Manaslu Circuit Trek Guide

What is the Best Trek in Nepal? | Manaslu Trek

The answer may vary depending on who you ask, but you will find Manaslu Trek among them. Is this the best trek in Nepal? While no one can say for certain, it does have all the features needed to be the best!

It has the high Himalayas throughout your journey, beautiful cultures and people along the way, and roads of medium-grade difficulty. This trek that ascends to the height of 16,751 Feet at Larke Pass is one of the ideal treks for adventure seekers and nature lovers. What's more, depending on the time of year, you will have the chance to see two completely different scenarios.

If you take a Manaslu Circuit Trek in the spring, you will be greeted with fresh-blooming forests with receding show caps. On the other hand, should you make this exhilarating trek during the fall, you will see the snow slowly overtaking the greeneries and the mountains taking back their glory.

With that said, let's begin our talk about the Manaslu Circuit trek with some quick facts!

Manaslu Trek Quick Facts:

• Total Trekking Days: 17 Days
• Highest Point: Larke La Pass at 16,751 feet or 5102 meters
• Accommodations: Tea House Trekking
• Guide Requirements: Compulsory
• Permits Required: TIMS (Trekkers Information Management Systems Permit), MCAP (Manaslu Conservation Area Permit), ACAP (Annapurna Conservation Area Permit), Manaslu Restricted Permit
• Start Point: Solti Khola
• End Point: Dharapani
• Best time: Spring and Fall

You may have some ideas on what to expect during this trek across the Annapurna Conservation Area and Manaslu Conservation Area. Since this trekking will span 17 days, there must be things that you need to prepare and rely on. Should you not do this, you can easily invite disaster for yourself. This is still a trek on rural roads that can be dangerous if you are careless.

How to Prepare for the Manaslu Trek?

The good news about this is that you do not need to follow these preparation guides unless you are going individually. Mount Glory will handle these procedures on your behalf. 

If you want to go individually, do note that you need a group of at least two people to get a permit. Along with this, here are some of the core preparation guides for the Manaslu Trek.

Get a good guide

Getting a guide is not compulsory. While not impossible, it is extremely hard. You need a guide because you will be restricted without one - unless you know the locals well.

The guides charge around Rupees 500 per day and additional minor charges. If you are going individually, it would always be worth it if you were picky with the guides. While most of the agencies who provide guides are genuine, some will always take additional charge for hidden clauses.

The other option is naturally to take the help of Agencies like Mount Glory Treks for the best Guides and Trekking experience.

Permits

As we mentioned in the quick facts, you need four different permits to complete the Manaslu Trek. These permits are:

TIMS: A permit containing general information about all the trekkers 
MCAP: Permit to access Manaslu Conservation Area
ACAP: A permit to access travel the route from Dharapani to Beshi Sahar
Manaslu Restricted Permit: A permit that grants you access to Manaslu Restricted Area

Routes for this trekking experience pass through two conservation areas which are:

• Manaslu Conservation Area
• Annapurna Conservation Area

They are a restricted area, you need an additional permit to pass through general restricted and another license for data entry.

The prices of permits vary, and you need to be in a group of two besides the guide to be eligible for the permit.

Trekking Gears for Manaslu Trek

Once you get the permits, the next thing you need to prepare is the gears. Although the Manaslu Circuit Trek is a Tea House Trek, you will be accommodated in local tea houses; you still need some gear for the trek.

Below is the packing list you need for Manaslu Trek:

• Backpack
• Headlamp
• Hiking Shoes
• Extra Clothes
• Rain Gear
• Insulated Jacket
• Extra Undergarments
• Additional Socks
• Toiletries
• Water Bottles
• Gloves
• Hats
• Charging cords and power banks
• Portable entertainment

Although you do not technically need all of these gears, they enhance your experience. You can complete this entire trek with just one pair of shorts, socks, and undergarments. However, since it is a 17-day-long journey, you will get uncomfortable as the day passes.

Food and Lodging

Now that we know what we need and should prepare for the trek, let's talk about what we should expect during the trek on this part of the Manaslu Trek Blog. The first concern is natural food and lodging.

You will be consuming the local cuisines for most of the journey. This includes the typical dal bhat, tarkari, fried noodles, and fried rice. You can expect to find some rotis, potato dishes, and egg dishes as well. As for the lodging, it's all about the tea houses. Although there will be an overnight stay at Annapurna Lodge in between, that will only cover one night.

Do not expect to have internet connectivity, Wi-Fi, or constant electricity during this trek. At the same time, you need to be ready to pay some money if you need to charge your power banks. Although you will not be completely cut off from these facilities, you do not have them all the time.

Why Should We Do Manaslu Circuit Trek?

