Banasthali, Kathmandu, Nepal+977 9810351300[email protected]

Tsum Valley Trek, 12 Days

A sacred Buddhist valley near the Tibetan border: Chumling, Mu Gompa and Rachen Gompa, in 12 days, for 2027

From US$810 per person

Duration
12 days
Grade
Moderate
Highest point
Mu Gompa 3,700 m / 12,139 ft (Dhephyudonma Gompa 4,060 m / 13,320 ft)
Group size
1 to 20
Starts and ends
Kathmandu
Best time
Mar to May, Sep to Nov

Govt RegdTAAN #1586300+ ★ reviews

  • Three generations of family guides in the Himalayas, independent since 2016
  • Government-licensed Nepal trekking company (Reg 147653)
  • TAAN Member #1586
  • 300+ reviews
  • Secure payment via Himalayan Bank
  • Four-time TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice winner (2019, 2020, 2023, 2024)

Overview

From US$810Updated Nov 8, 2026

Tsum Valley Trek, 12 Days is a trek into a sacred Buddhist valley near the Tibetan border, with monasteries, mani walls and old villages. It follows the Budhi Gandaki to Jagat, turns into the Tsum Valley and reaches Mu Gompa at 3,700 m. It costs from USD 810 per person (Budget, couple). The price per person is the same for a private trip and a group of the same size.

Tsum Valley trek, 12 days, at a glance

Duration12 days, Kathmandu to Kathmandu, 11 nights
Highest pointMu Gompa 3,700 m / 12,139 ft (Dhephyudonma Gompa 4,060 m / 13,320 ft as a side visit)
GradeModerate to strenuous. 5 to 7 hours of walking a day
Best monthsMarch to May, and September to November
Group size1 to 20. A licensed guide is required
PermitsTsum Valley restricted-area permit, Manaslu restricted-area permit (Jagat to Lokpa), Manaslu Conservation Area permit and TIMS. All included
From priceUSD 810 per person, Budget, couple. Standard USD 1,810, Luxury USD 3,600

Why a 12-day Tsum Valley trek

Our other Tsum Valley trek is 16 days, and it adds the Ganesh Himal base camp and a longer walk out. This 12-day plan keeps the heart of the valley: the villages, Rachen Gompa and Mu Gompa near the Tibetan border. It is the version for people who cannot take two and a half weeks. If you have the time, the longer trek is the better one.

Tsum is a restricted area. You must walk with a licensed guide and an agency-issued permit. A solo traveller can go with their own guide. I will help with the paperwork. Read our Tsum Valley Trek, 16 Days and our Manaslu Circuit Trek, 12 Days.

Every booking helps pay the teacher's salary at our Nagarjun Learning Center in Saldum.

Permits and costs

PermitFeeWho arranges it
Tsum Valley restricted-area permitUSD 40 for the first 7 days, USD 10 each extra day (September to November). USD 30 and USD 7 (December to August)Included
Manaslu restricted-area permit (Jagat to Lokpa section)USD 100 per week (September to November), USD 75 per week (December to August)Included
Manaslu Conservation Area (MCAP)NPR 3,000Included
TIMS card (agency-issued)NPR 2,000Included

The price per person falls as the group grows. Private or group, the price per person is the same. These prices hold for 2027.

Group sizeBudgetStandardLuxury
1 guest (solo)USD 1,325USD 2,105USD 4,655
2 to 4 guestsUSD 810USD 1,810USD 3,600
5 to 8 guestsUSD 630USD 1,635USD 3,495
9 to 12 guestsUSD 615USD 1,630USD 3,335
13 to 20 guestsUSD 595USD 1,600USD 3,325

Not included: international flights, your Nepal visa, Kathmandu hotel nights, travel insurance, tips, personal spending, hot showers and charging, and any extra porter (USD 25 per day plus 13% VAT and the 3.5% bank charge).

Safety and altitude

You sleep as high as Mu Gompa, 3,700 m. The altitude is lower than on Everest, but the trail is remote and a road or a landslide can cut it. Your guide carries a first aid kit and an oximeter. Buy travel insurance at home that covers trekking to 4,000 m and helicopter evacuation.

Read before you book

The Everest Holiday is a family company founded in 2016, from three generations of guiding in the Himalayas.

