Tsum Valley and Manaslu Circuit Trek

You arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu (1,400 m) and are met by our representative for the transfer to your hotel.

Your guide runs the pre-trek briefing. This itinerary combines two restricted areas in one journey: the sacred Tsum Valley, a hidden side valley on the Tibetan border with a distinct Buddhist culture, and the full Manaslu Circuit around the world's eighth-highest mountain, crossing the Larkya La (5,106 m).

Both sections require restricted-area permits, a registered agency and a minimum of two trekkers with a licensed guide. Independent trekking is not allowed.

This is a long and committing route with a high pass at the end, so acclimatisation is built into the schedule. Your guide checks your equipment — a four-season sleeping bag and proper cold-weather layers are essential for the pass.

The rest of the day is free. Overnight in Kathmandu.

A long travel day west and then north into the Budhi Gandaki valley.

The morning follows the Prithvi Highway west out of Kathmandu alongside the Trishuli River, before turning north at Dhading toward Arughat. The first half is on sealed road; the second is not.

From Arughat the route continues on a rough, unsealed track up the Budhi Gandaki valley — narrow, dusty and slow, cut into steep hillsides above the river, with several water crossings. A 4WD is essential and the going is bumpy for hours.

The valley is subtropical at this altitude: banana palms, terraced rice and dense green hillsides, with the river running grey and fast below.

Maccha Khola (930 m) — the name means "fish river" — is a small settlement on the riverbank. Around 8–9 hours in total. Overnight at Maccha Khola.

The first walking day, following the Budhi Gandaki upstream through a steep-sided gorge.

The trail runs north beside the river, and although the net gain is only around 400 m, the day involves constant climbing and descending as the path traverses the gorge wall and drops back to the water.

The route crosses several suspension bridges and passes waterfalls coming off the cliffs. A highlight is the hot spring at Tatopani, a short way along the trail, where warm water emerges beside the river.

The terrain is genuinely rugged in places — sections of the path are cut into the rock face or carried on wooden galleries above the water — and landslide damage is common in this steep, wet country.

Jagat (1,340 m) is a neat, attractive village of stone-paved streets and slate-roofed houses, and it is also the entry checkpoint for the Manaslu restricted area.

Around 6 hours. Overnight in Jagat.

A climb of around 900 m to the gateway of the Tsum Valley.

The trail continues north up the Budhi Gandaki, which narrows further into a dramatic gorge with sheer walls on both sides. The route crosses the river repeatedly on suspension bridges and climbs steeply in sections.

You pass Philim, a substantial Gurung village on a terraced hillside, and then the valley divides. The main Manaslu Circuit continues north-west; you turn north-east into the Tsum Valley, and the traffic drops away immediately.

The climb into Tsum is steep and sustained, through bamboo and pine forest with the gorge dropping away below.

Lokpa (2,240 m) is the first village of the Tsum Valley and its gateway — a handful of houses on a shelf high above the river, with the first views of Ganesh Himal and Himalchuli.

Around 6 hours. Overnight in Lokpa.

A day of steep ups and downs deeper into the Tsum Valley, with modest net gain.

The trail descends sharply from Lokpa to the Shiar Khola, then climbs steeply up the far side — the profile is far more demanding than the 150 m net figure suggests.

The walking is through pine and rhododendron forest on steep valley sides, with the river far below and waterfalls coming off the cliffs. As you climb, the views open toward Ganesh Himal and Baudha Himal.

Tsum — from the Tibetan tsombo, meaning vivid — is regarded as a beyul, a sacred hidden valley, and the culture is strongly Tibetan Buddhist. Killing animals is traditionally prohibited throughout the valley, and the practice is still largely observed.

Chumling (2,386 m) is a traditional village of stone houses with a gompa, chortens and mani walls. Around 5 hours. Overnight in Chumling.

A climb of around 650 m into the upper Tsum Valley, where the country opens out.

The trail crosses the Shiar Khola and climbs steadily through forest that thins as you gain height. At around 2,800 m the valley suddenly broadens into a wide, open, U-shaped basin — the classic upper Tsum landscape — with cultivated terraces and a very different feel from the gorge below.

The views from here are excellent: Ganesh Himal, Himalchuli (7,893 m) and Baudha Himal ring the valley.

