Manaslu Circuit Trek 2027: 12-Day Itinerary, Cost and Permits

Updated 7 November 2026.

Short answer: the Manaslu Circuit with us is 12 days from Kathmandu back to Kathmandu, with no flights. You drive to Machha Khola on day 1, rest a full day at Samagaon on day 7, cross the Larkya La (5,160 m) on day 10 and drive out from Dharapani on day 12. It costs from USD 825 per person for a group of 2 to 4 on Budget, USD 1,855 on Standard and USD 3,190 on Luxury. A solo traveller pays USD 1,340, 2,075 or 4,015. Your licensed guide and every permit are in the price.

You book it as our Manaslu Circuit trek, 12 days. Below is how each day actually goes, what the nights are like, and what you pay.

Manaslu Circuit 12-day itinerary at a glance

Sleeping heights are taken from our package itinerary.

Day by day: what each day is like

Day 1: Kathmandu to Machha Khola

This is a long drive, usually 8 to 10 hours, and the last part is a rough road. Budget goes by local vehicle, Standard by shared tourist vehicle and Luxury by private vehicle. Please be in Kathmandu by 4 pm the day before and rest. We meet you, check your bag and your permits, and go early.

Days 2 to 4: Machha Khola to Namrung

You follow the Budhi Gandaki river north. The valley is steep and green at first, with stone-walled villages, mani walls and suspension bridges. By Namrung (2,630 m) the people, the food and the prayer flags all feel more Tibetan. These are 5 to 7 hour days. They are not high, but they are long, and this is where your legs get used to the work.

Days 5 and 6: Shyala and Samagaon

You climb to Shyala (3,500 m) and then on to Samagaon (3,530 m), the biggest village on the trek, under Manaslu itself. From Samagaon you can sometimes hear the hanging glaciers shift.

Day 7: rest at Samagaon

Do not skip this day and do not treat it as a day off. Your guide will take you on a short walk higher and back down. That is how you sleep well at 4,000 m later. The altitude is the main risk on this trek, above 4,000 m especially, and this day is built in for it.

Days 8 and 9: Samdo and Dharamsala

Day 8 is short, to Samdo (3,875 m). Day 9 takes you to Dharamsala (4,480 m), a basic stone lodge below the pass. Lodges above Samagaon are simple and hot showers may not be there. Bring a liner or a warm sleeping bag. If you do not own a sleeping bag or down jacket, tell us at your briefing and we lend you ones.

Day 10: the Larkya La

You start in the dark with a head torch and climb to the pass at 5,160 m. Then you come down a long way to Bhimtang (3,720 m). It is 8 to 10 hours, and it is the one day of the twelve that fresh snow or wind can change. Your guide carries a pulse oximeter, checks you every day, and decides whether to go. If he says wait, we wait. Read more in our Larkya La guide and the night-by-night altitude profile.

Days 11 and 12: out to Dharapani and Kathmandu

Bhimtang to Dharapani is a gentler day. On day 12 you reach the road at Dharapani, drive via Besisahar and arrive in Kathmandu in the evening. Because the walk ends on the Annapurna side, a slow road can cost you time. Keep a spare day or two before your flight home.

How much does the Manaslu Circuit cost in 2027?

Prices are per person, in US dollars, for 2027, taken from our package page on 6 November 2026. Every trek is private with your own licensed guide, and only your group size changes the price.

The price is the same for a private trek and a group. VAT and our service charge are already in it.

What changes between Budget, Standard and Luxury

If you are going alone, Luxury still gives you your own porter. On Standard a solo trekker has no porter, because porters are shared between two, so your guide carries up to 10 kg of your bag. Budget never has a porter. You can add a porter on any tier for USD 25 a day, plus 13% VAT and the 3.5% bank charge, so USD 29.24 a day.

