Manaslu Circuit Trek

The best seasons for Manaslu Circuit Trekking are in the fall (September to November) and spring (March to May).

In spring, there’s glorious weather, beautiful nature, and lots of outdoor activities. Autumn offers consistent weather and comfortable daytime hiking temperatures, but it also presents several difficulties.

However, the tea houses and lodges might fill up quickly during this busy time, so you should reserve your meals and lodging in advance.

The off-season trail is challenging due to tough terrain, cold weather, and harsh conditions including snowfall, landslides, and avalanches. The trail can also be slippery and infested with leeches during the winter and summer months.

The Manaslu Circuit walk takes, on average, 14 days in total. However, the actual time stands between 14 and 21 days, depending on your pace and itinerary. The trailhead is the one that is nearby in Kathmandu.

The 126 km (80 miles) drive from Kathmandu to Soti Khola takes an incredible 6 hours. Starting from there, the Manaslu Circuit Trek is a 14-day adventure following a standard itinerary. But there is always room for customization. So, you can choose to shorten or extend the tour, including adding more acclimatization days, according to your fitness level.

The distance and duration required to complete the trip also depend on the state of the roads, the time of year, and one’s level of physical fitness. Keep in mind that one should always enter the trail from the starting point, i.e., Aarughat and Gorkha, to cover every major trekking point.

Certainly, it won’t be difficult to find lodging on the Manaslu trek route. For an overnight stay during the Manaslu Circuit Trek, accommodations are provided at various locations. The teahouses are common accommodation destinations. Although the service is rather basic, it is very useful.

While you are at a lower elevation at the beginning of the climb, you can have rooms with an attached bathroom. There is a communal area for dining and sitting in these teahouses, which is a nice spot to stay warm by the fire at night.

However, the level of service and amenities will decrease as you ascend to a higher altitude. The altitude and hiking season have a significant impact on lodging costs. Off-season trekking will, however, be far less expensive.

Although camping is an option, most hikers prefer staying at the teahouses because it is more comfortable. But it is also feasible to camp while doing the Manaslu Trek. However, you’ll need to employ porters to transport the camping supplies and equipment.

There is no heating system in the rooms at the teahouses. In contrast, the dining area, where you will spend most of your time relaxing, will have a typical wooden heater.

Manaslu’s newest tea houses offer a wide variety of food options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Every teahouse offers enticing and nutritious meals to hikers. Occasionally, you can have stews and curries made with seasonal vegetables along with barley-based dishes. Farm vegetable and non-vegetable soup sets are also quite popular.

Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian alternatives are available. Next, you’ll indulge in yak products, including meat, butter, and milk.

While trekking in the Himalayas, making butter tea is indeed one thing to do. The trekkers benefit from these energizing drinks by being protected from the bitter cold and altitude sickness.

Tibetan culture has had a significant influence on the cuisines along the Manaslu Circuit trekking journey. You can frequently find dumplings, chowmein, noodles, and hot vegetarian and vegan soup. Gundruk Dhindo, one of the many intriguing Manaslu trek foods in the Himalayas, has the greatest significance in Nepalese history.

Dhindo is a cereal prepared from corn, millet, buckwheat, or barley, while Ghandruk is a fermented green vegetable that is frequently eaten as a soup dish. This diet is reputed to be more energizing and lasting than Dal Bhat. The Highlanders claim to have lived longer because of this organic diet.

If you want some cold drinks, these are also accessible at the teahouses.

The Manaslu Circuit Trek takes you from 700 meters to 5,160 meters. So, the temperature varies depending on the season and elevation. The region experiences cold temperatures throughout the year, and the days will be mostly cold, with highs of 4 to 12 degrees.

In addition, the nights will be bitterly cold. Especially in January, the temperature can dip as low as -10 degrees Celsius. But the weather is very variable above 4000 meters.

Manaslu has been designated a unique territory under Nepalese government regulations; therefore, before beginning the trek, one must be fully informed of the permits needed.

No one can trek in the region without first acquiring a special permit. The permit can only be obtained through a local trekking organization in Nepal due to the territory’s open border with Tibet.

