Manaslu region
Manaslu Circuit Trek
Fourteen days around the eighth-highest mountain, over the Larke La
The trek
Overview
The Manaslu Circuit is what the Annapurna Circuit was a generation ago: a full tour of an 8,000 m mountain, climbing from rice terraces at 869 m to the prayer flags of Larke La at 5,106 m, on trails where mule trains still outnumber trekkers. For days the route follows the Budhi Gandaki gorge, crossing and recrossing the river on long suspension bridges.
Above Namrung the valley turns Tibetan — mani walls, chortens, and the villages of Lho and Samagaon sitting under the twin summit of Manaslu (8,163 m). A built-in acclimatization day at Samagaon lets you walk up to Pungyen Gompa or Manaslu Base Camp before committing to the pass.
Manaslu is a restricted area: the rules require a minimum of two trekkers plus a licensed guide, and we handle the special permit paperwork — you only need to arrive a day before departure with your passport. The grading is challenging, earned almost entirely on the 8–9 hour crossing of the Larke La.
Highlights
- Crossing the Larke La, 5,106 m, with Himlung, Cheo Himal and Annapurna II ahead
- Manaslu, 8,163 m, towering over the villages of Lho and Samagaon
- Days in the Budhi Gandaki gorge, one of the deepest river valleys in Nepal
- Acclimatization hike to Pungyen Gompa or Manaslu Base Camp
- Tibetan villages of Samdo and Lho, a day's walk from the border
- Restricted-area quiet — a fraction of the foot traffic of the classic circuits
Trip facts
- Group size
- 2–10 trekkers
- Meals
- All meals on trek; breakfast in Kathmandu
- Accommodation
- Teahouse lodges on trail; 1 night 3-star hotel in Kathmandu
- Transport
- Jeep to Machha Khola and back from Dharapani; airport transfers
Itinerary
Day by day
A long drive west off the Prithvi Highway and north on rough mountain road, 8–9 hours in total, to Machha Khola (869 m) on the Budhi Gandaki. The warm, low-altitude start is part of the circuit's character — you will climb through every climate zone Nepal has.
869 m · Meals L, D
Cost
What it costs
Group prices
| Group size | Price per person |
|---|---|
| 1 trekker | US$ 1,190 |
| 2–4 trekkers | US$ 1,050 |
| 5–8 trekkers | US$ 990 |
| 9+ trekkers | US$ 950 |
What's included
- Airport transfers by private vehicle
- 1 night 3-star hotel in Kathmandu with breakfast after the trek
- Shared jeep Kathmandu–Machha Khola; jeeps Dharapani–Besisahar–Kathmandu
- Teahouse accommodation for all nights on trek
- All meals on trek (breakfast, lunch, dinner) with tea or coffee
- Licensed, English-speaking guide (mandatory in the restricted area)
- One porter between two trekkers (max 18 kg shared load)
- Manaslu Restricted Area Permit, MCAP and ACAP
- First-aid kit, microspikes for the pass, pulse oximeter checks above 3,000 m
- NTP duffel bag, route map and trek completion certificate
- Farewell dinner in Kathmandu
Not included
- International flights and Nepal entry visa
- Travel insurance with helicopter evacuation cover (mandatory)
- Lunches and dinners in Kathmandu
- Drinks, snacks, hot showers, Wi-Fi and device charging on trek
- Personal trekking gear and sleeping bag (rentable in Kathmandu)
- Tips for guide and porters
Optional add-ons
Private porter
Your own porter for the full trek (max 18 kg)
US$ 220
per person
Tsum Valley extension
Add 7 days into the hidden valley of Tsum, with its own restricted-area permit included
US$ 590
per person
Single room supplement
Private rooms in Kathmandu and on trek where available; not possible at Dharamsala
US$ 200
per person
Sleeping bag & down jacket rental
Four-season bag and 800-fill jacket for the full trip
US$ 40
per person
Extra night in Kathmandu
3-star hotel with breakfast, before or after the trek
US$ 45
per room per night
Route map
The route
Detailed route map in production — every itinerary stage above is GPS-logged.
Dates & availability
Departures
| Start | End | Price | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Sep 2026 | 26 Sep 2026 | US$ 1,050 | Open |
| 27 Sep 2026 | 10 Oct 2026 | US$ 1,050 | Guaranteed |
| 11 Oct 2026 | 24 Oct 2026 | US$ 1,050 | 2 spots left |
| 25 Oct 2026 | 7 Nov 2026 | US$ 1,050 | Open |
| 8 Nov 2026 | 21 Nov 2026 | US$ 1,050 | Open |
| 7 Mar 2027 | 20 Mar 2027 | US$ 1,050 | Open |
| 21 Mar 2027 | 3 Apr 2027 | US$ 1,050 | Guaranteed |
| 4 Apr 2027 | 17 Apr 2027 | US$ 1,050 | Open |
| 18 Apr 2027 | 1 May 2027 | US$ 1,050 | Open |
- Open
13 Sep 2026 – 26 Sep 2026
US$ 1,050
- Guaranteed
27 Sep 2026 – 10 Oct 2026
US$ 1,050
- 2 spots left
11 Oct 2026 – 24 Oct 2026
US$ 1,050
- Open
25 Oct 2026 – 7 Nov 2026
US$ 1,050
- Open
8 Nov 2026 – 21 Nov 2026
US$ 1,050
- Open
7 Mar 2027 – 20 Mar 2027
US$ 1,050
- Guaranteed
21 Mar 2027 – 3 Apr 2027
US$ 1,050
- Open
4 Apr 2027 – 17 Apr 2027
US$ 1,050
- Open
18 Apr 2027 – 1 May 2027
US$ 1,050
Every departure runs with a minimum of 2 trekkers — or book it as a private trip.
Before you go
Essential information
Permits
Manaslu Restricted Area Permit
Sep–Nov: US$100 for the first week + US$15/day after (Dec–Aug: US$75 + US$10/day). Covers the ~11 restricted days on our route — included
US$ 160
Manaslu Conservation Area Permit (MCAP)
NPR 3,000 — included in the trip price
US$ 23
Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP)
NPR 3,000 — required because the circuit exits through the Annapurna area at Dharapani; included
US$ 23
Permits are included in the trip price.
Best seasons
Departure dates above keep to these windows.
FAQs
Questions, answered
Trusted by trekkers
Walked with us
4.9
out of 5, average rating
111
traveler reviews
15
years in the Himalaya
“If you want the Nepal of twenty years ago, this is it. The Budhi Gandaki gorge is days of suspension bridges and stacked switchbacks, then the world opens out at Samagaun under Manaslu's double summit. The crew handled the restricted-area permits and checkpoints without us thinking about them once, and the acclimatization day paid for itself on the Larkya La — long, cold and completely worth it when the far side appeared. Teahouses are plainer than Everest's; the welcome is warmer.”
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