Manaslu Circuit Trek - 12 Days | Remote Larkya La Pass Expedition

In short: the Manaslu Circuit suits experienced walkers who want a remote, quiet circuit with a real pass and do not mind a long, hard crossing day. It runs 12 days from Kathmandu, reaches 5,160 m on the Larkya La and is graded very strenuous. It is a restricted area, so your licensed guide and permits are included, and prices start from USD 799 per person on Budget, USD 1,599 on Standard and USD 2,665 on Luxury.

Trek Highlights

• 12-day private trek crossing the Larkya La (5,160m), the high pass connecting the Budhi Gandaki and Marsyangdi valleys.
• Restricted Area Permit handled: by Nepal government law Manaslu needs a registered guide and the special permit, and the two-person minimum was scrapped on 22 March 2026. We hold what is required.
• Family-run since 2016, three generations of guides on Himalayan trails. My family is from Gorkha, the district this trek walks through.
• Private guide and porter ratio that does not change based on group size. No shared-group surcharge gimmicks.
• 10% deposit to lock dates, balance paid in person in Kathmandu. No full prepayment required to a foreign trekker you have never met.
• Every booking helps fund our Nagarjun Learning Center work at Saldum, where 70 children are taught by one dedicated teacher.

Why I built this trek the way I did

I am Shreejan, the founder of The Everest Holiday. My family is from Gorkha, the same district the Manaslu Circuit walks through. My father grew up in these villages. We have cousins still farming in Soti Khola and Jagat. When I designed this trek I designed it the way I would want a relative to walk it: slow enough to enjoy the family-run teahouses, with a senior guide who actually knows the people who run them.

Manaslu is a Restricted Area Permit zone. By Nepal government law you need a registered guide and the special permit. The requirement for at least 2 people was scrapped on 22 March 2026. We handle every piece of that, and it means you can now book this route as a solo traveller, with a licensed guide included. If you would rather not walk alone, tell us and we will hold the dates until we can pair you with one other client. We never add strangers to your group beyond that.

The 12-day route gives the Larkya La crossing (5,160m) the proper acclimatisation. We do not stack the schedule to save a day. That is what cripples groups at Dharamsala. You sleep at Samdo and at Dharamsala before the pass, and you walk the pass with light packs because your porter is with you.

Every booking on this trip helps us pay the teacher’s salary at our Nagarjun Learning Center in Saldum, where 70 children get free education. The salary is currently funded out of my own pocket. Your trek is what makes that sustainable.

“Best experience, Shreejan and Ganesh were too caring and polite. [...] Total Enjoyment.”

— Samveedhan P · TripAdvisor, December 2025 · ★★★★★

The prayer flags snap in the wind at 5,160 metres. You have been climbing since 3 AM, headlamp cutting through darkness, boots crunching on frozen scree, lungs burning in air that holds half the oxygen of sea level. Then the sun breaks over the eastern ridge and the world erupts in gold. Manaslu (8,163m), the eighth highest mountain on earth, fills the northern sky so completely it looks like it might fall on you. The Larkya Glacier sprawls below, and behind you, the entire Tibetan Plateau stretches to the horizon. You are standing on Larkya La, one of the great high passes of the Himalayas, and there is nobody else here. That is the difference. On the Annapurna Circuit, 30,000 trekkers cross Thorong La every year. On the Manaslu Circuit, fewer than 6,000 make this crossing. You are walking through a restricted area where permits are limited, villages are small, and the mountains belong to the people who live beneath them.

The 12-day Manaslu Circuit Trek follows the Budhi Gandaki river valley from Soti Khola through increasingly remote villages, past carved mani walls and Tibetan Buddhist monasteries, into the Nubri Valley where the culture is more Tibetan than Nepali, and over Larkya La Pass (5,160m / 16,929ft) before descending through Bhimtang to Dharapani on the Annapurna Circuit road. It suits those who want the grandeur of a high pass crossing without the crowds, designed by Shreejan Simkhada, whose family has been guiding people through these mountains across three generations.

What Makes This Trek Special

• Cross Larkya La (5,160m / 16,929ft), one of the highest and most spectacular trekking passes in Nepal, with panoramic views of Manaslu, Himlung Himal and the Annapurna range stretching south
• Walk through a restricted area where only around 6,000 trekkers per year are permitted, compared to 30,000 on the neighbouring Annapurna Circuit
• Stay in Samdo and Shyala, Nubri Valley settlements where Tibetan Buddhist monks still perform morning pujas and villagers speak a Tibetan dialect unchanged for centuries
• Follow the Budhi Gandaki river from subtropical lowlands at 700 metres through temperate forests, alpine meadows, and glacial moraines to the foot of the world's eighth highest mountain
• Pass through Namrung, Jagat, and Lokpa, stone-walled villages where mani walls carved with Om Mani Padme Hum line every trail and prayer wheels spin in the river current
• Trek beneath the massive south face of Manaslu (8,163m), so close you can hear avalanches calving from the hanging glaciers above Sama Gaon
• Complete the entire circuit in 12 days, making this the most time-efficient way to experience the full Manaslu restricted area and Larkya La crossing

12-Day Manaslu Circuit Trek Overview

Twelve days. One restricted area. One glacial pass above 5,000 metres. The Manaslu Circuit is the trek that serious Himalayan walkers dream about, a complete circumnavigation of the world's eighth highest peak through some of the most culturally intact villages left in Nepal. While the Annapurna Circuit has been transformed by road building and the Manaslu region draws tens of thousands, the Manaslu corridor remains protected by its restricted-area permit system and by the simple fact that there is no road beyond Soti Khola.

