Manaslu Annapurna Circuit Trek - 21 Days

Upon arriving in Nepal via Tribhuvan International Airport, you will receive a warm welcome from our representatives. They will then help transfer you to your comfortable hotel in Thamel. Thamel is a vibrant tourist hub. You can explore the streets of this bustling city center and visit some of its vibrant bars or cozy cafes. 

As you have made up your mind to travel to the Annapurna and Manaslu Circuit Trekking route and arrive in Kathmandu, you will need different permits. Therefore, on the second day, we will prepare all the different permits. However, you will have a free day in Kathmandu. Trekkers can get suggestions from us about the places to visit in Kathmandu or go for a stroll on their own. However, make sure that you visit some of the iconic places like Pashupatinath Temple, Bouddhanath Stupa, Kathmandu Durbar Square, and Swayambhunath.

Global Adventure Trekking also arranges a Kathmandu full-day tour, which can offer you the exploration of four major destinations in the Kathmandu Valley. 

Our actual journey to the two passes (Thorong La and Larkya La) begins on the third day as we set off on a drive from Kathmandu to Machha Khola. As you have breakfast in the hotel, our representatives pick you up in a private vehicle and take you to the bus station. From there, we board a luxurious tourist bus that takes us to Machha Khola.

A few kilometers of driving and we start getting stunning panoramic views of different mountains like Ganesh Himal and Manaslu. Besides, we drive alongside the Trishuli River to a place named Dhading Besi. From there, the next noticeable destination is Arughat Bazaar, and then finally Machha Khola through Soti Khola. By the time we reach Machha Khola, you can notice that the surrounding environment completely changes from the one you saw in Kathmandu. Tall buildings get switched by tall mountains, and we can feel the serenity of the Himalayan ranges, green valleys, and a little village-like lifestyle.

Say hello to the days of walking as we begin trekking on the fourth day. For today, we do the first part of the 23-day-,long Annapurna Manaslu Circuit Trek and reach Jagat. As we start the trek after having breakfast in the hotel, we immediately cross a suspension bridge leading us to Khorlabesi. After a little more walk the trekkers reach Tatopani (a natural spring of hot water). Here, you can take a short break and enjoy the natural hot spring.

With a fresh mind and refreshed body, we continue our journey and cross another suspension bridge over the Budi Gandaki River. This suspension bridge takes us to a place named Dovan, which is a stop for lunch. Now that you have taken in more energy, you also take an upward lift. Yes, from Dovan, the Annapurna Manaslu Circuit Trek gradually goes uphill until we reach Yaru Phat. Jagat is approximately two hours away from Yaru Phat. So, with a two-hour-long ascend, we wrap up the trekking journey for the day.

The early morning trekking journey in the Annapurna Manaslu Circuit Trek takes us from Jagat to Deng on the fifth day. This part of the trek is also full of excitement, adventure, and natural sightseeing. The trek begins after trekkers have their breakfast in the hotel and then cross a suspension bridge. This suspension bridge leads us to a majestic waterfall.

As we cross the waterfall, the route diverts towards Sirdibas and then to Philim. From Philim, we need to go a little downhill to reach Chisapani, where trekkers will have their lunch. After lunch at Chisapani, we again set off on the journey around the Manaslu Annapurna Circuit through pine forests and narrow valleys. Finally, after around 6-7 hours of walking, we reach Deng, where we spend the night and prepare for the next day.

Another day another destination to reach. On the sixth day, we traverse our way to Nemrung, which is around 19 km far from Deng. The expedition starts after a protein- and energy-filled of breakfast and takes us along a well-maintained path upwards. The first checkpoint of today's journey will be a village named Rana Village. Remember that every day of the Annapurna Manaslu Circuit Trek itinerary is accompanied by a stunning view of these snow-covered peaks.

From Rana village, the trail continues towards Bihi Phedi and then to the Gap Village. After stopping by at Bihi and having lunch, we set off on another adventurous journey inside a dense forest and finally, we reached the Nemrung village. This symbolizes the end of today's expedition.

