Manaslu Circuit Trek Daily Distance
Manaslu Circuit Trek distance is roughly 177 km, and to complete this trek itinerary on time, you have to hike more than 10 km each day on average. Some days, you may have to walk for 9 hours, and some days, you may have to hike for only 4 hours.
With the rising charm of this off-the-beaten trekking destination in Nepal, Manaslu Circuit is finally receiving the trekkers it deserves. The improvement in tea house services improved trekkers' safety and security, and unmatched pristine landscapes are becoming every trekker's dreamy place.
Distance from Kathmandu to Arughat Bazar to SotiKhola (710m)
With a total distance of 138 km, a drive from Kathmandu to Arughat takes around 10 hours. Arughat Bazar is well known as the starting point of the Manaslu Circuit Trek.
You'll have the option to hike or take a drive to Soti Khola from Arughat Bazar. From Arughat, you'll take another 13 km road trip to Soti Khola, around two hours of drive time and five hours of hike time, and stop for overnight accommodation.
Distance from Soti Khola (710m) to Machha Khola (900m)
The actual hike on Manaslu Circuit Trek Route starts as you gear up from Soti Khola to Machha Khola. The trek distance between these two is around 14.2 km, and the total hike duration is 6 hours, excluding the resting stops.
Cascading Budhi Gandaki River, Pine forests, an inspiring panorama of hills, and Ganesh Himal make your hike worth it. You'll hike through the settlements like Lapu Besi and Khani Besi. Overnight accommodation at a tea house in Machha Khola.
Distance from Machha Khola (900m) to Jagat (1,340m)
The 20 km long Manaslu Trekking distance between Machha Khola to Jagat takes 7 hours, and it's among the most extended day hikes in this trek. You'll hike through Machha Khola, Khorlabesi, and Hot Spring. You'll also walk on the sandy beach of Budhi Gandaki and the lush forests with vivid landscapes and panorama.
The frequent greetings of Ganesh Himal and Lhakpa will be till Jagat. Overnight accommodation at the tea house in Jagat.
Distance from Jagat (1,340m) to Deng (2,095m)
The total hiking distance from Jagat to Deng is 21 km, and it takes 9 hours to complete the hike. On top, most of the walk will be gaining altitude with gradual ascend, which becomes tiring. Trekkers Check Post at Jagat is where you'll have your Manaslu Conservation Area Permit checked.
Alongside the beautiful scenery, you'll cross some streams like Ghatta Khola and Deng Khola. Furthermore, you'll get mesmerizing glimpses of Shringi Himal, 7,161m tall.
Distance from Deng (2,095m) to Namrung (2,900m)
The trek from Deng to Namrung on the Manaslu Circuit Trek route is only 19.4 km for 6 hours. But it's the highest altitude gain you'll get on a single day throughout this trek.
Hence, you may feel the hike arduous at most parts of the ascent on zigzag trails. Some features of the course even demand you to hike down the steep descent to Budi Gandaki and gradually ascend to several settlements.
Distance from Namrung (2,900 meters) to Lho (2,957 meters)
Lho from Namrung is around 11 kilometers in the distance and takes 5 hours for average hikers. The hike to Lho gives you an in-depth into Tibetan-influenced cultures, prayer flags, and stupas. On top, The clear view of Manaslu and Manaslu North makes your day hike worth it.
Distance from Lho (2,957 meters) to Samagaun (3,500 meters)
Samagaon from Lho is 18 km long and takes around 6 hours for you.
The hike from Lho to Samagaon can be enjoyable because you'll hike past Pungyen Monastery. Also, the chortens and prayer flags on the breeze make the Nubri settlements serene. The terrain also changes from treeline to Yak pasture lands with bushes.
You must be careful about the high altitude en route because you'll be hiking on terrain above 3,000 meters, and Samagaon is at 3,500 meters.
Distance from Samagaun (3,500m) to Samdo (3,865m)
If you wish to hike Samdo via Manaslu Base Camp, it'll take 6 hours to complete the day hike. The trail length also increases to 17 km. But, if you wish to hike Samdo without visiting Manaslu Base Camp, it'll take four hours to complete the 8.1 km long trail.
