Manaslu Circuit Trek 2026: A Complete Guide from Kathmandu

Manaslu Circuit Trek 2026: A Complete Guide from Kathmandu

If you ask any senior Nepali guide which big circuit they would choose for themselves in 2026, the answer comes back the same nine times out of ten: Manaslu. The Annapurna Circuit has been hollowed out by roads, the Everest region gets busier every season, and Manaslu has quietly become the country's best classic high-altitude trek. You get the world's eighth-highest mountain (8,163 m), a 5,160 m pass with views to rival anything in the Khumbu, ancient Tibetan-flavoured villages, and a trail you can still walk without being one of a hundred trekkers a day. Here is exactly what to expect, from permits to packing to the brutal early-morning climb to Larkya La.

Where it is and why it is special

Manaslu sits in the upper Gorkha district of central Nepal, in the Nubri valley along the Tibetan border. The trek circumnavigates the entire massif, starting in subtropical river valley at 870 m and finishing at high arid pasture above 5,000 m before dropping into the Annapurna region near Dharapani. Because it borders Tibet, the upper villages of Lho, Samagaun and Samdo are ethnically Nubri, speak their own language, dress in traditional Tibetan style, and trade actively across the border at Larkya Bazaar. The cultural transition over twelve days of walking is something you simply cannot get on Annapurna or EBC.

Permits and costs

Manaslu is a restricted area, which means you must book through a registered Nepali agency, you cannot trek solo, and a minimum of two trekkers per group is required.

Permits needed in 2026:

• Manaslu Restricted Area Permit (RAP) — USD 100 first week (Sept-Nov), USD 75 first week (Dec-Aug), then USD 15 or USD 10 per extra day
• Manaslu Conservation Area Project (MCAP) — USD 30 for foreigners
• Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) — USD 30, required from Dharapani onward
• Local municipal entrance fee at Jagat — NPR 1,000 (~USD 8)

Total typical permit cost lands around USD 165-180 per person in autumn high season. Full trip packages with us run USD 1,150-1,800 depending on group size, season, and whether you take a porter.

How long does it take?

Our standard Manaslu Circuit Luxury Trek is 17 days door to door. The classic walking schedule is 14 days, and we have run it as short as 12 for very fit groups, though we strongly recommend against compressing the acclimatisation window.

14-day classic itinerary

• Day 1: Drive Kathmandu to Machhakhola (870 m) — 9-10 hrs on rough road by 4x4 jeep
• Day 2: Trek to Jagat (1,340 m) — 6-7 hrs
• Day 3: Trek to Deng (1,860 m) — 6-7 hrs
• Day 4: Trek to Namrung (2,630 m) — 6-7 hrs
• Day 5: Trek to Lho (3,180 m) — 3-4 hrs
• Day 6: Trek to Samagaun (3,530 m) — 3-4 hrs
• Day 7: Acclimatisation day at Samagaun (side trip to Manaslu Base Camp or Birendra Lake)
• Day 8: Trek to Samdo (3,860 m) — 2-3 hrs
• Day 9: Exploration / acclimatisation at Samdo
• Day 10: Trek to Dharamsala / Larkya Phedi (4,480 m) — 2.5 hrs
• Day 11: Cross Larkya La (5,160 m) to Bimtang (3,720 m) — 8-9 hrs, very long day
• Day 12: Trek to Gho (2,560 m) — 4-5 hrs
• Day 13: Trek to Dharapani, drive to Besisahar — 6 hrs walking plus 4 hrs driving
• Day 14: Drive Besisahar to Kathmandu — 6-7 hrs

The trek now starts from Machhakhola rather than the historical Soti Khola, since new road construction has pushed the trailhead further up valley. This actually saves you a day of walking past dusty truck tracks.

The Larkya La crossing

Day eleven is the day everyone talks about for the rest of their lives. We wake at 3:30 am, eat a breakfast of porridge and Tibetan bread by headlamp, and start climbing by 4 am to use the daylight window before afternoon winds. The first three hours are a steady glacier-side ascent on rocky moraine. The pass itself at 5,160 m gives you a 360-degree view: Manaslu, Himlung Himal, Kang Guru, Annapurna II in the distance. The descent to Bimtang is steep, knee-jarring, and on snow in shoulder season — bring trekking poles and microspikes if conditions warrant.

Accommodation and food on the trail

Manaslu is teahouse-based all the way, no camping required. Lower-elevation lodges in Jagat, Deng and Namrung have private rooms with attached bathrooms and reliable hot showers. Once you climb past Samagaun, expect twin-share rooms, shared squat toilets, and bucket showers (or no shower). All villages now have electricity from micro-hydro and solar, and you can charge devices for a small fee. NTC and Ncell mobile coverage works in most villages up to Samdo. WiFi is patchy but available at a few teahouses for a paid voucher.

Food is honest, simple and almost entirely vegetarian above Lho. Daal bhat, fried noodles, fried rice, momos, Tibetan bread, eggs and pancakes are the staples. Meat at altitude is not recommended (it has been carried up by porter for days and there is no refrigeration). Pasta, soups and pizza are surprisingly common as you climb.

Guides and porters

A licensed guide is mandatory in Manaslu. Our guides are senior Sherpa or Nubri locals who have done this circuit dozens of times. Porters are optional but recommended: one porter carries 20 kg for two trekkers, so you only have 10 kg of your own gear in their pack. You carry the daypack with water, camera, snacks and warm layer. We pay our porters above the TAAN minimum wage, insure them, and equip them properly.

Best season

Two clear windows:

• Spring (late March to May): warming temperatures, pre-monsoon dry stretch, occasional cloud
• Autumn (late September to November): the most reliable weather, clearest views, biggest crowds (still tiny compared to EBC or ABC)

Avoid monsoon (June-August) for landslide risk on the lower trail, and avoid mid-winter (December-February) when Dharamsala teahouses close and the pass becomes seriously dangerous due to snow and ice.

Why we rate Manaslu so highly

Nine honest reasons our guides keep coming back:

1. Constantly changing scenery. Few treks in Nepal give you subtropical rice paddies on day two and arid Tibetan desert on day ten.
2. Far fewer trekkers than EBC or Annapurna Circuit.
3. Mount Manaslu — eighth highest in the world, and you walk all the way around it.
4. Larkya La's view beats Thorong La in our opinion.
5. No domestic flights. Surface transport from Kathmandu eliminates weather cancellations that plague Lukla.
6. Cultural depth — Hindu lower valley, Buddhist upper valley, a real ethnographic journey.
7. Affordable compared to Upper Mustang or Dolpo (no USD 500 permit fee).
8. Mandatory guides mean the trail is well-managed and safe.
9. Solid teahouse infrastructure without the over-development of other regions.

Extensions and combinations

We regularly combine Manaslu with adjacent routes for guests who want longer trips:

• Tsum Valley + Manaslu Circuit: 19 days, adds the sacred valley before tackling Larkya La
• Manaslu + Annapurna Circuit: continue through to Thorong La and Muktinath
• Manaslu + Nar Phu: detour into the hidden Nar Phu valley
• Ganesh Himal Base Camp: another quiet alternative on the same eastern flank

Plan your Manaslu trek with us

Manaslu is one of our most-requested treks and one of our specialties. We run small groups with senior Nubri-speaking guides, handle all permits and logistics, and book accommodation ahead in the popular villages where teahouses fill up in October. Browse all Manaslu and Tsum trek packages or contact our Kathmandu team for a tailored itinerary.