Day 1 – Drive from Kathmandu to Maccha Khola
Duration: approx. 7-8 hours drive
Altitude: 1,400m
This morning you’ll leave Kathmandu and travel west through terraced hills, rivers and roadside villages. After Arughat, the road becomes rougher and more adventurous, following waterfalls and steep valleys before reaching Maccha Khola. Explore the lively village and settle in for the night. Your Manaslu trek begins tomorrow.
Day 2 – Trek to Jagat
Duration: approx. 6-7 hours trekking
Altitude: 1,340m
It’s time to begin your trek! From Maccha Khola, follow the gorge along the river. The trail winds gently up and down, crossing Tharo Khola to reach Khorlabesi. Pause at the hot springs in Tatopani before climbing ridges and crossing the Budhi Gandaki on a suspension bridge. You’ll continue over stone steps and small ridges, passing Dobhan, Yaru Khola, and Tharo Bharyang. Look out for Gurung villages perched high in the jungle and playful langur monkeys along the way.
Day 3 – Trek to Deng
Duration: approx. 6-7 hours trekking
Altitude: 1,804m
Today the trail passes through sub-tropical forests, rivers, and rustic villages. Climb over rocky ridges to Salleri, descend to Sirdibas, then follow the Ghatta Khola valley. Cross a long suspension bridge at the large Gurung village of Philim, then continue past millet fields to Ekle Bhatti. Trek through steep, uninhabited gorges and bamboo forests, crossing the Budhi Gandaki multiple times before reaching the tiny village of Deng.
Day 4 – Trek to Namrung
Duration: approx. 6-7 hours trekking
Altitude: 2,600m
This is where you’ll start one of the most important and culturally significant sections of the trek. Cross the Budhi Gandaki and climb through forests and alpine vegetation. You’ll pass quaint villages housing ethnic groups of the Manaslu region. Even though there is another route, you will take the trail through Prok where you’ll take a break. This village has a beautiful vantage point of the snowcapped Siringi Himal. The trail eventually climbs to the village of Namrung, offering a first glimpse of the high Himalaya and a rewarding introduction to the Manaslu Conservation Area.
Day 5 – Trek to Lo Gaon
Duration: approx. 5-6 hours trekking
Altitude: 3,180m
Walk past long mani stone walls and traditional villages. A large stone gateway marks Lho Gaon, with sweeping views of Mount Manaslu. If you wish, you can take a short detour to Pungen Glacier for close-up views of the surrounding peaks. Lho is a perfect spot to appreciate the rising Himalayan skyline and the region’s unique culture.
Days 6 & 7 – Trek to Sama Gaon & acclimatisation day
Duration: approx. 5 hours trekking
Altitude: 3,520m
From Lho, climb steadily through alpine meadows to the village of Shyala. Cross a ridge, descend rocky moraines near Pungen Glacier, and continue to Sama Gaon. This picturesque village, with stone-and-slate houses, lies beneath some of the region’s highest peaks. If the sky is clear, enjoy extraordinary views of Mount Manaslu.
The following day is set aside for you to adjust to the altitude and prepare you for the high passes ahead. You can explore the village, visit Pungyen Gompa, or take a short hike to the turquoise Birendra Tal.
Day 8 – Trek to Samdo
Duration: approx. 4-5 hours trekking
Altitude: 3,860m
Today you’re back on the trail. You’ll climb through a high-altitude, arid landscape to the Tibetan-influenced village of Samdo. Pass Kyagru Chholing Gompa, juniper and birch forests, and the stone huts of Kermo Kharka. Samdo lies at the confluence of the Larke Khola and the river from Samdo Glacier. The village hosts a Tibetan refugee camp and offers incredible views of Manaslu, Ngadi Chuli, and the mighty Manaslu glacier.
Day 9 – Trek to Dharmasala (Larkya Phedi)
Duration: approx. 5-6 hours trekking
Altitude: 4,480m
From Samdo, pass the seasonal Tibetan market of Larke Bazaar and descend briefly to the Budhi Gandaki River. Cross wooden bridges and climb alongside glacial streams. The trail winds around the Salka Khola valley and passes traditional monasteries before reaching Dharmasala (Larkya Phedi), the base for tomorrow’s Larkya La Pass.
Day 10 – Cross Larkya La Pass to Bimthang
Duration: approx. 9-10 hours trekking
Altitude: up to 5,150, then descend to 3,720m
It’s an early start for a long trekking day, but you’ll be rewarded with impressive mountain panoramas. You’ll encounter a number of rustic villages, clear glacier lakes, beautiful valleys, and a wide range of flora and fauna, not to mention some notable snow-capped peaks. After a short climb, you’ll reach a valley on the north side of the Larkya Glacier from where you can enjoy great views of Cho Danda and Larkya Peak. You’ll walk across moraines of the glacier, making a gradual ascent, which becomes steeper in the last section of the pass. From here, there are outstanding views of Himlung Himal, Cheo Himal, and the massive Annapurna II. You’ll finish with a rewarding walk into misty low pastures in the early evening with Mount Manaslu (the 8th highest mountain in the world) looming in the distance.
Day 11 – Trek to Tilje
Duration: approx. 6-7 hours trekking
Altitude: 2,240m
Descend through rhododendron forests, high pastures, and villages. Cross the Dudh Khola, then follow a trail through Karche and Gho before reaching Tilje. Views back toward Manaslu and surrounding peaks make for a memorable final day on the trail.
Day 12 – Drive to Kathmandu
Duration: approx. 7-8 hours drive
Altitude 1,400m
From Tilje, you’ll be transferred by local jeep to Besisahar, then continue along the Prithvi Highway back to Kathmandu. Pass terraced hills, rivers, and small towns before arriving in the capital, where your Manaslu adventure concludes.
Accommodation
