Nepal Manaslu Circuit Trek
Dates: October 12—28, 2026
Cost: $3650 USD per person
More details at: info@himalayajourney.com or call us at (+1) 253-289-9166
Journey Highlights:
- Experience the amazing beauty of a lesser-explored Himalayan trail
- Get a close-up view of Manaslu, the world's 8th highest mountain
- Journey through dense forests, cascading terraced fields, and soaring alpine valleys
- Exploring remote Buddhist monasteries and experience TIbetan culture
- Cross the Larkya La Pass, with its panoramic mountain views
- Immerse yourself in the authentic Himalayan way of life in Nepal through genuine connections with locals
This is a journey for people who:
- Want to get the MOST out of a trek through the Manaslu Region
- Want to trek with expert guides
- Want to have a trained Wilderness First Responder with them
- Want to learn more about the climbing history of Manaslu
- Want to trek at a slower pace, allowing for more altitude acclimatization
- Want to have an all-inclusive journey that includes permits, meals, hotels, and ground transportation
- Want to make sure that their guides and porters are being paid well and being taken care of
Manaslu Circuit Trek Overview
Exploring one of Nepal’s most remote and unspoiled regions, the Manaslu Circuit Trek is quickly becoming one of the country’s most extraordinary trekking adventures. Located in the historic Gorkha region, this journey offers breathtaking panoramic views of Mount Manaslu and the surrounding Himalayan giants. Blending dramatic landscapes, rich cultural encounters, and fewer crowds, this less-traveled route delivers a peaceful and authentic trekking experience. Over 15 unforgettable days, the Manaslu Circuit takes you on a transformative journey through one of the Himalaya’s true hidden treasures.
The adventure follows the Nepal–Tibet border, reaching an elevation of over 5,100 meters/16,750 feet at the majestic Larkya La Pass. From the summit of the pass, you’ll enjoy close-up views of the world’s eighth-highest mountain, Mt. Manaslu, along with spectacular panoramas of Kanguru, Himlung, Cheo Himal, Lamjung Himal, and Annapurna II. Throughout the trek, the Manaslu region reveals an ever-changing backdrop of towering peaks, including Shringi Himal, Naike Peak, Ganesh Himal, Ngadi Chuli, Simnang, and Larke Peak.
Your journey begins in Kathmandu with a scenic, adventurous drive in a private 4WD to Machha Khola via Soti Khola. From there, the trail unfolds on foot, gradually revealing a remarkable variety of landscapes. Following the powerful Budi Gandaki River, you pass through traditional mountain villages such as Jagat, Deng, Ghap, Lho, and Samagaon. A rewarding side trip to Manaslu Base Camp brings you even closer to the awe-inspiring north face of Mt. Manaslu.
Along the way, you’ll encounter cascading waterfalls, ancient monasteries, colorful prayer flags, and a strong sense of Tibetan Buddhist culture. The terrain can be demanding at times, with steep ascents and rugged paths, adding to the sense of true Himalayan adventure. Because the Manaslu Circuit remains a restricted and less-developed region, facilities are simpler, and tourism is carefully managed. Yet it is precisely this remoteness that makes the trek so rewarding. The pristine landscapes, rich biodiversity, and raw natural beauty inspire you forward — even on the toughest days.
After acclimatizing in Samagaon, the trail climbs higher through Samdo and Dharamsala, where the scenery becomes stark and dramatic, resembling a high-altitude desert framed by towering peaks. Reaching Larkya La Pass is a moment of triumph. Surrounded by snow-covered mountains and vast Himalayan horizons, you experience the pure power and grandeur of nature in its most untouched form. Glacial lakes, alpine meadows, and diverse flora and fauna add further beauty to this remarkable region. As you descend through Bhimthang and Tilije toward Dharapani, the landscape gradually softens.
