Trek up to Mt. Manaslu, cross the Larkya La pass and admire the rich biodiversity of the region.
Manaslu provides fantastic mountain scenery, spanning altitudes from 375m to 5100m, a diverse range of ecosystems and ethnic cultures, and a trail that puts one physically closer to Tibet than any other trek in Nepal. This area has always seen relatively few trekkers when compared to the more popular regions of the Annapurna and the Khumbu, partly because of the greater logistics required. The quiet trails and simple villages, together with the stunning scenery around Manaslu, make this one of the classic trekking adventures in the Himalaya.
Depending on your arrival, you will be picked up by one of our representatives who will escort you from the airport to your hotel which is roughly around 45 minutes depending on the traffic. Your evening will be followed by welcome dinner at an excellent restaurant that will cheer you up more when we will get to taste very delicious Nepali cuisine. This will introduce you to Nepalese food culture. At the same time, we will have some conversation about next day activity.
Post breakfast, a tour to understand the two big philosophies guiding Nepal - Hinduism, and Buddhism through two of the big heritage sites - Pashupatinath and Boudhanath to understand how these two big religions co-exist in Nepal. Later, a deep trip briefing.
The trek begins with a long drive to reach the trailhead at Soti Khola. Depart early from Kathmandu and follow the Pokhara Road before branching off at Malekhu and crossing the Trisuli River. Pass by the large town of Dhading before reaching the wide valley of the Buri Gandaki. Turn north up the valley and proceed to Soti Khola, arriving late afternoon. The main inhabitants of the valley are the Gurung, a farming community. The women are noticeable by their colorful jewelry and elegant saris.
The zigzag trail follows a steep rocky path through sal forests, small villages, side streams, past pretty waterfalls and green hills to reach Lapubesi. There are small markets, quite a few shops and you’ll pass numerous donkey-trains carrying trade goods. Cross a side stream, and head to our lodge accommodation in the tiny village of Machha Khola.
Continue trekking up the steep-sided valley on a series of steep ascents and descents. Pass through the hot springs at Tatopani. Climb over a high ridge then descend to cross the Buri Gandaki on a suspension bridge. Continue along the east bank of the river on a wide stone staircase trail and cross a side stream on a long suspension bridge. It’s along this section of trail that the trek bisects the Himalayan mountain chain. Cross to the west bank of the Buri Gandaki before arriving at the busy village of Jagat.
Today is highlighted by the fine mountain views and the change of culture from Hindu to Buddhist as we enter the Tibetan influenced areas. The trail criss-crosses the Budi Gandaki a number of times before eventually reaching the west bank. Pass through a bamboo forest before reaching the settlement of Deng.
This is a long but immensely rewarding day. The 860m ascent brings us into a strongly Tibetan influenced region with Buddhist rock carvings and long mani walls (rock walls consisting of many carved stone tablets with Buddhist inscriptions). The trail cuts through forests of fir and rhododendron as the Buri Gandaki valley narrows. A long, continual ascent through bamboo forest brings us to the delightful stone village of Namrung, for our overnight stay.
Today is highlighted by the spectacular mountain views one gets as we approach the high altitude areas. Continue on the south bank of the Buri Gandaki through a forest of rhododendron and oak before emerging in to open fields. Later, the trail passes through wheat fields and small villages of closely packed stone houses. Stone archways at the entrance of each village denote the influence of Tibet and Buddhism. The trail rises to a large plateau and our overnight stay at Shyala Village. From here there is an imposing view of Manaslu, 8156m.
This is a short easy day following consecutive days of reasonably tough trekking. Continue on the south bank of the Buri Gandaki through a stark landscape. Samagoan village is set in a valley strewn with field s of potato and barley. There is the opportunity to visit the impressive monastery of Kargyu Chholing.
