Question 1

What is the Manaslu Circuit Trek?

Accepted Answer

The Manaslu Circuit is a 15 to 16 day teahouse trek that loops around Mount Manaslu, the world's eighth highest peak at 8,163m, through the Gorkha district of Nepal. You follow the Budhi Gandaki river upstream from around 700m at Soti Khola, climb through Tibetan Buddhist villages like Lho and Samagaon, and cross Larkya La Pass at 5,106m before dropping down the other side to Dharapani, where the trail meets the Annapurna Circuit. It sits inside the Manaslu Conservation Area, a restricted zone, so you need a special permit and a licensed guide by law. Only 12,512 foreign trekkers did this route in the 2024/25 season.

Question 2

Why do the Manaslu Circuit Trek?

Accepted Answer

I send people to Manaslu when they've already done Everest Base Camp or Annapurna and want something that still feels wild. You get four days of Tibetan Buddhist culture around Lho, Samagaon and Samdo, villages where mani walls and gompas outnumber lodges, then a genuine mountaineering-style pass crossing at 5,106m that I rank harder than Thorong La. It's a full teahouse trek, so you're not hauling a tent, and the restricted permit system caps numbers. On a busy October day you'll share the trail with maybe a dozen other groups instead of hundreds. For $1,675 all-inclusive with us, that combination of culture, difficulty and solitude is hard to beat anywhere else in Nepal.

Question 3

Who is the Manaslu Circuit Trek suited for?

Accepted Answer

This is not a trek I'd recommend for someone's first time in the mountains. It's rated moderate to strenuous, with six to seven hours of walking most days and one brutal 8 to 10 hour day crossing Larkya La at 5,106m in temperatures that can drop below minus 15C before sunrise. I look for trekkers who've already done at least one multi-day hike above 3,000m, ideally EBC or Annapurna, and who can handle a week without hot showers or wifi. If you're reasonably fit, comfortable with basic teahouse conditions, and want cultural depth over creature comforts, you'll love it. If you need daily menu variety or guaranteed phone signal, Annapurna suits you better.

Question 4

How far in advance should I plan and book the Manaslu Circuit Trek?

Accepted Answer

I tell clients to lock in dates at least two to three months before an autumn departure, because the restricted area permit system only lets registered agencies apply, and October slots can fill up as the season peaks. We need your passport details a minimum of three weeks before the trek start to file the Manaslu Restricted Area Permit, MCAP and ACAP paperwork, since all three go through government offices in Kathmandu. Spring departures in March and April have a bit more breathing room, but I still wouldn't try to book inside two weeks of your start date.

Question 5

How many days do you need for the Manaslu Circuit Trek?

Accepted Answer

Our standard itinerary runs 15 to 16 days door to door from Kathmandu, including two acclimatization days, one at Samagaon (3,530m) and one built in as a weather buffer before the pass. You can compress it to 12 days if you drive to Machha Khola instead of Soti Khola and skip one rest day, but I don't recommend cutting both acclimatization stops. Add Tsum Valley and you're looking at 20 to 22 days total. Fewer than 12 days on this route raises your altitude sickness risk significantly.

Question 6

Is the Manaslu Circuit Trek worth it?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and I say that having also guided Everest Base Camp and Annapurna Circuit for years. What you get on Manaslu that you don't get elsewhere is genuine solitude at altitude. On a good October departure we've crossed Larkya La and seen only a handful of other groups the entire day. The trade-off is real: basic teahouses, a harder pass day, and a bigger permit bill, around $215 to $260 per person for MRAP, MCAP and ACAP combined. But for $1,675 all-inclusive, you're getting an 8,163m mountain circuit, four Tibetan Buddhist villages, and a trail that still feels the way Annapurna did twenty years ago. For an experienced trekker, it's worth every rupee.

Question 7

What makes the Manaslu Circuit Trek unique?

Accepted Answer

The restricted permit system genuinely caps numbers, unlike Annapurna where anyone can walk in, so you get a quieter trail by design. The route climbs through subtropical forest at 700m near Soti Khola all the way to high alpine terrain at 5,106m in under two weeks, more ecological range than you'll cross on Everest Base Camp. Above Jagat there's still no road, full stop, while jeeps now run most of the way to Manang on the Annapurna side. That means Lho, Samagaon and Samdo still function as they did a generation ago, with yak caravans and mule trains carrying supplies rather than trucks.