Beyond its scenery, the Manaslu Circuit stands out for its controlled tourism and commitment to responsible travel. As a restricted area, it remains quiet and uncrowded, allowing for a deeper cultural connection and a more meaningful experience. Along the way, enjoy warm local hospitality, traditional Nepali and Tibetan cuisine, and simple mountain lodges that offer genuine insight into village life in the Himalaya. The Manaslu Circuit Trek invites you to discover Nepal’s untouched wilderness, challenge yourself in the high mountains, and create lifelong memories in one of the Himalaya’s most extraordinary regions. This invite-only trek has a limited number of places and WILL fill quickly. To join this trek, or for more information, contact us at: info@himalayajourney.com or call us at (+1) 253-289-9166.
October 2026 Nepal Manaslu Circuit Trel
Dates: October 12—28, 2026
NOTE: Itinerary subject to change due to weather or other circumstances beyond our control. We have added a contingency day to the trek in case of any unexpected/unlikely weather or other delays. Trekking times listed do not include rest or meal stops.
Day 1 October 12: Arrive in Kathmandu: We will be staying in the comfortable and modern Nepali Ghar Hotel in a central part of Kathmandu's Thamel District. We will have a welcome dinner to introduce ourselves. All clients must arrive in Kathmandu by October 12.
Day 2 October 13: Drive to Maccha Khola and trek to Doban: Today will start very early in the morning. The drive from Kathmandu to the trailhead at Maccha Khola covers approximately 160 kms/100 miles and takes around 7 or 8 hours to complete. From there, we will begin our trek! Our trek to the village of Doban will cover around 9.5 km/6 miles and take 4 to 5 hours to complete, passing two amazing waterfalls. Doban lies at an elevation of 1070m (3510 ft).
Day 3 October 14: Trek from Doban to Philim: Our trek will cover approximately 15 km/9.4 miles and will take 5 to 6 hours to complete. After a quick stop at the permit station in Jagat, we will cross a couple of suspension bridges past a couple of waterfalls to get a view of the peak of Sringi Himala, rising to 7187m/23,575 feet. The village of Philim sits at 1590m/5220 feet.
Day 4 October 15: Trek from Philim to Deng: From Philim, we will trek around 11kms/6.9 miles to the village of Deng. This section of the trek will take between 4 and 5 hours to complete. The altitude of Deng is 1860m/6100 feet.
Day 5 October 16: Trek from Deng to Ghap: Today's section of the trek will cover just under 15 kms/9.4 miles and will take around 4 or 5 hours to complete. We will cross some glacier-fed rivers by use of a suspension bridge. The altitude of Ghap is 2110m/6925 feet.
Day 6 October 17: Trek from Ghap to Namrung: After breakfast, we will set out for Namrung, located around 9.5 kms/5.9 miles away. We will trek through pine forests, along glacier-fed rivers, while crossing a suspension bridge. The village of Namrung lies at 2660m/8725 feet. The trek will take just over 4 hours to complete.
Day 7 October 18: Trek from Namrung to Shyaula: While most companies will stay in the village of Lho, we will press on 90 minutes further to Shyaula. This village offers an outstanding view of three towering peaks, including Himalchuli (7893m/25,890 ft), Ngadi Chuli (7879m/25,845 ft), and Manaslu, the 8th-highest peak on the planet. The distance we trek today will be around 11 kms/6.9 miles and will take around 6 to 6 1/2 hours to complete. Shyaula lies at an altitude of 3520m/11,550 feet.
Day 8 October 19: Trek from Shyaula to Samaguan: From Shyaula to Samaguan (Sama) the distance is around 9kms/5.6 miles, taking around 3 1/2 to 4 hours to complete. Sama is a larger village, so we will spend two nights here. The altitude of Samaguan is 3530m/11,580 feet.
Day 9 October 20: Rest day in Samaguan: Those who want to rest this day certainly can. There are several good restaurants and coffee shops to relax and acclimate in. For those who want to explore this stunning area, we will hike up to Pungyen Monastery, which has a breathtaking view of glacier-covered peaks, some of the best views on the trek! The round-trip trek is approximately 12 kms/7.5 miles and takes 5 to 6 hours to complete.
