Manaslu Circuit & Throng La Pass Trek - 24 Days

One of the Himalayan Trekkers’ representatives will meet you when you arrive at Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport and take you to the specified hotel. After that, we'll have a brief chat about your Manaslu Circuit Thorong La Pass Trek. In addition, if you arrive on schedule or before sunset, we'll wander around Thamel Bazaar which is the biggest tourist hub in Nepal. You can also discover a few temples and monuments on the corners of Thamel Street. 

After a hearty breakfast, we will start your guided tour of Kathmandu at Boudhanath Stupa, the largest stupa in Nepal. It is one of Kathmandu's seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which was included in the list in 1979. Boudhanath is a symbol of Tibetan Buddhism, and the neighborhood is often called Little Tibet. One of the largest structures in the world, the stupa is renowned for its beauty, serenity, and spirituality. Both domestic and foreign tourists adore this location.

We will drive to the revered Hindu landmark known as Pashupatinath Temple after performing a kora (holy circuit) of the enormous Boudhanath Stupa. The main temple in the complex is devoted to Lord Shiva, making it one of the four most important Hindu monuments in the world. While non-Hindus are not permitted in the main shrine, they are welcome to explore the other areas of the complex. On the banks of the revered Bagmati River, you may also witness the Hindu tradition of open-air cremation.

After visiting these two important locations, we head back to Thamel where, if you're joining the group, you'll meet your trekking guide and your fellow trekkers. After that, you can use the rest of the day to prepare for the journey and go through your equipment. You can stroll around the Thamel market and do last-minute purchasing, where you can get everything needed for hikes, climbs, and other outdoor activities.

We will drive down from Kathmandu to Arughat which is almost a 7 hours journey and further 1 hour we will reach Soti Khola for our overnight stay. The driving route offers picturesque views of terraced fields, lush hills, and infrequent glimpses of Himalayan peaks like Annapurna, Manaslu, Ganesh Himal, and Langtang Himal. Once in Arughat, we will continue by a local jeep to Soti Khola, passing through various Gurung and Magar communities, terraced farms, and stunning waterfalls.

Today is the first day of the walk as we move north along the Budi Gandaki River. We will walk past small settlements and across the hill until we reach a spot where the valley widens considerably and from where you can see a big tributary of Budi Gandaki meeting it on the opposite side. Walking on we will reach Lapubesi. From here we will continue uphill for a couple of hours and reach Machha Khola for an overnight stay.

Today's journey will be considerably more challenging than yesterday's due to the route's ups and downs. Following the trek along Tharo Khola, we will move from Machha Khola to Khorlabesi, a charming Gurung settlement. After a short, steep ascent, we will next reach Tatopani, a natural hot spring location. After a short walk, we will reach a small forest and cross it to reach Doban. Another couple of hours from Doban will take us to the fields of Jagat, the destination for the day. 

Our day begins with climbing a rocky ridge to Salleri and descends to Sirdibas. The valley extends a little bit as the trail goes up to Ghatte Khola. We walk further to a long suspension bridge in Philim, a huge Gurung settlement. After that, the trail diverts towards the north just above the lowest house in the village and stays within the same level as it crosses millet fields to Ekle Bhatti. After that, the trail enters a steep and uninhabited gorge. From this spot, we walk down to the grassy land slopes, cross the Budi Gandaki and then trek along the west bank for a while, then cross to the east bank. As we follow the riverbank, the narrow track that leads down the valley becomes visible. We will next proceed to Deng Khola by way of bamboo groves. We cross the river and arrive at Deng.

After breakfast, we will start walking across one of the most impressive valleys today. We will walk past the village of lama where we can see numerous Mani walls, Shringi Himal, and varieties of the landscape. While enjoying the view we will enter one of the sections of the Great Himalayan Trail (GHT) renowned as Rana Gaon and from Rana Gaon, we come to Bihi where we can find two routes one route to Ghap and next to Prok. From this point, we can see the mouth-watering view of Shringi Himal.

Then, as we move through a forest of firs, oaks, and rhododendrons, we cross the river several times. We finally climb a challenging gradient to reach Namrung. Namrung hamlet offers breathtaking views of the peaks Singri Himal, Ganesh Himal, and Mount Himchuli.

Note: Namrung has some of the greatest teahouses, eateries, and lodgings with Wi-Fi services along this Manaslu Circuit Trek route. 

Today most of the walk will be through the Alpine territory. We can have beautiful vistas of the mountains and after crossing the Buri Gandaki we reach the spot where you need to take a permit to continue forward. We will continue to climb up until we reach a quaint Tibetan village of Sho, 3000m above sea level. From here we get to see a glimpse of Manaslu North and Manaslu. Continuing ahead for around one hour from Sho, we reach Lho, another beautiful Tibetan village at the height of 3180 m above sea level, where we can see lots of Mani walls, monasteries, and small chorten.

