Any Question? Email Us
info@nepalhimalayastrekking.comTalk To An Expert ( Prakash Lamsal )
Any Question? Email Us
info@nepalhimalayastrekking.comTalk To An Expert ( Prakash Lamsal )
The Manaslu Circuit Trek is a 14-day, roughly 177 km teahouse trek around Mount Manaslu (8,163 m), crossing Larke La Pass at 5,160 m. It costs from US$1,290 per person with Nepal Himalayas Trekking, including permits, a licensed guide, porters, and meals on the trek. Since 22 March 2026, solo trekkers can get the restricted-area permit alone, as long as they walk with a licensed guide.
You drive from Kathmandu to Machha Khola, follow the Budhi Gandaki gorge north through Gurung and Tibetan-Buddhist villages, rest at Samagaon beneath Manaslu, and cross Larke La into the Annapurna region. About 12,000 trekkers walked the circuit in 2024, against roughly 50,000 on the Everest Base Camp trek, so trails and teahouses stay quiet.
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Duration | 14 days Kathmandu to Kathmandu (10 trekking days) |
Distance | About 177 km (110 miles) |
Maximum elevation | 5,160 m (16,929 ft), Larke La Pass |
Highest night | Dharamsala (Larke Phedi), 4,460 m |
Start / finish | Machha Khola / Dharapani, by private jeep from and to Kathmandu |
Difficulty | Challenging: 6-8 hours a day, 8-10 hours on pass day |
Best months | Late September to mid-November; March to May |
Accommodation | Hotel in Kathmandu, teahouses on the trek |
Meals | Breakfast, lunch and dinner included on the trek |
Permits | RAP, MCAP, ACAP and Chumnubri fee, all included |
Guide ratio | 1 licensed guide per 7 trekkers maximum; 1 porter per 2 trekkers |
Group size | From 1 (solo welcome) |
Price | From US$1,290 per person (solo US$1,390) |
You need three government permits plus a local fee, a licensed guide, and a registered agency to apply for you. Permits total roughly US$200-260 per person in autumn on our 14-day itinerary, and all of them are included in your package price.
What changed in 2026
Permit costs (per person, included in our price)
Permit | Where it applies | Sep-Nov | Dec-Aug |
|---|---|---|---|
Manaslu Restricted Area Permit (RAP) | Jagat to Dharapani | US$100 first 7 days, then US$15/day | US$75 first 7 days, then US$10/day |
Manaslu Conservation Area Permit (MCAP) | Whole Manaslu section | NPR 3,000 (NPR 1,000 SAARC) | Same |
Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) | Dharapani onward | NPR 3,000 (NPR 1,000 SAARC) | Same |
Chumnubri Rural Municipality fee | Paid at Jagat | NPR 1,000 | Same |
On our itinerary, you spend about 10 days inside the restricted zone (Day 3 to Day 12), so the RAP is about US$145 in autumn and US$105 outside autumn. SAARC nationals, including Indian trekkers, pay reduced conservation fees; we confirm the current RAP rate when you book.
What we need from you: a passport copy, two passport photos, your Nepal visa details and travel insurance that covers helicopter evacuation to at least 5,200 m. Permits are checked at Jagat, Philim and Dharapani, and your guide carries them for you.
Day | Route | Overnight altitude | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Arrive in Kathmandu | 1,400 m | Transfer |
2 | Drive Kathmandu to Machha Khola | 930 m | 8-10 h by private jeep |
3 | Machha Khola to Jagat | 1,340 m | 6-7 h, 22 km |
4 | Jagat to Deng | 1,860 m | 6-7 h, 19 km |
5 | Deng to Namrung | 2,630 m | 6-7 h, 20 km |
6 | Namrung to Samagaon via Lho | 3,530 m | 6-7 h, 17 km |
7 | Rest day in Samagaon | 3,530 m | Optional 3-5 h hike |
8 | Samagaon to Samdo | 3,860 m | 4-5 h, 16 km |
9 | Samdo to Dharamsala | 4,460 m | 4-5 h, 12 km |
10 | Over Larke La (5,160 m) to Bimthang | 3,720 m | 8-10 h, 24 km |
11 | Bimthang to Tilije | 2,300 m | 6-7 h, 21 km |
12 | Tilije to Dharapani, drive to Besisahar | 760 m | 5-6 h walk, 3-4 h jeep |
13 | Drive Besisahar to Kathmandu | 1,400 m | 7-8 h |
14 | Departure | 1,400 m | Airport transfer |
Want a gentler climb? Day 6 gains 900 m. Ask for our 15-day version with a night in Lho (3,180 m), which splits it into two easy days and adds sunrise over Manaslu from Ribung Monastery.
Day 1: Arrive in Kathmandu (1,400 m). We meet you at Tribhuvan Airport and drive you to your hotel. Your guide holds a pre-trek briefing, checks your gear and collects documents for your permits.