Day 10 October 21: Trek from Samaguan to Samdo: After breakfast, we will depart for Samdo, located around 9 kms/5.6 miles away. This is one of the shortest days of the trek, taking around 3 or 4 hours. Along the way, we will pass by the jade-green glacial lake of Birendra Lake. The village of Samdo sits at an elevation of 3860m/12,665 feet.
Day 11 October 22: Trek from Samdo to Dharamsala: This is another shorter trek, but due to the altitude it is still a bit strenuous. The distance today will cover around 8 kms/5 miles and will take around 3 1/2 to 4 hours to complete. There are excellent views of the mountains for most of the day. Dharamsala sits at 4480m/14,700 feet.
Day 12 October 23: Trek from Dharamsala to Larkya La Pass to Bimthang: This is certainly the toughest day of the trek as we will cross over the Larkya La Pass at just over 5100m/16,730 feet. We will leave no later than 5am this day. The top of the pass will take 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 hours to reach. There are outstanding views of the mountains throughout the day. From the pass to Bimthang will take between 4 and 5 hours. Altogether, plan on trekking for 8 1/2 to 10 hours to complete the 15 kilometers from Dharamsala to Bimthang. The altitude of Bimthang is 3720m/12,205 feet.
Day 13 October 24: Trek from Bimthang to Gho: After breakfast, we will depart for the village of Gho, located about 14 kms/8.8 miles away. The walk offers a stunning view of Phungi Peak, rising to 6528m/21,413 feet. The trek to Gho, elevation 2560m/8400 feet, will take 5 to 6 hours to complete.
Day 14 October 25: Trek from Gho to Dharapani, drive to Besisahar: Our last day in the mountains will be a long one. The trek to Dharapani covers about 10 kms/6.3 miles and will take around 4 hours to complete. From there, we will drive to Besisahar to stay the night. The drive will take around 4 or 5 hours.
Day 15 October 26: Drive from Besisahar to Kathmandu: The drive back to Kathmandu will take around 8 or 9 hours. We will return to the Nepali Ghar Hotel.
Day 16 October 27: Contingency day if needed, otherwise a free day in Kathmandu
Day 17 October 28: Depart Kathmandu
October 2026 Nepal Manaslu Circuit Trek
Dates: October 12—28, 2026
The cost per person is $3650 USD. Send us an email at info@himalayajourney.com to apply for this professionally-guided trek or for any questions you may have.
Included in the price:
- All accommodations, based on double occupancy**
- All meals from dinner on October 12 until breakfast on October 28, except for lunch on the contingency day if the day is spent in Kathmandu
- Ground transportation costs to and from the Manalsu Circuit trek starting and ending point
- Porters (1 porter for 2 trekkers)++
- Expert Nepali and American guides
- Trained Wilderness First Responder
- All trekking permits
- Special extras along the trek!!
**Single room supplement available for the nights in Kathmandu but cannot be guaranteed along the trek. If you would like a single room during the trek, we will do our best to arrange it once we arrive at each village and will let you know what the extra cost is.
++Each porter will carry 20kgs total or 10kg for each person. Taking care of our porters is extremely important to us. If you plan to bring MORE than 10kg along the trek, you will need to pay extra to have your own individual porter.
Manaslu Circuit Trek Packing List: Click this link for what to pack
Not included in the price:
- Passport and Nepal visa fees (visa can be obtained upon arrival for $50 USD for 30 days)
- International airfare to and from Kathmandu, Nepal
- Lunch on the contingency day if spent in Kathmandu
- Transport to and from Kathmandu International Airport
- Travel vaccinations
- Travel and rescue insurance (required)
- Travel expenses along the trek, including internet ($2 USD to $5 USD/hour), phone calls, laundry, snacks, beverages, showers ($3 to $5/shower), bottled or boiled water ($1 to $4/liter), battery charging ($4 to $8/hour for a device or around $10-$14 for a power bank), additional porters (up to $400 for an extra porter), personal clothing and trekking gear, sleeping bag and other similar items.
