Manaslu Circuit and Tsum Valley Trek

Kathmandu Elevation: 1,400 meters/4,594 feet

Your international flight lands at the Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA) in the capital city of Nepal (Kathmandu). As soon as you arrive at the TIA airport you will see our airport representative officials at around the arrival gate who will be there waiting for you. After meeting up with our staff and receiving a warm welcome from him head towards a private vehicle for a drive towards your hotel. A short ride through the bustling roads of Kathmandu city will soon take you to your pre defined place of stay.

After reaching the hotel you can get assistance from our official for completing the procedures for the hotel check in. Then you can unwind for the rest of the time at the hotel.

Today is a leisure day in Kathmandu when you can fully prepare for the upcoming adventure of 20 days long Tsum Vally and Manalsu Circuit Trek. At first consider visiting our office (Radiant Treks) around noon time. Here we will have a short meeting for a pre-trek briefing and entire members of our forthcoming journey will be present. You can take this opportunity to introduce yourself to your fellow travelers and set a tone for the adventure lying ahead.

At the gathering, your trekking guide will provide detailed information on the Tsum Valley and Manalsu Trek journey. You will know everything from transportation and accommodation to permits, porters, food and other logistics essential for the trek. You will also understand the safety measures and several dos and don’ts that are to be followed. After the orientation session is over, you can return to your hotels and be involved in any last minute packing and other preparation for the trek.

In the evening you can take a leisurely walk around one of the major tourist spots and shop for any important items that could have been missed. Enjoy a pleasant night at the comfortable hotel accommodation and immerse yourself in the delicacy of delicious Nepali cuisines.

Maccha Khola Elevation: 880 meters/2,887 feet

Drive Duration: 6 to 7 hours

O/N: guesthouse

Our Tsum Valley with Manaslu Trek 20 Days journey begins! Stay at the hotel being fueled up with delicious breakfast. We will pick you up and head for an overland drive towards the starting point of the trek (Maccha Khola). Leaving Kathmandu behind, we will enter scenic countryside landscapes. We will drive past several rural towns and villages, rivers and waterfalls, terraced fields and rolling hills and other different landmarks. Slowly, we will venture through the rocky terrains and complete Dhading Besi to Arughat part of the uneven, dusty roads.

We will follow the roads towards Soti Khola that will ultimately lead us to Machha Khola. We will make our way ascending through a thick forest of Sal trees. You can see the popular Nyauli Jharna (waterfall) and small villages like Khursani Bari and Labubesi passing by. After a long day drive covering around 160 kilometers, we will arrive at Maccha Khola beside the Budhi Gandaki River. This village is also the first checkpoint for the Manaslu Conservation Area Permit (MCAP).

Maximum Altitude: 1345 meters

Trek Duration: 6-7 hours

After breakfast, we start our Manaslu Circuit and Tsum Valley Trek from Machhakhola to Jagat. We will cross a suspension bridge through the pristine Machha Khola. The trail then continues towards Jagat and passes through the uphill and downhill routes to arrive at Tharo Khola. We will cross the Tharo Khola to arrive at the Khorla Besi.

Moreover, the trail passes through the rocky terrain to arrive at Tatopani. It is a famous village full of natural hot springs. We then take the trail along the left bank of the river as we cross the suspension bridge over the Budhi Gandaki river. You will then ascend the stone staircase, and cross a forest to arrive at Doban.

Furthermore, we cross the Doban Khola through the suspension bridge. We then pass through the village of Daman and arrive at Yaru Khola. The trail then descends through the stone steps until we arrive at Tharo Bharyang. We will cross the west bank of Budhi Gandaki river and ascend for the final time to arrive at Jagat. We will stay overnight at a teahouse in Jagat.

Maximum Altitude: 2240 meters

Trek Duration: 5-6 hours

After breakfast, we start our trek from Jagat to Lokpa. The trail leads us to the restricted areas of the Tsum Valley. You will require a restricted area permit to complete this section of the trek. After showing the permit and completing all formalities at the checkpoint in Jagat, we continue our trek.

We start our ascend over a rocky ridge that leads us to the village of Salleri. The trek from Salleri descends to Sirdibas. The valley then widens towards the route to the Ghatta Khola. We will walk along the riverbed and then cross a hanging bridge over the river to climb up to Philim.

Furthermore, Philim is a large Gurung village where you can observe a Japanese school. After arriving at Philim, you will trail towards the settlement of Ekli Bhatti and head towards Lokpa. You will rest and stay overnight at a lodge in Lokpa.

Chumling Elevation: 2,385 meters/7,825 feet

Trek Duration: 5 to 6 hours

O/N: guesthouse

Wake up early in the morning and enjoy a hearty breakfast before setting off on the trail towards Chumling. The walk begins eastwards through dense pine and rhododendron forests. After ascending through winding forested trails we will cross several rivers via swaging suspension bridges. Then we climb steeply towards Siyar Khola Gorge. With the views of stunning Shringi Himal we will descend gradually. Next we will walk past Gumlung and Siyar Khola and again navigate a suspension bridge to reach Chumling.

