Record numbers of trekkers are choosing Manaslu over Nepal’s classic routes. Here is why: the landscapes, culture, the Larkya La pass, a 14-day itinerary, 2026 permits, and where the trail stands after this autumn’s floods.
For decades, a first trek in Nepal meant one of two names: Everest or Annapurna. They are famous for good reason. But in the last few years a third name has been climbing the list faster than any other: Manaslu.
Circling the world’s eighth-highest mountain, the Manaslu Circuit climbs from subtropical rice terraces to Tibetan villages and over a 5,106-metre pass, in a little over two weeks. It has wild river gorges, centuries-old monasteries and some of the finest mountain views in the Himalaya — and, for now, a fraction of the crowds. Here is why it has become the trek everyone is talking about, and what you need to know before you go.
The numbers behind the hype
Manaslu’s rise is not just talk. According to Nepal’s Department of Immigration, 17,710 foreign trekkers took the Manaslu route in 2025 — well above its five-year average of 10,371 a year, and enough to make it the most-visited of all Nepal’s restricted trekking areas, ahead of Upper Mustang. The Manaslu Conservation Area Project counted 10,605 foreign visitors in 2024, led by trekkers from France (1,335), Germany (1,181) and the United States (796).
That growth has brought better teahouses, more reliable food and warmer rooms in the villages along the way, while the restricted-area permit and guide rule keep numbers far below those on the Everest trail. It is a rare moment in a trek’s life: comfortable enough to enjoy, still quiet enough to feel like an expedition.
Manaslu vs Everest and Annapurna
| Everest Base Camp | Annapurna Circuit | Manaslu Circuit | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highest point | 5,364 m (Base Camp) | 5,416 m (Thorong La) | 5,106 m (Larkya La) |
| Typical length | 12–14 days | 12–18 days | 14–16 days |
| Getting to the trail | Mountain flight to Lukla | Drive to Besisahar and beyond | Drive to Machha Khola |
| Permits | National park and local fee | Annapurna conservation permit | Restricted area permit plus two conservation permits |
| Roads | None above Lukla | Jeep roads along much of the lower circuit | Road only in the lowest part of the valley |
| On the trail | Busiest trek in Nepal | Busy and well developed | Quieter, more traditional villages |
Everest gives you the world’s highest mountain and the Sherpa heartland; the Annapurna Circuit gives you variety and comfort. Manaslu gives you a bit of both — a full circuit with a big pass and huge mountains — without the airport queue at Lukla or the jeep dust on the lower Annapurna.
Five reasons it’s Nepal’s hottest adventure
1. A whole country in one walk
The circuit starts at under 1,000 metres among banana trees and terraced fields, follows the thundering Budhi Gandaki river up a gorge so deep and narrow that much of it lies in shadow for most of the day, and climbs into pine forest, high pasture and finally glacier and moraine. Few treks pack so many landscapes into two weeks.
2. Living Tibetan Buddhist culture
Above Namrung you enter the Nubri region, whose villages share their language and faith with Tibet just over the border. Long mani walls carved with prayers line the trail, prayer flags snap over every bridge, and monasteries such as the one above Lho look straight across at Manaslu. Off the main circuit, the Tsum Valley — once a hidden, sacred valley closed to outsiders — is one of the most traditional corners of the Himalaya.
3. Mountain views at every turn
From Lho and Samagaon, Manaslu fills the sky. Along the way you also see Himalchuli, Ngadi Chuli, the Ganesh Himal and, after the pass, the Annapurna II and Lamjung massifs. An acclimatisation day at Samagaon lets you hike to the glacial lake of Birendra Tal or climb towards Manaslu Base Camp for a closer look.
4. The Larkya La crossing
The circuit’s high point is a genuine adventure: a pre-dawn start from Dharamsala, a long climb over moraine to the prayer flags of the Larkya La at 5,106 m, and a steep descent to Bimthang with glaciers and ice walls all around. It is the kind of day trekkers talk about for years.
5. Fewer people, more Nepal
Because every group must have a permit and a licensed guide, the trail never feels crowded the way the Everest highway can in October. Evenings are spent around the stove in family-run teahouses, where your hosts are as likely to be herding yaks the next morning as cooking your dal bhat.