The route begins with a drive from Kathmandu to Soti Khola (700m), where the Budhi Gandaki river cuts through a subtropical gorge thick with banana trees and rice paddies. Over the first three days, you climb through Jagat and into the restricted area, watching the landscape shift from lowland jungle to pine and rhododendron forest. By Namrung (2,660m), you have crossed into the Nubri cultural zone, where flat-roofed stone houses, fluttering prayer flags and Tibetan Buddhist gompas replace the Hindu villages of the lower valley. The architecture, the food, the language, the religion, everything changes. You are closer to Lhasa than to Kathmandu in every way that matters.

From Shyala and Sama Gaon, you spend time acclimatising beneath Manaslu's enormous south face before pushing to Samdo (3,860m), the last settlement before the pass. The Larkya La crossing day starts before dawn, a long push up frozen moraine and snow to the 5,160-metre col, then a steep descent through Bhimtang's alpine meadows. From Bhimtang, the trail drops rapidly to Dharapani, where you meet the Annapurna Circuit road and drive back to Kathmandu. It is the most complete Himalayan circuit trek you can do in under two weeks.

Two acclimatisation opportunities are built into the itinerary: at Sama Gaon, where you can hike to Birendra Tal (a glacial lake at the foot of Manaslu) and at Samdo, where a half-day exploration of the Tibetan border area prepares your body for the pass. By the time you tackle Larkya La, your body has had the time it needs to adjust.

Arrive by 4:00 PM on Day One

Please arrive in Kathmandu by 4 PM the day before your trek. This gives you time for a final gear check, a briefing with your guide, and a proper night of sleep before the early morning drive to Soti Khola. The drive takes 7-8 hours, so you will want to be rested.

Online Trip Briefing

After you book, we schedule a video call to walk you through everything: what to pack, what the teahouses are really like on the Manaslu trail, how the restricted-area permit works, what the Larkya La crossing day involves, and anything else on your mind. No question is too small. This is also when you share your accommodation preferences for Kathmandu so we can match the right hotel to your budget.

Note to Hikers

The Manaslu Circuit is a restricted-area trek. You must travel with a licensed guide and hold a special restricted-area permit, which we arrange as part of your package. Since 22 March 2026 there is no minimum group size, so solo trekkers are welcome. Solo trekkers can book with us and we will pair you with another trekker or arrange a permit solution. All treks are private, your group only, no strangers added without your permission.

Kathmandu Accommodation

Your hotel in Kathmandu is not included in the trek package, and that is intentional. Kathmandu has everything from USD 10 guesthouses in Thamel to five-star hotels with rooftop pools. During the online briefing, tell us what you prefer and we will arrange it for you. Your trek package begins the moment you leave Kathmandu for the mountains.

Manaslu Circuit at a glance

Best time to trek the Manaslu Circuit

Month by month: when to go

There is no weather station on the Manaslu Circuit itself, so the rain column is the Pokhara record (1991 to 2020), the nearest long one, and shows which months are wet. What I say about the trail comes from our guides, not from a measured number. The pass is the one day of twelve that fresh snow or high wind can change, so the month matters more here than on most treks. More in Manaslu Circuit best time, month by month.

Permits

The Manaslu Circuit is a restricted-area trek, so it needs the special permit and a licensed guide; the two-person minimum was scrapped on 22 March 2026. We arrange every permit below and include them in your trek price.

What the price covers, and what it does not

Manaslu is a restricted area. The Manaslu Restricted Area Permit costs USD 100 for the first week plus USD 15 a day from September to November, and USD 75 a week plus USD 10 a day from December to August. You also need the Manaslu Conservation Area Permit (NPR 3,000), the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (NPR 3,000, because the route ends at Dharapani) and a TIMS card (NPR 2,000). The restricted-area permit does not replace TIMS. We arrange every one and include them in your price, and the permit application needs 48 hours in government working days. Our Manaslu permits guide goes through them one by one.

Not in the price: your international flights, your Nepal visa (USD 50 for 30 days on arrival), travel insurance bought at home with helicopter cover, your Kathmandu hotel, tips for your team, and on Budget your meals (about USD 15 to 25 a day). There are no ATMs on the circuit, so carry the Nepali rupees you need for snacks, showers and charging.

A 10% deposit (about USD 80 on Budget) confirms your dates. You pay it by card through Himalayan Bank's secure gateway, and you pay the balance when you arrive in Kathmandu, in US dollars or euros, in cash or by card (card payments carry a 3.5% bank charge). If your plans change we move your trip to any date within a year, free, with 7 days' notice. The deposit itself is not refunded if you cancel. If we cannot run the trip ourselves, we refund what you have paid, less taxes, bank and card charges and any money already spent for you on permits and flights.

