Manaslu Circuit Cultural Trek
$6,995 USD
Manaslu is the eighth-tallest mountain in the world, renowned for its breathtaking sights and sounds. This trek will allow you to step back in time and truly disconnect from the modern world. As you make your way towards Manaslu Base Camp, you will stay in local teahouses and lodges that were constructed long before modern tourism. Joining our expedition also allows you to experience what a real climbing team goes through and how they approach their climb, providing you with access to the heart of the Himalayas.
How our Manaslu Circuit Cultural Trek is unique:
We encourage you to research your various options when selecting a guide service for your Manaslu Circuit Trek. As a popular trek, we know that there is a vast variety of operators to choose from, offering different trek styles and therefore varying prices. A few ways in which we differ and add value to our trips are:
- Trek alongside real Manaslu guides and aspiring summit climbers, be part of a summit expedition as a front row witness to all the action, and understand what really goes into our big mountain expeditions.
- Spend 3x nights in our luxury Manaslu Base Camp, which is not allowed for trekking outfitters that aren’t affiliated with an actual Manaslu summit team.
- Participate in a Puja Day, a Tibetan Buddhist ritual integral to Sherpa culture. Plus, you’ll have the opportunity to extend your experience with a trek to Camp 1, where you’ll be able to say you’ve climbed on Manaslu!
This trek will provide logistics, food, support, and guidance. We begin by meeting in Kathmandu, Nepal, obtaining our permits, and then embarking on a two-day drive before starting the trek via the stunning Larkya La Pass (5,106 m/16,752 ft).
The trek will pass through traditional stone villages, where you will experience Tibetan-influenced culture. We will then make our way to the Samagaon village, nestled below Manaslu, and undertake a series of acclimatization hikes before trekking up to Base Camp.
Trekking around Manaslu requires a high level of physical fitness. All trekkers should be comfortable with long day hikes, carrying a 20-pound (9 kg) daypack, and repeating this routine multiple days in a row. We deliberately go slowly and allocate more rest days than standard operators because we want our trekkers to lay the long-term foundations of their acclimatization. This slow pace and strategy, coupled with world-class guidance, takes the pressure off everyone and sets you up to enjoy your trek, not just complete it.
Manaslu is still a very remote and rugged place, with few creature comforts that we have come to expect in the West. So, don’t plan on being pampered with smooth roads, 5-star teahouses, and blazing-fast internet. We strive to provide our climbers with all the creature comforts possible, but at the end of the day, this is the remote Himalayas, and true adventure travel!
This itinerary is a rough estimate and will be adjusted according to weather and conditions. This is adventure travel, meaning things rarely go as planned, and this schedule will likely change. Climbers need to be adaptable and maintain a positive attitude.
We always recommend climbers arrive in Kathmandu one day early to avoid travel delays or issues with lost baggage. The client is responsible for the additional expenses (hotel/food/sightseeing) incurred on this extra day. Please let us know if we need to organize logistics for your early arrival or accommodation upgrades.
- Day 1: Arrive in Kathmandu, transfer to hotel
- Day 2: Kathmandu Day, guide briefing
- Day 3: Drive to Besishar, overnight at hotel
- Day 4: Drive to Dharapani
- Day 5: Trek to Kharche
- Day 6: Trek to Bhimtang
- Day 7: Acclimatization Day in Bhimtang
- Day 8: Cross Larke Pass at 5160m, descend to Samdo
- Day 9: Trek to Sama Gaun
- Day 10: Acclimatization Day at Sama Gaun
- Day 11: Trek to Manaslu Base Camp
- Day 12: Rest Day at Manaslu Base Camp
- Day 13: Puja Day, Trek to Camp 1, Return to Base Camp
- Day 14: Trek to Samagau
- Day 15: Trek to Ghap
- Day 16: Ekle Bhatti
- Day 17: Trek to Machha Khola, Drive to Besishar
- Day 18: Return to Kathmandu, Farewell Dinner
- Day 19: Departure Day
- Day 20: Contingency Day
Our expeditions are designed to be fully inclusive, except for some services and items of a personal nature, like flights, gear, and insurance. Here’s a detailed list so you know what to expect.
Included in the Manaslu Cultural Trek:
- Professional mountain guides
- Professional Sherpa support staff and Base Camp support staff
- Leadership, strategy, logistics, and expedition oversight
- Airport transfers
- Accommodation in Nepal, including 3x nights in Kathmandu and teahouses on the trek (double-occupancy)
- Transportation associated with the program itinerary
- Breakfast daily in hotels
- Accommodation in lodges and teahouses on the expedition (double-occupancy)
- Trekking permit for Manaslu
- CTSS Manaslu Base Camp and High Camp infrastructure and logistics, including tents and cooking gear
- Breakfast and dinner during the expedition
- Oxygen system and oxygen bottles
- Group gear that is not included in your gear list
Excluded from the Manaslu Team Climb:
- Flights to and from Kathmandu, Nepal
- Airport arrival or departure taxes
- Associated travel expenses, including visa, passport, reciprocity fees, vaccination charges, and excess baggage
- Any extensions before or after the specified itinerary (we are happy to help you plan these)
- All personal trekking gear
- Personal sundries, including but not limited to: non-team meals while in Kathmandu, personal snacks, alcoholic beverages, laundry services, third-party internet, medical expenses, gratuities, email or phone charges, bottled water and boiled water, specialty coffees and bakery items, showers at teahouses
- 10 lbs. personal snack food (real food and stuff you know you will want to eat at altitude when you don’t feel like eating: nuts, jerky, granola bars, dried fruit, candy, etc.)
- Sherpa tip pool
- Guide tips (customary but optional)
- Costs incurred as a result of events beyond the control of CTSS above and beyond the normal expedition costs
- Required travel insurance policy (for trip cancellation, interruption, rescue & evacuation, medical treatment, repatriation, etc.)
- Unused Contingency Days at the end of your program: CTSS covers one night in the hotel in Kathmandu on your return. If you decide to stay longer in Kathmandu beyond this night, those costs are your responsibility. We highly recommend that, while you should plan to be away from home for the entire duration of the expedition, including contingency days, you book a flexible return airfare so you can move your flight forward if you don’t use all of the contingency days or push it back as you need.
- In the event of a rescue, evacuation, or early departure from the group, any rescue expenses incurred or excess expenses above and beyond our normal trip costs, including transport, hotels, evacuation, flight changes, and gear shipping, are the responsibility of the client.
All prices are in US Dollars.
CTSS requires clients to buy trip insurance for all expeditions. Please see our page on trip insurance and cancellation policy for more information.
All payments once submitted are non-refundable and non-transferable. If balances are not received by specified dates, the client forfeits their place on the program and any prior fees paid.