Overview
The Manaslu Circuit follows the Budhi Gandaki river north from the middle hills into a steep gorge, emerges into the Tibetan-influenced villages of Sama Gaun and Samdo, crosses the Larke La at 5,106 m, and drops into the upper Annapurna Circuit at Dharapani. It takes about fourteen days.
Because the region borders Tibet it is classified as restricted. The permit is priced per person per day and issued only through registered agencies, which means the route carries a guide requirement that Annapurna and Everest do not. The effect on the trail is obvious the moment you are on it: on an October morning you might pass twenty other walkers, not two hundred.
Lodges
Teahouses exist the whole way round, but the standard drops noticeably above Jagat and again above Samagaun. Expect shared bathrooms, unheated rooms, patchy electricity and no guaranteed Wi-Fi. Carry a warm sleeping bag rated to −10 °C.
Trekking
Treks in the Manaslu Region
Locations
Places in this region
Map
The region
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a guide for the Manaslu Circuit?
Manaslu or Annapurna Circuit?
About the author
Maya Thapa
Senior trekking writer
Maya has walked more than 4,000 kilometres of Nepal's trail network, from the teahouse highways of the Khumbu to the restricted valleys along the Tibetan border. She writes the route guides and day-by-day itineraries, and returns to most trails every second season to re-check lodge availability, water points and trail reroutes after monsoon damage.
Writes about: Nepal trekking · High-altitude routes · Teahouse logistics
