The monks are chanting when you arrive. You have walked for days through gorges and forests to reach this place, a valley so hidden that the outside world did not know it existed until cartographers mapped it in the 1950s. Chhokang Paro sits at the foot of a white cliff, its flat-roofed stone houses arranged around a gompa where the Shyagya tradition of non-violence has been practised for over 500 years. Children wave from doorsteps. Prayer wheels turn in the stream. A woman in a striped apron offers you salt butter tea. And then, days later, you are somewhere else entirely: standing on Larkya La at 5,160 metres, wind screaming across the col, Manaslu's south face towering overhead, the glacier falling away beneath your boots. This is the Tsum Valley and Manaslu Circuit combined, two of Nepal's most extraordinary experiences stitched into one 19-day journey.
The route follows the Budhi Gandaki river from Soti Khola into the Manaslu restricted area, then detours east into the sacred Tsum Valley (known in Tibetan Buddhist texts as Beyul Kyimolung, a hidden paradise). You explore Chhokang Paro, Nile, Mu Gompa and Rachen Gompa before returning to the main Manaslu trail and continuing through Namrung, Shyala, Sama Gaon and Samdo to cross Larkya La Pass (5,160m / 16,929ft). The descent through Bhimtang to Dharapani completes the circuit. No other trek in Nepal offers this combination: a sacred Buddhist valley untouched by tourism alongside one of the Himalayas' great high-pass crossings, all within a single restricted area.
What Makes This Trek Special
- Enter Tsum Valley, a sacred Buddhist beyul (hidden valley) that was closed to foreigners until 2008 and still receives fewer than 1,500 visitors per year, where the Shyagya tradition prohibits the killing of any living creature
- Visit Mu Gompa (3,700m), one of the highest and most remote Buddhist monasteries in Nepal, where nuns have lived in meditation for centuries beneath the Tibetan border peaks
- Cross Larkya La (5,160m / 16,929ft), the Manaslu Circuit's defining pass, with sunrise views across the Annapurna range and the massive west face of Manaslu
- Experience TWO distinct Tibetan Buddhist cultures: the Tsumba people of Tsum Valley, who trace their lineage to medieval Tibetan nobility, and the Nubri people of the upper Budhi Gandaki, whose monasteries rival those of central Tibet
- Walk through Chhokang Paro, Tsum Valley's largest settlement, where ancient mani walls stretch for hundreds of metres and the pace of life has not changed in generations
- Trek beneath the south face of Manaslu (8,163m), hearing avalanches thunder from hanging glaciers while you rest at Sama Gaon's stone-walled tea shops
- Complete the most comprehensive Manaslu experience possible: sacred valley, high pass, two cultures, and 19 days of walking through a landscape that shifts from subtropical jungle to high alpine glaciers
19-Day Tsum Valley + Manaslu Circuit Overview
Nineteen days. Two cultures. One glacial pass. One sacred valley. This trek is for people who want more than a highlight reel. The Tsum Valley and Manaslu Circuit combination gives you two entirely different Himalayan experiences in a single journey, connected by the same river valley but separated by centuries of distinct cultural evolution.
The first section follows the Budhi Gandaki from Soti Khola through the gorge, past Jagat and Lokpa, then branches east into the Tsum Valley. Over several days, you walk through Nile and Chhokang Paro to reach Mu Gompa (3,700m), a remote nunnery beneath the peaks that mark the Tibetan border. The valley is unlike anywhere else in Nepal: no bars, no internet cafes, no tourist infrastructure beyond basic teahouses. The people here follow the Shyagya tradition of non-violence, which means no animal is harmed within the valley. The food is vegetarian. The silence is profound. Buddhist texts describe Tsum as Beyul Kyimolung, a hidden paradise revealed only in times of great need.
After Tsum, you retrace your steps to the main Budhi Gandaki trail and continue north through Namrung, Shyala, Sama Gaon and Samdo. The culture shifts from Tsumba to Nubri. The architecture changes. The dialect changes. Even the butter tea tastes different. From Samdo, you cross Larkya La (5,160m / 16,929ft) before dawn, descend through Bhimtang's alpine meadows, and reach Dharapani where the road back to Kathmandu begins.
