The Manaslu Circuit Trek – Entry to the hidden valley is a splendid two weeks journey which is considered one of the best treks in Nepal and offers jaw-dropping Himalayan views and natural beauty. The Manaslu Circuit Trek itinerary begins with Soti town, takes you through steamy lowland rice field terraces, through the mighty gorges of Budhi Gandaki, suspension bridges and cross through Larke La Pass (5153m) to trek around the world’s eighth highest mountain.
Manaslu Circuit Trek – Entry to the Hidden Valley is considered a restricted region treks in Nepal. The trek provides ranges of altitude that presents varied flora and fauna and a vast cultural scale that includes strong influences from Tibet combined with typical Nepalese culture and ethnicity. Mt. Manaslu (8163m) is the world’s eighth highest mountain, and Manaslu is standing remotely and yet in the very center of the Nepalese Himalayas.
You begin your trek with the drive from Kathmandu to Aarughat and follow the twisting Bhdhi Gandaki River north to the village of Deng. Following the Manaslu Circuit trek Itinerary, you ascend to the foot of the northern face of Mount Manaslu. You will be welcomed with a spectacular panorama and the most pleasing aspects of stunning mountains. Besides Manaslu, you may also get an opportunity to explore the breathtaking scenery of other massifs such as Himlung Himal (7125m), Dhaulagiri, Annapurna Mountains, and Ganesh Himal.
Manaslu region is a restricted area for trekking, and you will require a special permit, which your local company can issue. You will need ACAP and MCAP permits on this Manaslu Circuit/Round trek, along with your special permit. And most importantly, two trekkers accompanied by a licensed holder guide is a MUST.
The first day of your trip is about an adventure ride through the mountain off-road. You will drive about 160 KM from Kathmandu to Maccha Khola via Sotikhola, which takes about six to seven hours. And on the way back, you will go for about five to six hours from Dharapani in a 4WD and change another transport to Kathmandu, which takes about six to seven hours.
Manaslu Circuit Trek is a tea-house trek in which you will sleep in basic rooms with two basic single beds (twin rooms); toilets are usually shared outside the teahouse. Blankets are provided; however, it is suggested to bring a sleeping bag or a liner that keeps you warm. Your dinner will be provided at the same teahouse, and lunch will be en route.
With the fast development of information technology, the Internet with WiFi facility is available in most teahouses. However, the speed of the internet could be slow. If you want to speak with your family back home, you can also use the SAT phone, which is available in the teahouse.
HimalayanWindows is committed to providing the best services on the beautiful Manaslu Circuit Trek – Entry to the Hidden Valley by keeping all the possible attractions on the trail.
Sightseeing tour in Kathmandu – visit major four temples and durbar squares in Kathmandu valley
Wake up early morning and get ready after having breakfast at the hotel, also re-check your luggage. Our driver will escort you to the Bus Park to catch a bus to Arughat. You will be driving towards the western part of the valley following a blacktopped Prithvi Highway. Crossing the Trishuli River, you will drive towards Dhading Besi from where you will have a bumpy drive of around 3 hours to Arughat. On the way, you can view the beautiful landscape, countryside lifestyle, terraced fields, rivers, and waterfalls. Arughat is a small town mostly settled by the Newar ethnic group.
Resting for a while at Arughat starts a journey towards Soti Khola. Crossing a bridge across the Budhi Gandaki River, you will pass small villages settled by Gurung and Magar ethnic groups, beautiful field of millet and Paddy and landscape along the Sotikhola. Spend overnight at the local lodge.
Begins trek on few ups/down rocky trail after crossing a suspension bridge passing beautiful Sal forest. Viewing tropical waterfalls and passing terraces, you will walk up to the village of Lapubesi settled by traditional Gurung. Resting for a while, you will start walking uphill along the bank of the Budhi Gandaki River till Khanibesi. Here, you can click the North-east view of Ganesh Himal and a beautiful waterfall and then starts descending towards the village at Macchakhola. You can take a relaxing dip in a hot spring and explore the surrounding. Spend overnight at the local lodge.
Today, you will start walking in a narrow trail following the Budhi Gandaki River. Just walking in a zigzag trail and crossing a suspension bridge will take you to the Khorlabesi that offers a fantastic view of Ganesh Himal. Now onwards, you will walk in ascending and descending trails, crosses several suspension bridges, passes landslides, rock falls, and small hamlets; even walk-in stone steps along with rocky trail en- route to Jagat. On reaching Jagat, see the fabulous view of Sringi Himal; mani walls and Chortens representing the Himalayan culture. Spend overnight at the local lodge.
After sliding down a long chain of stone steps to the river, you will climb on a terraced hill to Saguleri. See the impressive view of Singri Himal, 7187m from Saguleri. At Saguleri, the path splits. You will continue with the left-hand branch heading upstream, through a gorge section with towering walls. Thrice you cross the river in the next couple of hours to avoid difficult valley sides and then slide up over a further steep spur to reach the village of Deng. Spend overnight at Deng local lodge/camping.