Samdo, being a Tibetan refugee village, you'll get glimpses of these people's lifestyles. You'll get the best view of Manaslu from Samdo while hiking all day.
Distance from Samdo (3,865m) to Dharamshala (4,450m)
Dharmashala from Samdo is around 13 km away, and it would take about 5 hours for average hikers to complete the hike. En route, you’ll pass through several streams, Larke Glacier, and Mani walls with prayer flags. You’ll stop at a tea house in Dharamshala for overnight accommodation.
Distance from Dharamshala to Bimthang (3,720m) via Larke Pass (5,160)
Crossing Larke Pass at 5,160 meters from Dharamshala and hiking down to Bimthang takes almost a day, nearly 10 hours. It's also the longest hiking day, where trekkers must cross 25 kilometers in a single day.
Larke Pass is filled with snow, and the trail leading to this pass is rocky. The rugged terrain filled with snow becomes mesmerizing in early Spring. You'll see the best glimpses of Himlung Himal, Kang Guru Himal, Cheo Himal, and many from the Annapurna range from Larke Pass and nearby areas.
The descent becomes easier as you can breathe more oxygen again on the grassy moraines. Overnight at the tea house in Bhimtang.
Distance from Bimthang (3,720m) and Dharapani (1,860m)
Dharapani is a descent hike from Bimthang that is 30 kilometers long and takes almost a whole day. Being a 30 km route, you'll enjoy the utmost scenery and beautiful villages like Thonje. This is also one of the longest Manaslu Circuit Trek distances to hike.
Dharapani is a well-sophisticated town where trekkers can enjoy some luxurious accommodations. Overnight at a tea house in Dharapani.
Distance from Dharapani (1,860m) to Kathmandu (1,324m)
Dharapani to Kathmandu is a 180 km roadway that takes around 10 hours. You can get a private jeep or tourist bus for a comfortable ride to Kathmandu.
Manaslu Trek Basic Food Accommodation and Drinks
Meals in Manaslu Circuit Trek are almost identical to what the tea houses in Annapurna and Everest Base Camp Trek offer, but not as broad menu choices as in Annapurna and Everest region. Tea houses in lower regions of Manaslu Circuit offer a more comprehensive range of meals than those at high altitude places. But still, you'll get a sufficient number of meals to choose from for BLD.
Manaslu Circuit is wapping 177 kilometers, and most days, trekkers hike here 14. Hence, to keep up with the itinerary, you, as a trekker, have to walk for multiple hours and more than 10 km each day in Manaslu Trek. It would be best to consume adequate healthy meals to keep the pace and energy levels at the peak. Not only to refill energy but also to escape altitude sickness, the proper meals are a must.
Here in this food and drinks in Manaslu Circuit Trek, we'll cover the types of meals you can expect on this trek. Also, if you find any food outside the list, you can request that your tour agency include additional meal requirements.
We’ll break down the meals menu into three parts, Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.
Breakfast Meals in Manaslu Circuit Trek
Breakfast has to be adequate, and in Manaslu Trek, the tea houses offer various choices of meals for breakfast. The most common breakfast item includes Chapati, Toast with butter and honey, Porridge honey, Muesli, Omelette, Pancakes, and Soups.
Ginger lemon tea, Garlic Soup, Milk tea, black tea, hot chocolate, and coffee are the most available hot drinks on the breakfast menu.
Lunch and Dinner Meals in Manaslu Circuit Trek
The lunch and dinner menu is almost identical, from where you can get multiple choices. The most common meal trekkers consume is the Nepali Dal Bhat, with lentil soup, cooked vegetables, and pickles. Trekkers also prefer plain rice and noodles fried with eggs for the carbohydrate and protein combo.
Pizza, Burger with fries, Pasta with cheese and garlic, Spaghetti w/o cheese/tuna toppings, mashed potato, sandwiches, spring rolls, Sizzlers, Thukpa, Tenduk, cooked vegetables, and salads are the most available meals in Manaslu Trek.
