydrated.

Today we head further west to Upper Pisang, then onward to Manang. The trail winds through dry mountain land and pine forests and through traditional villages in the upper Marsyangdi Valley.

There are different sections of the trail from Pisang to Manang. The hike is mostly exposed, with a gentle ascent that includes views of Annapurna peaks and the expansive valley. The higher into the uplands, the drier and more alpine the scene is.

We reach Manang after about seven or eight hours of walking. There are several teahouses, shops, bakeries and services in this large mountain settlement. Here we will spend the night before going on the acclimatization day.

It is an acclimatization day today in Manang. The idea is to give your body time to acclimatise to the higher elevation before we move on to the higher reaches of the Annapurna Circuit.

One can walk around the hills and Manang. It can be walked towards a site of views or for exploration of the village and surroundings.

It is also a day to unwind, inspect the gear and get ready for the higher elevation. It’s better to move around, but not push yourself, than to lie in bed all day.

From Manang, we head into the higher region of the Marsyangdi Valley. This walk slowly heads inland through dry high-altitude country and goes through some small villages until it reaches the vicinity of Yak Kharka.

The track heads on to Ledar from Yak Kharka. As we climb in elevation, the vegetation starts to decrease and the surrounding landscape consists of open slopes and high mountain ridges.

The walk usually takes about three to four hours, but the higher portions are more strenuous than the lower portions. After arriving in Ledar, we have enough time to rest and prepare for our approach to Thorung Phedi.

The trek today heads back in the direction towards Thorong La Pass. The trail from Ledar leads to Thorung Phedi, crossing the rock and passing through an increasingly exposed high mountain area.

In case of conditions and the progress of the group, the night stay can be at Thorung High Camp rather than Thorung Phedi. Thorung Phedi is at approximately 4525m and the High Camp is at 4925m. The final overnight site is subject to the route planned and conditions at hand.

The time spent walking will typically be four to six hours depending on the overnight point. A very early dinner and rest are crucial, as the following morning will be the crossing of the highest point of the Annapurna Circuit.

It’s a very early start today for crossing the Thorong La Pass. The trail is steep, rocky and at high elevation and the low oxygen density makes for a slow and strenuous climb.

We arrive at Thorong La and start the long journey down to Muktinath. The trail gets significantly different as we pass the pass and move into Mustang’s dry terrain.

The duration of the whole day is about 8 to 9 hours. Muktinath is an important pilgrimage site for both the Hindu and Buddhist communities and once there, you can relax and recuperate after crossing the strenuous pass.

From Muktinath, we proceed down to Jomsom through the dry Kali Gandaki Valley, after breakfast. The route goes through the landscape of the Mustangs where the terrain clearly differs from the green valleys on the eastern side of the Annapurna range.

The trail varies, depending on which route you follow and may go through Kagbeni before moving south to Jomsom. The walk is primarily downhill or fairly level, but some roads are dusty and windy during the afternoon.

We arrive at Jomsom after approximately 5-6 hours. This is the last walking section of the trek and leads to the airport for the next day’s flight to Pokhara.

Early morning flight from Jomsom to Pokhara (as per weather and conditions). The flights in Kali Gandaki Valley could be cancelled in case of wind and visibility.

The air trip from the dry landscape of Mustang to the greener hills around Pokhara is very short. Once you arrive at Pokhara Airport, a private vehicle will pick you up and drive you to your hotel.

There is an opportunity to rest or take a stroll around Pokhara for the rest of the day. After the long trekking part of the day, the evening is to be spent recovering.

Early in the morning, we depart Pokhara to return to Kathmandu in a tourist bus. The journey takes you through the valleys, hills, farmlands and many settlements along the Prithvi Highway.

The trip typically takes 8-9 hours, depending on traffic and road conditions. Along the way, there will normally be opportunities to stop for a meal and short rest breaks.

Once you have arrived in Kathmandu, you will be picked up by your taxi and driven to your hotel. This night is one for relaxation, shopping, or your last day spent in Nepal before you leave for your international destination.

Today is the end of your Manaslu Annapurna Circuit Trek. Depending on your international flight schedule, you’ll be able to eat breakfast and then get your bags and finalize arrangements.

We will have the private vehicle transfer service ready in advance for you to arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport for your flight. Thus, it is recommended to get out of the hotel with ample time to allow for the possibility of variable traffic in Kathmandu.

After the airport transfer, the 23-day tour to the Manaslu and Annapurna area is over. Hope you had a memorable part of your time spent in the mountains and villages of Nepal.