- Gratuities to the local guides and porters
- Extra days to the trek caused from delays due to bad weather/Force Majeure/circumstances beyond our control
Each participant will be sent a list of required and recommended clothing and gear for the trek that they will be responsible for.
Accommodations: For the nights in Kathmandu, we will stay at the elegant Nepali Ghar Hotel. Along the trek, we will be staying in guesthouses. Remember, there are NO ROADS in this area. Everything is packed in by porters. Guesthouses in higher altitude regions are very basic, usually having shared bathrooms that are not inside your room. Showers (which cost extra) will be in a separate area, usually detached from the guesthouse. Nepal is very much an impoverished, developing nation. Do not expect luxury accommodations along the trek.
Meals: During this trek, we will be eating a combination of Western, Nepali and Sherpa cuisine. Sherpa migrated to Nepal from the Kham region of Tibet about 600 years ago. Their diet is very similar to Tibetans, consisting of momo (vegetarian or meat filled dumplings), yak/beef dishes, potatoes and noodle dishes. Many of the guesthouses along the trek offer both meat and vegetarian options including pizza, sandwiches, soup, curry, lentils, yak burgers, and boiled vegetables. You will be responsible to bring your own snacks for the trek. If you have any food allergies or dietary restrictions, please let us know so we can plan accordingly.
Eligibility: Participants must be in good health and be able to complete this trek on foot. There are no roads in this region and horse riding is NOT an option. This journey will include 13 to 14 days of trekking. Some days are easy and will only take 4 hours of trekking to complete (not including break times). Some days are moderate and will take around 5 to 6 hours to complete (not including break times). A few days will be challenging and take over 8 hours to complete (not including break times). Porters are included in the journey price. You will only be carrying a lightweight personal backpack that should only include a coat, gloves, hat, snacks, water and your camera/cell phone. Ascent will be slow and gradual. We purposefully made this itinerary with altitude acclimatization in mind. This trek is not recommended for those who have severe asthma, heart condition, or have no outdoor experience.
Responsible Tourism: Himalaya Journey is a joint Tibetan, Nepali and American venture with all of our staff being from the Himalaya. All of our guides and drivers are local people who have been working in tourism for many years.
Take a moment to read about us and why ethical tourism in the Himalaya is so important to us: Why Use Us?
Jamin “Lobsang” York is the owner of Himalaya Journey and is the author of the popular Tibet travel website The Land of Snows. Jamin, from the US, lived full-time on the Tibetan Plateau from 2002 until 2016 and is regarded as an expert in Tibetan culture and history. After studying Chinese and Tibetan languages at a university in Eastern Tibet, Jamin then worked for 3 years at an NGO in eastern Tibet that specialized in adult education programs for nomadic Tibetans. It was while working there that he had the dream of starting a tourism company while employing local Tibetan staff.
Jamin has worked on documentaries on Tibet for BBC, The Discovery Channel and Animal Planet and has done research on Tibet for Frommers Travel Guides, Lonely Planet, Fodor’s Guidebooks and DK Eyewitness Travel. He has traveled to nearly every town in Tibet, has trekked extensively across the high plateau and has explored large areas of Nepal, Ladakh and Bhutan. He works as lead guide on Himalaya Journey’s professionally guided journeys, photography tours, oversees guide training and is constantly in the mountains developing new trekking and travel routes in the Himalaya. In addition, he works throughout Tibet (particularly in remote nomadic areas) with community development projects. and cultural preservation.
