Manaslu Circuit Trek

Day 1: Arrival in Kathmandu (1,400m)

• Arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu.
• Transfer to hotel, trek briefing and gear check with your Summit Routes guide.
• Permit documentation collected — 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.
• Overnight: Hotel in Kathmandu.

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

• Drive Distance: ~160 km | 8–9 hours via Arughat Bazaar.
• Depart early morning by private jeep along the Prithvi Highway, turning north at Arughat into the Budhi Gandaki valley. Road becomes rough and unpaved beyond Arughat — the ruggedness is part of the journey.
• Soti Khola sits at the confluence of the Budhi Gandaki and Soti Khola rivers, marking the official trailhead.
• Overnight: Teahouse in Soti Khola.

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

• Trek Distance: ~14 km | 5–6 hours.
• First day on the trail — subtropical valley, humid forest, suspension bridges over the swirling Budhi Gandaki.
• Trail alternates between riverbank paths and ridge traverses, passing waterfalls, terraced fields, and the small settlement of Khola Besi.
• Machha Khola (Fish River) is a busy trailhead village with good teahouses and a small market.
• Overnight: Teahouse in Machha Khola.

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

• Trek Distance: ~22 km | 6–7 hours.
• 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 (hot spring — worth a brief stop) and the settlement of Dobhan before the long climb to Jagat.
• Jagat is a stone-paved checkpoint village and the first Manaslu Conservation Area permit check. The shift in architecture and culture here already signals the Tibetan influence ahead.
• Overnight: Teahouse in Jagat.

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

• Trek Distance: ~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 is a quiet riverside settlement with strong Tibetan Buddhist character — stupas, mani walls, and whitewashed chortens mark the approach.
• Overnight: Teahouse in Deng.

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

• Trek Distance: ~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 commands fine valley views and marks the start of serious altitude gain. Monastery visits possible in the evening.
• Overnight: Teahouse in Namrung.

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

• Trek Distance: ~10 km | 4–5 hours.
• The first great views of Manaslu (8,163m) open up from the ridge above Namrung. Nothing prepares you for the first clear sight of Manaslu’s south face — it dominates the entire northern horizon.
• 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.
• Lho is a well-built Tibetan-style village with carved wooden windows, prayer flag lines, and a strong community feel.
• Overnight: Teahouse in Lho.

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

• Trek Distance: ~8 km | 3–4 hours.
• Pass through the hamlets of Shyala and Samagaon on a well-worn trail with uninterrupted Manaslu views. Himalchuli (7,893m) and Peak 29 (Ngadi Chuli, 7,871m) join the horizon.
• Arrive Samagaon early — use the afternoon for a walk to Birendra Lake (a glacial lake at 3,450m below Manaslu’s glacier) or explore the village’s ancient Pungyen Monastery.
• Samagaon is the cultural heart of the circuit — a village of flat-roofed stone houses, yak corrals, and a palpable sense of being very far from anywhere familiar.
• Overnight: Teahouse in Samagaon.

Day 9: Acclimatisation Day at Samagaon — Pungyen Gompa & Manaslu Base Camp Viewpoint

• Mandatory rest day before the high-altitude section.
• Primary acclimatisation option: hike to Pungyen Gompa (4,000m) — a monastery perched on a ridge above the valley offering the closest views of Manaslu’s glaciated south face available without entering the expedition zone.
• Secondary option: walk toward Manaslu Base Camp (4,800m) for experienced trekkers wanting additional altitude exposure. Return same day.
• Read our altitude sickness guide — the principles become directly relevant from tonight onward.
• Overnight: Teahouse in Samagaon.

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

• Trek Distance: ~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.
• Samdo 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.
• Overnight: Teahouse in Samdo.

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

• Trek Distance: ~11–12 km | 4–5 hours.
• Short day by design — this is your final preparation before Larkya La. Early arrival, early dinner, early sleep.
• 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 (also called Larkya Phedi) is a basic stone-walled community shelter at 4,460m — spartan accommodation that sharpens focus for the morning ahead. Sleep by 8pm.
• Overnight: Stone lodge / Dharamsala at Larkya Phedi.

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

• Trek Distance: ~24 km | 9–10 hours.
• Pre-dawn start (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 the Larkya La at 5,160m. 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 — the first genuine teahouses since Dharamsala, and the most welcome tea you will ever drink.
• Overnight: Teahouse in Bimthang.

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

• Trek Distance: ~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. The change in oxygen levels and greenery — after days above the treeline — is remarkable.
• 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.

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

• Trek Distance: ~10 km | 3–4 hours to Dharapani.
• Final stretch of the circuit — the trail drops through the Marsyangdi valley and reaches Dharapani, where the Manaslu route intersects the Annapurna Circuit. The circuit is complete.
• From Dharapani, a jeep road runs south to Besisahar (~2–3 hours). Afternoon drive to Besisahar — overnight in a guesthouse or continue to Kathmandu if time allows.
• Overnight: Guesthouse in Besisahar (or hotel in Kathmandu if evening arrival feasible).

Day 15: Drive Besisahar to Kathmandu — Buffer Day

• Drive Distance: ~175 km | 5–6 hours via the Prithvi Highway.
• Arrive Kathmandu 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 travel runs on schedule, the afternoon is free for Kathmandu — Thamel, Boudhanath Stupa, or simply rest.
• Overnight: Hotel in Kathmandu.

Day 16: Departure from Kathmandu

• Transfer to Tribhuvan International Airport for onward travel.