Question 8

How do you get to the Manaslu Circuit trailhead from Kathmandu?

Accepted Answer

From Kathmandu, we drive you to the trailhead by jeep or bus via Arughat, a journey of about 141km that takes 7 to 8 hours by private jeep or 9 to 10 hours by local bus. The road is paved as far as Arughat, then turns rough and unsealed for the final stretch. In recent years the jeep track has pushed further, so many groups now drive close to or into Machha Khola (870m) instead of stopping at Soti Khola (700m), which saves a day of low-valley walking.

Question 9

What is the Manaslu Circuit Trek itinerary day by day?

Accepted Answer

Our standard itinerary runs like this: Day 1 to 2, Kathmandu prep and drive to Soti Khola (700m). Day 3 to 4, walk to Machha Khola then Jagat (1,340m). Day 5 to 6, Deng (1,860m) then Namrung (2,630m). Day 7, Lho (3,180m). Day 8, Samagaon (3,530m), followed by an acclimatization day on Day 9. Day 10, Samdo (3,860m). Day 11, Dharamsala, also called Larkya Base Camp (4,460m). Day 12, the big one, crossing Larkya La at 5,106m down to Bimtang (3,720m). Day 13 to 14, descend through Gho and Tilje to Dharapani (1,860m). Day 15, drive out via Besisahar back to Kathmandu.

Question 10

What is the Larkya La Pass crossing day like?

Accepted Answer

This is the day I brief clients on most carefully. You leave Dharamsala (4,460m) around 4am, in the dark, in temperatures that can drop to minus 15C, specifically to beat the afternoon winds that pick up at the summit. The climb to the pass itself is roughly 650m of ascent over rocky, sometimes icy terrain, then you're standing at 5,106m surrounded by Himlung Himal and Cheo Himal, but you don't linger, because the descent to Bimtang (3,720m) drops nearly 1,400m and takes hours on tired legs. Total day length runs 8 to 10 hours.

Question 11

Is the Birendra Lake side trip worth doing?

Accepted Answer

Birendra Lake sits about 3km from Samagaon, a glacial lake at roughly 3,691m fed by meltwater off the Manaslu Glacier, and I send almost every client there on the acclimatization day. It's a gentle out-and-back, maybe an hour each way at a relaxed pace, with about 120m of elevation gain, which makes it close to ideal acclimatization exercise, enough altitude exposure to help your body adjust without wrecking you for the next day's walk to Samdo. Go early morning if you can, the water is stiller and you get a much better reflection of Manaslu's summit off the surface before wind picks up later in the day.

Question 12

Is the Tsum Valley worth adding to the Manaslu Circuit Trek?

Accepted Answer

Tsum Valley branches off the main Manaslu trail near Lokpa, a village you pass on day two or three, and it's worth serious consideration if you have the extra time. It adds five to seven days to your itinerary and roughly $40 to $100 in additional permit costs, since Tsum requires its own restricted area permit on top of MRAP, MCAP and ACAP. What you get is Rachen and Mu Gompa, sacred caves, and villages like Chhekampar that see a fraction of Manaslu's already-small numbers.

Question 13

Can you combine the Manaslu Circuit with the Annapurna Circuit?

Accepted Answer

For clients with three-plus weeks and serious fitness, we build combined itineraries linking Manaslu with Tsum Valley and either the Annapurna Circuit or the Nar Phu Valley. The full version runs 22 to 25 days and crosses three high passes in one trip: Larkya La at 5,106m, Kang La at roughly 5,240m if you add Nar Phu, and Thorong La at 5,416m if you continue into the Annapurna side. I only recommend this combo to trekkers who've already crossed at least one 5,000m pass before.

Question 14

How hard is the Manaslu Circuit Trek?

Accepted Answer

I've led this route eleven times now, and I'd call it moderate to strenuous, not extreme. You're walking 5 to 7 hours a day for 14 to 16 days, gaining roughly 4,000m in altitude from Soti Khola at 700m up to Larkya La at 5,106m. The first week through the Budhi Gandaki gorge is physically easier than people expect, narrow trail, some exposure, but nothing technical. The real test comes after Namrung, where the air thins fast and the pass day itself runs 8 to 10 hours over rough ground.