On the seventh day of the Manaslu with Annapurna Circuit Trek, we leave Namrung and start our full-day journey to reach Shyala. Shyala is a small village located at an altitude of 3500 meters. Imagine a village settled at an altitude where trekkers normally suffer from altitude sickness. This village certainly is the perfect example of Nepalese being the children of the Himalayas.

The trek from Namrung to Shyala starts with a decent uphill crossing of the beautifully settled villages. Besides, the views of different mountains, including Boudha Himal (6672 m), Nadi Chuli (7871 m), and Mt. Manaslu (8163 m), accompany you from a distance and encourage you to keep thriving. The trail extends from Namrung to Lihi village and then to Shyogaon. We keep enjoying the serenity and also have our lunch at Shyogaon. While we stop by Shyogaon, we also encourage the trekkers to explore the Rebung Gompa.

After that, we again set off on the remaining portion of today's trek through multiple ups and downs, cultural and traditional settlements, flora and fauna, and the majestic views of the mountains. Finally, after 5-6 hours of walking, we reach Shyala.

Another day brings another beautiful walking experience in the Annapurna and Manaslu Combined Circuit trek. Today, we ascend to the altitude of 3520, where a serene village named Sama Gaon is located. The walking expedition starts as trekkers have a delightful and energy-restoring breakfast in the hotel. As we walk for 3-4 hours from Shyala, we reach Pungen Glacier. This glacier is so magnificent and stunning that it enhances the beauty of the entire trek.

A little walk from the glacier, we enter the serenity, peace, and calmness of the Pungen Gumpa. Explore this place to know more about the beliefs and traditional significance of the people living in this area. After that, we enter the Sama Gaon Valley, a peaceful village full of Mani Walls and religious flags all around. This will be our stop for the day before continuing the Annapurna with Manaslu Circuit Trek journey.

Sama Gaon is a village located at an altitude of 3520 meters, and as a trekker, you must be aware of the fact that altitude sickness is one of the villains above the altitude of 3000 meters. So, to prepare your body and keep it away from the risk of altitude sickness, we take a rest day break at Sama Gaon.

One thing to remember is that a rest day does not mean not doing anything. Instead, we encourage the trekkers to go for some side treks like a 2-3 hour hike to Birendra Tal, a glacial lake surrounded by picturesque mountains. However, if you are looking for a longer and a little more challenging day hike, taking a walk to the Manaslu Base Camp also works best. Starting from Sama Gaon, we reach Manaslu Base Camp in 7-8 hours. As you do the day hike, please return to the hotel for the night.

Acclimatizing for a day in Sama Gaon prepares us for the further expedition. As trekkers have also gone for side trips and visited Manaslu Base Camp, their body also adapts to higher altitudes and lower temperatures. With all those adaptations, we ascend towards Samdo on the 10th day. As we walk for a while, we reach a junction that has two paths; one leads toward the Manaslu Base Camp, and the other goes towards Samdo Village.

As we have already reached Manaslu Base Camp the day before, we continue our expedition on the path that leads to Samdo. This route of the Manaslu Annapurna Circuit Trek follows the Larkya La trail. Besides, our trek will be accompanied by a lot of Mani Walls until we reach a checkpoint named Kherma Kharka. From that point, the route dives into the depths of nature, passing through dense juniper forest, the Kali Gandaki River, and a wooden bridge over it, and finally an uphill. Finally, the uphill route takes us to the Samdo village, which is our resting place for the night.

Samdo is the last settlement you will be in before Larkya La Pass. The village stands at an altitude of approximately 3,875 meters (12,713 feet and it is predominantly settled by the Bhotia people, who follow Buddhism as their religion.

If we were just on the Manaslu Circuit Trek, this would have been the concluding part of the trek. Dharamshala is a place where trekkers, guides, and porters take a rest before heading out to the Larkya La Pass. We also do the same in this Manaslu Annapurna Circuit Trek.

