Manaslu Circuit Trek 12 Days

We set off early, trading the traffic of the city for winding hill roads that eventually drop into the Budhi Gandaki valley. The tarmac gives way to a rougher, dustier track past Arughat, where the pace of life visibly slows and terraced fields begin to dominate the view. Past Arughat the road tracks the river closely, squeezing through narrow gorges and small roadside villages. We stop for lunch somewhere along this stretch, watching porters and mule trains share the same route we're now driving. By the time we reach Soti Khola, the valley has narrowed further, hemmed in by forested hillsides on both banks. The final off-road stretch is bumpy and slow, but it delivers us to Machha Khola, a modest riverside settlement that marks the true starting line of the trek.

Boots on the trail for the first time, we follow the Budhi Gandaki upstream, crossing our first suspension bridges within the opening hour. The forest here is subtropical and humid, with the river running fast and silty below us. Past Khorlabesi the trail climbs and dips along the contours of the gorge, occasionally cutting through short rocky sections where the path has been carved directly into the hillside. At Tatopani, a scatter of natural hot springs gives us a good excuse to pause and soak tired feet. Beyond Tatopani the valley pinches in tighter at Doban, the hills rising steeply on either side and the river narrowing into a churn of white water. We climb a run of stone steps toward Thado Bharyang before the final approach. We arrive in Jagat, a stone-flagged Gurung village and the checkpoint for the Manaslu Conservation Area, where our permits get their first stamp.

A gradual climb out of Jagat brings us past mani walls and small chortens near Salleri, a sign that we're moving deeper into Buddhist-influenced territory. We reach Philim, a sizeable Gurung village set among wide terraced fields, before the path narrows noticeably. Beyond Ekle Bhatti, sections of trail are cut directly into the cliff face above the river, adding a bit of exposure to the walk. Dense bamboo and pine forest close in as we continue, and this stretch is a good one for spotting langurs or other wildlife moving through the canopy. We cross the Deng Khola on a swinging suspension bridge to reach Deng, a scattered stone-house settlement where Tibetan-style architecture starts to show clearly for the first time — flat roofs, prayer flags, and carved wooden window frames.

Leaving Deng, we cross the river again and climb steadily through forest toward Rana, a small village perched above the water where the trail stays high on the valley wall. We continue through Bihi Phedi, a riverside hamlet giving us our first real sense of daily life in the Nubri region, then pass mani walls and carved stones on the approach to Ghap. Past Ghap the valley opens slightly and the trail begins zigzagging upward through rhododendron forest — a noticeably steeper climb than the previous three days. We arrive at Namrung, effectively the gateway to the upper Nubri valley, where a strict checkpoint controls onward trekking permits. On a clear afternoon, Himalchuli and neighboring peaks appear dramatically above the village rooftops.

Past the Namrung checkpoint, the trail settles into pine forest before climbing gently toward Lihi, a village known for its barley terraces and strong Tibetan Buddhist character. We continue through fir and flowering rhododendron toward Sho, where the valley widens noticeably and Manaslu-area peaks start filling the skyline ahead. A traditional kani (painted village gateway) marks the entrance to Lho, framed by long walls of carved mani stones. From Lho, anyone with energy to spare can detour up to Ribung Gompa, a monastery perched above the village with sweeping views back down the valley. The final stretch climbs gently through alpine meadow into the broad Shyala basin, where Himalchuli, Ngadi Chuli and Manaslu itself all crowd the horizon.

It's a short, gentle day by distance, giving legs a break before the acclimatization stop. We leave Shyala with Manaslu lit up in the morning sun and follow an open trail past Pungyen Glacier, one of the more striking glacial views of the whole route. The path crosses grazing pasture and passes isolated stone shelters used by herders in summer months. Vegetation thins to juniper and scrub as we gain the last of the day's altitude. We drop gently into Samagaun, the largest settlement in the upper Manaslu valley and home to the Nubri people. Stone houses, a small monastery, and views straight up to the Manaslu Glacier make it feel like a proper mountain capital.

