The Manaslu Circuit covers approximately 177 kilometres (110 miles) over twelve to fifteen trekking days. You start at 600 metres in the subtropical lowlands and cross the Larkya La pass at 5,160 metres before descending to Dharapani on the Annapurna Circuit route. The daily distances are manageable — averaging 13 to 15 kilometres — but the combination of altitude, remote terrain, and one very long pass day makes this a serious trek.
What Is the Total Distance of the Manaslu Circuit?
The Manaslu Circuit from Soti Khola (600m) to Dharapani (1,860m) via the Larkya La (5,160m) is 170 to 185 kilometres depending on route variations. The main variable is whether you take the direct trail or detour through Tsum Valley, which adds 50 to 60 kilometres and four to five extra days.
Without the Tsum Valley detour, the standard circuit is 177 kilometres over twelve to fourteen trekking days.
How Far Do You Walk Each Day?
| Day | Route | Distance | Altitude | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Soti Khola to Machhakhola | 14 km | 600m → 870m | 6-7h |
| 2 | Machhakhola to Jagat | 14 km | 870m → 1,340m | 6-7h |
| 3 | Jagat to Deng | 12 km | 1,340m → 1,860m | 5-6h |
| 4 | Deng to Namrung | 16 km | 1,860m → 2,630m | 6-7h |
| 5 | Namrung to Samagaon | 16 km | 2,630m → 3,530m | 6-7h |
| 6 | Samagaon rest day (acclimatisation) | 5-8 km | 3,530m → 4,000m → 3,530m | 3-4h |
| 7 | Samagaon to Samdo | 10 km | 3,530m → 3,860m | 4-5h |
| 8 | Samdo rest day (acclimatisation) | 5-7 km | 3,860m → 4,200m → 3,860m | 3-4h |
| 9 | Samdo to Dharmasala | 8 km | 3,860m → 4,460m | 4-5h |
| 10 | Dharmasala to Larkya La to Bimthang | 22 km | 4,460m → 5,160m → 3,720m | 9-11h |
| 11 | Bimthang to Tilije | 18 km | 3,720m → 2,300m | 6-7h |
| 12 | Tilije to Dharapani | 14 km | 2,300m → 1,860m | 5-6h |
Which Day Is the Hardest?
Day 10 — the Larkya La crossing is the defining day of the Manaslu Circuit and one of the hardest single trekking days in Nepal. You leave Dharmasala (4,460m) at 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning, climb 700 metres to the pass at 5,160m, then descend 1,440 metres to Bimthang (3,720m). Total distance: 22 kilometres. Total time: nine to eleven hours.
The pre-dawn start is necessary because afternoon cloud and wind make the pass dangerous after midday. You climb in darkness with headlamps, reach the pass around sunrise, and spend the rest of the day descending. The last few kilometres before the pass are steep and often snow-covered. The descent on the western side is equally steep with loose rock and scree.
This is the day that separates the Manaslu Circuit from easier treks. If you can handle 22 kilometres at extreme altitude with 2,140 metres of total elevation change, you have what it takes.
How Does the Budhi Gandaki Gorge Affect Distance?
The first four days follow the Budhi Gandaki river through one of the deepest gorges in Nepal. The trail is carved into cliff faces, crosses suspension bridges, and passes through narrow sections where the river has cut through solid rock. The distance on the map does not capture the difficulty — the trail gains and loses altitude constantly as it navigates the gorge walls.
Days 1 and 2 are the most relentless. The trail between Soti Khola and Jagat involves continuous ups and downs along the river, with steep descents to bridge crossings followed by steep climbs back to the trail. You may only gain 270 metres of net altitude between Soti Khola and Machhakhola, but the total ascent and descent is closer to 800 metres each.
How Does Manaslu Distance Compare to Other Circuits?
| Trek | Distance | Days | Pass Height | Daily Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manaslu Circuit | 177 km | 12-14 | 5,160m | 14 km |
| Annapurna Circuit | 200 km | 14-16 | 5,416m | 13 km |
| EBC (out and back) | 130 km | 12 | 5,545m | 11 km |
| Kanchenjunga (both BCs) | 220 km | 20-22 | 5,143m | 10 km |
Manaslu is shorter than the Annapurna Circuit but has a harder pass day (22 km vs 16 km). It is longer than EBC but lower at its highest point. The daily average of 14 kilometres is the highest of any major Nepal circuit, but the restricted-area permit means you share the trail with thirty trekkers instead of three hundred.
Is 177 Kilometres Manageable?
The Manaslu Circuit is not a beginner trek. The combination of 177 kilometres over twelve to fourteen days, with two 5,000-metre-plus days and continuous gorge walking in the first half, requires solid fitness. You should be comfortable walking 15 kilometres on varied terrain for multiple consecutive days before attempting this circuit.
That said, the daily distances are reasonable if you are fit. No single day exceeds 22 kilometres, and the hardest altitude days (Days 9-10) follow two rest days that allow proper acclimatisation. The trek is challenging because of the cumulative load — two weeks of daily effort at increasing altitude — not because any single day is impossibly hard.
If Manaslu sounds too long, consider the Langtang Valley Trek (80 km, 8 days) as a shorter restricted-area-adjacent alternative, or the Annapurna Base Camp trek (110 km, 10 days) for a similar duration with lower altitude.
What About the Tsum Valley Extension?
Adding the Tsum Valley detour increases total distance to approximately 230 kilometres over nineteen to twenty-one days. The Tsum Valley branch adds 50 to 60 kilometres of walking through Nepal's most sacred hidden valley, staying below 3,700 metres throughout. It is culturally extraordinary but adds a full week to the trek.
See our Manaslu Circuit Trek (12 Days) for the full itinerary and pricing. All permits including the restricted-area permit are included.
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Written by Shreejan Simkhada, CEO of The Everest Holiday and third-generation Himalayan guide. TAAN Member #1586.
