Manaslu Circuit trek — the complete route guide
Fourteen to eighteen days and around 177 km around the world's eighth-highest mountain, crossing Larke La at 5,106 m. It is a restricted area: you need a registered agency, a licensed guide and normally at least two trekkers. Wilder and far quieter than Annapurna, with a genuinely remote middle section.
Manaslu is what the Annapurna Circuit was before the roads: a long, committing walk up one river system, over a high pass, and down another, through villages that are Hindu at the bottom and Tibetan Buddhist at the top, with a fraction of the traffic.
The trade-off is bureaucracy and cost. Manaslu is a restricted area, which means you cannot walk it independently at all — the permit is issued to an agency, not to you, and a minimum group size applies. That barrier is precisely why it stays quiet.
The route at a glance
Roughly 177 km from Arughat or Soti Khola up the Budhi Gandaki, around the north side of Manaslu (8,163 m), over Larke La and down to Dharapani, where the trail joins the Annapurna Circuit.
- Distance — about 177 km.
- Duration — 14–18 days.
- Start — Arughat / Soti Khola (600–700 m). Finish — Dharapani or Besisahar.
- Highest point — Larke La, 5,106 m.
- Difficulty — strenuous. Long days, big total ascent, one serious pass.
- Best seasons — March to May and October to November. The pass is snowbound in winter.
The permits — this is the part that governs your trip
Manaslu needs four separate documents, and one of them cannot be issued to an individual under any circumstances.
- Manaslu Restricted Area Permit — priced in US dollars per person per week, historically around US$100 for the first week in high season with a per-day rate thereafter, and a lower rate outside the main season. Issued by the Department of Immigration to a registered trekking agency only.
- Manaslu Conservation Area Permit (MCAP) — around Rs 3,000 plus VAT.
- Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) — around Rs 3,000 plus VAT, because the final section drops into the Annapurna area.
- TIMS card — around Rs 2,000.
- Minimum two trekkers plus a licensed guide, arranged through a registered agency. There is no solo option and no walk-in permit.
The itinerary in stages
Like the Annapurna Circuit, it makes more sense as phases than as a rigid day list, since road access to the lower Budhi Gandaki keeps changing.
- Stage 1 — Soti Khola (710 m) to Jagat and Deng. Hot, humid, low, with the trail cut into gorge walls above the Budhi Gandaki. Suspension bridges and waterfalls; leeches in the shoulder seasons.
- Stage 2 — Deng to Namrung (2,630 m) and Lho (3,180 m). The culture shifts from Hindu Gurung to Tibetan Buddhist, mani walls appear, and Manaslu comes into view above Lho monastery.
- Stage 3 — Samagaon (3,530 m). The largest Tibetan-influenced village on the route and the acclimatisation base. Take a rest day and hike to Manaslu Base Camp or Birendra Lake.
- Stage 4 — Samdo (3,690 m) to Dharmasala / Larke Phedi (4,460 m). Sparse, cold, high, with one basic lodge at Dharmasala.
- Stage 5 — The crossing of Larke La (5,106 m), then a long descent to Bimthang (3,590 m). Cross by mid-morning: afternoon cloud on this pass is consistent and dangerous.
- Stage 6 — Bimthang down to Dharapani (1,920 m) and out by jeep, or continue onto the Annapurna Circuit.
Larke La and the Dharmasala problem
Larke La is a longer pass day than Thorong La in terms of distance on the top, and it has a specific structural weakness: the last lodge before the pass, Dharmasala, sits at 4,460 m, is very basic, and is frequently overcrowded in peak season.
Sleeping badly at 4,460 m before a 5,106 m pass is the classic setup for altitude problems, so build the acclimatisation earlier — a genuine rest day at Samagaon and a night at Samdo — rather than relying on Dharmasala to do it.
Cross early. Guides aim to be over the top by around 10 a.m., because afternoon cloud and wind on Larke La arrive reliably and the descent to Bimthang is long.
Tsum Valley — the extension that is worth the extra permit
Branching north from Lokpa, the Tsum Valley is a separate restricted sub-region running towards the Tibetan border, historically isolated and only opened to trekkers in 2008. It is a Buddhist valley with a long-standing non-violence tradition, ancient gompas at Mu and Rachen, and almost no visitors.
