Manaslu Circuit Trek

Manaslu Circuit Trek — 16-Day Itinerary (Kathmandu to Kathmandu)

Route: Kathmandu — Soti Khola — Machha Khola — Jagat — Deng — Namrung — Lho — Samagaon — Samdo — Dharamsala — Larkya La — Bimthang — Tilije — Dharapani — Besisahar — Kathmandu

Day 1: Arrive Kathmandu (1,400m)

• Arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM). Your Summit Routes representative meets you and transfers you to your accommodation in Kathmandu.
• Trek briefing, permit preparation, and equipment check in the late afternoon. Passport required in person at the Manaslu permit office — arrive at least one working day before the trek start to allow same-day permit processing. Your guide manages all documentation.
• We recommend arriving early enough for an evening walk to Boudhanath Stupa — an appropriate introduction to the Tibetan Buddhist cultural landscape you will walk through across the upper circuit.
• Overnight: Hotel Amaryllis or similar, Kathmandu
• Meals: Dinner

Day 2: Drive Kathmandu to Soti Khola (700m)

Drive: ~160 km | 8–9 hours via Arughat Bazaar

• After breakfast, depart early by private jeep along the Prithvi Highway, turning north at Arughat into the Budhi Gandaki valley. The road becomes rough and unpaved beyond Arughat — the ruggedness is part of the journey, and the valley views compensate entirely.
• Soti Khola (700m) sits at the confluence of the Budhi Gandaki and Soti Khola rivers and marks the official trailhead for the circuit. Bags are transferred to porter on arrival; settle into the teahouse for dinner and an early sleep before the first trail day.
• Overnight: Teahouse in Soti Khola
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: Trek Soti Khola to Machha Khola (850m)

Trek: ~14 km | 5–6 hours

• First day on the trail — subtropical valley, humid forest, suspension bridges over the swirling Budhi Gandaki. The trail alternates between riverbank paths and ridge traverses, passing waterfalls, terraced fields, and the small settlement of Khola Besi.
• The lower valley heat and humidity is a temporary condition — use the early days to walk steadily and conserve energy for the altitude gain ahead. Lunch on the trail.
• Machha Khola (850m) is a busy trailhead village with good teahouses and a small market — the last significant resupply point before the route turns more remote.
• Overnight: Teahouse in Machha Khola
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Tea & Snacks, Dinner

Day 4: Trek Machha Khola to Jagat (1,340m)

Trek: ~22 km | 6–7 hours — one of the longer days of the lower circuit

• One of the longer days of the trek. The trail follows the eastern bank of the Budhi Gandaki through dense forest and river gorges. Pass Tatopani — a natural hot spring worth a brief stop — and the settlement of Dobhan before the long climb to Jagat.
• Jagat (1,340m) is a stone-paved checkpoint village and the first Manaslu Conservation Area permit check — your guide manages this entirely. The shift in architecture and culture at Jagat already signals the Tibetan influence that deepens with every day northward.
• Overnight: Teahouse in Jagat
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Tea & Snacks, Dinner

Day 5: Trek Jagat to Deng (1,860m)

Trek: ~19 km | 6–7 hours

• Cross into the heart of the Manaslu Conservation Area through the checkpoint at Philim — a large Gurung village with a gompa and over 100 households. Trail winds through bamboo and rhododendron forest, crossing the Budhi Gandaki multiple times on suspension bridges with yak and mule trains sharing the narrow paths.
• Deng (1,860m) is a quiet riverside settlement with a strong Tibetan Buddhist character — stupas, mani walls, and whitewashed chortens mark the approach. The pace of the village and the quality of the silence here is already very different from the lower valley.
• Overnight: Teahouse in Deng
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Tea & Snacks, Dinner

Day 6: Trek Deng to Namrung (2,630m)

Trek: ~16 km | 6–7 hours

• The trail enters the Nupri region — the gateway to the culturally Tibetan upper circuit. Vegetation shifts from tropical to temperate: pine, oak, and the first rhododendron stands. Pass through the settlements of Rana, Bhiphedi, and Ghap before the final climb to Namrung.
• Namrung (2,630m) commands fine valley views and marks the start of serious altitude gain. The guide conducts a health assessment at camp this evening — the first of daily check-ins that continue through the pass crossing.
• Overnight: Teahouse in Namrung
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Tea & Snacks, Dinner

Day 7: Trek Namrung to Lho (3,180m)

Trek: ~10 km | 4–5 hours

• The first great views of Manaslu (8,163m) open from the ridge above Namrung. Nothing prepares you for the first clear sight of Manaslu's south face — it dominates the entire northern horizon and remains visible from the trail for much of the upper circuit from this point forward.
• Shorter day by design, allowing time to absorb altitude gain and visit the Ribung Gompa — one of the most atmospheric monasteries on the circuit, perched above Lho village on a ridge with sweeping valley views. Lho (3,180m) is a well-built Tibetan-style village with carved wooden windows, prayer flag lines, and a genuinely warm community feel.
• Overnight: Teahouse in Lho
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Tea & Snacks, Dinner

Day 8: Trek Lho to Samagaon (3,530m)

Trek: ~8 km | 3–4 hours — the shortest day of the upper circuit

• A short but rewarding day through the hamlets of Shyala on a well-worn trail with uninterrupted Manaslu views. Himalchuli (7,893m) and Peak 29 / Ngadi Chuli (7,871m) join the horizon as the valley widens.
• Arrive at Samagaon (3,530m) early — use the afternoon for a walk to Birendra Lake (a glacial lake at 3,450m directly below the Manaslu glacier) or explore the ancient Pungyen Monastery in the village. Samagaon is the cultural heart of the circuit: a settlement of flat-roofed stone houses, yak corrals, and a palpable sense of being very far from anything familiar.
• Overnight: Teahouse in Samagaon
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Tea & Snacks, Dinner