Question 15

Is the Manaslu Circuit harder than Everest Base Camp or Annapurna Circuit?

Accepted Answer

Having guided all three, I'd rank Manaslu as the toughest, even though its high point at 5,106m is lower than Thorong La (5,416m) on the Annapurna Circuit or Kala Patthar (5,545m) near Everest Base Camp. What makes Manaslu harder is infrastructure and terrain, not altitude. Teahouses are more basic, the lower gorge trail is rockier and narrower, and there's no bailout flight like Lukla on EBC. Annapurna Circuit has jeep roads on both sides now, and the difficulty has dropped with them. On Manaslu, if you're struggling on day 10, you're still two days' walk from the nearest road.

Question 16

How should I train for Manaslu?

Accepted Answer

Give yourself 12 to 16 weeks minimum. If you're already hiking most weekends, 8 to 10 weeks of focused work, stairs, weighted pack walks, three cardio sessions a week, will get you ready. Starting from a desk-job baseline with no regular exercise, I tell clients to begin 4 to 5 months out. Build toward back-to-back long days on your feet, 5 to 6 hours, since Manaslu only gives you two dedicated acclimatization stops in 15 days. Load a 6 to 8kg daypack on training hikes to mimic what you'll actually carry. Squats and step-ups matter as much as distance running here.

Question 17

Is the Manaslu Circuit suitable for beginners?

Accepted Answer

Yes, with real preparation. What makes Manaslu forgiving for a first big trek is the gradual start, you begin at Soti Khola around 700m and climb slowly through the gorge, gaining only 300 to 400m a day for the first week. There's no scrambling, no rope work, no exposed ridge walking, it's a walking trek from start to finish. What trips up beginners isn't technical skill, it's underestimating the daily grind of 5 to 7 hours on your feet for two straight weeks.

Question 18

What fitness level do I need?

Accepted Answer

You don't need to be an athlete, but you need a real cardio base. I look for trekkers who can comfortably walk 5 to 6 hours over hilly terrain on consecutive days without a rest day between them. Being able to climb a few flights of stairs without your heart rate spiking is a decent home test. You'll carry a daypack of 5 to 7kg, your porter takes the rest, up to 20 to 25kg, so leg strength for descents matters as much as lung capacity for ascents.

Question 19

What is the hardest day of the Manaslu Circuit?

Accepted Answer

Larkya La Pass day, no contest. You leave Dharamsala (Larkya Base Camp) around 4,460m between 3 and 4am, walking the first two hours in the dark on frozen ground, with summit temperatures at 5,106m sitting between minus 10 and minus 20 Celsius. It's roughly 24km total, climbing about 650m to the pass then dropping over 1,300m down to Bimtang, all in a single 8 to 10 hour push with almost no flat ground to recover on. Oxygen at the top runs around half what you'd breathe at sea level.

Question 20

What percentage of trekkers successfully complete the Manaslu Circuit?

Accepted Answer

From what I've seen guiding this route, completion sits around 95% for trekkers who follow a proper acclimatization schedule and haven't skipped training. Part of why Manaslu's numbers look good is self-selection: it's a restricted area trek with a mandatory guide and a real permit cost, so the people who commit tend to prepare seriously. Only 12,512 trekkers completed the full circuit in the 2024/25 season.

Question 21

What are the most common reasons people don't finish?

Accepted Answer

Acute Mountain Sickness is the number one reason, by far, more than injury, weather, or fatigue combined. It usually comes from rushing, trying to compress the itinerary to save a day or two, or skipping the Samagaon acclimatization stop at 3,530m. Above 3,000m I tell every group we won't gain more than 400 to 500m in sleeping altitude per night, no exceptions. The second issue is arriving unfit and hitting a wall around day 9 or 10, right when the terrain gets harder.

Question 22

What is the full cost breakdown for the Manaslu Circuit Trek?

