Manaslu Circuit Trek

A full-day guided tour around Kathmandu city's historical and cultural landmarks. Visit Bauddhanath Stupa and Pashupatinath Temple, the most important sites of Buddhism and Hinduism in Nepal. Catch the playful antics of the monkeys and beautiful city views at Swayambhunath temple. Get lost in Kathmandu's old city bazaars, public squares, and former royal palaces at Durbar Square.
 

Today, after the breakfast, we drive to Arughat (570m) from Kathmandu, which will take approx. 8-9 hours via private vehicle or local bus. We will be travelling via the Prithvi Highway before Malekhu we turn north taking the single track road for Dhading Besi and beyond to Arughat. We will stay there at guesthouse overnight.

We today, will start trekking from Arughat. Our today’s destination will be Soti Khola (730m), which will take approx. 5-6 hours. A well-defined path through verdant paddy fields climbs past Gurung villages. At Shanti Bazaar, you will have the first view of Shringi Himal. From here Budhi Gandaki will be our uphill companion. After crossing the suspension bridge of Soti Khola, we then reach into the village which is famous for famed Honey Hunters. 

The trail now weaves in and out of forest past the settlements of Liding and Lapubesi. Our trekking theme to come is that of following this remote and classic mountain stream in all its glory up towards its source in the snow-melt and glaciers on the utterly isolated north face of Manaslu.  We finally reach at Machha Khola, at the altitude of 930m, where we will stay overnight.  
 

Our trail now will be undulating. We will cross the streams and rocky ravines and reach Khola Besi, where you can enjoy a hot spring, and will have lunch today. In the afternoon, we will reach at the eastern bank crossing the suspension bridge. We finally reach at Doban (1070m) for staying overnight.

Today, we will be continuing our steeply rising rocky trail. Following this inhospitable landscape will bring you to Yara Khola. We again continue trekking and cross the suspension bridge and reach at Jagat. Then we cross into designated Manaslu Conservation Area. You will enjoy the dramatic facet of Shringi Himal. Then our trail inclines gradually to start off with until we are over a bridge for the slog up to Phillim (1570m). We will stay overnight at Phillim today. 

Well, above Phillim, the sense of being dwarfed by sheer scale and the feeling of being truly amongst the mighty Himalaya, which simply has no comparisons. We again cross the Budhi Gandaki following the trail through cliff side, up and over ridge backs then down again to the river where the Shar Khola cascades into Budhi. Now, the trail flattens out and winds through bamboo forest to Deng Khola and into the non-descript Deng settlement itself. We stay overnight at guesthouse in Deng (1860m).
 

Today, we will leave Deng and again use the course of Budhi Gandaki recrossing the river and following an uphill trail to Rana before crossing the little monastery of Shringi and the religious motifs carved on mani walls by Shringi Khola suspension bridge. Then, we will reach at Ghap for our pleasant lunch. Untili today, our route has been persistently due North but in the course of this morning, we, as well as the river, have veered to the West. After crossing the fields, we enter a dense mixed forest of conifers and Juniper with birdlife and monkeys.  Following the trail above the river and after crossing another waterfall and continuous climb through woods, we finally reach at Namrung (2540m). We stay here overnight. 

Today, we will feel the marked sense of Tibetan influence with closely packed stone houses standing together like apartments and sharing a common flat roof and courtyard. After climbing alongside a mani wall through the fields and village of Barchham, we then reach at Lihi. Then, we climb to Sho village, which is another cluster of stone houses. The mountain views become more dramatic with altitude. You will enjoy the majestic views of Manaslu, Manaslu North, Himalchuli, Saula Himal and Dwijen Himal. After a small ravine, we enter Lho (3020m), which is an important village with a monastery and a Lama school with some 80-90 resident scholars inspired by a fabulous view of Manaslu.  

