Short Manaslu Circuit Trek - 12 Days

The journey from Kathmandu to Machha Khola is about 160 km, and it takes about 8–9 hours by local jeep /bus. We drive through the paved roads and off-road terrain. While the road offers scenic views, it remains challenging, especially during the monsoon season. Along the way, you will see we will be stopping for multiple breaks and for lunch and stretching. You will enjoy fantastic views of terraced fields, the beautiful Trishuli River, and various Nepali villages as well as beautiful mountain scenery including  Annapurna, Manaslu, Langtang, and Ganesh Himal. Overnight in the lodge at Machha Khola. 

We start our day after a hearty breakfast. We will cross a suspension bridge and we move along the way on a rather flat to uphill path. The pathway wound through a deep valley with cliffs where rock formations and waterfalls create a stunning landscape. Khorla Besi to Tatopani is about 30 min walk. Tatopani is a natural hot spring. You may take some time to soak in the warm waters of Tatopani before advancing further to Dhovan Village where we will stop for lunch. Thulo Dhunga to Jagat is mostly uphill for 2.5 hours, which is quite challenging. Most tourists reach Jagat at around 3 pm. Jagat is a beautiful place with an attractions such as Mani walls, Stupas, and traditional houses to explore in the evening.

We will leave Jagat after a hearty breakfast. Today is going to be quite exciting, as you can see stunning views and big villages on the way. About 1 hour of hike along the riverbank of Budhigandaki takes you to Salleri. We hike on a jeep route to reach Ghatte Khola and then Philim. Philim is the largest village, and you can visit a big village with a checkpoint for a Manaslu Conservation Area Permit. Also, there are attractions such as hospitals, a gomba and a local school enroute.  About an hour walk from Philim takes you to Chisapani. This is where you stop for lunch for about 1 hour. The final part of the day to Deng is about 4 hours hike that is quite difficult. There are just a few stops, such as Nyak Phedi and Pewa, a small village. Many other locals and mules accompany the uphill hike, as this route also goes to the TSUM valley.

After breakfast in Deng, we will begin one of the most important and culturally significant sections of the trek. Cross the Budhi Gandaki and walk up to the bridges, from which we will continue climbing to connect a route from Bhee Phedi. But as you reach Bhee Phedi, things get exciting. This is a beautiful local village with some river, mountain peak views, gumbos, Mani walls, verdant forests, and charming ethnic groups. The final part of the trek takes about 2 hours. The path is initially quite pleasing as you walk on the bank of Budi Gandaki. Then, after crossing the suspension bridge, you go uphill. Walking further passing through Ghap, we will reach another settlement of Namrung.

Today a short walk from Namrung with breathtaking mountain views as the valley unfolds before us. The first two hours of the trek are on a flat path. There are suspension bridges and mountain views of peaks, such as Niki Peak on the right and Lamjung Himal on the left. Rich greens of the lowland valley giving way to the faded browns and grays of its Himalayan topography, and the bright blue skies are experienced at altitude. You get to the beautiful Loo in another two hours where you can see the beautiful Manaslu I and Himchuli as well as some the tranquil Rebung Gompa monastery. We may as well encounter a few yak caravans transporting the timbers while walking through the forest until Shyala. Stay overnight in Local mountain lodge.

After enjoying early breakfast, we hike to Pungen Monastery, which is a different route from the Samagaon main route. Our side trip takes about 2-3 hrs of walk.  We hike includes uphill climbing through stone steps and mountain path which is quite challenging. When we are closer to the monastery then its flat terrain and gradual uphill but we can see the breathtaking views of mountains all around. There are also small rivers flowing from the vast grassland of the monastery and Mt. Manaslu looks very close, almost like we can touch it. After a brief moment in Pungyen Gompa, we spent time taking pictures and soaking in the moment. We start our walk back on the same route for 2 hours and take a left to head for Samagaon. Evening you can explore the hamlet and Gombas, a tiny bit of old Tibetan culture. Today we ascent about 539 m/ 98 ft.

Sama Gaon is our resting place for the day, and our bodies adjust to the altitude. The village offers a variety of day excursions, such as a short hike to the nearby Birendra Tal (lake), or option for the incredibly rewarding and dramatic hiking to Manaslu Base Camp. Samagaon to Manaslu Base Camp Distance: 13.2 km /8.2 miles round trip and total ascent about 1270 m/ 4166 ft
Samagaon is the perfect place for a night’s stay, enjoying a rest day and acclimatization on the Manaslu short trek itinerary. We wake up early in the morning and, after breakfast, start our acclimatization hike. We continue on the Samdo route for 20 minutes and take a left towards Birendra Lake.

Birendra Lake

This glacier lake with pristine blue water from the Manaslu glacier is about a 1-hour uphill hike from Samagaon. This lake is at an altitude of 3,644 meters and gains more than 100 meters when we reach it. This option is good for trekkers who don’t want to or cannot do a strenuous hike to Manaslu Base Camp.

Manaslu Base Camp

If we choose to hike Manaslu Base Camp then we start in the early morning after freshening up and having tea, and we start walking towards base camp. After crossing the river, we climb stone steps going through the forest. The terrain is straight uphill, so in risky areas where the landscape is too steep, there are railings to hold onto and walk. We have our packed lunch on the way after about 2 hours of walking. After 3 hours of walking uphill, we put on our crampons and take out our trekking poles for a strong grip on icy terrain.

