Mt Manaslu at 8,163 m in the Manisiri Himal Range is the 8th highest mountain in the World. Mt. Manaslu has been given different names such as “Kutang" Meaning the “Mountain of the Spirits” as its name has been derived from the Sanskrit word “Manasa" which means “Intellect”. It is also said to be the 4th most dangerous mountain after Annapurna, Nanga Parbat, and K2 for the number of deaths that have occurred during its expedition.
The first expedition to this wonderful peak was made in 1956 by T. Imanishi and Gyalzen Norbu on a Japanese Expedition. However, the legal permit to climb Mt. Manaslu was provided to mountaineers in 1991. As of now, six climbing routes have been discovered to Mt. Manaslu, south one being the most difficult one.
With diverse landscapes and broad glacial valleys, long ridges, and moderate slopes, Manaslu presents an incomparable adventure opportunity to mountaineers. It is a bit more challenging than Mt. Cho Oyu and Mt. Sishapangma. Mountaineers highly prioritize Manaslu as a preliminary choice before the Expedition to Mt. Everest.
The trekking route to Manaslu is one of the most enchanting and eye-pleasing as we walk along the Budhi Gandaki river through picturesque villages that are rich in culture and traditions. Then traversing the dense forests, climbing uphill for 9 adventurous days, we finally reach the Manaslu Base Camp. Our stay at Sama Gaon will not only acclimatize us but also let us relax in a beautiful village of farmers and traders. The visit to the Buddhist Monastery is a major highlight of this stay.
Summit to Mt Manaslu requires setting up 4 camps above the Base Camp. The climbing route ascends at moderate angled snowy slopes in the lower parts while the slopes start getting steeper above camp 1. Until Camp 4, the steepness continues to increase. But our experienced Sherpas will fix the ropes through a series of short ice bulges to lead to a flat col for the campsite. There onwards, climbing on a series of moderate snow slopes and plateaus to a steep snowy ridge takes us to the Grand Summit of Manaslu.
As you explore more about this serene giant peak, Manaslu Expedition will be your most awaited adventure. In addition to offering a high amount of thrill and excitement, the trek to the Manaslu region also refreshes you with its captivating beauty.
Check out the Gears and Equipment for Manaslu Expedition.
The best season to go on Expedition in the Himalayas is the Autumn season that falls between mid-September to mid-January where the forests are green, waterfalls are raging and the ecosystem is active. Expeditions can be organized at other times of the year but the only concern is the cold and rain, and the consequences they bring. Also, 8K Expeditions can organize a private trip to any adventurous destination in any season if you come in a group size of a minimum of 9.
Mt. Manaslu Expedition 2023 Autumn is open for reservation
Mt. Manaslu Expedition can be oprated by Heli to Samagao in & out so for that please make an inquiry.
Upon your arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport, one of the 8K Expedition team representatives will be waiting for you at the airport. As soon as you complete your Nepal Entry Visa obtaining procedure, we will have a meet and greet and you will be transferred to the hotel (3-star to 5-star as per request) where you can rest and relax for the day.
The second day is allocated for official purposes to obtain necessary documents, permits, and conduct a briefing about the expedition we are heading towards. You may also go on shopping for some important items that you may need during the trip. Pack your bags well as we leave early the next morning.
On this day, we wake up early and have our fulfilling breakfast. Then we drive to Aarughat in our private jeep enjoying the beautiful sceneries alongside the Highway. The drive will be for around 7 hours giving us a good need of rest. In Aarughat, we will rest overnight at a pre-booked comfortable teahouse.
We start early from Aarughat after our warm and fulfilling breakfast. Traversing the mesmerizing villages with inspiring culture and traditions, walking past dense forests for about 5 hours, we reach Khanchok to rest overnight.
Our next stop on this trail is Sotikhola. The trail follows the Budhi Gandaki River towards its point of origin. After passing several local villages and walking for about 6 hours, we finally reach Sotikhola to rest overnight.
The trail from Sotikhola to Machhakhola is quite interesting and enchanting as we can feel the change in landscapes and ecosystem. With the views of eye-pleasing mountain peaks, unique landscapes, raging rivers, verdant forests, and heartwarming villages, our trek to Machhakhola will be the one worth remembering for the rest of our lives.
After a warm breakfast, we start early at Machhakhola. We head up the gorge following the river, ascending and descending down the hills with dense forests, encountering all those unique landscapes, and gazing at marvelous mountain peaks throughout the walk. After trekking for about 4-5 hours, we reach Jagat to rest overnight.
After our breakfast in Jagat, we will ascend towards the sub-tropical forests, cross small rivers and pass through memorable villages. The trail requires walking on rocky ridges then descending towards Ghatta Khola which then takes us to Philim where we cross the suspension bridge. We walk steadily to reach Ekle Bhatti then descend to remote, grassy slopes to cross Budhi Gandaki River, and finally reach Ngyak to rest overnight.