Accepted Answer

Our packages start at $1,675 all-inclusive for the 15 to 16 day route, and here's roughly where that money goes. Permits run $150 to $200 per person in peak season (Manaslu Restricted Area Permit, MCAP, and ACAP combined). A licensed guide costs $25 to $40 a day, a porter $20 to $30 a day, both figures all-inclusive of their own food and lodging. Teahouse accommodation and three meals a day for you runs $25 to $45 daily if priced separately. Add ground transport from Kathmandu to Soti Khola and back from Dharapani, another $50 to $100. Not included: your international flight, Nepal visa, travel insurance, and tips.

Question 23

How much do the Manaslu permits actually cost?

Accepted Answer

Since the September 2024 fee revision, the Manaslu Restricted Area Permit runs $100 per person for the first 7 days in peak season (September to November), then $15 for every additional day. Off season, December through August, it drops to $75 for the first week and $10 a day after that. On top of that you need the Manaslu Conservation Area Permit, roughly $25 to $30, and the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit, another $25 to $30. For a typical 14-day autumn trek, budget $150 to $200 total for permits alone.

Question 24

How much should I tip my guide and porter?

Accepted Answer

The industry norm, and what I tell my own clients, is $10 to $15 per day for your guide and $8 to $10 per day for your porter, paid as a single lump sum in Nepali rupees on the last day. For a 14-day trek that works out to roughly $150 to $180 for the guide and $80 to $120 for the porter. A simpler rule some trekkers use is 10% of total trek cost split between the crew.

Question 25

What hidden or extra costs should I budget for?

Accepted Answer

Plan for an extra $15 to $30 a day beyond your package price. Wifi, where you can get it, runs $2 to $5 a night and disappears entirely past Samdo. Hot showers cost $2 to $6 depending on altitude, solar-heated lower down, gas-heated and pricier higher up. Charging a phone or power bank runs $2 to $4 per device. Bottled or boiled water gets more expensive the higher you climb, expect $1 to $3 a liter near Samagaon versus under $1 near Jagat. Bar items, a beer or a Coke, run $4 to $6 at altitude.

Question 26

How does the Manaslu Circuit cost compare to Everest Base Camp and Annapurna Circuit?

Accepted Answer

Manaslu comes in noticeably cheaper than Everest Base Camp, even though its permit fees are higher. EBC runs $1,500 to $2,500 mostly because of the Lukla flight, $340 to $400 round trip, plus premium pricing along a much busier trail. Annapurna Circuit sits closer to Manaslu at $1,000 to $1,500, its permits are cheaper (around $40 total) but road access has crept in on both ends. Our own Manaslu packages start at $1,675 all-inclusive for 15 to 16 days. Overall Manaslu runs roughly 30% cheaper than EBC once you account for the missing flight cost.

Question 27

What permits do I need for the Manaslu Circuit Trek?

Accepted Answer

Three permits, no way around it. You need the Manaslu Restricted Area Permit (RAP), the Manaslu Conservation Area Permit (MCAP), and the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) because the trail spills out near Dharapani into Annapurna territory. The RAP is seasonal: $100 per person for the first week in autumn, then $15 a day after that. MCAP and ACAP are flat fees, NPR 3,000 each, roughly $22. No TIMS card is required for Manaslu itself. Your agency processes all three.

Question 28

What is the Restricted Area Permit and how do I get it?

Accepted Answer

The RAP is what makes Manaslu a restricted area trek rather than an open one, like Poon Hill. It exists because the route runs close to the Tibet border, through Gorkha district, and the government wants a record of every foreigner who passes the checkpoints at Jagat, Philim, and Deng. You cannot apply for it yourself. Only a government-registered trekking agency can submit your passport and visa details through the Department of Immigration's portal, then collect the physical permit in Kathmandu.

Question 29

Is a guide legally required?

Accepted Answer

A guide has been legally mandatory on Manaslu since the 2023 regulation, and on this route it's enforced harder than almost anywhere else in Nepal because you're walking near the Tibet border. Officials can fine unguided trekkers up to NPR 50,000, though in practice most are simply escorted back to the roadhead at their own expense with no permit refund. Every checkpoint from Jagat onward cross-checks your guide's license against your permit.

Question 30

Can I trek Manaslu solo now?