Leaving the Lho village behind, we continue to walk on the right bank of the river, with views of Peak 29 ahead. As we continue on the main trail, we soon reach the fields of Sama Gaon where we end the day’s trek.

Today is a free day for rest so that you get acclimatized. We have two hiking alternatives for today. We can either explore the nearby Birendra Lake and hike to Manaslu Base Camp, which is north of Sama village, or hike to Pungyen Gompa, a historic monastery with a breathtaking view of the glacier. Once you get to either of these two locations, you will be rewarded with breathtaking views of Manaslu. We can also encounter some Yaks and Thars from the Himalayas grazing nearby or on the way.

We leave Sama Gaon after breakfast and proceed for a short 3 hours trek to Samdo Gaon. It is a simple and easy trail on a shelf above the river passing the juniper and birch of the forests of Kermo Kharka. Similarly, we drop off the shelf and cross the Budi Gandaki on an adventurous wooden bridge, and ascend onto a cape between two divisions of the river. Furthermore, from a stone curve, we can view a huge white Kani. Ultimately, we pass through the Kani to reach Samdo.

We start the journey by walking down the edge by crossing the wooden bridge over the Budi Gandaki River and ascending. After crossing two streams and seeing the magnificent Larkya Glacier we go around the valley of Salka Khola and ascend to the stone guest house (4450m), which is not a lodge but a type of shelter known as Dharamsala also popular as Larke Phedi. 

Larke La Pass at 5160 meters altitude is one of our ultimate and most awaited destinations of this Manaslu Circuit with Thorong La Pass Trek. As the journey today will be long and strenuous, we will start our day early in the morning and start walking uphill to reach the north side of the Larkya Glaciers.

Larke La Pass is the longest mountain pass in Nepal which offers an impressive view of the imposing Cho Danda and Larkya Peak. We can also enjoy the views of Himlung Himal, Cheo Himal, Kanggaru, Namjung, Ratna Chului, Lamjung, and of course Manaslu with the mighty Annapurna II. This mouthwatering view of the Himalayan range with other natural beauty makes us feel as if we conquer the world and are in heaven.

Crossing the pass, we walk across the glacier and descend slowly to the valley trail. Further on, a moraine ridge path leads to Bhimthang for an overnight stay.

From Bhimtang, we can see the great and mouthwatering view of Lamjung Himal, Himlung Himal, Mt. Manaslu, and Cheo Himal. We walk down and cross the high pasture (Sangure Kharka) by a bridge over a Dudh Khola. We walk through a rhododendron forest and follow a trail through a tiny valley until we reach the elevated cultivated land of the valley at Karche (2785m). We walk across the fields before climbing a ridge. The path comes off the ridge in a huge comprehensive curve to the river bank at 2580m. From here, a short distance beyond is the Gho village. Then, we trek until we reach Tilije for the overnight stay. 

Today we will join the Annapurna Circuit trail. We will approach the Karche La pass, and just ahead is a green and heavily forested valley, which drops down to the distant Marshyangdi River. After a while, we will arrive at Bagarchhap, a quaint and serene Tibetan village with prayer flags fluttering in the wind. From here, we will start our trek through pine and oak forests and pass through Dhanakyu. After crossing the steep incline we will continue through the Rhododendron forest to Ratamron. 

After a couple of hours of trekking through the forest area, we will reach a small hamlet of Kotho. From here you can see the magnificent and majestic Annapurna II - a sight convincing us that we are deep in the Himalayan Mountains. Then we walk for nearly fifteen minutes and reach a fir and pine forest. At the other end of the forest lies the village of Chame, our destination for spending the night.

We wake up to a beautiful sun rising over the Lamjung Himal [6893m] and head towards Pisang which is our final destination for the day. In this patch of the trek, we will walk through the terraced barley fields, cross over mountain passes, and enjoy the sight of the apple orchards, approach small mountain hamlets until we reach Bhartang. We quickly come over a bridge that takes us through pine forests and up the steep Dhukur Pokhari hill. Continuing on the same trail, with splendid views of Annapurna II for the company we will traverse for 3 hours and arrive at the village of Pisang. In the evening, we will visit the local monastery in the village to end the day. 

After breakfast, we leave Pisang settlement and proceed towards Manang village of Gurung people. The first part of the trek takes us through incredibly fragrant pine forests where we can breathe in the fresh mountain air. We will have a beautiful view of the Manang valley and the Tilicho peak (7,132m) as we come down from Manang’s airstrip. After a while, we will reach the spot from where we can clearly see the northeast face of Annapurna III. 