Day 9: Acclimatisation Day at Samagaon — Pungyen Gompa (4,000m) or Manaslu Base Camp Viewpoint

Pungyen Gompa: ~3–4 hours return | Manaslu Base Camp viewpoint: ~6–7 hours return

• Mandatory rest and acclimatisation day before the high-altitude section. The guide assesses each trekker's health before determining which option to pursue.
• Pungyen Gompa (4,000m): Three to four hours return from Samagaon on a clear path ascending the ridge above the valley. The monastery sits directly opposite the glaciated south face of Manaslu — the closest views available without entering the expedition zone. Suitable for all trekkers who have reached Samagaon comfortably.
• Manaslu Base Camp viewpoint (4,800m): A full-day return for trekkers wanting additional altitude exposure before the pass. Steeper and more demanding — the guide advises based on individual fitness and pulse oximeter readings at Samagaon camp. Read our altitude sickness guide — the principles become directly relevant from tonight onward.
• Overnight: Teahouse in Samagaon
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Tea & Snacks, Dinner

Day 10: Trek Samagaon to Samdo (3,875m)

Trek: ~8–10 km | 4–5 hours

• Descend briefly to the Budhi Gandaki, then follow long ancient mani walls as the valley widens toward the Tibetan frontier. The landscape turns dry and open — juniper and birch give way to alpine scrub and the unmistakable high-altitude light of the upper circuit.
• Samdo (3,875m) is a windswept Tibetan trading village close to the Nepal–Tibet border. The architecture, dress, and language are unmistakably Tibetan — stone walls, sky-blue painted window frames, and the smell of juniper incense from the teahouse fires. This is the last village before Dharamsala and the pass.
• Overnight: Teahouse in Samdo
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Tea & Snacks, Dinner

Day 11: Trek Samdo to Dharamsala / Larkya Phedi (4,460m)

Trek: ~11–12 km | 4–5 hours

• Short day by design — this is your final preparation before Larkya La. Early arrival, early dinner, early sleep. The trail skirts the old Larke Bazaar trade route, drops to the Budhi Gandaki, and crosses a wooden bridge. First glimpses of the Larkya Glacier appear as you enter the Salka Khola valley.
• Dharamsala / Larkya Phedi (4,460m) is a basic stone-walled community shelter — the only communal dormitory night on the entire circuit. Spartan accommodation that sharpens focus for the morning ahead. Set your alarm, eat well, sleep by 8pm.
• Overnight: Stone lodge / Dharamsala at Larkya Phedi
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Tea & Snacks, Dinner

Day 12: Cross Larkya La Pass (5,160m) — Trek to Bimthang (3,590m)

Trek: ~24 km | 9–10 hours — the longest and most demanding day of the circuit

• Pre-dawn start at 4:00–4:30am. The pass must be crossed before afternoon winds and cloud develop. Ascent through moraine, snow-covered glacial terrain, and steep switchbacks to Larkya La (5,160m) — the highest point of the entire circuit. At the summit on a clear morning: Manaslu, Himlung Himal (7,126m), Cheo Himal (6,820m), Annapurna II, and Ganesh Himal — a 360° panorama of peaks that few trekking routes in the world can match.
• Long descent via moraine ridge with views back to Manaslu's north face, through alpine meadows and rhododendron forest into Bimthang (3,590m) — the first genuine teahouses since Dharamsala, and the most welcome tea you will ever drink.
• Overnight: Teahouse in Bimthang
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Tea & Snacks, Dinner

Day 13: Trek Bimthang to Tilije (2,300m)

Trek: ~16 km | 5–6 hours

• Descend rapidly through altitude, leaving the high alpine zone behind. Dense rhododendron and maple forest replaces the open moraine landscape above — the change in oxygen levels and greenery after days above the treeline is immediately and physically noticeable. Pass the yak grazing areas at Yak Kharka and the small settlement of Goa before arriving in Tilije, a typical lower-valley Magar village with terraced fields and warm temperatures.
• Overnight: Teahouse in Tilije
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Tea & Snacks, Dinner

Day 14: Trek Tilije to Dharapani (1,860m) — Drive to Besisahar

Trek: ~10 km | 3–4 hours • Drive: ~2–3 hours to Besisahar

• The final stretch of the circuit. The trail drops through the Marsyangdi valley and reaches Dharapani (1,860m) — where the Manaslu route intersects the Annapurna Circuit. The circuit is complete.
• From Dharapani, a jeep road runs south to Besisahar. Vehicles meet the group here for the afternoon drive. Celebration dinner at the guesthouse in Besisahar.
• Overnight: Guesthouse in Besisahar
• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 15: Drive Besisahar to Kathmandu (1,400m) — Buffer Day

Drive: ~175 km | 5–6 hours via the Prithvi Highway

• Return drive to Kathmandu along the Prithvi Highway. Arrive by early afternoon; transfer to hotel. This day also serves as the built-in buffer for any weather delay on the pass crossing or road disruption on the descent — if the programme runs on schedule, the afternoon is entirely free.
• The evening is free: Thamel for dinner, Boudhanath at dusk, or simply rest after sixteen days in the mountains.
• Overnight: Hotel Amaryllis or similar, Kathmandu
• Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 16: Departure from Kathmandu

• After breakfast, transfer to Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM) (~30 minutes from Thamel) or onward as required.
• Meals: Breakfast