Accepted Answer

This changed on March 22, 2026. Before that date, the RAP required a minimum of two trekkers on one application, so a genuine solo traveler had to either find a stranger to pair with or pay for a second invented name just to satisfy the paperwork. As of that March ruling, Nepal's Department of Immigration dropped the two-person minimum, and a solo foreigner can now get a Manaslu RAP under their own name alone. What hasn't changed is the guide requirement. You still cannot walk this trail without a licensed guide.

Question 31

How does the Manaslu permit cost and hassle compare to Everest and Annapurna?

Accepted Answer

Manaslu is the most expensive and most bureaucratic of the three. A 15-day Manaslu trek in autumn runs about $175 in RAP fees alone before you add MCAP and ACAP, versus roughly $30 for the Sagarmatha National Park permit on the Everest side or $30 for ACAP alone on a standalone Annapurna Circuit. What makes Manaslu heavier is the paperwork: your agency needs your original passport with visa sticker in hand to process the RAP.

Question 32

What documents and photos do I need for the permit applications?

Accepted Answer

Bring your passport with at least six months of validity left and your Nepal tourist visa already stamped in. You'll need four passport-sized photos. Bring proof of travel insurance that names helicopter evacuation coverage, agencies increasingly ask for this upfront rather than at the trailhead. A simple day-by-day itinerary rounds it out, nothing elaborate, just dates and route.

Question 33

What is AMS and how much of a risk is it on the Manaslu Circuit?

Accepted Answer

AMS is your body's reaction to the drop in oxygen as you climb, and on Manaslu it's the single biggest health risk on the trek. The route only gets genuinely risky above 3,000m, from around Lho onward, and by the time you're at Larkya La at 5,106m you've got roughly half the oxygen you'd breathe at sea level. Studies on Thorong La, a similar altitude pass on the Annapurna Circuit, show 25 to 50 percent of trekkers get mild AMS symptoms.

Question 34

What does the acclimatization schedule look like?

Accepted Answer

A well-built Manaslu itinerary has two dedicated acclimatization days, not one. The first comes at Samagaon, 3,530m, usually around day 8, where I take clients on a side hike up toward Manaslu Base Camp at 4,750m and back down to sleep low, the classic climb-high-sleep-low approach. The second comes at Samdo, 3,860m, a day later. Before that, the trek climbs slowly on purpose, from Soti Khola at 700m up to around 2,630m at Namrung over five or six days.

Question 35

Should I take Diamox?

Accepted Answer

I don't push Diamox on everyone, but I recommend most clients carry it. The standard dose is 125mg twice a day, started 24 to 48 hours before you go above 3,000m, which on this route means beginning around Lho or Samagaon. It's a prescription drug, so see a doctor before you fly to Nepal, and expect tingling fingers, more frequent urination, and mild fog for the first day or two. What it won't do is replace the acclimatization days.

Question 36

What symptoms mean I should stop ascending or turn back?

Accepted Answer

Expect a mild headache or poor sleep above 3,000m, that's normal for almost everyone and not a reason to panic. What matters is the direction it moves. If symptoms get worse with rest instead of better, or you're vomiting, badly short of breath sitting still, or can't walk a straight heel-to-toe line, that's your line to stop climbing and descend, full stop. A pulse oximeter helps: if your SpO2 drops under 80 percent, treat it seriously.

Question 37

What are the evacuation and emergency helicopter options?

Accepted Answer

If someone can't continue, my first move is a phone or radio call to the agency in Kathmandu to arrange a helicopter, weather permitting. Cost runs anywhere from $3,000 to $12,000 depending on where you are on the circuit. Weather is the real limiting factor, not money. Cloud and wind around Larkya La and the upper valley ground helicopters more often than people expect, sometimes for a full day.

Question 38

What travel insurance do I need for this trek?

Accepted Answer

Travel insurance is mandatory for every foreign trekker entering Manaslu now, and agencies won't file your RAP without proof of it. It has to explicitly name helicopter evacuation, not just general medical cover, and it needs to be valid up to at least 5,500m. Expect to pay $80 to $120 for a standard two-week policy, up to $200 for longer combined trips like Manaslu plus Tsum Valley.

Question 39

What is the best month to trek the Manaslu Circuit?

Accepted Answer

If you ask me to pick one month, I say October, every time. I've led groups across Larkya La in October more than any other month and the pattern holds: stable high pressure settles over Gorkha once the monsoon clears by mid to late September, skies stay mostly cloudless through the month, and daytime temperatures in the sun sit around 15C even at 3,530m in Samagaon. April is my second pick, when rhododendrons flower between Soti Khola and Deng.

