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On the Manaslu Circuit Trek in Nepal, you can forget about the traditional Annapurna Routes and escape the masses. This trekking offers fantastic views of the best the Annapurna area. See snow-capped mountains, high glacier lakes and spot the most stunning flora and fauna. The circuit passes many Nepalese cultural heritage sites, including traditional Tamang and Sherpa settlements.
This is your chance to experience a unique culture. With a height of 8.156m, Mount Manaslu is the highest mountain top in this area and also the eighth highest in the world. Whether you want to go from one teahouse to another or prefer camping, Manaslu is for everyone.
The Manaslu Circuit is outright special. The trek follows an ancient salt–trading route along the steep-sided Budhi Gandaki river. Ten peaks of more than 6,500 meters (21,300 ft) in height are visible while trekking through the Manaslu region, including peaks of more than 7,000 meters (23,000 ft) high. There are a lot less people on the Manaslu Circuit and this sets the trek apart from its busier brother the Annapurna Circuit.
This area is primarily populated by two ethnic groups; Nubri and Tsum. Chhikur's branching off the river separates these two racial territories. While Nubri was frequently visited following Nepal's 1950 tourism opening, Tsum still retains much of its traditional culture, art, and tradition. Gurungs is the largest ethnic group in the central hills of the region.If you are traveling alone and you want to do the Manaslu Circuit, you better find a friend to join you. As the Manaslu Circuit is a restricted area, you need at least two people to get a permit and a start date. Keep reading to find out which permit you need.
The Manaslu Circuit offers for a longer trek than some other treks in Nepal. The Manaslu can be tackled in 13 to 17 days. Most trekking companies offer 14 or 15-day itineraries as it allows for adequate acclimatization and comfort. The total distance of the Manaslu Circuit is 177 kilometers (110 miles). The distance can, however, differ from itinerary to itinerary. Some trekking companies like to start in Arughat Bazar where others only start at Soti Khola.
Manaslu and the entire Annapurna Region, along with the rest of Nepal has 4 distinct seasons. Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. The months from March to May and from October or November are the most popular for trekking at the Annapurna Massif. What must be said, is that every trekking season offers its own excitement and atmosphere for hikers. You can read more about the most favorable trekking and hiking seasons in Nepal in this blog post.
The Annapurna Circuit is fantastic. It gives you everything you are looking for when trekking in the Annapurna Sanctuary of Nepal. However, a lot of people know the Annapurna Circuit Trek is great and you will definitely not be the only one on the trails. After the Everest Base Camp Trek, the Annapurna Circuit Trek is the busiest trek in Nepal. The Manaslu Circuit is everything the Annapurna Circuit is, but it allows for a more genuine trekking experience.
Villages on the Annapurna Circuit always had poor access and modern times require modern infrastructure. As a result, some of the Annapurna Circuit is tarred and this is very uplifting for the local communities. Trekkers, of course, are always looking for the most remote trails and although there are still some on the Annapurna Circuit, you are sure to find them on the Manaslu Circuit.
The Manaslu Circuit is not as quiet anymore as it used to be. Where in the past camping was basically the only possibility to spend the night in this remote part of the world, these days you can find teahouses scattered along the trail.
Hiking or trekking in the Annapurna Region can be a challenge. But this doesn’t mean that you can not do it. If you like hiking and make sure you start to get fit well ahead of the start of your trek, you can definitely make it. The average trek in the Annapurna Region is not difficult but hikers and trekkers should still be moderately fit. After all, you are stilling trekking through the Himalayas of Nepal. If you are wondering what it physically takes to go trekking in Nepal and what you can do to become the fittest version of yourself you should keep reading.
As most foreign visitors to Nepal land in Kathmandu, they are likely to go trekking in regions other than Annapurna or Manaslu. This is the first hurdle to trekking in the Annapurna Region. One has to actually travel to Pokhara. All the trekking providers by default offer transport from Kathmandu to Pokhara. Some by bus, others by plane.
An itinerary usually includes hotel accommodation in Pokhara and transport from Pokhara to Ghorepani. This is where some of the costs sit. Although you do not need to pay some kind of entrance fee, you still need to pay for permits. Without it is impossible to hike in the Nepal Himalayas. For the Manaslu Circuit you need three kinds of permits:
The permit cost for Manaslu Trek depends on the month and number of days you will spend in this region. To trek in the Manaslu region, you will need three kinds of permits issued by the Government of Nepal.
Manaslu Restricted Permit
The Manaslu trek permit costs USD 70.00 for first seven days and USD 10.00 each additional day during September to November. Manaslu trek permit costs USD 50.00 for first 7 days and USD 7.00 each extra day from December to August.
Manaslu Conservation Area Permit (MCAP):
The Entry fee for SAARC Nationals is 200 NPR per person and for other Nationals is 2,000 NPR per person.
Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP):
All permits are arranged by your trekking provider. The Manaslu Circuit Trek is because of its average duration and exclusivity a more expensive trek in Nepal. Prices vary between the 1000 USD and 1400 USD or 900 EUR and 1200 EUR per person.
It can be hard to choose a fitting Manaslu Circuit Trek. If you want to do Manaslu right, you try to take as much time for it as possible. As transfers from Kathmandu to Pokhara are usually included, you want to spend some time in Pokhara as well. The town is just too pretty to simply skip it. Besides, you will be traveling quite a bit to get there, so you might as well stretch your leg a little.
Trekking in Nepal requires decent gear. Especially the basics like an 80-90 L backpack and quality trekking socks. We highly recommend that you read our suggestted packing list to hike in Nepal.
If you live anywhere else other than the Himalayas, it will be hard to get your legs ready for higher altitudes. After all, it doesn’t get much higher than Nepal. This is why we have to be clear upfront: Unless you have hiked at a higher altitude before, it will be difficult to get a 100% ready for your adventure. If that sounds bad to you, then comfort yourself with the fact that there is absolutely no need to be 100% ready.
You are not climbing K2 or Mount Everest and not running a mountain race. This is trekking. In fact, you are actually supposed to take it easy. Taking it easy is a rule of thumb when you want to prevent altitude sickness while out in Nepal. It doesn’t matter how fit you are, once you are out there on the trails, you have to stick to your own pace. But of course, the fitter you are, the more you can enjoy your days. Get fit!
Should I Hike More?
One solid approach to get the hang of what you do is to rehearse. The best practice for climbing is climbing. Seeing that you are keen on a multi-day trekking experience, we accept that you enjoy walking. Awesome, do it more. If you are fortunate to be encompassed by some hills or even mountains, the time has come to see them all the more frequently. When? In the event that you are new to this, we recommend beginning a half year the start of your trek, essentially going for 60 minutes (or two) climb seven days. When you get the hang of it, after around three weeks, you will have an ideal opportunity to reinforce your power. Convey a pack of 10 to 15kg and include a more drawn out climb of three hours to your week. On the off chance that this way of life is different to you, you will before long receive the rewards of this moderate exercise.
What Are The Health Benefits of doing the Manaslu Circuit?
Some of thehealth benefits of trekking and hikinginclude a lower risk of heart disease, improved blood pressure and sugar levels and of course it helps to control your weight. Once you are ready for the hills, it only gets better. According to Gregory Miller, president of the American Hiking Society, ”a 5% to 10% incline equals a 30% to 40% increase in calorie burn.” Our personal health benefits are a clearer mind and an elevated mood. Trekking keeps us sane. After a good few months of solid hiking, it is time to put your endurance to the test. Do back to back long hikes. You can simulate a few days of constant trekking by going hiking for a few days. Easy at that. Plan a smaller trekking holiday or keep it simple by hiking your favorite route on repeat. If you are comfortable hiking for 4 hours a day, 3 days in a row while carrying a 10kg to 15kg backpack, you will be fine.
There is more you can do to get ready for your Manaslu Circuit but the above basics will definitely help you on your way. You can focus on strength exercise, you can simulate altitude with altitude masks. There's a lot you can do. Check this blog post if you want to read more about getting fit for your Manaslu Circuit experience..
Symptoms of AMS start to show within a few hours after arrival at high altitude and include nausea, shortness of breath, headache and inability to exercise. An overall feeling of fatigue will take all the joy away that you were experiencing until things got bad. You may struggle to fall asleep, experience dizziness and you could be suffering from a severe headache. You may also lose your sense of coordination, have trouble walking and have a tight chest. If things progress to HAPE or HACE, you might get confused, have a shortness of breath at rest and you will likely be unable to walk at all.
The higher the altitude, the more severe your symptoms can be. If you have watched Everest the movie, you know what we are talking about. But those guys were climbing and you are, fortunately, only trekking. There is a number of scoring systems for determining altitude sickness. Guides are trained in these systems and are experienced in immediate treatment. Although many people will experience some symptoms of altitude sickness, it doesn’t have to escalate. When aware of the symptoms, you can do a lot to make sure you stay healthy at high altitude. Read more about the prevention of AMS here.
When you are planning to go trekking or hiking in the Manaslu Region, you can expect to stay in a decent hotel in Pokhara and you are likely to stay in teahouses along the trek. Regardless of where you stay in Nepal, do not expect a luxury show. Accommodation is relatively basic but is perfect for those who are resting their legs from hiking and trekking. Down below you can read more about staying in teahouses.
Tea houses are small hotels known as Bhatti. Them being small hotels, you can expect a certain level of comfort. Yes, you can, but just know that comfort is a relative concept. They are comfortable to the extent that you have a place to sleep and that you can enjoy home-cooked meals. That’s right, tea houses are run by local families who have opened their houses to trekkers passing by. On Manaslu Circuit you can find a lot of teahouses. These can be a bit smaller and more basic than on the Annapurna Circuit as they are harder to supply.Read more about staying in teahouses here.