The itinerary builds in acclimatisation naturally. The Tsum Valley detour keeps you at moderate altitude (3,000-3,700m) for several days, giving your body time to adjust before you push above 4,000m on the main circuit. By the time you reach Samdo and face the Larkya La crossing, you have had more acclimatisation time than trekkers doing the standard 12-day circuit. This makes the 19-day itinerary both more comprehensive and safer.
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 good night's rest before the long drive to Soti Khola the following morning.
Online Trip Briefing
After you book, we schedule a video call to walk you through both sections of this trek: what to expect in the Tsum Valley (including the non-violence tradition and appropriate behaviour), what the Larkya La crossing day involves, how the teahouse accommodation compares between the two sections, and anything else on your mind. This is also when you share your Kathmandu hotel preferences so we can arrange accommodation that fits your budget.
Note to Hikers
Both the Tsum Valley and the Manaslu Circuit are restricted-area treks. You must travel with an organised group (minimum two trekkers) and hold special permits, which we arrange as part of your package. The Tsum Valley section involves moderate walking at relatively low altitude (up to 3,700m) with no technical terrain. The Manaslu Circuit section, particularly the Larkya La crossing, is significantly more demanding. Read the difficulty section below carefully.
Kathmandu Accommodation
Your hotel in Kathmandu is not included in the trek package. During the online briefing, tell us what you prefer and we will arrange it. Kathmandu offers everything from budget guesthouses in Thamel to luxury hotels with views of the Boudhanath Stupa. Your trek package begins the moment you leave the city.
Compare Our Three Packages
| Feature | Budget | Standard | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price from | USD $1,110 | USD $1,375 | USD $2,000 |
| Meals | Not included (order and pay at teahouses) | 3 meals daily + tea, fruits and 2L water | All meals + all drinks (except alcohol) |
| Room | Shared teahouse room | Private twin with attached bathroom | Private deluxe with bed heater |
| Porter | Not included | 1 porter per 2 trekkers | 1 porter per trekker (carry nothing) |
| Guide | 1 guide per group (assistant at 8+) | 1 guide per 6 trekkers (assistant at 6+) | 1 guide per 2 trekkers |
| Transport | Local vehicle to Soti Khola | Private tourist vehicle | Luxury private vehicle |
| SIM & Data | SIM card only | SIM with limited data | SIM with unlimited data |
| Best for | Experienced budget trekkers comfortable with very basic lodges | Comfort trekkers wanting full support on a long trek | Premium experience seekers who want to carry nothing |
Himalayas for Every Budget. Same expert guides, same safety, three comfort levels. Every tier includes all permits (Manaslu Restricted Area Permit, Tsum Valley Permit, ACAP, TIMS), a Nepal government well-trained guide, airport transfers and 24/7 emergency support. Note: accommodation in both the Tsum Valley and upper Manaslu Circuit is more basic than Everest or Annapurna routes. At higher elevations and in the Tsum Valley, all tiers share the best available lodge. Hot showers are unavailable above Sama Gaon and throughout much of the Tsum Valley.
Difficulty: Strenuous (4.5 out of 5)
This is a long, demanding trek. Nineteen days of walking through two restricted areas, reaching a maximum altitude of 5,160 metres at Larkya La. The Tsum Valley section is moderate (up to 3,700m, no technical terrain, 4-6 hours walking per day), but the Manaslu Circuit section is significantly harder. The pass crossing day involves 8 to 10 hours of walking over snow, moraine and loose rock, starting before dawn in freezing temperatures.
The length of the trek itself is a challenge. Nineteen consecutive days of walking, even with rest days built in, requires sustained fitness and mental endurance. The trail between Jagat and Deng includes narrow sections carved into cliff faces. Altitude sickness is a genuine concern above 4,000 metres. Our guides carry pulse oximeters and monitor your condition daily. Previous high-altitude trekking experience is strongly recommended. Travel insurance with helicopter evacuation cover is mandatory.
The longest restricted-area trek funds the longest school year
Combining the Tsum Valley with the Manaslu Circuit makes this our longest restricted-area trek. Both regions need separate Nepalese permits and a two-trekker minimum by law. The pricing reflects all of that, and a fixed share of every nineteen-day booking goes to the Nagarjun Learning Center — the village school in Saldum that my family runs. Around seventy children attend on free places and the school provides two hot meals a day. It is a registered Nepalese charity and listed on the UN Partner Portal. A nineteen-day combined Tsum + Manaslu booking covers more than a full year of one child’s school.