Walking further down through the Sabje Khola Valley you can see the imposing Annapurna IV which stands at 7,525 m above sea level. Crossing a wooden bridge built on the Marshyangdi Khola we enter the village of Mungji. From Mungi, we will switch to the upper trail to travel to Ngawal and to Manang.  This path also offers stunning views of the Annapurna, Gangapurna, and Pisang peaks. 

We do have a whole day off today after breakfast, so we may spend it acclimating in the village of Manang where there is so much to see. We can visit the Himalayan Rescue Association with your guide and take a tour of Bhojo Gumba for more information on the high-altitude illness. Another option can be a short hiking trip to Gangapurna Lake or the Milarepa cave. We might also go on a strenuous day hike from Manang to Ice Lake today.

From Manang village, the path crosses a stream and ascends to the village of Tenki above Manang, and then continues to ascend out of the Marshyangdi Valley turning northwest up the valley of Jarsang Khola. The path then follows this valley northward, passing a few pastures and Juniper trees as it gains elevation. Furthermore, the trail passes through a small village with flat mud roofs just below the trailhead. Now the path moves through the meadows where horses and Yaks graze. After crossing a small river on a wooden bridge, the trail enters an ancient Old Mani wall in an enjoyable meadow and then reaches another small village renowned as Yak Kharka.

After breakfast at the teahouse in Manang, we will start to move a little more slowly to the settlement of Thorong Phedi. After walking for some time from Manang, we cross a suspension bridge and reach the Letdar village. We ascent along the Jorsang Khola's east bank while admiring the surrounding, snow-capped mountains such as Mt. Gundang, Mt. Syagang, Thorong Peak, and Mt. Khatungkan. Furthermore, we walk and pass through soaring cliffs before we reach Thorang Phedi, the last village before Thorang La Pass. 
 

Today is also one of the most significant days of the trek as we will approach the highest trekking pass in the world namely Thorong La Pass at 5416 meters.

As the afternoon wind at the pass is wild, we will start very early, before dawn. The climb from Manang to Thorong La Pass is one of the most arduous trails. It is very steep but well defined and easy to track as it has been used by the villagers for centuries now. The walk is uphill and backbreaking for the next four hours until we reach a spot that has prayer flags and a small stupa/chorten. The tiredness from the uphill trek just vanishes once we see the majestic snow-capped mountains, the rolling hills of Mustang, and the Valley of Kaligandaki. 

After a brief halt at the pass to click pictures and create memories, we start the downhill journey to Muktinath. We will cross the Jhong Khola Valley to reach Muktinath, a popular pilgrimage in the Himalayan region for followers of both Hinduism and Buddhism. If time permits, we can visit the temple and take a short stroll around the village. 

We make our morning exploration of the temple where the pilgrims and devotees visit and worship here from dawn. It is said that bathing at the 108 bronze spigots inside the temple will undo your sins. Then after breakfast, our downhill trek begins. We first reach Jharkot and Kingar after a gradual descent. This place has beautiful monasteries signifying the interrelation and similarity of both the cultures i.e. Nepal and Tibet. The view of Dhaulagiri and Nilgiri is simply splendid throughout the trail. As the last phase of the trek, we will walk past Kagbeni to reach Jomsom along the banks of Kali Gandaki River. We can spend some time looking around the town. Jomsom is a lovely town that is also the headquarters of the Mustang district and the former Trans-Himalayan Salt Trade Route to Tibet. 

Since Jomsom lies in the mountainous region so there is always an early flight to Pokhara as in the morning the days are clear and also the flight duration is about 20 minutes. 
Similarly, Pokhara is also known as the “city of Lake” and is one of the most popular places for foreigners after Kathmandu. There are lots of interesting things to see in Pokhara. So once you are in Pokhara, we don’t miss visiting the popular landmarks of Pokhara. We will explore its famous and important landmarks such as Davis Falls, Mahendra Gufa, Gupteshower Mahadev Cave, Bindyabasini Temple, and International Mountain Museum. 

You will also get to do boating in Nepal’s second biggest lake, Phewa Lake while also enjoying the views of the Himalayas and surroundings. We will also visit the famous Tal Barahi Temple in the middle of the Phewa Lake by boating. 

Leaving Pokhara, we will go for the drive to Kathmandu. The drive will be scenic and you will get the opportunity to experience the highway of Nepal. We traverse along the lush green hills and gushing river waters, pass by many small villages and towns, and enjoy the Himalayan peak views and terraced farms. 

Once in Kathmandu and your rest in the hotel, you can stroll around the Thamel market where you can buy some handcrafts or paintings as mementos or souvenirs for your friends and family. In the evening, we will dine in at a fine Nepali restaurant where we will get to enjoy delicious Nepali cuisine and watch the cultural program organized by them. 

As your Manaslu Circuit Thorong La Pass Trek journeys have concluded, we will transfer you to the airport after breakfast or 3 hours prior to your scheduled flight back to your home country.