Raj Tamang is from Rasuwa District Nepal, just a few kilometers from the Tibet border. He holds an official trekking guide license from the Nepal Tourism Board. He serves as our lead trekking guide for the Annapurna, Manaslu, Everest, Langtang, and Mustang regions of Nepal. He started out as a porter, but has worked his way up to Lead Trekking Guide in Nepal. He has been guiding in Nepal for more than 12 years. He is well-loved by all our clients. He is trained in Wilderness First Aid, speaks English fluently, and is an expert on Nepalese culture and history.
Independent reviews of Himalaya Journey can be found on our official Facebook Page in the following links:
Himalaya Journey Facebook Reviews
Himalaya Journey Trip Advisor Reviews
Tibet seems like a difficult place to travel to with so many travel restrictions. Jamin made traveling there so easy. We knew four or five places we wanted to see, but Jamin recommended some amazing places like Shishipagma (spelling) and Payku Lake. These were of the beaten path and were absolutely amazing. We had a new van, which made traveling the roads in Tibet fairly comfortable. We told Jamin we wanted a female guide and he connected us with Nyima. She was amazing and taught us so much about Tibet. It was hard saying goodbye to her after our 14 day trip ended. Highlights of our trip included Lhasa, the Potala Palace, Gyantse, Everest Base Camp and Shishipagma. This was the trip of a lifetime!
Sarah—US—October 2024
Bhutan had been a bucket-list trip for more than 20 years. Jamin and his team put together an itinerary that allowed us to see the main spots in the country, including Tiger's Nest (steep hike up!). We only had time to spend a week in Bhutan, but our days were very full. We feel we saw most of the major sites in Bhutan. The hotels we stayed in were all great and had heating. Our guide spoke fluent English and even knew a little bit of German and knew so much about Bhutan's history. The weather in October was pleasant and not cold during the day. We felt very well taken care of. We hope to go to Tibet with Himalaya Journey in 2026.
Bernd—Germany—October 2024
My family and I took a 13 day trip from Lhasa to Mt Everest Base Camp. Our guide was a local Tibetan who educated us on Tibetan culture and religion each day. The hotels we stayed in were comfortable and the food was great. Our driver, Mr Tashi, was kind and patient and made stops whenever we asked. The view of Mt Everest was amazing and unforgettable. I recommend contacting Jamin for his help in planning your trip to Tibet.
Miguel—Mexico—September 2023
I had the good fortune of joining the Kham Adventure in eastern Tibet. The two week journey took us through Tibet's cultural heartland. Lead guides Jamin and Gonkho did a fantastic job in giving us insight into the region and made the entire journey enjoyable. Himalaya Journey is a great travel and adventure outfit! Responsive, considerate and most importantly conscientious and responsible in the areas whey they work. I highly recommend the Kham Journey and would not hesitate to take another trip with them!
Rachna—Thailand—July 2019
10/10 experience with Himalaya Journey! Highly recommend Himalaya Journey whether traveling solo, with a family, or group. I organized a three week group trip from the US to Nepal with Himalaya Journey and will absolutely utilize their services again. Ashok was always quick to respond to questions during planning phase, effortlessly made adjustments to our itinerary based on our goals/needs, and organized a seamless and stress free trip! Highly recommend Himalaya Journey and will definitely utilize their services when I organize my next group trip.
David—USA—June 2019
My experience with Himalaya Journey was absolutely phenomenal. We had a three week trip and after experiencing some unexpected, but necessary, changes to the original trip plan, our guide readjusted our trip without taking away any of the value and quality with the things we did. During this trip, we visited Kathmandu, the historic city of Bhaktapur, Pohkara, and the Chitwan National Park. We also did a five day trek to Annapurna Base Camp in which we were given the best guide on the mountain! Both of our guides were extremely friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful throughout the trip and it was very clear that they wanted nothing but the best for us during our stay in Nepal. I highly recommend traveling with Himalaya Journey, they introduced me to Nepal in the most beautiful way and I cannot wait to go back and visit one day.
Kiana—USA—June 2019
I’m home in London – bleary eyed and a bit jet lagged, but very happy to have been well looked after on my trip - overland from Lhasa to Kathmandu. All the connections, arrangements, permits, guide, driver and fellow travelers were very amiable, and the tour ran like clockwork to a succession of amazing locations…so I’m very pleased.