Why book with The Everest Holiday

  • Three generations of family guidesFamily-run since 2016 with three generations of guiding heritage. Not an agency — the family that runs the company leads your trek personally.
  • Private group, no strangersEvery trek we run is private. Your group only. We never combine bookings or add strangers to your party. If you book solo, you walk with a guide; if you book as four friends, your group stays four.
  • Nagarjun Learning Center givebackA fixed share of every booking funds the Nagarjun Learning Center — 70 children, 7 community centres, 3 full-time teachers, 600+ medical interventions, 275+ women supported. You can visit the centre before or after your trip; we arrange the visit separately.
  • Government registered, TAAN memberGovt Regd. No. 147653/072/073. Trekking Agency Licence 2090/072, Travel Agency Licence 2838/072. TAAN Member #1586. Over 300 reviews on TripAdvisor, Google and Trustpilot. We are a real, audited Nepal company — not a booking-platform middleman.

Day by day

1,0002,0003,0004,0005,000Day 1: 1,324 mDay 2: 870 mDay 3: 1,400 mDay 4: 2,040 mDay 5: 2,386 mDay 6: 3,010 mDay 7: 3,361 mDay 8: 4,060 mDay 9: 3,240 mDay 10: 2,040 mDay 11: 1,400 mDay 12: 1,324 m123456789101112Highest 4,060 mDay
Altitude in metres: the highest point named in each day’s plan. Hollow dots are rest and acclimatisation days.

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Prices

The Tsum Valley Trek, 12 Days with The Everest Holiday costs $810 (Budget), $1,810 (Standard), or $3,600 (Luxury) per person for the 12-day trip. Allow about $20 a day for personal expenses, and buy your travel insurance at home before you travel. Book with a 10% deposit; the balance is payable in Kathmandu.

Budget price by group size
Travellers in your groupPrice per person
1US$1,325
2 to 4US$810
5 to 8US$630
9 to 12US$615
13 to 20US$595

Discounts are determined exclusively by the size of your group. We do not add additional members to your group.

Book Budget

Himalayan Bank logoSecure payment by Himalayan Bank.

What is included

On the Budget level.

Included

Transport

  • Airport pick-up and drop-off at Tribhuvan International Airport
  • Road transport Kathmandu to Soti Khola and Jagat to Kathmandu by local shared vehicle

Accommodation and food

  • Shared rooms in simple teahouses and village lodges
  • Meals are not included: you order and pay at the teahouses
  • Food and water are not included

Guide and porter

  • One licensed guide
  • No porter on the Budget tier: you carry your own pack. An extra porter can be added

Permits and fees

  • Tsum Valley restricted-area permit, Manaslu restricted-area permit (Jagat to Lokpa), Manaslu Conservation Area permit and TIMS card (agency-issued)
  • All government taxes and our service charge

Medical and safety

  • First aid kit and pulse oximeter, checked daily
  • We arrange rescue if needed, paid from your travel insurance

Complimentary

  • Company T-shirt and cap
  • Free storage of spare luggage at our Kathmandu office
  • A SIM card on arrival
  • Farewell meal and certificate of completion

Not included

Not included

  • Meals and drinks on the trail
  • Kathmandu hotel nights before and after the trip
  • Travel insurance. Buy it at home and check that it covers trekking to 4,500 m and helicopter evacuation
  • Hot showers, laundry and charging fees
  • International flights
  • Nepal visa: USD 30 for 15 days or USD 50 for 30 days, paid in cash on arrival
  • Tips for the guide and driver
  • Personal spending

Dates

Your trek, your choice, your price. Choose the style that suits you. Book a private departure on any date with just your party, or join a fixed group departure and trek with fellow adventurers from around the world. Same routes, same guides, same quality — 3 comfort tiers on both options. Per-person price follows our group-discount tiers based on YOUR party size (a couple pays less per pax than a solo trekker, 5+ pays less again) — the same tiers apply on both booking types.

Private departure

  • Any date you choose
  • Just your party + dedicated guide
  • 3 comfort tiers (Budget, Standard, Luxury)
  • Per-pax price tier set by YOUR party size

Fixed group departure

  • Scheduled dates (see below)
  • Join other trekkers from around the world
  • 3 comfort tiers (Budget, Standard, Luxury)
  • Per-pax price tier set by YOUR party size (same tier as Private)
Book private departureView group departures
Prefer email? Send a question and we will reply within a few hours.

Peak season (Sep–Nov) — our guides book up fast. Get in touch 6–8 weeks ahead to secure your preferred dates.

