Manaslu and Everest Base Camp Trek

Our Manaslu and Everest Base Camp Trek starts up in Kathmandu, where we head out early in the morning, packing away the wild city and chasing instead the placid vistas of rural Nepal. As we head west, the road passes through terraced fields and delightful villages proffered by mist-covered hills. 

We head to Arughat Bazar, where the locals from neighboring villages come for a marketplace. From this point, the tarmac road is replaced with bumpy off-road tracks, and the trip grows more exciting. The drive on the Budhi Gandaki river is through rich forests and remote lands with wonderful views. 

We later head through Soti Khola till we arrive at Machha Khola, a calm riverside village, and where we stay at night in a warm tea house amongst the ambiance of nature.

Our journey begins by tracking the Budhi Gandaki River upstream, while we traverse narrow tracks cut into the side of the valley. En route are several suspension bridges dangling low and gently vibration around every step taken, giving us all a thrill. Our first interesting break is Khorlabesi, a little village nestled back against the side of the hill where one gets glimpses of what life is like here. 

A few minutes later, we get to Tatopani, a place with hot spring, naturally formed that has curative warm water, ideal to relax our muscles before we continue the ascent. The trail then climbs up past Dobhan, making its way through dense forests and terraced fields and finally to Jagat, a major checkpoint to the entrance of Manaslu Conservation Area. 

The streets and houses of the village are paved with stones in the traditional way and testify to the rich history of the area, and we have some time to feel the atmosphere before we decide where to spend our night, in a teahouse.

Stepping away from Jagat the terrain changes dramatically and there are fantastic views from towering cliffs and tight ridges. The route carried us through the colourful village of Philim, with its strong Tibetan influence, prayer flags in the breeze and intricately carved mani walls en route. 

Along the path, just further on, we get Ekle Bhatti which is a little resting place before we enter the gullies of the trek. Here we get the rewarding sight of stunning  with its snow-covered peak against the horizon. As we continue upward, the forests gradually change into more alpine country until we arrive in Nyak Village at our first impressive vision that the high country is a desolate wilderness.

Last, we reach Deng, a little tranquil village encircled by pines marking our arrival into upper Manaslu area. The cool mountain air that glistens is the ideal location in which to recuperate from our trip, have few hours of rest and recharge ourselves before continuing on our trip.

Today’s trek leads us further into the heart of Manaslu region, tracking the Budhi Gandaki to the top of some verdant and rough landscapes. We cross to Ghap an endearing village containing mani walls and prayer wheels, here Tibetan influence is truly impressive. The trail continues and what follows is a stunning beauty of beautiful rhododendron forests, which during spring, seem to bloom to spectacular effect. 

On our way, we get glimpses of Shingri Himal that accompany us throughout the trek. Ascending further, we are lined with the stone gateways of Namrung and made welcome in a culturally rich valley renowned for its traditional style of construction and views that are amazing. In here, we pause in a cozy tea house to get a warm-up dinner and soak on the peaceful ambiance before venturing deeper into the highland terrain.

After a good breakfast, we head out to Lho, a very beautiful village with some of the breathtaking views of Manaslu (8163m). The trail leads us into Banjam and Lihi, where we observe ancient monasteries in all their glory behind the rolling hills. As we hike through fields of barley and potatoes, we get a look at the lives of the inhabitants in the mountains. 

Over time, the way widens and opens up before us, jaw-dropping wide views of the Manaslu range. When we finally get to Lho, we visit the famous Ribung Gompa Buddhist temple shrine, which is a fabulous, quiet Buddhist monastery where the monks get engaged in the daily prayers and rituals. 

This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about how things were done in these parts and immerse ourselves to the spirituality of the place. Surrounded by the great Himalayan Mountains that tower over us, we find a comfortable lodge and get the next part of the adventure ready for ourselves.

Today’s trek is simply postcard-perfect as we hike incredible country all the way to Samagaon (one of the most important villages in the Manaslu region). Passing through Shyala, our route is empowered to view Himalchuli, Ngadi Chuli and the spectacular Manaslu. 

The views of the snow-peaked altitudes that dominate the valley create a sense of magic with each step taken. As we get closer to Samagaon, the rough-looking terrain has stone houses & yak pastures in it. 

We also visit the Pungyen Gompa, a venerable monastery where one can find serene solitude and an amazing panorama over the glacier-capped mountains. Samagaon is a cultural and spiritual center, where we meet with the local community and feel the strong traditions of Buddhism that condition life in the Himalayas. This is a perfect location to get used to and gear up for higher altitudes to come. Village at our first impressive vision that the high country is a desolate wilderness. 

Last, we reach Deng, a little tranquil village encircled by pines marking our arrival into the upper Manaslu area. The cool mountain air that glistens is the ideal location in which to recuperate from our trip, have a few hours of rest and recharge ourselves before continuing on our trip.