Question 40

Can you trek the Manaslu Circuit during monsoon season?

Accepted Answer

Technically yes, but I don't recommend it. July is the wettest month on this route, and the Budhi Gandaki gorge between Machha Khola and Jagat has narrow, landslide-prone sections that get genuinely dangerous when rain hits hard in the afternoon. Leeches show up in the forest between Arughat and Deng below 1,900m. Visibility above Namrung is usually socked in with cloud, so you lose most of the Manaslu views you're paying for.

Question 41

Is it possible to trek Manaslu Circuit in winter?

Accepted Answer

Winter works for the lower half of the trek but gets genuinely risky at Larkya La. Early December is usually fine, teahouses still open, trails below Samagaon snow-free. By late December through February, snow builds up fast above Dharamsala (4,460m) and the pass itself can hold snow deep enough to require crampons or force a turn-back entirely. Teahouses at Dharamsala sometimes shut for the season in January and February.

Question 42

How crowded is the Manaslu Circuit in peak season?

Accepted Answer

Even at its busiest, in October, Manaslu Circuit stays quiet compared to Nepal's bigger routes. The 2024/25 season logged around 12,512 trekkers on this permit system, against roughly 250,000 on the Annapurna Circuit and about 50,000 on Everest Base Camp. I've walked full October days on the upper section, above Namrung, without passing another group. Where it does get tight is bed space: Samagaon and Dharamsala have limited teahouses.

Question 43

Spring or autumn, which is better for the Manaslu Circuit?

Accepted Answer

Autumn, especially October, gives you the clearest mountain views, a dry trail, and the most predictable pass crossing. Spring, especially April, trades some of that visibility for rhododendron forests in full bloom between Soti Khola and Deng, roughly 700m to 1,860m elevation, plus noticeably thinner crowds and better teahouse rates. Temperature-wise the two seasons are close, daytime highs around 12 to 15C in the mid-valley for both. If Manaslu the mountain is your priority, go autumn.

Question 44

What gear do I need to pack for the Manaslu Circuit trek?

Accepted Answer

You need a 50 to 70 liter duffel for the porter, capped at 15kg, plus a 25 to 30 liter daypack you carry yourself with 5 to 8kg of daily essentials. Layering is the backbone: 2 to 3 moisture-wicking base tops, a fleece or light down mid-layer, a heavyweight down jacket rated to -15C, and a waterproof, windproof shell. Add 5 to 7 pairs of trekking socks, a warm beanie, sun hat, UV-rated sunglasses for the snow glare above Samdo, high-SPF sunscreen, a headlamp with spare batteries, water purification tablets, a basic first aid kit, and broken-in waterproof boots.

Question 45

Do I need crampons or microspikes for Larkya La Pass?

Accepted Answer

Depends on the season and what fell on the pass in recent days. In October and November most crossings don't need them, since the trail is usually packed dirt and rock, but I still have every client carry microspikes in their daypack because an unexpected snowfall changes that overnight. In winter, microspikes become close to mandatory for the steep descent toward Bimtang. My rule for every client: pack microspikes regardless of month. They weigh under 400 grams.

Question 46

What temperature sleeping bag do I need?

Accepted Answer

I tell every client to bring or rent a bag rated to at least -15C, and -20C is safer for this specific trek. Dharamsala at 4,460m regularly drops to -15C to -20C inside the teahouse room in peak season. Samdo at 3,860m still hits -8C to -12C on a clear night. A 0C or -5C bag, fine for the Annapurna foothills, leaves you shivering by 2am up here. If you're renting in Thamel, ask specifically for the -20C down bags.

Question 47

Should I rent or buy trekking gear in Kathmandu?

Accepted Answer

I rent gear for most of my clients rather than have them buy new for a single trip, and Thamel makes this easy. A decent down jacket rated to -15C runs about $1 to $1.50 a day. Sleeping bags scale by quality, roughly $1 a day for a basic -5C to -10C bag up to $2 a day for a proper -20C down bag with a liner. Trekking poles and duffel bags rent for around $1 a day each. For a 16-day trek, renting a full kit typically runs $60 to $90 total. I do tell clients to buy their own boots and socks.