For the Manaslu circle trip, you must have two different trekking permits. You don’t need to apply for them because your chosen authorized trekking company in Nepal will handle all of the tour preparation, including the permit work.

Restricted Area Permit:

The Manaslu Restricted Permit is a unique paper ticket given out by the government of Nepal as a license to enter the Manaslu region. Here’s how much it costs:

• September to November: $70 per person for the first week, with an additional $10 per person per day for each additional week.

• December to August: $50 per person for the first week, with an additional $7 per person per day after that.

Manaslu Conservation Area Permit (MCAP):

To enter the Manaslu Conservation Area, you must have this permit. A printed photo is necessary to apply for this permit. The Nepal Tourism Board at Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu, is where one can get it.

• Foreigners’ MCAP costs $27 or NPR 3000.

• For SAARC countries, MCAP costs NPR 1,000.

• The cost for local tourists is NPR 100.

Permit for Annapurna Conservation Area (ACAP):

From Dharapani to Besisahar, this Manaslu permit is necessary. The procedure is the same as for MCAP.

• Cost for foreigners: NPR 3000 or $27

• Cost for SAARC nations: NPR 1,000

• Cost for local tourists: NPR 100

If you intend to complete the Tsum Valley trek along with the Manaslu Circuit, the Tsum Valley Permit is required. It costs USD 45 per person for the first seven days.

Note: A TIMS card is not required for trekking to Manaslu Circuit once you have obtained the restricted area permit.

Internet:

The majority of teahouses nowadays have Wi-Fi. There are many teahouses along the path that offer internet connectivity for a certain charge in higher areas. When you are at a lower altitude, there is no Wi-Fi fee. Altitude affects the reliability of Wi-Fi. The weather also has an impact on the network.

Phone Network:

SAT phones are also available at some tea houses. But the coverage is limited. There is no coverage after this. On this expedition, the local phone hardly ever functions. On the Manaslu Circuit route, Nepal Telecom has better coverage than Ncell among the different SIM Card options in Nepal.

Electricity:

Lower-altitude communities are wired into the national grid. However, there are frequent power outages in the area. This problem has diminished in recent years. But it also might not be available on cloudy days.

Normally, due to its terrain, there are frequent power outages in the area. As a result, the voltage of the power that is readily available is low.

Also, some places use micro-hydropower. Larger battery charging may therefore be pricey. You should therefore consider bringing a power bank or solar charger to recharge them.

For adequate coverage of medical expenses, natural disasters, and avalanches before a trip, travel insurance is a necessity for any high-altitude trek in Nepal.

If you don’t have one, then it might also end up with your bank balance costing your health. As a result, you must get specialized insurance for Manaslu Circuit Trekking, which includes medical coverage, trip cancellation, and helicopter evacuation.

The majority of Nepal’s hiking paths are sterile and cut off from the population. Likewise, trekking paths in the Manaslu Circuit are in an isolated, desolate area of Nepal. Trekkers who sustain severe injuries must be transported to Kathmandu due to the Himalayas’ isolated locations and lack of medical services. Thus, including a helicopter evacuation policy is a must.

You should get in touch with your local climbing society for evacuation between 6,000 meters and high altitudes.

Note: Customers must examine the terms and conditions of the travel insurance before purchasing it.

• Always be prepared for high-altitude sickness

• Do not forget to pack your bag lightly and wisely.

• Always hire a professional guide and a porter

• Respect local cultures and traditions. Do not mock any customs or lifestyles.

• Be prepared for unpredictable weather and temperatures.

Before you go

If you have hiked in Nepal before, then it’s easier to plan any other hikes in the country. But if it’s your first time hiking in Nepal and you are planning to walk along the Manaslu Circuit, then you might have come across several questions that remain unanswered. Here we have listed a few things to work on before embarking on the journey.

• Get a tourist visa for Nepal and fly to Kathmandu.

• Obtain the necessary permits (MCAP, RAP, and TIMS).

• Plan your itinerary depending on your fitness level.

• Pack the right gear according to the time of the year.

• Start the trek, acclimatize, and complete it (start from Aarughat and finish in Besisahar).