Chokhangparo (3,031 m) comprises two adjoining settlements, Chokhang and Paro. The architecture and dress are recognisably Tibetan, and the local language is a Tibetan dialect rather than Nepali. Polyandry was historically practised in this valley.

The altitude begins to register at 3,000 m, so take the afternoon gently. Around 5 hours. Overnight in Chokhangparo.

A gentler day up the broad upper valley toward the Tibetan border.

The trail follows the Shiar Khola north-east across open, increasingly arid country. The forest is entirely behind you now and the landscape is high, dry and wide, with barley fields around each settlement and the peaks of the border range ahead.

This stretch is thick with Buddhist architecture — long mani walls, chortens and prayer flags line the trail, and there are gompas at several of the villages.

Worth stopping for is the Milarepa Piren Phu cave near Burji, where the 11th-century Tibetan yogi Milarepa is said to have meditated. It contains old frescoes and carved stone tablets, and remains an active pilgrimage site.

Nile (3,361 m) is the last significant settlement in the valley, on the sunny western bank of the river. Around 5 hours. Overnight in Nile.

A day excursion to the highest and most important monastery in the Tsum Valley.

The walk up to Mu Gompa (3,700 m) takes around two hours through open, treeless country close to the Tibetan border. The monastery sits in a bare, wide basin with the border ridges immediately behind it, and the sense of remoteness is total.

Founded in the early 20th century, Mu Gompa is the largest monastery in Tsum and houses a community of monks along with old religious texts, statues and thangkas. The setting — a cluster of buildings and a chorten in an enormous empty valley — is the point as much as the building.

Nearby, Dhephyudonma Gompa is considerably older and can be added for those with energy.

Reaching around 3,700 m and sleeping lower at Nile is also useful acclimatisation for the Manaslu half of the trek.

Around 5 hours return. Overnight in Nile.

A long descent back down the Tsum Valley, covering in one day what took two on the way up.

The route retraces the valley south-west, dropping around 975 m through Chokhangparo and back into the forested lower section. Descending is much quicker than climbing, and the day is long but straightforward.

Walking the valley in reverse gives a different view of it. Going up, the attention is on what lies ahead; coming down, you look out over the whole open basin with Ganesh Himal and Himalchuli across it, and the scale of the place is clearer.

There is time to stop at villages passed quickly on the way up, and the light in the afternoon on the descent is usually better for photography.

The thicker air lower down is welcome after several nights above 3,000 m.

Chumling (2,386 m) is the same village you stayed in on the way up. Around 6–7 hours. Overnight in Chumling.

Leaving the Tsum Valley behind and rejoining the main Manaslu Circuit.

The trail descends steeply from Chumling through forest to Lokpa and then drops further to the Budhi Gandaki, rejoining the main circuit at the valley junction. The net loss is around 580 m, but there is plenty of climbing mixed in.

Turning north-west onto the Manaslu Circuit, the character of the trek changes. Tsum was a dead-end valley walked out and back; from here the route runs one way around the mountain to a 5,106 m pass.

The trail follows the Budhi Gandaki upstream through a steep gorge, crossing the river on suspension bridges and passing through bamboo and pine forest.

Deng (1,804 m) is a small village where the valley begins to show Tibetan influence — the first mani walls of the Manaslu section appear here.

Around 6 hours. Overnight in Deng.

A climb of around 830 m up the Budhi Gandaki, with the culture shifting steadily Tibetan.

The trail continues north-west, crossing the river repeatedly and climbing through forest and small settlements. The valley narrows in sections into impressive gorges with the path cut into the rock face.

The change through the day is cultural as much as physical. The lower villages are Gurung and Hindu-influenced; as you climb past Bihi Phedi and Ghap, the architecture becomes flat-roofed and Tibetan, mani walls and chortens line the trail, and the Buddhist character becomes dominant. This upper region is known as Nupri — "the western mountains" — and its people are of Tibetan descent.

The forest here is beautiful, with rhododendron, oak and fir, and there are carved mani stones set along the path.

Namrung (2,630 m) has a checkpoint and good views ahead. Around 6–7 hours. Overnight in Namrung.

A climb of 870 m into the high Nupri valley, with the big mountains finally appearing.

The trail climbs steadily through fir and rhododendron forest, passing Lihi, Sho and Lho. The gompa at Lho is worth the short detour above the village — it has an excellent view of Manaslu (8,163 m), which from here dominates the head of the valley.