You can expect these items at tea houses at lower altitudes, but these items are not readily available at higher-altitude tea houses.
Drinks in Manaslu Circuit Trek
The temperature in Manaslu Circuit in late Autumn can go as low as -15 degrees, and on a typical day, the temperature can get near freezing at high altitudes. In such conditions, drinking cold water and drinks causes cough and chest infection. Hence, hot drinks in Manaslu Circuit Trek are a must to keep yourself warm and healthy.
In the morning and evenings, drinking hot drinks like ginger lemon tea, black tea, milk tea, and soups can revitalize the body's fluids. Taking hot chocolates and milk as dessert can also help you get better sleep and digestion.
While on a day hike, trekkers must drink 3 liters of safe drinking water not to develop altitude sickness symptoms. Keeping yourself hydrated is crucial to developing waterborne diseases. Hence, you can carry a thermos or hydration bladder for lukewarm water mixed with the electrolytes, ORS solutions, and Chlorine tablets.
You can get cold water at tea houses for free. But, tea houses ask for a certain amount from trekkers when refilling hot drinking water. The average asking price for each liter of war water ranges from USD 5.
The food you should avoid in Manaslu Circuit Trek
Avoiding certain meals at high altitudes of Manaslu can benefit your health.
First, we don't recommend you consume meat and meat products on this trek. Since people here practice Buddhism, they don't kill animals. Hence, meat products at higher altitudes are carried by porters or helicopters. As a result, the quality of meat decreases, and is also not healthy to consume.
Drinks you should avoid in Manaslu Trek
You must avoid certain drinks if you're planning to hike Manaslu Circuit. First, you mustn't consume more coffee and caffeinated beverages as they cause dehydration and lack of sleep.
Furthermore, alcohol, tobacco, and smoking are not items to consume while trekking. Dehydration, shortness of breath, and other issues might develop the symptoms of altitude sickness.
These products only alter sleep schedules and cause issues and AMS. Trekkers need 8 hours of complete sleep for proper rest; avoiding these will be wise.
Best time for Manaslu Trek
Autumn months, starting from September till late November, and Spring months, from March to the end of May, are the two best times for Manaslu Trek. The weather conditions become stable with rain-free days, mild temperatures, and unobstructed visibility, all absolute conditions for high-altitude trekking.
The vibrant colors of Autumn leave decorating the entire Manaslu region till tree lines equal the aesthetic rhododendron bloom and lively greenery of Spring. The greetings of snow-occupied Mt. Manaslu, Ganesh Himal, Shringi Himal, and other mountains along the hike on one of the world's highest Himalaya Pass, Larke Pass, ensure your wholesome Manaslu Trek experience.
In this blog, we'll guide you through the best time to trek the Manaslu Circuit and what weather and temperature you can expect here at different times of the year.
Manaslu Circuit in Autumn
Autumn brings trekkers back to Manaslu Circuit after the long hectic, and risk-associated monsoon rain. The rain clears the outlook and washes away the clouds, making the entire landscape visible.
The sky becomes blue with the scintillating Manaslu in front. You'll enjoy the mild temperature throughout the hike with the best glimpses of the panorama. On the other hand, even if you wish to hike Manaslu Circuit in Autumn with a small group, you'll still encounter many trekkers en route. The best time of September till mid-December lures the highest numbers of trekkers in Manaslu.
The temperature starts dropping as Autumn progresses. On average, the temperature in September averages 21 degrees at lower places and seven at high altitude places. Likewise, in October, the temperature drops to 15 degrees in lower altitudes and freezes at high altitudes. The last month favorable for Manaslu Trek is November, and in this month, the temperature drops to -10 degrees.
Manaslu Circuit in Spring
If you're planning Manaslu Circuit, Spring can be your best time. The lively greenery, terrace farmings, and the snow-occupied Manaslu and Larke-La Pass make the Manaslu Trek in Spring the best.
Manaslu Circuit route in Spring can be the best time to cross Larke Pass. Furthermore, you'll also get the ideal weather window to view Manaslu, Nagdi Chuli, Hiunchuli, Ganesh Himal range, Langpo, and Shringi, all spectacular mountains of the region.