Chhekamparo Elevation: 3,013 meters/9,944 feet

Trek Duration: 6 to 7 hours

O/N: guesthouse

Coming out of Chumling village we will follow the trails leading us through a suspension bridge and a vibrant forest of pine. You can spot some Langur Monkeys while traversing the forested routes. On the way we will walk past notable places like Tanju, Damphe gompa and Dumje.

With the awe inspiring views of Ganesh, Buddha and Siringi Himal, we will continue to trek towards Chhekamparo. We will meet a Sarphu Khola and cross it to climb steeply towards Gho village in the Upper Tsum Valley. Gradually, the quaint hamlets of Chhokang and Paro, also called Chekampar come to view. Chhekamparo is the largest settlement in Tsum Valley, which is hugely inhabited by Lama ethnicities.

Nile Elevation: 3,361 meters/11,026 feet

Trek Duration: 4 to 5 hours

O/N: guesthouse

After a morning breakfast, we will leave Chhekamparo village and head towards the destination of the day, Nile. This will be a short trek on relatively straightforward trails. We will mostly make our way through quaint villages with exquisite traditional architecture.

On the way to Nile, we will pass by the cultural hamlets like Lamagaun, Bursi Lar, Phurpey, Chhule and Pungdun. We will walk past a long Mani Wall adorned with prayer flags and Buddhist inscriptions. Ranchen Gompa and Milarepa Cave are other highlights of the journey. On the final leg of the trek, we will navigate a suspension bridge and reach Nile for an overnight stay.

Mu Gompa Elevation: 3,700 meters/12,139 feet

Trek Duration: 3 to 4 hours

O/N: guesthouse

We will stay for another day in Nile village. On this day, we will hike uphill to the Mu Gompa. This Tibetan Buddhist Monastery is very significant to the locals.

As we head towards Mu Gompa, we will trek across steep and rocky terrains. Ascending further, we will enter into arid landscapes and the views of the surrounding Himalayan are seen more upclose. Eventually, we will reach the serene and spiritual ambiance of Mu Gompa with the view of the mountains on every turn.

You can see Buddhist monks in the monastery, meditating, chanting, and praying. It is a great place to refresh your mind and find inner peace. The surrounding area of Mu Gompa is popular for hunting Yarshagumba. If you go for this trek around May to June time, you can also watch the locals involved in the search for Yarshagumba.

After exploring the monastery, we will retrace our footsteps to Nile and spend the night at the same guesthouse we stayed the previous day.

Trek Duration: 6 to 7 hours

O/N: guesthouse

On this day we will make a return journey to Chumling from Nile. Waking up in a cozy guesthouse in Nile our day begins with a hot tea/coffee and a warm, flavorful breakfast. Then we will head back towards Chumling. Today, we will retrace our footsteps all the way through Chhekamparo towards Chumling. We will take the same route that we traversed earlier while coming to Nile from Chumling.

After reaching Chumling, we will most probably reside in the same guesthouse as we stayed earlier. If it’s already full, we will settle in at one of the finest comfortable accommodations for the night.

Maximum Altitude: 2385 meters

Trek Duration: 4 to 5 hours

This day, we trek from Chumling to Deng. The trail then descends as we observe the magnificent snow-capped mountains, including the Ganesh Himal and Mt. Manaslu. We trek on the grassy slopes and steep gorge of the region. The trail then takes along the difficult parts on the trail.

Moreover, we pass through the riverbed of Budi Gandaki, and we cross the river on a bridge. We pass through the bamboo forests and arrive at the pristine Deng Khola. The trail then leads us to arrive at Deng village. It is a picturesque village where we stay overnight.

Maximum Altitude: 2630 m

Trek duration: 6-7 hours

From Deng we continue our trek to Namrung. The trek takes around 7 hours to complete. We pass through the pristine Budhi Gandaki River and then climb to the Rana gaon. We then trek for approximately 45 minutes to arrive at Bhimphedi.

The trail then continues for two hours to arrive at Ghap. We have our lunch at the village and continue our trek through the lush forests. We then cross the river and then continue our trail through dead pine trees. The trail then leads us to Suksum as we climb to Namrung after climbing for around 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Furthermore, we can observe the Tibetan lifestyle and culture of the region. The trail then leads us to the beautiful village of Narung village. You can observe the beautiful Himalchuli Range, Saula Himal, and other mountains. We will stay overnight at a lodge in Namrung.