Today, you will cross the village of Lamaistic Buddhism, see the some Mani walls/ Chortens and flattering flags while entering the elevated Buddhist Community. Since today’s trek is relatively short you reach the village of Ghap in about four hours, which straddles the river. Officially, you have entered the Tibetan Region as you feel the perceptible change in the climate and culture. Spend overnight at Ghap local lodge/camping.
The clear sighs of gaining the elevation are visible as you move into alpine territory where the mountain views are more than terrific. Myriads of mani stone walls and crossings of the Buri Gandaki thrice en-route will bring to Namrung. At Namrung, you need to issue trekking permits and MCAP permits. Beyond Namrung, the valley opens out and there are extensive pastures. Then, a gradual up climb followed by crossing a bridge over a large stream flowing down from the Lidanda Glaciers, you reach the Tibetan village of Sho, 3000m. Beyond Sho, you get first incredible views of the Manaslu North and then of Manaslu Main. A further trek will bring you to Lho, a large village at 3150 meters where there is a lovely little monastery and numerous Chortens and Manis. Looking back, Ganesh I is visible. Spend overnight at Lho local lodge/camping.
Beyond Lho, chase the right bank of the river, with views of Peak 29 ahead. Continuing along the main trail, you will reach Sama Gaon 3500m after a while trek. You can visit Sama Gompa which is just 20 minutes’ walk from Sama. Spend overnight at Sama local lodge/camping.
It is wise to rest during the trek for proper acclimatization before gaining the height. Spend your time at Sama Village enjoying the culture, lifestyle, and people following Lamaism. You can either hike to a ridge to view the stunning mountain including Nadi CHuli, Manaslu, Larke, and Naike. Or, you can also go to visit the Pung Gyan Gompa, capture the fabulous view of Puggen Glacier. Your walk on rest will let you familiarize yourself with height. Retrace Back to Sama Goan for the overnight stay.
Today, you will trek to the Manaslu Base Camp that is incredibly a great trip. You will walk up for around 5 hours to base camp. Explore the surroundings and continue walking for your final destination towards Samdo. Todays’ trail will be a bit longer enjoying the sunlight on the mountains and glaciers. The best part of the trek is the incredible turquoise view of Birendra Lake. Spend some time in the base camp, then trek to Samdo. From now, you will enter the forest filled with birch, juniper, rhododendron, moss, and Lichen. The trail will take you towards the Kyonggma Kharka that manifests small huts made with stones and a long Mani walls. Crossing a bridge over Budhi Gandaki River, you will enter the village of Samdo. It is the very close village to Tibet settled by the Tibetan Refugee community, have Taka Choeling Gompa, big Mani wall and close to Sonam Glacier as well as a viewpoint of Naike and Pangboche Peaks. Spend overnight at Local lodge/camping.
Today, you will gain a significant height. Beyond Samdo 3780m, you will trek along Larke Khola to Dharmashala (Stone Hut) 4460 along the steep trail above the river. At a point in today’s trek, you will be mesmerized by the incredible view of Larke Kunda. Keeping on gaining the height, you will arrive at Larkya Phedi 5105 crossing Larkya-La Pass 5153m. The trail passes through the Mani walls and Stone Huts while walking towards Larke Phedi. Larke Phedi is also called as Dharmasala or Rest House, is a seasonal village
that provides rooms and tents for the trekkers. On reaching, you can hike the hills for acclimatization and retrace back to Phedi for the overnight stay at Resthouse/camping.
Today will be the most exciting day crossing a Larkya-la Pass gaining an ultimate altitude of this trek. Just starts walking in the early morning, you will pass the moraine route of the Larkya Glacier, cross frozen lakes and follow the steep up will takes you to Larkya-La. You will see the flattering colorful flags in a place, make your day a wonderful time catching the magnificent view of the snowcapped peaks including Annapurna II, Kangguru, Himlung, Larkey and many more. Continue walking following the guide in a steep descend on a high moraine ridge of Salpudanda glacier. Now onwards, the trail will be grassy moraine rockfall of Dangboche Kharka. Walking for a while will take you to the beautiful Bimthang Village. From here, you can view the fantastic scene of the peaks like the Lamjung, Manaslu, Phungi, Himlung and Cheo Himal. Spend overnight at Local lodge/ Camping at Bimthang.
Begins the trail to the Hampuk, a rock shelter cave, and crossing a bridge, you will continue walking down through the forest of Rhododendron and Pine, passing several villages and cultivated land, explore the Gho Village settled by the Gurung community as well as the Kilpu waterfall. You will reach Tilje, where you can rest for a while. Explore traditional Gurung Village. From now, you will continue walking towards Dharapani after crossing a bridge over the Dudh River. Explore the village and spend time enjoying the surrounding. Spend overnight at Local Lodge.