Today, we will be resuming the trek with a steep descent and a crossing of yet another rock-strewn torrent called Thusang Khola. You will realize that Manaslu and Himalchuli dominate the entire landscape. Then on, across the glacier-fed Numla Khola, the valley drops away to a moraine while we follow the ancient trans-Himalayan trail now a just very few kilometers from Tibet. We then reach at Samagaon. Samagaon (3390m) is one of the classic Lama settlements in the region with monatery  and mani walls and all things totally Tibetan. 

oday will be a rest and acclimatization day in Samagaon. You can have an optional hike to Punggyen Gompa or the day can be spent immersing oneself in the daily life of Sama Gompa. 
 

Today, passing by the foot of the great Manaslu Glacier, we pass the trail that branch off to Manaslu Base Camp. Then, before a final upward push brings us to Samdo (3690m), our path enters a woodland replete with birch, rhododendron, and juniper, heavy with moss and lichen. Samdo has a well-established Tibetan Refugee Community.

Today’s walk starts easily enough. We cross Budhi Gandaki for a final time and pause at the old stone wall of mani inscriptions bidding us well for progress over the pass.  The trail gradually rises through juniper and tundra with a viewpoint overlooking the Larkya La Glacier. Further climb will bring us to memorably Spartan Larkya Rest House. We now reach at Dharmashala (4460m) for our overnight stay.
 

An early morning start is needed for what is to be a particularly tough and extended day. We start at approx. 4 am to avoid gale force wind which usually gains in strength after mid-day at the pass.  After a long gradual climb alongside a moraine, we make a short descent to a glacial lake and reach the head of the moraine (4700m) which we cross to climb to the ridge top. Four frozen lakes lie below and then it is up to the crest of the Larkya La (5100m). The reward for these difficult trekking conditions is brilliant westerly views of Himlung Himal, Kangurru and Annapurna II as well as the looming omnipresence of Manaslu. Well, the descent is hardly any easier; we drop around 650m in less than an hour. Our trail then levels off onto yak pastures before finally reaching Bimtang (3590m), a collection of typical summer kharkas. 

Now, the toughest days on the trail are behind us. We descend through meadows and through pine and rhododendron forest to reach Hampuk and then after dropping further following the course of the Dudh Khola we arrive at Karche and then onto the village of Gho. Keeping the west bank of the river, the afternoon is one of the gradual descent to the Gurung Settlement of Tilije which has a certain notoriety for apply brandy. We stay overnight in Tilije (2300m) at local lodge. 

Leaving Tilije, we cross to the eastern side of the Dudh Khola and match the gradient of the river down to Dharapani. Here is Dudh Khola’s confluence with the Marshyandi and also our meeting with the Annapurna Circuit trail which is ascending towards Manang. We finally reach at Jagat (1300m) and transport from here.

After having breakfast at Jagat, we then drive to Bandipur. Bandipur was the ancient trading route between India and Tibet. It offers magnificent views of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri Himalayan Ranges as well as the picturesque Marshyandi Valley below it. Houses are built with typical Newari style and temples are built in Pagoda style. There is a palace built during Nepal Unification Process by Prithvi Narayan Shah in 1668 B.S. Bandipur is situated in between Kathmandu and Pokhara which is 8 kilometers upon the hill south of Dumre (180 km from Kathmandu) . We will stay at Bandipur overnight.  

After having breakfast in the morning, we then drive from Bandipur to Chitwan. After arriving at Chitwan at approx. 2:30 pm in the afternoon we take Tharu village tour for an hour and half and then in the evening slide presentation about flora and fauna or Tharu culture program.

After having breakfast, we than canoe to elephant breeding center to observe baby elephants. While returning back to the hotel before lunch, enjoy the elephant wash in Rapti River.  Then, elephant back safari in the afternoon at 3:30pm. Finally, in the evening enjoy the cultural program or slide presentation about flora and fauna.

After the morning breakfast, we then go for Jeep Safari for two hours. After Jeep Safari we will continue drive to Bharatpur Airport for our returning flight back to Kathmandu. We reach Kathmandu around 3:30 pm. You can take your time for shopping before dinner. 
 

A Cold Feet representative will accompany you to the airport to catch your returning flight. We hope to see you again soon!