It needs its own restricted-area permit on top of the Manaslu one, and adds roughly five to seven days. If you have the time and are already paying for a Manaslu agency trek, it is one of the better cultural experiences available in Nepal.
Where to stay, and what to expect from it
The teahouse network on Manaslu is real but thinner and simpler than Annapurna or Everest. Expect basic rooms, shared toilets, limited menus higher up, and occasional full lodges in peak season.
- Lower valley (Soti Khola to Jagat) — simple lodges, hot and humid, good food.
- Namrung and Lho (2,630–3,180 m) — better lodges, mountain views, monasteries.
- Samagaon (3,530 m) — the best accommodation up high, and the right place for a rest day.
- Samdo (3,690 m) — a small Tibetan trading village, few lodges.
- Dharmasala (4,460 m) — one basic lodge, often crowded. Some groups carry a tent as a contingency.
- Bimthang (3,590 m) — a welcome, well-positioned village on the far side.
- Carry enough cash for the whole trek. There are no reliable ATMs on this route.
Key takeaways
- ✓14–18 days, 177 km, over Larke La (5,106 m) — the closest thing left to the old Annapurna Circuit.
- ✓Restricted area: an agency, a licensed guide and normally at least two trekkers. No solo, no walk-in permit.
- ✓Four permits: Manaslu restricted-area (USD, per week), MCAP, ACAP and TIMS.
- ✓Acclimatise at Samagaon and Samdo — do not rely on the crowded, basic lodge at Dharmasala (4,460 m).
- ✓Add the Tsum Valley if you have five to seven extra days; it needs its own restricted permit.
Manaslu Circuit Trek — FAQ
Can you trek Manaslu Circuit without a guide?+
No. Manaslu is a restricted area: the permit is issued by the Department of Immigration to a registered trekking agency rather than to individuals, and requires a licensed guide and normally a minimum of two trekkers. There is no independent or walk-in option.
How much do Manaslu Circuit permits cost?+
The restricted-area permit is priced in US dollars per person per week — historically around US$100 for the first week in high season with a per-day rate after, and less outside peak season. On top of that: MCAP and ACAP at around Rs 3,000 each plus VAT, and a TIMS card at around Rs 2,000. Confirm current rates through your agency.
How high is Larke La pass?+
5,106 m. It is the high point of the Manaslu Circuit, crossed from Dharmasala (4,460 m) with a long descent to Bimthang (3,590 m). Guides aim to be over the top by mid-morning because afternoon cloud and wind on the pass are reliable.
Is Manaslu Circuit harder than Annapurna Circuit?+
Yes, on balance. It is longer in total ascent, more remote, has simpler lodges, and the last shelter before the pass is basic and often crowded. It is also far quieter, which for many trekkers is exactly the point.
What is the Tsum Valley?+
A restricted Buddhist valley branching north from the Manaslu route towards the Tibetan border, opened to trekkers only in 2008. It has a long-standing non-violence tradition, ancient gompas at Mu and Rachen, and very few visitors. It requires its own restricted-area permit and adds about five to seven days.
Related guides
Sources & data note
Day-by-day structure, walking times, teahouse cost ranges and difficulty judgements are our own synthesis of the route dataset behind this site, park and tourism-board information and consistent trekker reporting. They are planning estimates for a reasonably fit walker in a normal season, not published figures, and your itinerary should be built with a licensed guide who knows current trail and lodge conditions. Permit fees are quoted as base fees before 13% VAT; confirm at the issuing counter. Guides are written from primary sources — Nepali government departments, operators, park authorities and standards bodies — and each guide lists the sources used for its own facts. Rules, fees and prices in Nepal change; treat figures as current at the review date shown on each guide and verify anything money- or visa-critical with the issuing authority before you rely on it.
- Nepal Tourism Board — official site (trekking and trekker information)Nepal Tourism Board ↗
- Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation — parks and entry feesDNPWC, Government of Nepal ↗
- Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal (TAAN)TAAN ↗
- High-Altitude Travel and Altitude Illness — CDC Yellow BookUS Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ↗
- Himalayan Rescue Association Nepal — altitude aid posts and adviceHimalayan Rescue Association ↗
- Nepal trekking permits and fees (2026)Follow Alice ↗
- Department of Immigration Nepal — visas, extensions and restricted-area rulesDepartment of Immigration, Nepal ↗