Rather than resting completely, we spend today climbing higher and sleeping low — the standard rule for safe acclimatization. Three options branch out from the village depending on energy and interest. The shortest is a walk to Birendra Lake, a glacial pool of striking turquoise water sitting directly below the Manaslu Glacier — a good two-to-three hour round trip. Those after a bigger push can continue toward Manaslu Base Camp, gaining real altitude through glacial moraine with close-up views of the Manaslu icefall. A quieter alternative climbs to Pungyen Gompa, an important monastery set on a hillside above the valley, reached through yak pasture with wide views back over Samagaun and the glacier. Whichever route we choose, we're back in the village by afternoon to rest before the higher, harder days ahead.

A deliberately short day, built to keep the altitude gain manageable. We follow the Budhi Gandaki valley north out of Samagaun, passing open fields and yak-grazing pasture with Manaslu still dominating the view behind us. We pass through White Kani, a painted Buddhist gateway marking the transition into higher, drier terrain. Vegetation thins fast beyond this point, replaced by low shrub and bare rock. The final approach climbs gradually across open, exposed ground with Ngadi Chuli, Manaslu North and Simnang Himal visible in different directions. We reach Samdo, a Tibetan-influenced settlement close to the Nepal-Tibet border, where stone houses and yak herds sit against a backdrop of high, bare ridgelines.

Another short but steadily uphill day as we push toward the last stop before the pass. We descend briefly from Samdo before climbing across open, dry slopes with the first close views of the high peaks guarding Larkya La. Past old grazing grounds near Larke Bazar, once used seasonally by yak herders, the trail becomes increasingly rugged and exposed. The final stretch to Dharamsala — also called Larkya Phedi — climbs through a barren, wind-exposed landscape with glaciated peaks rising directly ahead. We settle into simple lodge or dormitory accommodation, well aware that tomorrow's crossing is the toughest single day of the entire trek. Early bedtime is the order of the evening.

We're up well before dawn, headlamps on, to give ourselves the best chance of calm weather at the pass. The trail climbs immediately through moraine and past frozen side-streams as we gain height in the pre-sunrise cold. Higher up, we cross sections of the Larkya Glacier, weaving between rock and ice as the gradient steepens toward the top. Reaching Larkya La Pass, strung with faded prayer flags, is genuinely one of the hardest-earned views in Nepal. From the summit, the panorama swings from Himlung Himal and Cheo Himal in the north to Kang Guru and Annapurna II in the west — a 360-degree reward after the long climb. We don't linger too long; the descent is long and the weather can shift fast. Dropping past Dangboche Kharka, the barren high terrain gradually gives way to grassy slopes and then rhododendron and pine forest. By the time we reach Bimtang, a wide meadow ringed by glaciated peaks, the change in scenery is a welcome relief after a brutally long day.

We leave Bimtang's high meadow behind and drop steadily through forest and open hillside toward Karche, where the valley narrows again. Pine and rhododendron dominate the descent, a stark contrast to yesterday's barren pass. Past Gurung Goa, a tiered-roof village where we typically stop for lunch, the air continues to warm noticeably as we lose altitude. The trail crosses several side streams before reaching Thonje, a traditional settlement on the Marsyangdi River. From Thonje we cross the river and continue to Tilje, a stone-house Gurung village that marks the end of trekking on foot for this route. At Tilje we pick up road transport for the short but scenic drive down the lower Marsyangdi valley to Besisahar, the main roadhead connecting the Manaslu and Annapurna regions.

Our final day is entirely on the road, tracing the Marsyangdi River through lower, greener hills before joining the main highway back toward the capital (or the shorter run into Pokhara, for those continuing that way). Terraced farmland, roadside villages, and increasingly busy traffic mark the last stretch as we near journey's end. Depending on the route chosen, we arrive back in Kathmandu or Pokhara by late afternoon or evening, marking the close of the 12-day Manaslu Circuit.