A typical 14-day itinerary
| Day | Route | Overnight | Highlight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arrive in Kathmandu | 1,400 m | Trek briefing and permits |
| 2 | Drive Kathmandu → Machha Khola | 930 m | Long, scenic drive into the Budhi Gandaki valley |
| 3 | Machha Khola → Jagat | 1,340 m | Hot springs at Tatopani; enter the conservation area |
| 4 | Jagat → Deng | 1,860 m | Narrowest part of the gorge |
| 5 | Deng → Namrung | 2,630 m | First Tibetan-style villages and mani walls |
| 6 | Namrung → Lho | 3,180 m | Monastery with Manaslu straight ahead |
| 7 | Lho → Samagaon | 3,530 m | The circuit’s largest village |
| 8 | Acclimatisation day | 3,530 m | Birendra Tal or Manaslu Base Camp viewpoint |
| 9 | Samagaon → Samdo | 3,875 m | Last village before the pass, near the Tibet border |
| 10 | Samdo → Dharamsala (Larkya Phedi) | 4,460 m | Short day to rest before the pass |
| 11 | Cross the Larkya La (5,106 m) → Bimthang | 3,720 m | The big day: 8–10 hours |
| 12 | Bimthang → Dharapani | 1,860 m | Down through forest into the Marsyangdi valley |
| 13 | Drive Dharapani → Kathmandu | 1,400 m | Via Besisahar |
| 14 | Departure | — | Or add a few days in Pokhara |
Add four or five days to include the Tsum Valley, or a spare day in case weather holds you below the pass. See our Manaslu Circuit Trek for full details and dates.
Permits and rules for 2026
Manaslu is a restricted area: you can only trek it with a licensed guide and permits arranged through a registered agency. The good news for independent travellers is that in March 2026 the Department of Immigration was reported to have dropped the old two-person minimum, so solo trekkers can now get a permit — still with a guide.
| Permit | Cost for most foreign visitors | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Manaslu Restricted Area Permit | Sep–Nov: US$100 for the first 7 days, then $15 a day. Dec–Aug: $75 for the first 7 days, then $10 a day | Issued through a registered agency, for trekkers with a licensed guide |
| Manaslu Conservation Area Permit | NPR 3,000 | Checked at Jagat and Samagaon |
| Annapurna Conservation Area Permit | NPR 3,000 | For the descent from Bimthang into the Annapurna region |
| Tsum Valley Restricted Area Permit | Separate permit | Only if you add the Tsum Valley |
Fees are set by the government and can change. We confirm the current rates — and arrange every permit — when you book.
When to go
- Autumn (late September–November): the classic season, with clear skies and settled weather for the pass. It is also the busiest.
- Spring (March–May): warmer days, flowering rhododendrons lower down and good conditions on the Larkya La.
- Winter (December–February): cold and quiet; snow can close the pass, and teahouses near it may shut for the season.
- Monsoon (June–September): not recommended — the Budhi Gandaki valley is prone to landslides and flooding, as 2026 showed.
Is the route open after the 2026 floods?
Honesty matters here. On 11 October 2026, a landslide dammed a tributary of the Budhi Gandaki in the upper Gorkha hills; when the dam burst, a torrent of water, mud and rock swept down the lower valley, carrying away bridges and homes between Jagat and Arughat. More than 100 foreign trekkers were stranded around Jagat and were evacuated, many by Nepal Army helicopter.
The upper villages — Namrung, Lho, Samagaon, Samdo — and the Larkya La itself were not damaged. Repairs moved quickly: a temporary Bailey bridge was installed at Arughat and bypass trails opened in the lower valley, and by late October trekking agencies and local authorities were reporting the main circuit open again, while some sections of the Tsum Valley were still being repaired.
Is the Manaslu Circuit right for you?
Manaslu is a moderate to challenging trek. You do not need climbing experience, but you should be comfortable walking six to eight hours a day for two weeks, often on rough trail, and be ready for one very long day over the pass. Previous trekking experience — or solid hill walking at home — helps a lot.
Before you go
- To do: Train with long hill walks carrying a day pack, ideally on back-to-back days
- To do: Bring a four-season sleeping bag and warm layers for nights at Samdo and Dharamsala
- To do: Get insurance that covers trekking to 5,500 m and helicopter evacuation
- To do: Allow a spare day in your plans in case weather holds you below the pass
- To do: Carry some Nepali rupees in cash — there are no ATMs on the circuit
The bottom line
Everest and Annapurna will always be wonderful. But if you want big mountains, a real pass, living culture and the feeling of being somewhere few people get to, the Manaslu Circuit is the trek of the moment — and, with the trail rebuilt after this autumn’s floods, 2027 may be the best time yet to walk it.
Ready to go? Explore our Manaslu Circuit Trek, plan a custom trip, or read our guide to travel safety in Nepal.
Last updated 30 October 2026. Sources: Department of Immigration figures reported by The Rising Nepal; Manaslu Conservation Area Project figures reported by Khabarhub; flood reporting by The Kathmandu Post and Onlinekhabar.