Sama Gaun Elevation: 3,500 meters/11,483 feet

Trek Duration: 6 to 7 hours

O/N: guesthouse

After breakfast, we will leave Namrung and head towards Sama Gaun. We will start by ascending gradually on the trail. Along the way, you can explore the beautiful Tibetan-influenced architecture and day to day livelihood of the local people. Vibrant flower gardens, terraced farms and forests mark our way forward.

Trekking further, we will walk past quaint villages like Lihi and Sho. You will be accompanied by the magnificent backdrop of the breathtaking Himalayas. Enjoying the incredible vistas of the Manaslu and Ganesh Himal, we will continue to trek.

We will make a steep climb through rocky trails to another scenic Lho village. The trails from Lho are easy that wind though forests of pine and rhododendron trees. Following the straightforward trails, we will reach Shyala. Sama Gaon is a neighboring village to Shyala which is only a half hour walk away.

After breakfast, we start our acclimatization tour of Samagaon. You can explore the famous Birendra Tal near the village of Samagaon. The Pungen monastery and Basecamp is also an excellent acclimatization spot. The Base Camp trek takes around 5 hours trek and is just 6 km away.

Moreover, you will reach the elevation of 4800m. Manaslu glacier is one of the stunning glaciers in the world. You can visit the numerous caves in the area as well. From the Pungen monastery, you can observe the panoramic view of the snow-capped mountains. You will stay overnight at a lodge in Samagaun.

Maximum Altitude: 3800 m

Trek duration: 4-5 hours

The trek takes you on a climb for around 3 hours on a steep uphill trail. The awe-inspiring snow-capped mountains, including Manaslu, Syaula Peak, Naike Peak, Larke peak, Himchuli, and Cho peak will spellbind you.

Samdo (3800m) is a beautiful village in the region. There is a micro Hydropower Project that provides electricity to the area. You will rest and spend the night at a teahouse in Samdo.

Maximum Altitude: 4450 m

Trek duration: 4-5 hours

This day, the trail then passes through the Budhi Gandaki River and crosses it through a wooden bridge. We then pass through the Larkya Bazaar and Salka Khola to arrive at our destination of Dharmasala.

Moreover, the trek covers a total distance of 7 km in around 4 hours. You can also spot some blue sheep on this journey. It is also called the Larkya Phedi. We spend the night at a teahouse in Dharamsala.

Maximum Altitude: 5213 m

Trek duration: 8-9 hours

The trail starts early in the morning to observe the breathtaking sunrise overlooking the snow-capped mountains. You will get the outstanding views of the mountains including Annapurna II, Cho Himal, Himlung Himal, Kang Guru Himal, Cho and Larke peak, and others.

Furthermore, we then cross the Larkya La Pass at 5213m, which is the highest point of Manaslu Circuit and Tsum Valley trek. From the Larkya La pass, you can observe the best views of the Himalayan ranges. We then descend downhill from the majestic pass through a grassy moraine. After a trek of 9 hours, we arrive at a teahouse in Bhimtang where we stay overnight.

Dharapani Elevation: 1,860 meters/6,102 feet

Trek Duration: 7 to 8 hours

O/N: guesthouse

We will traverse the Manaslu Circuit Trail one last time today. Waking up early in the morning, we will begin the day with a hot and delicious breakfast in the Bimtang guesthouse. And we will set off on the trail to move towards Dharapani.

We will come out of Bhimtang, following the downhill trails alongside the Dudh Koshi River. We will cross this river after some walks and descend through wide pastures. We will walk through the trails with sparse alpine vegetation and a few pine and rhododendron shrubs.

During the Bimtang to Dharapani part of the trek, we will pass villages like Karche, Goa, Tilije, Tal, Bagarchhap, etc. After covering around a distance of around 12 kilometers, we will finally arrive at the destination of the day, Dharapani.

Drive Duration: 7 to 8 hours

We are on the final day of our exhilarating trip. As our adventurous endeavor of Tsum Valley and Manaslu Trek has come to an end we will return to the capital city. After reaching Kathmandu our journey will officially conclude.

The distance from Dharapani to Kathmandu is around 200 kilometers. You will enjoy a mesmerizing drive through the countryside for about a whole day. So, we need to wake up early and be ready for the overland travel. From Dharapani, we will depart, bidding farewell to the Himalayas.

After arriving in Kathmandu, we will drive you again toward your hotel, where you can rest, refresh and relax.

On your final day in Nepal, nourish yourself with a hearty meal before heading off towards the TIA for an international departure. Our airport representative staff will come to receive you at the hotel following your flight schedule. So be prepared with everything, like packing your luggage and keeping necessary flight documents handy, etc.

Our official will reach you to the airport on time. There will be no delays in arriving at the airport for your flight. This is because we always act considering the possible traffic jams and time required to complete your security procedures and airport check ins.

We hope you had a great time traveling the Himalayan corners with us. And we again want to gear from you soon regarding your next adventure in the mountains.