The ideal temperature is the best part of trekking Manaslu in Spring, from March to May. As Spring progresses, the temperature here starts getting warmer. In Spring, the daytime temperature averages around 17 degrees, and the nighttime temperature averages around the freezing point. Also, the rain-free days with utmost visibility make your trek experience sublime.
Manaslu Circuit in Summer
In Summer, especially in late May, the monsoon rain starts in Nepal. Due to this, the risk of floods, landslides, and avalanches increases drastically. Manaslu Trek in Summer can be doable with extra caution, proper trek gears, and expert navigation, but still, it's a highly non-recommended time to trek. But extra caution is a must if you're planning for this trek in Summer.
The rain brings leeches and bugs, which bother trekkers throughout the hike days. Furthermore, the Manaslu region's landslides damage the trekking route and can be troublesome.
Besides these, June, July, and August bring liveliness to the landscapes with greenery and clear sky. The rainfall also prompts the snowfall at high altitudes, making it further exciting. Also, the warmer temperature averaging 18 degrees and longer days in Summer can be ideal for hiking all day.
Manaslu Circuit in Winter
If it snows in early Winter, especially in November, Manaslu Trek can be a headache for you due to the extreme cold. But your Manaslu Trek can be wholesome if the weather remains dry till mid-Winter. And if you're fit enough, you can participate in the Manaslu Trail Race every November.
For the snow-capped mountains and even landscapes past 3,000 meters, snowfall garnishes the terrain mesmerizingly. The total visibility of Manaslu, Ganesh Himal, and other peaks around Manaslu Base Camp is worth your hike in Winter. Also, crossing Larke Pass with crampons and fixed lines can be exciting.
The few drawbacks of Manaslu Trek in Winter is accommodation, as many tea houses remain closed from December to late January. Also, you have to hike on the high-altitude terrain of Larke Pass and hike to Bimthang for nearly 13 hours.
The temperature can go down to -15 degrees and reach as high as 5 degrees in the daytime. You can complete Manaslu Trek in Winter with decent trekking gear and warm clothes. But still, if you can't bear the cold, it's not a recommended time for you.
Manaslu Trek Without Guide
Manaslu trekking Route, opened for foreign trekkers in 1992, in 2022, after 30 years of being accessible to foreigners, comes under Manaslu Restricted Area Project. One of the best off-the-beaten trekking trails with a serene panorama of Manaslu Trek is every trekker's favorite, and they often plan this trek solo. But one should know that the Nepal Government prohibits Manaslu trekking without a guide.
Trekkers often prefer Manaslu Trek as an alternative to Annapurna Circuit Trek. Also, many trekkers want to explore the Manaslu region long before it becomes a commercial route. But still, there are many risk factors that trekkers might involve, and on top, it remains a restricted area.
For various reasons, Manaslu Trek without a guide is not possible. In this blog, we'll take you through why you can't independently hike in the Manaslu region and the benefits of hiring a local agency for Manaslu Trek.
Manaslu Circuit Larke-la Pass Trek Difficulty
Manaslu Trek Difficulty falls in moderate to challenging grades, based on the altitude, time in a year, what you carry, and how well you prepare your fitness for the trek.
Still, in 2022, trekkers consider the trek Route as off-the-beaten trekking in Nepal. While trekking for 14 days in the Manaslu region, crossing Larke Pass at 5,135 meters, and exploring every element the route offers, you'll consider this trek the junket of your lifetime. Nowhere on earth matches your wholesome cheerfulness of the trek.
As the trekking route is arduous at different places with an added long hour hike on the rugged high-altitude terrain, you'll feel tired midway through this trek. Also, when altitude sickness kicks in, you'll have a nightmare. But preparing your body well with regular physical training before joining the Manaslu Circuit Trek in 2023 equips you for this adventure of your lifetime.
This blog, Manaslu Trek Difficulty, is a well-detailed blog written with consultation with our experienced trek guides, who have been guiding in Manaslu for a decade now.