Today is an important day to rest and acclimatize in Samagaon, to get used to the rising altitude, before we take it up again. Instead of just standing idle, we take a look at some magnificent highlights about the village.

One favorite acclimatizing hike brings us up to Pungyen Gompa, a secluded Buddhist monastery, conveniently situated on a ridge far up over the valley’s floor. As we proceed, further along, the views of Manaslu and other glaciers become more dramatic. The monastery itself is a form of historical record and a wonderful place to observe local spirituality in practice.

For the adventurous types, we move up to Manaslu base camp, which is located around 4800m. The expedition is not an easy one but very rewarding with close-up views of the Manaslu glacier and massive icefalls precipitating off the mountainside.

A little less difficult and just as wonderful alternative would be visiting Birendra Lake where greenish waters hug the area around the peaks of the Himalayans. It’s a gentle place to relax where we can soak up the scenery and the altitude.

This day is ideal blend of relaxation and adventure with many exploration options between us and the mountains.

Having spent our deserved acclimatisation day, we go on our way towards Samdo, an amazing village of high altitude close to the Tibetan border. The trek is fairly short today, passing through pretty harsh but beautiful landscapes as the valley opens up to give unobstructed views of the majestic mountains.

Out of Samagaon, the route exits through yak pastures, and in a while, the route begins to gain altitude. Partway through, we cross a few glacial streams with fresh mountain air that then seems cooler. 

Very soon we come to Samdo, one of the most remote settlements of the area where the Tibetan culture lives. An awesome place to see the typical daily practice of the local people is the village, with many of the locals being involved in active trade relationships with Tibet.

Another 2.5 km acclimatization hike can be taken near Samdo for those looking to explore further, enjoy beautiful panoramic views of the surrounding valleys and peaks. When the sun goes down, the melting golds on the peaks make an indescribable Himalayan experience.

Today, we go to Dharamsala (Larkya Phedi), the last stop before crossing Larkya la pass which is the highest point of our trek. Although the distance is shorter, as the height increases each step feels harder to take.

The trail first runs through Larkya Bazaar, which was previously used for trading between Nepal and Tibet. The view grows more rugged as one climbs higher, with rocky outcrops and glacial moraine surrounding. We see the views of Manaslu and the other surrounding peaks even more dramatically as we are ascending.

Arriving in Dharamsala, we find a humble teahouse and prepare for the great day to come, crossing Larkya La Pass (5,160m). The craggy mountain air, the towering peaks, and the expectation of the pass are what make it a night to remember inside the Himalayas.

Today is the peak excitement and difficult part of our journey as we cross over Larkya La Pass, which is 5,160m/16,930ft, which is the highest part of the Manaslu Circuit. We leave early and before dawn, traversing the rough terrain as the tall snow-covered peaks sparkle in the morning sun. The climb is slow but challenging, with stunning views of Himlung Himal, Cheo Himal, Kang Guru, and of course, majestic Manaslu itself.

Arriving at the pass, the feeling of achievement is undefinable, the whole Himalayan landscape rolls over to infinity and with glaciers, rugged ridges give it a bizarre feeling. At this point, we pause to take in the moment, and begin our descent, which then changes our focal point. 

As we get closer to Bimthang, the area of wild cliffs is supplemented by rich valleys. The appearance of glacier fed rivers and pine forests provides a wonderful contrast to the arid high altitude country with which we had left.

In Bimthang we find ourselves in a cozy warm teahouse and think about the incredible hike over Larkya La and realize that the worst part of the trek is behind us.

We go deeper into the calming forest and clearings of the lower valleys. The trail feels very different today as we follow the harsh alpine landscape and get into the rhododendron forest, waterfalls, and vibrant greenery. Having crossed the river Dudh Khola, we reach Karcher and Gho, documentaries of calm villages surrounded by terraced farms.

As we make our way through these settlements, we observe local farmers attending to their fields, yak herders conducting grazing herds, and children waving as we pass by. The cultural warmth here complements perfectly the wild isolation of the high-altitude terrain we passed before. 

The last leg takes us to Dharapani, a main junction where the path for trekkers towards the Annapurna Circuit diverges. It’s a lively town with well-developed teahouses to serve us as a comfortable stop before we go back to Kathmandu.

Once after the trekking part of our adventure, we get on board of a jeep and start the scenic journey back to Kathmandu. The trip is spent on twists of mountain roads, which are lined by the Marsyangdi river, with marvelous views of waterfalls and those great distant peaks. 

We travel across pretty villages such as Besishahar, where the old style of architecture is given by the traditional stone houses and the thriving markets which remind us of the diversity of culture of Nepal.

As we continue lower, the terrain changes to rolling hills to take us back toward the capital. After we arrive at Kathmandu, we spend a well-deserved rest and remember about the unforgettable trip through the Manaslu region, which will never leave our memories.