Today, we leave behind Samdo after breakfast and continue along the path to Larke Bazaar. From there, we reach a crossroad that breaks into two routes: one going towards Dharmashala and the other towards Rui La Pass and the Tibetan Border. We follow a rugged and rough trail that leads towards Dharmashala, passing some glacial moraines. Finally, after 4-5 hours of walking, we reach the "stop of the day,"the Dharmashala.

Today, we reach the highest part of the Manaslu Circuit Trek, the Larkya La Pass (5106 meters). However, that is not the place we take our stop at. Our journey starts from Dharmashala and ends at Bhimtang and we go via Larkya La Pass. The journey from Dharmashala starts getting more rugged and barren as we reach closer to Larkya La. That is because the place is at a very high altitude making it almost impossible for plants to survive.

Larkya La Pass offers magnificent views of different mountains like Larke Peak (6249m), Kanguru Himal, Himlung Himal, Annapurna II, and many more. After spending some precious moments in the Larkya La Pass, we descend downwards to Bhimtang.

Now the journey descends towards Dharapani (1930 meters). The journey from Bhimtang to Dharapani is one of the famous trails of the Annapurna Circuit Trek. We cross through diverse landscapes and lush forests on this journey. The trek starts after breakfast, and within a few hours, we reach Sangure Kharka and then o the Yak Kharka. On the way here, we also pass through several bridges over the Dudh Koshi River.

After having a good rest in Dharapani, we start our journey towards Chame on the fourteenth day. The trek from Dharapani to Chame starts with an uphill walk to reach Bagarchhap. Bagarchhap is a beautiful Tibetan-lifestyle-influenced village where people mainly follow Buddhism as their main religion. Therefore, you can find many Buddhist monasteries on this road,e that is 1 hour away from Dharapani.

After closely exploring the village, we walk towards a trekking trail by leaving the road, which leads us to another village named Timang (2750 meters). Timang is a beautiful place that offers one of the best views in the entire Manaslu Annapurna Circuit Trek view of the Lamjung Himal (6983 meters). From there, the trail enters lush forests and villages with waterfalls, showcasing the natural beauty of the Nepali Himalayan region.

Our lunch break takes place in Thanchok, which is the immediate next stop after Timang. After having lunch and restoring energy in the body, trekkers start their journey again, and this time they will pass through the pine forest leading to Koto. Here, the officials check the permits and passes thoroughly before walking toward Chame.

After an early morning breakfast at Chame, our journey towards Upper Pisang begins. Today, we need to cover a total of 13.2 km of distance hiking, Upperand with a good pace, it takes 6-7 hours. However, this is one of the most amazing parts of the entire Manaslu and Annapurna Circuit Trekking itinerary. On the way, we also cross a large apple farm in Bhratang. You can certainly taste some of the apples there. Furthermore, trekkers can also stop by for a cup of coffee or apple juice as these are the specialties of Bhratang.

In a few hours of walking, from Bhratang we will reach Thakur Pokhari, a beautiful lake at an altitude of 3060 meters. This is also the place where we stop for lunch before walking towards Upper Pisang. As the lunch is done, the trail continues by crossing a suspension bridge over the Marshyangdi River and then towards the pine and rhododendron forest. If going in the spring season, you can be in for the rhododendron-covered pathway in this part of the Around the Manaslu and Annapurna Circuit Trail. Finally, after walking for 6-7 hours, we reached upper Pisang, the stop for the night.

Today is the day when we reach one of the most beautiful places of the Manaslu Annapurna Circuit Trekking itinerary. On the 16th day of the trek, we go from Upper Pisang to Manang via Nawal. As we reach two places in one day, we walk for comparatively more hours than average.