View from the top of Manaslu Base Camp is breathtaking, and it is also one of the major highlights of this trek. But trekking to base camp is not fun. It is entirely an uphill trek for about 7-8 hours, gaining 1,200 meters of altitude. It’s an amazing acclimatization hike and only recommended when there is no ice on the way. We return by the same trail, which takes about 3.5 hrs.

We wake up and head towards the dining hall for breakfast. Today is the easiest day on our entire trek, as we trek on flat terrain and walk at a relaxed pace. The route to Samdo makes a northerly bend along the upper reaches of the Budhi Gandaki River. Before the final climb to the village of Samdo, you will cross a wooden bridge over the Budhi Gandaki River. Ascending gradually, we reach the town of Samdo after passing past the confluence of the Larke River and the river created by the Samdo Glacier, which is also the source of the torrent Budhi Gandaki. Before that, on our left and in front of the point where we diverge from the route to Manaslu Base Camp, we walk through the lovely Kermo Kharka juniper and birch forests. We continue across wooden bridges and ascend steeply towards the Samdo, where we can see a huge white Kani. We get to our destination after the Kani. 

Samdo Village

This is the last village of Manaslu, which can also be called the forbidden village. It is quite a big village with 30 to 40 local houses, and the people are all Buddhists. Also, there are monasteries and stupas. Right from the hotel window, you can see the beautiful Samdo peak and the entire Manaslu range.

We start our trek after breakfast. Today our hiking journey to Dharamshala is relatively short. We follow the path as it passes through the Athahra Saya and Larke rivers. As we travel along the route, we gently ascend, passing through Taka Choeling Gumba with views of Naike and Pangboche Peak. We cross a bridge, walk through the Mani walls with stone houses, and then turn left to reach Larkya Bazaar, a small town with lodging.

Larke Bazaar
Larke Bazaar is the only teahouse at the stop, about a 30-minute hike from Samdo. We crossed a dangerous wooden bridge on the Budhi Gandaki River. Larke Bazaar is a junction of the Tibetan border and Dharamshala.

From Larke bazaar, we hike for another 500 meters on the uphill path, cross the bridge, and head toward the alpine meadow. While enjoying the beautiful view of the Larkya Glacier, we continue towards the stone-built guesthouse in Dharamsala. 

Dharmasala or Larke Phendi

This is the remotest stop on the route, with no village and only three hotels. The rooms are very basic, and you might have to sleep in the common room on a mat on a small wooden platform. Dharamshala or Larke Phedi, the highest point before the Larke Pass, where buildings and tents can be erected. We may see lichened stones, grazing pasture, beautiful trees, and the Syacha Glacier along the way. Also, most tourists go for a few hours of acclimatization hike to Khaki Danda (a 20-minute hike). Here, there is no Wi-Fi, no network, and no electricity. Charging can be done on solar power, which is also very rare.

Today is the most challenging day of the short Manaslu Circuit trek. We will hike for about 8 hours. Prepare for a physically demanding day as we travel to Bhimtang via the Larkey La Pass (5160m). We wake up early, freshen up, and begin hiking after breakfast. We arrive at the northern end of the Larkya Glacier after a short ascent and enter a valley with breathtaking views of Cho Danda and Larkya Peak. We take beautiful pictures of the four frozen lakes and hike straight, gaining 704 m, more steeply toward the end of the Larkey-La pass. We stop here for some time to take some pictures with your friends and watch the views of the Himlung Himal (7126 m), Cheo Himal (6820 m), Gyaji Kung (7030 m), Nardi Chuli, Kang Guru (6981 m), and Annapurna II (7937 m). From the top of the Larke Pass, we descend downhill; about 2-3 hrs downhill takes us to a lower altitude Larke Phendi. Be very careful where you place your foot, as the snow can block the terrain or make the trail slippery. From Larke Phedi another 1.5 hours to the beautiful village Bimthang. From the backside, you can see Manaslu, Panchok Himal, and Lamjung Himal. Stay overning in local lodge.

From Bimtang, after an early breakfast, we start our trail by crossing over the side of the moraine and descending to the headwaters of the Dudh Khola, which we cross on a wooden bridge. We continue through the pine and rhododendron woods to Hompuk (3,430m). From the route, you can enjoy the panoramic views of Phungi, Manaslu, Manaslu north peak, Cheo Himal, and Himlung Himal. After walking through the forest trail, we arrive on the road and walk on that for 30 minutes before reaching Goa(2,575m). This is a village of Gurung people where you stop for lunch. The route is filled with ups and downs, passing mostly through the fields but occasionally through dense pine forests. From Goa, we trek for an hour at a relaxed pace on a wide road that take us to Tilije, a multi-ethnic community settlement.

Tilje Village

Tilje village has 30 to 40 houses, both Buddhist and Hindu. It also has a gompa and a health post. There are 4/5 teahouses with Wi-Fi and charging sockets in the room. You can also take a hot shower here, and attached bathrooms are also available.

From Tilje we walk about 1.5 hrs to Dharapani and then take a local jeep to Besisahar where we stop for lunch. The jeep ride from Tilje to Besishar is completely off-road about 40-45 km. We stop at Chaymche for a quick break, where we see an iconic waterfall. The drive is around 3.5 hours to Besisahar and then after lunch we drive for about 1.5 hrous to the beautiful Riepe village.