Manaslu Circuit Trek is adventurous and beautiful and offers you spectacular views of Mount Manaslu(8163m), the eighth-highest mountain in the world. This trek is getting more popular every year because it offers visitors sensational mountain vistas with fascinating culture and biological diversities. It has a unique environment, culture, and cultural heritage with incomparable Himalayan beauty, making this trek one of the best trekking destinations in the world. The following reasons are why one should do the Manaslu circuit trek in life.

Manaslu Conservation Area:

The government protects this area as a sanctuary home to thousands of Himalayan birds and wildlife. The conservation champion, for this reason, is important as thousands of flora and fauna are extinct from the Himalayas. So, trekking on this trail offers you to encounter amazing nature and its animals and birds while the rich culture, ethnicity, and lifestyle of people are fascinating. MCAP-Manaslu Conservation Area project protects many species of rare plants and flowers for trekkers to visit.

High Altitude Freshwater Lake (Birendra Tal):

This region is famous for a freshwater lake above 3500m where the alpine migratory duck is found. This duck is a rare species in the world. During the journey, Phunkar Lake and Birendra Tal made our trip memorizing. Birendra Tal is named after the late King Birendra Shah.

Lower Budget:

Comparatively, this trek can be completed on a lower budget. This trek is a favorite for adventure junkies worldwide because the cost of food and accommodation in the Manasalu Region is less expensive. However, as you ascend higher and higher, the facilities will decrease. The price is relatively lower than other trekking routes. We recommend you do this less expensive trek once in your lifetime.

Peaceful Trails:

This Manaslu trek is relatively peaceful as you have very few chances to encounter other trekkers. Some people prefer peaceful outings, so the Manaslu Circuit trek is one of the best options for trekkers who generally prefer quiet and peaceful walks. October is considered the busiest month for trekking because this trail is filled with many trekkers. This trail stands out from other off-beat tracks and is famous for its unique trail.

Culture And Lifestyle:

Manaslu Circuit Trek leads you to the Base Camp of Manaslu, which offers you a hidden valley, lifestyle, the original culture of Tamang, and limbus influenced by the Tibetian lifestyle. Every trekking package provided you the chance to be engulfed with the aroma of isolated foothills and traditional villages.

Buddhism is a major religion in the high mountains, while others are also practiced. The major income of the people of the hill is farming. Due to growing tourism and lodging and food, the lifestyle of some youths is changing. They are directly involved with the tourism business. They celebrate different festivals like Tibetian culture.

When To Trek The Manaslu Circuit?

If you are someone who is thinking of going on this trek, then one of the primary questions you might have is, “When is the best time to trek the Manaslu circuit?” Well, there is no simple answer to this since you can trek this route virtually every season.

That being said, Spring and Autumn are considered to be the best time for Manaslu Circuit trekking. You will experience the smooth inflow of greeneries in the spring from March to May, and it is the perfect time to see fresh blooms of rhododendrons. 

At the same time, if you choose to trek in the autumn from December to February, you will get to experience the breathtaking mountains in all their glory as the greenery slowly makes its way to the mountain peaks. 

That said, if you are looking for a trek with some risk, then winter or summer is the perfect time for you.

How difficult is the Manaslu Circuit Trek?

Now that you know the best time for Manaslu trekking Nepal, the next question is “How difficult is it?” It is not a difficult trek at all if you can walk for a few hours. In fact, Manaslu trekking Nepal is one the safest trekking we have. The roads, although unveiled, are safe and you will spend nights at teahouses. This is also why Manaslu trekking is also known as Teahouse trek since you will be spending all of your nights in teahouses. 

That said, if you trek during winter or in summer, you will face significant difficulties, especially because of piling or melting ice on the roads.

How Long is the Manaslu trek?

The length of Manaslu trekking varies depending on a lot of factors including Manaslu trek guide, Manaslu trek route, and Manaslu trek agencies. If you choose to take this trek from Mount Glory, then we have a trekking package of 17 days. 

Which is the best trekking agency for the Manaslu Circuit Trekking?

There are a lot of decent trekking operators for Manaslu circuit trekking. However, among these, Mount Glory is definitely one of the best. With our seamless travel services, highly experienced staff, and discount prices, we guarantee your satisfaction with every trek including Manaslu Circuit Trekking! Contact us with your inquiries, we will love to serve you.

Conclusion:

Manaslu Trek is among the best treks you can have in Nepal. With a breathtaking view, rich cultures, and a rich experience, this journey lasting 17 days will be worth every second. While you will not get luxuries such as heated rooms, international cuisines, constant internet, and constant electricity, you will get a rich experience, breathtaking views, and a feeling of home away from home during this trek.

So plan the Manaslu trekking trip now with us.