Larkya Peak (6,249 m) stands directly above the Larkya La, the 5,106 m pass that every Manaslu Circuit trekker crosses on the way from the Nubri to the Marsyangdi. Thousands of people walk beneath it each season and almost nobody climbs it, which is a shame — it is a clean snow and ice route graded PD+, and its summit is the single best viewpoint of the crossing.
The trip is the Manaslu Circuit with a 6,000 m summit at its high point. A week up the Budhi Gandaki gorge from subtropical rice terraces to the Tibetan villages of Samagaon and Samdo, a base camp beneath the pass, the climb, and then the Larkya La itself and the long descent to Bimthang.
From the top: Manaslu, Himlung, Cheo Himal, Kang Guru and Annapurna II, with the pass a thin line of prayer flags a thousand metres below.
The Climb at a Glance
| Summit | 6,249 m |
| Grade | PD+ — crevassed glacier, snow and ice slope, short exposed crest |
| Duration | 21 days Kathmandu to Kathmandu — no flight |
| Base camp / high camp | 4,900 m / 5,600 m |
| Summit success rate | Around 70 to 80 percent |
| Permits | Manaslu restricted area — guide compulsory, minimum two trekkers |
| Also includes | The full Manaslu Circuit and the Larkya La |
| Price | From USD 3,750 per person |
We run it as a 21-day expedition. Samdo Peak is the gentler option from the same valley, and the two combine.
Larkya Peak or Samdo Peak?
| Samdo Peak | Larkya Peak | |
|---|---|---|
| Summit | 6,335 m | 6,249 m |
| Grade | PD | PD+ |
| The climbing | Short glacier, 35–40° slope, broad crest | Crevassed glacier, steeper slope, short exposed crest |
| Success rate | 80–85% | 70–80% |
| Base camp | North of Samdo | Above Dharamsala, beneath the pass |
| From | USD 3,650 | USD 3,750 |
A step harder and 86 m lower. Samdo Peak is a PD snow slope to a broad crest; Larkya Peak adds a crevassed glacier, a slightly steeper slope and a short exposed summit crest — twenty minutes or so, climbed one at a time on rope, and genuinely airy. That crest is what makes it PD+ rather than PD.
The Route
Machha Khola to Samdo (930 m to 3,875 m)
The same superb week up the Budhi Gandaki as the Circuit — Jagat, Deng, Namrung, Lho, Samagaon and Samdo, with acclimatisation days at both of the last two. Ten days of walking before base camp.
Base camp and the summit (4,900 m to 6,249 m)
Up to Dharamsala (4,460 m) and then base camp at 4,900 m on the moraine above it, with a training and acclimatisation day. High camp at 5,600 m at the edge of the glacier, and the summit day: the crevassed approach, the fixed slope, and the exposed crest.
Wind at the head of the Nubri is the commonest reason for turning back — base camp and the summit crest are both fully exposed to it.
The pass and the descent
The day after the summit push, the group crosses the Larkya La itself and descends 1,500 m to Bimthang. Crossing a pass you stood a thousand metres above the previous day is one of the quiet pleasures of the trip; trekkers on the pass will not know the peak has a route.
What It Costs
| Group size | Price per person |
|---|---|
| 1 climber | USD 4,580 |
| 2 to 4 | USD 4,240 |
| 5 to 7 | USD 4,010 |
| 8 to 10 | USD 3,900 |
| 11 to 14 | USD 3,810 |
| 15 and over | USD 3,750 |
What Is Included
- Airport transfers, a briefing, permit and equipment-inspection day in Kathmandu.
- Private transport Kathmandu to Machha Khola and Besisahar back to Kathmandu — no flight.
- Hotel accommodation in Kathmandu with breakfast, and teahouses throughout the Circuit.
- Tented base camp (4,900 m) and high camp (5,600 m) with mess, kitchen and toilet tents, and a cook and kitchen crew.
- Three meals a day throughout.
- Manaslu Restricted Area Permit, Manaslu Conservation Area Permit, Annapurna Conservation Area Permit and the NMA climbing permit.
- A government-licensed climbing guide and climbing Sherpas above base camp.
- Group climbing equipment and fixing of the slope and the summit crest.
- A training and acclimatisation day at base camp, plus a reserve day.
- Porter and pack-animal transport, NMA garbage deposit, summit certificate and all taxes.
What Is Not Included
- International flights and the Nepal entry visa fee.
- Travel insurance covering mountaineering to 6,249 m, with helicopter evacuation and repatriation.
- Personal climbing equipment, available to rent as an add-on.
- Personal clothing and a sleeping bag rated to -20 °C.
- Porter services for your personal duffel.
- Lunch and dinner in Kathmandu.
- Snacks, bottled water, hot showers, Wi-Fi, charging and drinks.
- Laundry, phone calls, souvenirs and personal expenses.
- Tips for the guide, climbing Sherpas, cook crew and porters.
- Extra costs if the Larkya La is closed and the group retraces down the Budhi Gandaki, adding three days.