Day 2: Drive to Machha Khola (930 m), 8-10 hours. The road is paved to Dhading Besi, then rough dirt through Arughat and Soti Khola along the Budhi Gandaki. We travel by private 4WD jeep.
Day 3: Machha Khola to Jagat (1,340 m), 6-7 hours. Cross suspension bridges to Khorlabesi and the hot spring at Tatopani. At Jagat you enter the restricted area and your permits are checked.
Day 4: Jagat to Deng (1,860 m), 6-7 hours. Pass Salleri, Sirdibas and the Gurung village of Philim, where the Tsum Valley trail splits off. The gorge narrows into bamboo forest before Deng.
Day 5: Deng to Namrung (2,630 m), 6-7 hours. The culture turns Tibetan, with mani walls, chortens and gompas at Bihi and Ghap. Shringi Himal comes into view, and Namrung has some of the best lodges on the route.
Day 6: Namrung to Samagaon (3,530 m), 6-7 hours. The biggest climb of the trek. Walk through Lihi, Sho and Lho with Manaslu filling the valley ahead, then on to the stone village of Samagaon.
Day 7: Acclimatisation day in Samagaon (3,530 m). Hike to Pungyen Gompa or to Birendra Lake below the Manaslu glacier. Fit trekkers can climb part-way towards Manaslu Base Camp and sleep low again.
Day 8: Samagaon to Samdo (3,860 m), 4-5 hours. A short, gentle day through juniper and birch to Samdo, the last village before the pass and close to the Tibetan border.
Day 9: Samdo to Dharamsala (4,460 m), 4-5 hours. Pass the old trading post of Larke Bazaar and climb to the basic stone lodges at Dharamsala. Early dinner and early bed.
Day 10: Cross Larke La (5,160 m) to Bimthang (3,720 m), 8-10 hours. Start around 4 a.m. and climb along the Larke glacier moraine to the prayer-flagged pass, with Himlung, Cheo Himal, Kang Guru and Annapurna II in view. Descend steeply, often on ice, to the meadows of Bimthang.
Day 11: Bimthang to Tilije (2,300 m), 6-7 hours. Look back at Manaslu's west face, then descend through rhododendron forest along the Dudh Khola to the Gurung village of Tilije.
Day 12: Tilije to Dharapani, then drive to Besisahar (760 m). Walk through Thonje to Dharapani, where the trail meets the Annapurna Circuit. A jeep takes you down the Marsyangdi Valley to Besisahar.
Day 13: Drive to Kathmandu (1,400 m), 7-8 hours. Paved road via Dumre, with a free evening in Thamel.
Day 14: Departure. Airport transfer, or extend with Chitwan, Pokhara or another trek.
Our 14-day Manaslu Circuit Trek costs from US$1,290 per person for 2-4 trekkers and US$1,390 for a solo trekker, with lower prices for larger groups. Guided Manaslu treks in Nepal generally range from about US$900 to US$2,200, depending on meals, transport, and group size.
Group size | Price per person |
|---|---|
1 (solo, private guide) | US$1,390 |
2-4 | US$1,290 |
5-7 | US$1,225 |
8-12 | US$1,190 |
13+ | US$1,160 |
Travelling on a tighter budget? Our Manaslu Circuit Group Join Trek starts from US$690 on shared departures.
The Manaslu Circuit is a challenging teahouse trek, harder than Everest Base Camp or the Annapurna Circuit. You walk 6-8 hours a day for ten days on rocky trails, and pass day takes 8-10 hours, up to 12 in snow. You need no climbing skills, but you should have done at least one multi-day hike before.
Train for 8 weeks: four to five sessions a week of incline walking, stair climbing, running or cycling, plus weekend hikes of 5-6 hours with a 6-8 kg pack. See a doctor first if you have heart, lung or knee problems, or are over 60.
Altitude sickness (AMS) becomes a real risk above 3,000 m. Our itinerary climbs gradually to Samagaon, adds a full rest day at 3,530 m, then gains no more than 600 m of sleeping height per day before the pass. Your guide checks your oxygen level with a pulse oximeter every evening and reports to our Kathmandu office. If symptoms get worse, you descend, and if needed, we arrange a helicopter through your insurer.
Month | Verdict | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
Jan-Feb | Avoid | Deep snow often closes Larke La; many high lodges shut |
March | Good | Pass reopens; rhododendrons start to bloom low down |
April | Excellent | Stable weather, clear mornings, warm days |
May | Good | Warmer, more afternoon haze before the monsoon |
Jun-Aug | Avoid | Monsoon rain, leeches, landslides in the Budhi Gandaki gorge |
September | Fair | Wet early; clears late in the month |
October | Excellent | Clearest views, busiest month |
November |