Very best wishes – I hope that we can do business again sometime.
I absolutely loved this tour and Himalaya Journey. They definitely know what they're doing. Not only did we get to see things that aren't available on most other tours, it was two days longer than most tours. On top of that, they do the tour from Lhasa to Kathmandu, rather than the other way around. This is very important, because coming from Kathmandu, you go from 1,300 meters elevation to the 5,050 high Everest Base Camp in one or two days. This is NOT enough time to acclimate to such high altitudes. Doing the journey from Lhasa provides a gradual climb, with time for the body to adjust. In addition, this is a small group tour (just eight people on ours), so there is a high level of personal and individual interaction. Highly, highly recommended for anyone who has ever dreamed of going to Tibet.
Barbara—USA—April 2019
I just got back from an amazing trip to Tibet and Bhutan, with a quick stop in Nepal in between. I've been to over 90 countries, and this was unquestionably one of the best experiences I've ever had; I can't say enough good things about Jamin York, Ashok Shahi and the whole team at Himalaya Journey.
I should note upfront that I almost always travel independently, and was a bit concerned when I realized in my planning for this trip that you simply can't go to Tibet and Bhutan without the involvement of some sort of tour company. I did a lot of research before settling on Himalaya Journey, and I'm incredibly glad that I did. Jamin worked with me to custom design an itinerary that would get me and my travel partner to all of the places that we most wanted to see in Tibet - and provided loads of helpful input on spots that we might want to add or delete from the trip given our various interests and constraints. When I later decided that I might want to add Bhutan to the trip, Ashok entered the picture and I was able to seamlessly add that country on to my itinerary.
Once we arrived in Tibet, we were delighted to meet Rinzin, our knowledgeable and incredibly diligent guide (as well as our endlessly cheerful driver, Lhapa). As we proceeded from the Lhasa area down to EBC and the Nepali border, any concerns I may have had about a guided tour dissipated; indeed, even if it had been possible, our experience would have been far less satisfying and meaningful absent everything Rinzin brought to the trip. We also were able to observe what our very personalized Tibet experience was like in comparison to the cookie-cutter itineraries of the large group tours we sometimes encountered...reinforcing our appreciation for the approach that Himalaya Journey takes.
When we reached Nepal, any angst regarding that potentially tricky border crossing was completely removed by the Himalaya Journey staff on both sides of the border (Ashok himself came all the way up from Kathmandu to shepherd us across the Himalaya). I then headed on to Bhutan, where I was met by another fantastic team led by Tika, an exceptionally amiable and well-versed guide. Again, it was easy to distinguish between the very personalized experience I was having in Bhutan and the more cookie-cutter itineraries that I would encounter from time to time with larger tour groups. It was clear that the quality and depth of the Himalaya Journey experience was consistent in all three of the countries that I visited despite the fact that the nations themselves are so different.
In sum, I would strongly recommend Himalaya Journey to anyone considering a visit to any of these countries. Namaste and Tashi Delek!
Jamin is incredibly experienced and charismatic. He leads from the heart and speaks from his own, very unique, personal experience. It was important for us to know that our visit was going to benefit the people of Tibet and we were delighted to find out that Jamin cares about that very much. Jamin’s guides, Nyima Dolma and Jamyang in Tibet and Ashok in Kathmandu were also so knowledgable and simply amazing with their kindness and attentiveness. We feel so happy and honoured to have met them.
There were many highlights on this trip, from experiencing the holy city of Lhasa to finally seeing Everest (I’m obsessed with all things Everest) but mostly we loved experiencing people’s kindness and hospitality. I truly can’t wait to travel with Himalaya Journey once again and would recommend travelling with them in a heartbeat.
We miss you Jamin & everyone at Himalaya Journey!
Lucia—Italy—May 2018