What is not in the price

Your international flights, your Nepal visa (USD 50 for 30 days on arrival), travel insurance bought at home that covers trekking to 5,500 m and helicopter evacuation, your Kathmandu hotel (I quote it separately), tips for your team, and on Budget your meals. A teahouse meal is about NPR 2,000 with tea or coffee, so up to about USD 40 a day on Budget. There are no ATMs on the circuit, so carry the Nepali rupees you need for snacks, showers and charging. For tips I suggest about USD 15 to 20 a day for a guide and USD 10 to 15 for a porter.

The same cost line by line is in our Manaslu Circuit cost guide.

Permits for the Manaslu Circuit

Manaslu is a restricted area. By Nepal government law you need a licensed guide and the restricted-area permit. The old two-person minimum was scrapped on 22 March 2026, so a single trekker can now go with a guide. We arrange and include every permit, and the application needs 48 hours in government working days.

You need the ACAP because the route ends at Dharapani. The restricted-area permit does not replace TIMS. More in Manaslu permits explained. In a restricted area you cannot walk apart from your guide, because he is named on the permit.

Best time for the Manaslu Circuit, month by month

There is no weather station on the circuit. What I say comes from our guides, .

If I had to pick, I would go in October or the first half of November, and in spring in April. More in Manaslu Circuit best time.

How hard is it, and who is it for?

We grade it very strenuous. You walk 9 days, most of them 5 to 8 hours, two short ones of 3 to 4 hours, and one 8 to 10 hours at 5,160 m. You do not need technical skills. You do need to be fit, to have walked several days in a row before, and to accept that the pass may not open on your day. Only about 6,000 trekkers a year cross the Larkya La, against about 30,000 on the Thorong La, so the trail is quieter and the lodges are simpler. Lodges are covered in where you sleep each night, and what to carry is in the packing list.

Questions people ask

How many days is the Manaslu Circuit?

Ours is 12 days from Kathmandu to Kathmandu, including the drives. That is 9 days of walking with one rest day at Samagaon. Some operators sell 14 to 16 days with more rest. If you want a slower plan, tell us and we adjust it.

How much does the Manaslu Circuit cost?

From USD 825 per person on Budget, USD 1,855 on Standard and USD 3,190 on Luxury for a group of 2 to 4. Solo is USD 1,340, 2,075 and 4,015.

Can I do the Manaslu Circuit solo?

Yes, with a licensed guide. Since 22 March 2026 a single trekker can hold the restricted-area permit. You cannot walk without the guide. Solo pays the solo price in the table above.

When is the Larkya La open?

Normally October and November, and April and early May. Fresh snow or wind can close it for a day in any season, so we keep a flexible plan. In winter the pass can be snowed shut.

How high does the Manaslu Circuit go?

The Larkya La pass is 5,160 m. Your highest night is Dharamsala at 4,480 m.

Is there a road, and how do I get to the start?

There are no flights. You drive from Kathmandu to Machha Khola on day 1, which takes 8 to 10 hours. You finish at Dharapani and drive back via Besisahar.

What do I need to pay for myself?

Flights, visa, insurance that covers trekking to 5,500 m and helicopter evacuation, your Kathmandu hotel, tips, and on Budget your meals.

How do I book, and what happens if my plans change?

A 10% deposit confirms your dates. You pay it by card, and we cover the 3.5% card charge on it. You pay the balance when you arrive in Kathmandu, in US dollars or euros, cash or card (card carries 3.5%). The deposit is not refunded if you cancel, but you can move your trip free to any date within a year with 7 days' notice for a restricted area. If we cannot run the trip, we refund what you paid less taxes, bank and card charges and money already spent on permits and flights.

Next step

Message me on WhatsApp, +977 9810351300 with your dates and how many of you are going, and I will send a plan and a price. We are a family company, independent since 2016, with three generations of family guides behind us. We are a four-time TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice winner (2019, 2020, 2023, 2024), rated 4.9 / 208 reviews on TripAdvisor (16 October 2026). See the trek page: Manaslu Circuit trek, 12 days.