Welcome to Nepal! Your international flight lands at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. We’ll pick you up and bring you to your hotel.

At the hotel, you’ll meet your guide and have your pre-trip meeting. Got questions? Feel free to ask! You can also check your gear and trekking equipment together.

airport transfer – hotel

Early morning your guide picks you up from your hotel to catch bus to the Gorkha region. You drive through small villages and bustling bazaars till you arrive in the settlement of Soti Khola (790 m) in the Budi Gandaki valley.

breakfast – bus – dinner – mountain lodge

Today you start your trek. First, the trail descends slowly until you climb to the mountain ridge to Almara. Then, you pass the forest trail to arrive at Riden Gaon. Via the valley, you cross the river to enter Budhi Gandaki. From Lambesi, the trail follows down to the sandy river bed of Budhi Gandaki.

breakfast, lunch & dinner – mountain lodge

After crossing the Machha river and Khola Besi, you reach the hot spring of Tatopani. From here, the trail follows a forest whereafter you reach Dovan with just below the massive river Budi Gandaki. From here the elevation increases clearly and your view changes completely.

breakfast, lunch & dinner – mountain lodge

The trail begins by climbing a rocky ridge from where views of Sringi Himal (7,187 m) appear. You continue through rich terraced fields of maize, potato and millet before you enter the Nupri, the western mountains, via bamboo forests. Tonight you spend the night in the Buddhist village of Deng (1,855 m).

breakfast, lunch & dinner – mountain lodge

You pass by numerous Tibetan mani walls, intricately hand carved stone walls with Buddhist scriptures. You weave in and out of canyons. And enter into a colourful forest of firs, oaks and rhododendrons until we arrive in the settlement of Namrung (2,660 m / 8,728 ft).

breakfast, lunch & dinner – mountain lodge

Today the trek climbs steadily into the alpine where you can see the first stunning glimpse of Manaslu North (7,774 m / 25,505 ft) and Manaslu (8,163 m / 26,781 ft). You’ll spend the night at the village of Lho Gaon (3,190 m / 10,465) with locals who wear the traditional Tibetan clothes called ‘chubas’.

breakfast, lunch & dinner – mountain lodge

Today you’ll have a shorter trekking day which allows you to acclimatize and enjoy the spectacular mountain views and villages along the way. You walk through a gully of mosses and rhododendron until you enter the village of Samagaon (3,530 m / 11,581 ft).

breakfast, lunch & dinner – mountain lodge

Today you stay around Samagaon and hike up to Pungyen gompa and the glacial lake Birendra Tal. This hike takes you through a forested area before you reach a ridge and a grassy plateau. Here you’ll discover the gompa that was destroyed by an avalanche in the winter of 1953. When you continue the hike, you reach the icy waters of Birendra Tal that is situated at the base of a glacier.

breakfast, lunch & dinner – mountain lodge

Today you have another shorter day that allows you to adjust to the altitude. Along the way you pass a land of yaks, plentiful marmots and pastures where only barley and potatoes can grow due the high elevation. Today you finally trek above the tree line.

A pleasant walk takes you to the picturesque village of Samdo (3,850 m / 12,631 ft) a town that is known for its yak herding. Samdo is also at the convergence of three valleys and is only a one day walk from Tibet. You’ll be quite likely to see traders coming from the valley carrying Chinese and Tibetan goods.

breakfast, lunch & dinner – mountain lodge

When you continue your trek from Samdo, you follow a wide, broad path, cross the Budi Gandaki river and traverse along a mani wall. Then you climb over the Larkya glacier until you reach a ridge from where you can have grand views over a huge gorge. You’ll spend the night in Larkya Phedi, also known as Dharmashala, before you cross the high Larkya La pass tomorrow.

breakfast, lunch & dinner – mountain lodge

Today is a longer day with a challenging, though not technically difficult trek over Larkya La pass (5,106 m / 16,751 ft). From Larkya Phedi you pass a glacial moraine and four frozen lakes as you make your way to the pass. It takes about 5 hours to reach this point.

From the pass you can see incredible views of Himlung Himal (7,126 m / 23,379 ft), Cheo Himal (6,820 m / 22,375 ft), Gyaji Kung (7,030 m / 23,064 ft), Kang Guru (6,981 m / 22,904 ft) and Annapurna II (2,437 m / 7,995 ft).

After a short break you start your descent down a trail along a steep gully. Eventually the trail peters out into a more grassy level and you continue your descent to Bimthang (3,720 m / 12,204 ft).

breakfast, lunch & dinner – mountain lodge

Today you cross a glacial stream and climb over the side of the moraine descending into a spectacular forest of rhododendrons and impressive pines. Also, you are likely getting a view of Manaslu providing an equal amount of splendour. You’ll descend towards the Dudh (milk) Khola and continue through a more agricultural landscape until you reach the village of Tilje (2,300 m / 7,545 ft).

breakfast, lunch & dinner – mountain lodge

Today, you have a more rapid descent into the Marsygandi Valley. You trek through a forest, cross a suspension bridge and make our way to the well-trodden trail of the Annapurna Circuit. You make your way to Chamche where you’ll stay for the night and celebrate your success of completing the Manaslu Circuit!

breakfast, lunch & dinner – mountain lodge

From Chamje you can either continue trekking or take a jeep to Besi Sahar. Contact us for the details.

breakfast, lunch & dinner – mountain lodge

Today you hop on the bus back to Kathmandu.

breakfast – bus – hotel

If it’s the final day of your holiday in Nepal. Your international flight departs from Tribhuvan International Airport Kathmandu.

Goodbye friends! We hope that you will cherish these memories we’ve made together forever.

breakfast – airport transfer