On this day of the trek, we will slowly start feeling the gain in elevation. We walk slowly and steadily with fulfilling breakfast and lunch till we reach Namrung village at almost 2600 meters to rest overnight.
Every day in the trek to the Manaslu Base Camp is so beautiful with the mesmerizing and exotic sceneries throughout the trail. As we trek uphill from Namrung through the lush forests, alpine vegetation, villages with ethnic groups of Manaslu Region, the major peaks start to appear in the distance. After about 5 hours of trekking, we will finally reach Syala Village to rest overnight.
As we start gaining elevation on the trail, we slowly start getting awe-inspiring vistas of Ganesh Himal, Mt. Himal Chuli, as well as Mt. Manaslu. Passing through dense forests, encountering numerous stupas, and gazing at terraced barley fields, we reach Sama Gaon to rest overnight. Our next day will be for acclimatization at Sama Gaon as we reach the altitude of 3780 m.
After acclimatizing at Sama Gaon, we head towards the base of the world’s 8th highest mountain, Mt Manalsu. Set up at an altitude of 4700 m, the Manaslu Base Camp lies just above the Sama Gaon, offering the accessible rest point for mountaineers to prepare for the summit.
The ultimate worth of the journey is achieved within these 25 days as by the end of this climbing period, we will have conquered the 7th highest mountain in the world. The itinerary for this period will be determined by the expedition leader and members as appropriate and flexible approaches need to be taken depending upon the weather condition as well as the preparedness of all the team members.
We will also spend a few days training all climbers with rope skills, crampons skills, skills for walking on rocks and ice with the help of fixed ropes, and most importantly, acclimatization. There will be 4 camps set up above the Base Camp. The expedition leaders will conduct a few rounds of rotations between the higher camps to help you experience the actual feeling up there.
When the time is perfect for the summit push, the team will wake up early at midnight so that we will Summit early in the morning and witness the glorious sunrise from the top of Mt. Manaslu. Starting early will also provide enough time to return back to the lower camps safely as we will be avoiding the breeze of the afternoon.
After the successful summit of Mt. Manaslu, we then clean up all the trash as responsible travelers, and with all the joy, body ache, feeling of Triumph, we prepare to retrace our trail back to Sama Gaon.
We will retrace our path back to reach Sama Gaon to rest overnight.
During our descent, we will directly trek back to Namrung rather Syala Village. Enjoying the same views from different angles, we will finally reach Namrung to rest overnight.
We walk down in the Temperate zone with evergreen dense forests to reach Philim Village.
After a wonderful stay at Philim Village, we will walk through the dense subtropical forests dominated by coniferous species like Pines, Fir, and Deodars as well as Rhododendron trees to reach our rest point for the day, Machhakhola.
Retrace the path to Aarughat from Machhakhola and rest overnight. This is the last day of our trek in the Mt. Manaslu Expedition as we will be taking a jeep to Kathmandu the following day.
After the long trek, we finally drive back to Kathmandu via a private tourist minibus. We enjoy the sceneries in the hillside and stop for lunch in the midway. Rest overnight in a cozy hotel room in Kathmandu.
This day is allocated for you to travel around Kathmandu city and explore the cultural and historical richness. You may go on a city tour to different cultural heritages like Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Pashupatinath Temple, Bouddhanath and Swayambhunath Stupas, Patan and Basantapur Durbar Squares, and many more. You can also enjoy some great time in the streets of Thamel where you get every service from Laundry to Sauna, Spa, to awesome Dining at typical restaurants. We will get together for a farewell dinner in the evening at a typical restaurant with cultural shows.
With immense pleasure to have served you, we will bid you farewell as you head back home to reunite with your loved ones. One of our representatives will drop you off at the airport 3 hours prior to your scheduled flight time.
Trekking and mountain climbing in the Himalayas are highly dependent on weather conditions. We try to schedule our trips at the most favorable time but in case of extreme scenarios, the roadways may be blocked. In cases as such, we would like to notify you that except for the total number of days in the itinerary section, expenses of other extra days shall be borne by the client himself/herself. However, 8K Expeditions will make necessary arrangements for the accommodation of porters and guides.
Also, 8K Expeditions shall not be liable for any compensation for losses due to missed International Flights but we will surely help to make necessary arrangements to minimize your loss. To avoid missing flights, we suggest keeping some flexible time frames before trip departure and after trip departure.
Also be notified that as we will be traveling in remote areas with extreme climatic conditions and geography where trails can be distorted at times, we might need to adjust our itineraries as required. But we assure you that the quality of service shall not be compromised at any cost.
Thank you for joining us on our Expedition!!