From Today, your trek will officially enter the Annapurna Conservation Area Project and Marshyangdi Valley. Show the TIMS and ACAP at Check Post while leaving Dharapani. Dharapani is a knot of Annapurna and Manaslu Trail as well as a junction of Dudh Khola and Marshyandgi River. Begins walking in a downhill trail passing Tal Village, you will continue a steep stone trail and cross a suspension bridge over Marshyangdi River, you will reach Chamje.
From here, a steep descend towards the Syange village and crossing a bridge will take you to the bus stop. Driving for hours down in a snaky road will take you to Besisahar. Resting for a while, you will be escorted towards Kathmandu following Highway blacktopped road.
A representative from HimalayanWindows will take you to the airport approximately 3 hours before your scheduled flight.
Hassle-free is the word. If you plan to visit these countries? Anup at Himalayan Windows is the guy you need to see. Almost a year of planning and he was on top of things every single time. Any questions? He answers. Any suggestions? He answers. Better yet? You don’t need to plan anything. Have him plan it for you! He even booked us a fine dining restaurant in which my…
Payment: A deposit of 30% of the total tour cost is required to book the tour with Himalayan Windows (HW). The remaining balance is to be paid three days prior to the departure date. Payment can be made via Wire Transfer or Credit Card. All credit card payments are securely processed and a bank fee applies.
Cancellation: For cancellations more than 30 days before the Tour Start Date, there will be no cancellation fee. If the cancellation happens within 29-4 days prior to the Tour Start Date, a charge of 30% of the total invoice amount will be applied. Cancellations occurring within 3 days or less of the start date or in the case of a no-show, 100% of the total invoice amount will be charged. Learn more about Terms and Conditions.
Accommodation: Accommodation is typically provided in twin rooms in cities, though a single supplement can be requested for an additional fee. During peak season, it can be difficult to find single or twin rooms in the mountains, so our lodges usually offer dormitory-style accommodation. Our priority is always to provide clean and safe rooms for our guests.
Meals: Our packages in Bhutan include full board meals, with breakfast, lunch, and dinner included. For treks, all meals are provided, but you will need to pay extra for drinking water and snacks.
Nepal Visa: If you are planning a trip to Nepal, you must have a valid passport and Nepal Visa. Depending on your country of origin, you may need to obtain a Nepal Tourist Visa before your arrival. To be eligible, your passport should be valid for a minimum of six months from your Tour Start Date. If you are planning on traveling to multiple countries on your trip, make sure to get a multi-entries Nepal Visa.
Bhutan Visa Clearance: All visitors to Bhutan must have a valid Bhutan Visa Clearance before their trip. To obtain it, you must submit a color-scanned copy of your passport, which must be valid for at least 6 months from the start date of your tour. Your tour operator will send you a Visa Clearance prior to your departure, which you must present at the Druk Air/Bhutan Airlines counter during check-in. Once you arrive at Paro Airport, your passport will be stamped with the original visa.
Tibet Group Visa (TGV): All travelers from any nation intending to go to Tibet from Nepal must obtain a Tibet Group Visa (TGV) in Kathmandu with the help of a tour operator. To ensure the successful application of the TGV, you should plan to arrive in Kathmandu 3-4 working days before your travel date. If you are coming from China, you will not require a TGV; instead, you will need a Chinese Visa and Permit. To find out more about the process of entering Tibet, please look into the Tibet entry procedure.
Nepal & Bhutan: Visiting Nepal and Bhutan at the same time is ideal as they share a similar climate. From high mountains to low land sub-tropical plains and jungles, the two countries have similar weather. The best time to visit is from March to April (spring) and October to December (autumn and early winter). During these months, the air is clean and fresh with sunny skies. January and February are colder months, while June, July, and August (summer) are typically monsoon seasons.
Tibet: It is best to visit Tibet between April and October when the weather is warm and the skies are clear. However, from November to March, it is still possible to explore certain areas like Namtso, Everest Base Camp, and Mount Kailash, as long as the roads are not blocked by snow. Temperatures during this time may be quite cold.
HimalayanWindows strongly recommends that anyone planning to travel in the Himalayas purchase Travel Insurance. This policy will provide coverage in the case of medical emergencies, evacuation, theft, loss of belongings, and last-minute tour/ticket cancellations. Having this protection in place will help ensure that your trip is safe and enjoyable.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Nepal Tour and Trekking Do I Need A Visa To Enter Nepal? Yes, all foreigners, Except Indians, need a Nepalese visa to enter Nepal. Most nationals can get an on-arrival visa at the TIA airport. However, it is advised to consult with your nearby Embassy or Consulate of Nepal. What do I need to get my visa? You need to have a valid passport, some… Read More »
Namaste from HimalayanWindows! HimalayanWindows is a company operated by travel professionals involved in the travel industry for more than a decade. We use package tours for Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan. HimalayanWindows believes that Our Motto is to satisfy every customer in all aspects. We are a team of professional, experienced travel entrepreneurs working in the Himalayas for years! We want to introduce ourselves as a tour and trekking operator… Read More »