Question 48

How basic are the teahouses on the Manaslu Circuit Trek?

Accepted Answer

Below Samagaon, at 3,530 meters, most teahouses give you a private twin room, two wooden beds, a thin mattress, and a blanket you'll want to supplement with your own sleeping bag. Walls are plywood, so you hear everything next door. Squat toilets are usually down the hall, shared. Above Samagaon, at Samdo (3,860m) and Dharamsala (4,460m), rooms get colder, partitions thinner, and a few places switch to dorm-style sleeping when the lodge fills up in October.

Question 49

What food is available at high altitude on the Manaslu Circuit?

Accepted Answer

Dal bhat is the backbone of the trek, rice, lentil soup, vegetable curry, and pickle, and almost every lodge refills the plate for free, which matters after 6 to 8 hours of walking at altitude. Past Namrung (2,630m), the menu narrows fast: dal bhat, thukpa, noodle soup, porridge, and instant coffee become the default because there's no cold storage for meat or fresh vegetables. I stop eating meat myself past Lho (3,180m); it's usually sat in a basket for days by then.

Question 50

Is there wifi on the Manaslu Circuit Trek?

Accepted Answer

Wifi exists but it's patchy and pricier than what you'd find on the Everest trail. You'll find it at Jagat, Namrung, Lho, and Samagaon (3,530m), usually a lodge-owned router running off a data SIM, and it costs $3 to $8 for a day pass depending on altitude. At Samdo (3,860m) it's hit or miss, and past Dharamsala (4,460m) I've never had a connection that lasted more than a text message. Tell your family you'll likely go dark for 3 to 4 days around the pass.

Question 51

How much do teahouse rooms cost on the Manaslu Circuit?

Accepted Answer

Rooms run $2 to $5 a night at most lodges below Samagaon, and yes, plenty of owners will give you the room free if you eat both dinner and breakfast there, since the real profit is in the food, not the bed. At Samagaon (3,530m), Samdo (3,860m), and Dharamsala (4,460m), rooms cost $5 to $10 regardless of whether you eat there, because there are only one or two lodges per village and no competition to undercut.

Question 52

Manaslu Circuit vs Annapurna Circuit, which is better?

Accepted Answer

Annapurna gets roughly 250,000 trekkers a year across its conservation area network; Manaslu had just 12,512 in the 2024/25 season, so you're looking at a trail that's nowhere near as busy. The tradeoff is permits: Manaslu requires a restricted area permit ($100 per week in peak season) plus a mandatory licensed guide. Annapurna is cheaper and has more teahouse choice, but up to 75% of the original circuit is now road. I've guided both; if quiet trails matter more than budget, Manaslu wins.

Question 53

Manaslu Circuit vs Everest Base Camp, which is harder?

Accepted Answer

EBC pulls around 50,000 trekkers a year against Manaslu's 12,512, and it shows on the trail: wider paths, more teahouse choice, and a gentler altitude profile with built-in acclimatization days at places like Namche. Manaslu tops out lower, 5,106 meters at Larkya La versus 5,364 meters at Everest Base Camp itself, but the days run longer and the infrastructure is thinner. For a first Himalayan trek I usually point people to EBC. For someone who wants fewer people and tougher terrain, Manaslu is the better pick.

Manaslu CircuitTrek

The moments that matter most

A closer look

The trail, mapped

Day by day, on the trail

Arrival in Kathmandu

Drive Kathmandu to Soti Khola

Soti Khola to Machha Khola

Machha Khola to Jagat

Jagat to Deng

Deng to Namrung

Namrung to Lho

Lho to Samagaon

Samagaon acclimatization day

Samagaon to Samdo

Samdo to Dharamsala (Larkya Base Camp)

Dharamsala to Bimtang via Larkya La Pass (5,106m)

Bimtang to Dharapani

Drive Dharapani to Kathmandu

Departure

Before you commit

Trek Cost

What's in, what's out

What's Included

Not Included

Extra Nights in Kathmandu

Why you'll love it

Is this trek for you?

Before you book

What to pack

Packing checklist

Frequently asked questions

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Tsum Valley Manaslu Trek

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