Getting there

There are no flights on this trek. Day 1 is a long drive from Kathmandu to Machha Khola (890 m), usually 8 to 10 hours on a rough road, so arrive in Kathmandu by 4 pm the day before and rest. You finish at Dharapani and drive back via Besisahar to Kathmandu. Because the walk ends on the Annapurna side, keep a spare day or two before your flight home in case the road is slow. Read the Manaslu region guide for the villages in between.

Safety and altitude

Altitude is the main risk, above 4,000 m especially. The plan climbs from 890 m to Namrung (2,630 m), Shyala (3,500 m) and Samagaun (3,530 m), where you rest a full day, then Samdo (3,875 m) and Dharamsala (4,480 m) before the pass at 5,160 m. You then drop to Bhimtang (3,720 m). Your guide carries a pulse oximeter, checks you daily and knows when to slow down or add a stop. The Larkya La day is 8 to 10 hours and starts in the dark, and your guide decides on the morning whether it is safe, because snow or wind can change it. There is narrow trail cut into cliffs between Jagat and Deng. Your insurance must cover high-altitude trekking and helicopter evacuation. See how difficult the Manaslu Circuit is and the Larkya La guide.

Packing basics

Warm layers and a down jacket, a windproof and waterproof shell, gloves, a warm hat, boots you have already walked in, poles, sunglasses and a head torch for the pre-dawn pass. Lodges above Sama Gaon are basic and hot showers may not be available, so bring a liner or a warm sleeping bag; if you do not own one, tell us at your briefing and we will lend you a sleeping bag and down jacket. Carry your cash in Nepali rupees. The Manaslu packing list has the full list.

Budget, Standard or Luxury: what actually changes

If you are going alone, Luxury still gives you your own dedicated porter. On Standard there is no porter, because porters are shared one between two trekkers, so your guide carries up to 10 kg of your bag instead. Budget never has a porter. You can add a porter of your own on any tier for USD 25 per day, plus 13% VAT and the 3.5% bank charge on top. Since 22 March 2026 a single trekker can hold the restricted-area permit, so you can book alone with a licensed guide. You cannot walk apart from your guide in the restricted area, because the guide is named on the permit.

Kathmandu hotel nights are not included in any trek tier, so tell us your budget at the online briefing and we will book them for you. We name your guide once you have booked.

Trekking as a group?

Bring your own group — friends, family, a club, a university society, your workplace, or a cause you are raising money for — and any of the three comfort levels can run as a private group on your own dates. Private or group, the price per person is the same; we never put strangers in your group. The more of you there are, the less each person pays:

The organiser treks free. Get fourteen or more paying trekkers together and whoever organised the group joins the trek free. The one thing the organiser still pays is their own flights and permits, since those are fixed costs we pay out for every person and cannot absorb, and we cover the rest. Your departure is guaranteed on your own dates — from a solo traveller up to a group of twenty, and we never merge you into another trip.

Planning a group? Message me on WhatsApp with the trek, roughly when, and how many of you, and I will send you a price and a plan.

Compare Our Three Packages

Himalayas for Every Budget. Same guides, same safety, three comfort levels. Every tier includes all permits (Manaslu Restricted Area Permit, Annapurna Conservation Area Permit, TIMS), a Nepal government well-trained guide, airport transfers and 24/7 emergency support. Note: teahouse accommodation on the Manaslu Circuit is more basic than Everest or Annapurna routes. At higher elevations, all tiers share the best available lodge, and hot showers may not be available above Sama Gaon.

Difficulty: Very Strenuous

The Manaslu Circuit is a serious mountain trek. You will walk 5 to 8 hours per day over 12 days, gaining altitude steadily from 700 metres at Soti Khola to 5,160 metres at Larkya La. The pass crossing day is the hardest: 8 to 10 hours of walking that starts in freezing darkness, climbs over snow and moraine, and descends steeply through loose rock to Bhimtang. The trail between Jagat and Deng includes narrow sections carved into cliff faces above the river. Altitude sickness is a genuine risk above 4,000 metres. Our guides carry pulse oximeters, monitor your condition daily, and know when to slow the pace or add an extra acclimatisation stop. Previous high-altitude trekking experience is recommended but not mandatory if you are fit, well-prepared and willing to listen to your guide. Travel insurance with helicopter evacuation cover is mandatory.

The Larkya La crossing that builds a classroom

The Manaslu Circuit crosses the Larkya La at 5,160 metres, one of the highest non-technical passes in Nepal, on a restricted-area permit that requires a licensed guide. The minimum of two trekkers was scrapped on 22 March 2026. The pricing reflects all of that. A fixed share of every twelve-day Manaslu booking goes to the Nagarjun Learning Center, the village school we have run in Saldum since 2019. Around seventy children attend on free places, and the school provides two warm meals a day. It is a registered Nepalese charity and listed on the UN Partner Portal.

More to read before you book

• Manaslu solo trekking permit 2026
• Manaslu Circuit cost and why the permit is worth it
• Manaslu or Langtang: which trek to choose