Acclimatisation Day. Today, we have the opportunity to visit the border of Nepal and Tibet by undertaking a side trek to Rui La. This trek is along an easy to find the trail which has a long history of trade between Tibet and Nepal. We may be lucky to encounter yak caravans carrying trade goods. Besides the breathtaking views obtained today, the trek to almost 5000m provides vital acclimatization for the coming days.
Another short, easier day following the previous day of challenging trekking. The Buri Gandaki turns north and the trail follows the west bank on an easy trail. Cross the Buri Gandaki to the east bank and climb steeply to Samdo village.
Today, we have the opportunity to visit the border of Nepal and Tibet by undertaking a side trek to Rui La. This trek is along an easy to find trail which has a long history of trade between Tibet and Nepal. We may be lucky to encounter yak caravans carrying trade goods. Besides the breathtaking views obtained today, the trek to almost 5000m provides vital acclimatisation for the coming days.
Another short day ahead as we ascend to our highest overnight stop on the trek. Continue on a wide trail from Samdo that descends gradually through fields. Cross the narrow stream that the Buri Gandaki has become and ascend through scrub juniper. The trail is now opposite the immense Lakya glacier and climbs steadily toward our overnight shelter.
After an early breakfast, we depart for the ascent to Larke Pass (5160m), the highest point of the trek. The views all day are magnificent; nearby snow peaks, distant valleys and the sweeping alpine scenery make this a memorable occasion. This is the longest, most challenging, but ultimately most rewarding, day of the entire trek
With the harder, high altitude days over, we’ll appreciate the warmer conditions as the trail makes a rapid descent down the Dharapani. This day takes us to our final overnight stop on the trek. Tonight, we join with our crew to celebrate the completion of an amazing adventure.
Having completed the walking part of our adventure, we board our vehicle for the cross country drives to Kathmandu. We stop for lunch en-route and expect to arrive in Kathmandu late afternoon or early evening. After reaching Kathmandu, we take a rest or do some souvenir shopping. To celebrate the successful completion of our journey, we will have a farewell dinner in the evening.
Today is the end of our journey to the country of Himalayas Nepal. Our staff will drop you off at the airport approximately 3 hours of our scheduled flight. On your way back home, you will have plenty of time to think about your next adventure in a beautiful country Nepal.
Day | Location | Activity | Transport | Hotel | Meals |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Kathmandu | Arrival to Nepal | car | holy himalaya | D |
2 | Kathmandu | Hinduism and Buddhism | car | holy himalaya | B | L |
3 | Soti Khola | Drive to Soti Khola | jeep | lodge | B | L | D |
4 | Machhakhola | Trek to Machha Khola | - | lodge | B | L | D |
5 | Jagat | Trek to Jagat | - | lodge | B | L | D |
6 | Deng | Trek to Deng | - | lodge | B | L | D |
7 | Namrung | Trek to Namrung | - | lodge | B | L | D |
8 | Shyala | Trek to Shyala | - | lodge | B | L | D |
9 | Samagaun | Trek to Sama Gaun | - | lodge | B | L | D |
10 | Samagaun | Rest at Samagaun | - | lodge | B | L | D |
11 | Samdo | Trek to Samdo | - | lodge | B | L | D |
12 | Samdo | Samdo | Acclimatisation Day | - | lodge | B | L | D |
13 | Dharmashala | Trek to Dharmashala | - | lodge | B | L | D |
14 | Bimthang | Trek Bhimthang Via Larke Pass | - | lodge | B | L | D |
15 | Dharapani | Trek to Dharapani | - | lodge | B | L | D |
16 | Kathmandu | Drive back to Kathmandu with Farewell Dinner | jeep | holy himalaya | B | L | D |
17 | Kathmandu | Departure | car | - | B |
View of sunset over Mt. Dhaulagiri and flow of Kali Gandaki River.
GEAR LIST | What to bring on this Trek?
Think only safety. Safety from the rain, the cold, the heat and the altitude. So simply put the bare essentials would be