Starting the trek, we walk through a straight pathway that leads us to Ghyaru after crossing the suspension bridge. Ghyaru is located at an altitude of 3670 meters. the best thing about this specific route is the views we get. This place seriously makes everyone feel like they are actually in the Himalayas because, on the way, we get spectacular views of several mountains like Annapurna II (7937 m), Annapurna IV (7525 m), Annapurna III (7555 m), Gangapurna (7454 m), Tare Kang (Glacier Dome - 7069 m), Tilicho Peak (7134 m), and Pisang Peak (6091 m).

Walking down the path, enjoying the scenes of mountains, we finally arrive at Ngawal, where we stop for lunch. After that, our trail continues through a village named Braga, different monasteries and Gompas, traditional stone houses and finally leads us to Manang.

As stated already, Manang is one of the most beautiful places on the entire Manaslu Annapurna Circuit Trek. Imagine walking for so many days in the Himalayas and not stopping at Manang, should we even think about that? Of course not! That's why Global Adventure Trekking's Around the Annapurna and Manaslu Circuit has an acclimatization day scheduled in Manang.

Manang has three different side trekking options for the trekkers, which are Ice Lake (4600m / 7-8 hours), Bodzo Gompa (100 Rupees Lama Monastery / 3-4 hours), and Chongkor Viewpoint (3-4 hours). You can go for any of these side treks as per your physical stamina and willingness. However, the Global Adventure Trekking team strongly suggests you not stay idle for the day. Besides, whichever side trek you choose, make sure to return to the teahouse at Manang for the night.

After an amazing stay in Manang for acclimatization, our body is ready to ascend even further. Therefore, on the eighteenth day, we make our way towards Yak Kharka, another amazing place in the Annapurna Manaslu Combined Circuit Trek. Kharka is the Nepali word for grazing place, which means that Yak Kharka is a place where yaks graze.

On your walk from Manang to Yak Kharka, we pass through narrow streets, prayer flags, traditional houses, local tea houses and hotels, and many prayer flags. The path is mesmerizing because of the natural beauty and the views of mountains as well. Besides, you can also see yaks and other domestic animals grazing.

We have almost reached the last part of the Manaslu Annapurna Circuit Trek, and this ascend from Yak Kharka to Phedi takes us even closer to the Thorong La Pass. The expedition starts after the trekkers enjoy their breakfast in the hotel. After that, we start the walk and the first thing we come across is a suspension bridge, and we, arrive at Ledar after half an hour.

From there, the ascend also becomes gradually steeper until we reach a small teashop by crossing another suspension bridge. This teashop serves an amazing and fulfilling lunch even at such a high altitude.

After having lunch, we get back on the remaining part of the Annapurna Manaslu combined circuit trek itinerary and reach a landslide-prone area. Finally after covering 8.5 km of distance from Yak Kharka, we reach Phedi. Phedi is the Nepali word for "base," and this place is the base of Thorong La. Therefore, the place is known as Phedi.

On the twentieth day of the Manaslu Annapurna Circuit Trek, we finally reached the highest point of the Annapurna Circuit map, Thorong La Pass (5416 meters). Today the trek goes all the way from Phedi to Muktinath, and on the way we visit Thorong La Pass. Today, we start early in the morning and hike over the pass for about 4 hours or even more, according to the pace of walking, to reach Thorong-la top.

Remember that, we do not stay on the Thorong La Pass for longer periods because the weather conditions are very poor in that region, and the air level is also very thin. After that, we descend towards Muktinath. However, before reaching Muktinath, we stopped at a stop named Chambar Bhu, where we stopped for a cup of warm tea. Right before reaching the Muktinath temple, we need to cross a suspension bridge. the Muktinath Temple is one of the most religious places in Nepal for both Hindu and Buddhist religions.

Finally, it is time to return from the Manaslu Annapurna Circuit Trekking Area to Pokhara. Global Adventure Trekking team will arrange a local bus/shared jeep from Jomsom to Pokhara. However, the journey will be amazing with the dramatic landscapes and mountain views. It takes around 7/8 hours to reach Pokhara.