Having finished the Manaslu Circuit Trek, we take a much needed break in Kathmandu. This day offers us to recover, discover, and reminisce on the amazing trip across the Himalayas. We can waste time strolling the busy Thamel streets, exploring the historic places of Durbar Square and Swayambhunath (the Monkey Temple), or we can just lie around a rooftop café and have a look of the city from there and spend our day in Kathmandu. 

As far as those who are interested this is a great opportunity to shop for trekking souvenirs, visit local art galleries or have a taste of the Nepali cuisine before entering the next stage of our adventure.

Our Everest region trek jumps off in style with an unforgettable helicopter flight which takes us from the glorious city of Kathmandu to Tengboche (where the village and famous monastery for which the village is named are located) whilst flying over the beautiful rolling hills and deep valleys of Nepal. 

As we fly over to the Everest region, the landscape opens dramatically out – dense forests yield onto snowy summits, pretty soon we’re flying over the Khumbu valley with stunning views of iconic mountains including Ama Dablam, Everest, Lhotse and Thamserku.

When we finally touch down in Tengboche we are greeted by one of the most famous landmarks ever viewed in the Everest region, the Tengboche Monastery. This is a spiritual place abundant with Tibetan Buddhist heritage with monks chanting prayers, and odor of incense in the air. The amazing panoramic views surrounding Tengboche is why this is an unforgettable stop and we take the time to soak it up at the center of this sacred place before we prepare to trek towards Dingboche.

We are entering higher into Everest territory today as we hike from Tengboche to Dingboche through the rhododendron forests and across the roaring Imja Khola. The route enjoys breathtaking views of Ama Dablam which, arguably, is one of the finest mountains that the world has, as we gain altitude the landscape changes into more open alpine scenery.

We pass through Pangboche, the loftiest permanent settlement in Khumbu Valley, and catch a glimpse into traditional Sherpa life there. In this area we can visit the Pangboche Monastery, one of the oldest in the region, before heading towards Dingboche. The trek gets more difficult when we go up but the view going up is worth all the steps.

Arriving in Dingboche, you are surrounded by huge peaks and huge glacial valleys. The village is the prime acclimatization point for Everest trekkers as they get a chance of turning their sights to the altitudinal changes and enjoy the breathtaking Himalayan views. Cozied up in a warm teahouse we prepare ourselves for the next turn in our path to Everest Base Camp.

Leaving Dingboche, we’ll climb further into the centre of the Everest region. The trail carries us step by step across the rugged country past the windswept Thukla Pass where plaques to fallen climbers are a fairly somber reminder of Everest’s history. A steady climb, though, with fantastic views of Ama Dablam, Cholatse, Taboche, and the others standing high above the valley.

Past Thukla the trail gets rougher as we head towards Lobuche, a small hamlet surrounded by the huge Khumbu Glacier. The surroundings are ridiculously surreal, with sharp ridges and moraines that give birth to an unforgettable wild frontier. We find ourselves comfortably seated in our teahouse in Lobuche, and feel that expectation for the last big push towards Everest Base Camp mounting.

This day brings one of the most awaited situations of our trip, the route to Everest Base Camp. We start off going to Gorak Shep which is a rough high altitude settlement on the shores of Kala Patthar. The path is along the lateral of Khumbu glacier and Khumbu icefall with a magnificent view of Everest, Nuptse and Pumori that seems to get ever closer with each step.

Arriving at Gorak Shep we take a short break and then start the last leg to Everest Base Camp. It is the trek that is difficult because of this rocky, and even glacial terrain, but the arrival is indescribable. 

We stand there at 5,364m and absorb the raw splendour of Everest’s icefalls, peak heights, and the bubbling, dynamic activity of climbers readying themselves for summit adventures. After getting to know the place, we trek back to Gorak Shep for the night, all set for the hike in the sunrise to Kala Patthar the next day.

We have an early start today to make the strenuous climb of Kala Patthar (5545m), the highest viewpoint in the Everest region. The ascent is challenging but the reward is closer as we take every step towards it and that is the famous panorama of Everest, Nuptse, Lhotse, and Pumori.

When the golden rays of dawn strike the mighty peaks, the scenery around turns into something spectacular. From this high altitude at 5,545m, we see the noble sight of the tallest mountain in the world, a glory which will stay forever with us.

Having taken in the awesome views, we trek back down to Gorak Shep to catch our helicopter back to Kathmandu. Instead of spending more time in the high-altitude region, we have a magnificent aerial farewell of the Himalayas. 

The flight provides us with one last glimpse of the desolate ground and icy giants and peaks that we’ve crossed along the way, and is a good culmination to our adventure. Having returned to Kathmandu, we celebrate the trip, enjoying well-earned rest while looking back at the struggles overcome and experiences that we made.