Manaslu Circuit Trek Upper Trail

Upon arrival at Kathmandu airport, you will be warmly greeted by our official representative. They will be easily identifiable, holding a company logo board with the names of incoming travelers. To enhance your arrival experience, we'll provide you with a fragrant marigold garland and a refreshing water bottle.

From there, our representative will accompany you to the designated hotel, where we will have a group meeting at your convenience. During this meeting, we'll prepare for the following morning's trek.

Our journey starts with an exciting drive to Machhakhola. This scenic route takes us through Nepal's countryside highways and rough roads beneath majestic Himalayan peaks. The adventure begins even before reaching Machhakhola! We plan to leave Kathmandu as early as possible to complete this 10-hour-long journey.

As we make our way towards Machhakhola, we can enjoy breathtaking views of waterfalls cascading down from high hillsides and observe the Turkish green-colored river flowing alongside us on one side of the trail. These natural wonders ensure that our journey remains far from monotonous.

Throughout this lengthy expedition, short breaks are scheduled according to group needs - allowing everyone ample time for rest and relaxation. As fellow travelers share their stories, you may also engage in conversation with accompanying guides, drivers, and staff members who are eager to listen and contribute tales they've collected over time.

Our trekking trip begins early in the morning after breakfast at Machhakhola. Before we begin our journey, our trained trip leader will provide trekkers with morning mindfulness and yoga instructions. After enjoying a delicious local breakfast served by the hotel, we set off towards Jagat.

The trail for today's trek takes us through green forests along the side of the Budigandaki River, where we'll cross several suspension bridges. One highlight of this day is crossing a unique bridge called the Cantilever Bridge in Yarubagar over the Budigandaki River just before reaching Jagat village. This particular type of bridge has its base support given to the side wall rather than being suspended by wire ropes.

As we continue our trek, we pass small local settlements that serve as resting points for trekkers going up and down to Manaslu region. Once arriving in Jagat, our trip leader will lead muscle relaxation therapeutic exercises before heading to our assigned rooms.

Today, we will reach the best viewpoint of Mt Manaslu and the adjoining mountains. After crossing many remote villages and the trail with numerous natural diversity, we arrived where the mountain view became prominently evident just in front of where we stood. Around a 2.5 Km walking trail from Namrung village, it is easy to walk straight and slightly inclines up towards Lho village and then Shyala. We will embark on the beauty of Lho village and then head towards Shyala village, from where we will admire the beauty of the Himalayan ranges adjoining Mt. Manaslu. Shyala is among the best vantage points for the Himalayan ranges, including Mt. Manaslu.

Today, the trekking trail is easy to walk, but being in high elevations, we will not be able to walk as fast as we were in lower elevations. The trail heads towards the north from Samagaon with the view of Samdo Peak. We will pass through Kermo Kharka, where the barren mountainous cliffs provide a small pass through their laps. The walking trail is straight with no steep inclinations till Samdo. The big Mani walls are there to welcome visitors to the Samdo village. Samdo village is located at a raised island-like place above the junction of Budigandaki River and Mayol Khola, facing southeast. Towards the south direction of the village, we will get to see Rani Peak(6,692 meters), Simnan Himal(6,152 meters), and Himalchuli(7,893 meters). We will admire the views and take much-needed rest before heading towards the wildest part of the trail through Dharamsala the next day. We can explore the viewpoints in the village, do Yoga Therapy exercises, or relax. 

The wild journey towards the Dharamsala begins early in the morning after breakfast, and the trail is magical with the view of Mt. Manaslu and Larkya Peak at just 6 to 8 Km from the walking trail. We will be passing alongside the settled Syacha Glacier below the towering mountains. The primary lodging facility welcomes travelers with mani walls and the remoteness of the small settlement meant for trekkers crossing the Larkya La Pass. We will rest and prepare for the next day's strenuous yet grand adventure journey through the Larkya la pass to Bimthang.

The most significant day for trekkers on Manaslu Circuit Trek is today when we will cross Larkya La Pass at an elevation of 5,143 meters. We begin walking along the side of Larkya Glacier up to 3 Km and then through it for the next 3 km to reach Amrit Tal(Amrit Lake), a beautiful glacial lake at 5,065 meters elevation with an area of 13,462 square meters. From there, the trail becomes less steep for another about 1 Km, where we will touch Larkya La pass. Though the trail is less steep, it is full of loose rocks, making it a rocky trail. The path within the 1 km perimeter of the pass is primarily rocky and filled with loose stones, and trekkers must be careful with their steps. From the Larkya La Pass, we will see the fantastic panoramic view of mountains in the southeast and northwest directions of the pass. Larke Peak (6,229 m), Mt. Pangpoche I(6,620m), Samdo Peak (6,33 m), Chhamjo Peak(5,382m), and Tasa Peak(5,543m) can be seen in the southeast direction whereas Mt. Annapurna II(7,555m), Mt. Kanguru(6,972m), Mt. Chombi(6,704m), Mt. Gyaji Kang(7,038m) and Mt. Nimjung(7,140m) can be seen in the northwest direction of the pass. With those magical mountain views, we descend towards Bimthang for the night stay. The valley becomes more expansive and greener as we descend from the Larkya La pass to Bimthang village. At the same time, we get to cross the Ponkar Tal(Ponkar Lake), a beautiful glacier lake at an elevation of 4,100 meters from the sea level.

After breakfast, we continue our downhill trek towards Goa(Gho), a Gurung village with ample facilities for trekkers to rest and eat. The trail becomes more greener as we go further down towards the village. We will walk alongside a glacial river with cascading waters on the trail today. The view of Larkya Peak is only the visible mountain on the way down towards Gho. We will rest on Gho and prepare for the last day trek to Dharapani the next day.

After breakfast, we will begin the trek early in the morning and continue the easy-to-walk trail towards Dharapani. We will pass through many small local settlements and communities on the way. The trail continues alongside the glacier river, which meets at Dharapani with the river Marshyangdi. We will already be waving goodbye to the magical Himalayas from Gho village and enjoying the natural sceneries on the turquoise-green riverside. Our trek ends at Dharapani, from where we will drive back to Kathmandu.

We will drop you to the airport from your hotel for the final departure. We will be seeing you off with the hope of getting another opportunity to serve you and your loved ones in the near future.