About Manaslu Circuit Trek
Trek into the wilderness and among the beautiful mountain range is always adventurous and the most memorable. And among these treks, a trek to the eighth highest mountain in the world, Mt Manaslu marks unbeaten to any other trekking site.
Manaslu Circuit Trek is a trek to the Himalayas of the western part of Nepal featuring Mt Manaslu a peak with an altitude of 8,163m with diverse western cultures of Nepal. Mt Manaslu is known as the "Spirit Mountain," and it became accessible to trekkers only after the Nepalese government approved the Manaslu circuit trek in 1992. It features the Gurung community and the Tibetan community as you will be walking on the edge of the borders of Nepal and Tibet. Along with Mt Manaslu, the Manaslu circuit trek includes several other mountains, glaciers, and two restricted areas, namely the Manaslu Conservation Area and the Annapurna Conservation Area.
Even though any hike to the Himalayan region overwhelms you, the Manaslu Circuit trek, in particular, exceeds the definition of the beauty within itself. Manaslu Circuit trek is no less than the Everest Base Camp trek, Annapurna Circuit trek, or for that matter any other trek. An adventure mixed with the cold wind of the snow-capped mountains residing to the far sights with the Budhi Gandaki River guiding you towards them along with the local people and their traditions amazing you, the Manaslu Circuit trek combines every aspect of nature to be truly found. As the trail to this Manaslu circuit trek is unspoiled and unbothered, you find yourself exploring the gorgeous places leading you to breathtaking destinations. In this trek to Manaslu, you hike from sub-tropical to tundra climate zone experiencing six different climate zones throughout the trek. Other than this you pass through the dense forests of Nepal along with various rivers flowing along the way such as Budhi Gandaki, Marsyangdi River, Soti Khola, Dudh Khola, and many more. The beautiful waterfalls sliding down the aesthetic landscapes will leave you mesmerized.
The trail to Manaslu Circuit trek follows an ancient salt trading route along the Budhi Gandaki River which makes this journey even more exciting. Not only that, you cross the infamous Larkya la Pass, one of the longest passes in the Himalayan region at an elevation of 5106m. This pass marks the highest point on the trek and a difficult pass. During the Manaslu Circuit trek, you are rewarded with both the Nepali and the Tibetan culture as you will be walking at the border edge of the country. Furthermore, you will see more than 10 peaks that are over 6500m, including several 7000m peaks. In addition to this, the Manaslu trek provides you with an opportunity to explore the endangered species of flora and fauna. Along the way, you might as well have the chance to see the infamous red pandas, snow leopards, langur, yaks, and whatnot. Manaslu Circuit Trek is a blend of beautiful green valleys, tranquil lakes, and less-trodden destinations. In addition to all these, you will be hiking across the Manaslu Conservational Areas (MCA) and Annapurna conservation areas (ACA).
The journey to Manaslu Circuit trek begins with a little road trip from Kathmandu to the Gorkha district of Nepal. On your arrival at Arughat, Gorkha, you begin your trek on foot through the roads to Solkhola. The hike is about 12.4 km and it takes about 4-5 hours to reach Soti Khola (730m). Continuing the hike the next day you read Machhakhola which is 14 km and takes 4-5 hours to reach an elevation of 865m. The actual trail begins after Machhakhola when you leave the roads and ascend towards Jagat, a village at an altitude of 1340m covering 16 km of the trek within 8 hours of hike. The trek begins with the flowing waters of the Budhi Gandaki River guiding us to our destination for the day. The beautiful river with the freshness of the forests right beside you with the chirping of the birds making you as lively as ever along with the aesthetic beauty appealing to you, nothing feels more heavenly. Escaping the daily dose of the loudest of the city and your busiest schedule, you feel relieved and refreshed by the nature. The surrounding throughout the Manaslu circuit trek heals you and makes you feel alive as ever. With this heart-whelming view along the trek, you ascend further to the valley of Deng. Deng is also known as Dying, it is a 19-20 km hike that would likely take about 7-8 hours, reaching an altitude of 1860km. Diverse landscapes, a mixture of Hindu and Buddhist culture and tradition, and majestic views of mountains such as Manaslu, Annapurna, Ganesh Himal, and various other peaks, along with pure wilderness will entertain your purpose of adventure and thrill. Further to the trek, you head towards Namrung through the village of Lunga Chhyuda, which lies west of the Budhi Gandaki valley. The fascinating views of the Himalayas start on this route. You move towards Samagaun passing the Shyala village where you visit monasteries resembling the great history of time. Ribung Gompa is one of the popular ancient monasteries in Shyala village on the way to Samagaun. Not only that you will be visiting another infamous monastery known as Pungyen Gompa which offers stunning views of the glacier. Moving forward to the Manaslu circuit trek you reach Samdo, a village at an elevation of 3,875m which takes you about 3-4 hours from Samagaun. As you move towards the Samdo you find yourself closer to the Tibetan culture as the trail takes you nearer to the Tibetan border. This village provides you with the most amazing views of the snow-capped mountains especially Mt Manaslu, the eighth-highest mountain in the world, which is also known as Khutang by the local people. From here onwards, the trek leads you to Dharmashala, also called Larkya la Phedi as you have the sights of the Larkya glacier. At Dharmashala, you are blessed with the views of Larkya Peak and Cho Danda. Continuing to the trek you hike through one of the sheer and challenging paths, Larkya la Pass, which is also the highest point on the Manaslu Circuit trek with an elevation of 5,545m. Although the pass is a little difficult and steeper, it sure is rewarding. It rewards you with spectacular views of Annapurna II, Himlung Himal, Cheo Himal, and many more. As you move along the trek you start to descend down to the elevation of 3,590m appreciating the magnificent mountain peaks.
From here onwards the trek starts to descend down, Tilije (2,300) being the first destination. The trek descends down to high pastures from the rocky terrains and then to Dudh Khola another beautiful river on the way. Through the Gho village, a short walk brings us to Tilije. Then you move forward following the river of Marsyangdi via bamboo forests to Dharapani and further descend down to Tal. On your way to Tal, you visit yet another monastery known as Thonje Gompa at Thonje. During the Manaslu Circuit trek to Tal, you cross the Mani wall and arrive at your destination. Syange being the next designated location on the trek you cross Marsyangdi River and retrace your footsteps towards Jagat and finally reach Syange village. This village being your last destination on the trek you take a road trip to Besishahar, stay there to rest, and finally leave for Kathmandu the next day.
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