Other dates

Need a different date? Other dates are available on request. Contact us or message Shreejan on WhatsApp.

Fixed departures are dates we have already committed to run. Your party still treks as its own private group with its own guide; we never merge bookings or add strangers, and solo trekkers are welcome on any date. Private departures on any other date you choose are also available. On both, the per-person price is set by the size of your own party.

Shreejan Simkhada, Director of The Everest HolidayShamjhana Basukala, Co-founder of The Everest Holiday

Shreejan and Shamjhana plan every trek personally

Your hosts since 2016. Ask us anything; we reply within hours.

Ask Shreejan on WhatsApp

Essential information

Before you go

  • Restricted area: a licensed guide and an agency-issued permit are required.
  • Road: the drive from Kathmandu to Soti Khola and back is long, and landslides can close it in the rains. Keep a spare day before your international flight.
  • No ATMs in the valley. Bring Nepali rupees from Kathmandu for drinks and tips.
  • Insurance: buy it at home, covering trekking to 4,500 m and helicopter evacuation.
  • Hotels: Kathmandu nights are not included.

Questions people ask

How much does the 12-day Tsum Valley trek cost?
For a couple, the price per person is USD 810 Budget, USD 1,810 Standard and USD 3,600 Luxury. A solo traveller pays USD 1,325, USD 2,105 and USD 4,655. The price falls for larger groups. These prices hold for 2027 and do not include Kathmandu hotels.
Do I need a permit for the Tsum Valley?
Yes. It is a restricted area. You need a Tsum Valley permit, the Manaslu restricted-area permit for the Jagat to Lokpa section, the Manaslu Conservation Area permit and an agency-issued TIMS card, and you must walk with a licensed guide. We arrange all four and they are included.
Can I trek the Tsum Valley alone?
Not alone without a guide. Since 22 March 2026 a solo traveller can get a restricted-area permit through an agency with a licensed guide. We have done it. A group has a maximum of seven trekkers per guide.
How hard is the Tsum Valley trek?
Moderate to strenuous. You walk five to seven hours a day on steep, rocky trails. The highest sleep is at Mu Gompa, 3,700 m. You do not need climbing experience.
What is the difference between the 12-day and 16-day Tsum Valley treks?
The 16-day trek includes the Ganesh Himal base camp and a longer walk out through Arughat. The 12-day trek keeps the core of the valley and returns the way it came.
When is the best time to go in 2027?
March to May for rhododendrons, and September to November for the clearest skies. December to February is very cold at Mu Gompa. June to August is monsoon and the road is risky.
What is the accommodation like?
Simple teahouses and village lodges, with a bed, a blanket and home-cooked food. Rooms are shared on Budget and private where available on Standard and Luxury. Toilets are shared and hot water is limited.
Who carries my bag?
Budget: you carry your own bag. Standard: one porter for every two trekkers, 10 kg each. A solo guest has no porter, and the guide carries up to 10 kg. Luxury: your own porter, with a bag of up to 20 kg.
Can I see Tibet from the Tsum Valley?
From Mu Gompa and Dhephyudonma you look across to the Tibetan plateau, but you cannot cross the border. The border area is closed to trekkers.
Do I need travel insurance?
Yes. Buy it at home. The highest point is Dhephyudonma at 4,060 m, rounded up to the next 500 m is 4,500 m. Ask your insurer for cover to 4,500 m and helicopter evacuation.
How do I get to the trailhead?
By road from Kathmandu to Soti Khola, a long day. We use a jeep or bus depending on the group and the road. The way back is the same road.
How do I pay?
You pay a 10% deposit to book and the balance when you meet us in Kathmandu. We take US dollars or euros, in cash or by card. Card payments of the balance carry a 3.5% bank charge, cash carries none. We cannot take Nepali rupees from foreign guests.
What happens if I need to change my dates, or you cannot run the trip?
Free rescheduling: tell us at least 72 hours before departure (7 days for restricted areas) and we move you to any date within one year. The 10% deposit is not refunded if you cancel. If we cannot run the trip, we refund what you paid less taxes, bank charges and any money already spent on permits and flights.
What group sizes do you take?
From one person to 20. Every booking is private and we never add strangers. If you want company, ask about our fixed departures. The price per person is the same for a private trip and a group of the same size, and it falls as the group grows.
From, per personUS$810