Above Lho the forest thins and the valley opens into high alpine country. The peaks come out one after another: Manaslu itself, Manaslu North, Naike Peak and Himalchuli.

The villages through this section are unambiguously Tibetan — flat-roofed stone houses, long mani walls, chortens, and barley grown on terraces at the limit of cultivation.

Shyala (3,500 m) sits in a broad open bowl ringed by peaks, and it is one of the finest positions on the whole circuit. Around 6 hours. Overnight in Shyala.

A short and easy day, deliberately gentle to aid acclimatisation.

The walk to Sama Gaun takes only a couple of hours across open alpine meadow with almost no height gain. This is by design — you will sleep two nights at 3,530 m and climb well above 4,500 m tomorrow, so an easy day now pays off later.

The scenery is exceptional throughout. Manaslu (8,163 m), the eighth-highest mountain in the world, fills the head of the valley, with its glaciers spilling down toward the village, and Naike Peak and Manaslu North alongside.

Sama Gaun (3,530 m) is the largest village in the upper Manaslu valley and the cultural centre of Nupri. Its people are of Tibetan origin, herding yaks and growing barley, and the village has an old gompa and long mani walls.

The afternoon is free to rest or walk gently. Around 2–3 hours. Overnight in Sama Gaun.

The key acclimatisation day of the trek, and a hard one — a climb of well over 1,200 m and back.

The hike to Manaslu Base Camp (4,800+ m) is steep and sustained, climbing from the village up through moraine and rock beside the glacier. It takes most of the day and is genuinely demanding, but it is exactly the preparation the Larkya La requires: climb high, sleep low.

The base camp sits beneath the immense south face of Manaslu (8,163 m), with the glacier and icefall directly ahead and the surrounding peaks all around. In climbing season there may be expedition tents on the site.

An easier alternative is the walk to Birendra Tal, a turquoise glacial lake below the village, or up to Pungyen Gompa — both gain useful height without the full commitment.

Whichever you choose, return to sleep at Sama Gaun. Around 7–8 hours for base camp. Overnight in Sama Gaun.

A short, easy day gaining around 335 m — again deliberately gentle before the pass.

The trail follows the Budhi Gandaki north through open, increasingly barren country. The treeline is well below you now, and the landscape is high-altitude scrub, moraine and rock, grazed by yaks in summer.

You pass the turning to Birendra Tal and the trail junction that leads north over the border to Tibet — this valley was a significant trading route, and Samdo's people still have close ties across the frontier.

Samdo (3,865 m) is the last permanent village before the pass, a settlement of flat-roofed stone houses founded by Tibetan refugees who crossed the border in the 1960s. Yak herding is the mainstay here.

The short day leaves the afternoon free — an optional walk toward the Tibet border viewpoint above the village is good acclimatisation.

Around 3–4 hours. Overnight in Samdo.

A short but demanding day to the last shelter before the Larkya La.

The trail climbs steadily north-west from Samdo, crossing the Budhi Gandaki on a wooden bridge and then ascending across bare, dry, stony hillsides. The gain is around 600 m, and although the distance is modest the altitude makes it hard work.

There is no vegetation to speak of beyond hardy grass and lichen, and the landscape is entirely rock, scree and sky. Blue sheep are frequently seen on the slopes, and the surrounding peaks — Larkya Peak, Cheo Himal and the Himlung group — dominate the view.

Dharmasala (4,460 m), also called Larkya Phedi, is a bare and basic camp: a couple of stone shelters in an exposed hollow beneath the pass, often crowded, always cold, and with limited facilities.

Eat early, prepare your kit for a pre-dawn start, and sleep as much as the altitude allows. Around 4 hours. Overnight at Dharmasala.

The big day of the circuit: over the Larkya La (5,106 m) and down to Bimthang.

You leave around 4 a.m. by head-torch. The climb gains around 650 m over moraine, scree and often snow, and it is long rather than steep — a series of false summits across a glacial basin, walked slowly at altitude. The early start is for the weather, which deteriorates on this pass through the morning.

The Larkya La is marked with cairns and prayer flags, and the view is one of the finest in Nepal: Himlung Himal (7,126 m), Cheo Himal, Kang Guru and Annapurna II laid out across the horizon.

The descent is the sting: more than 1,300 m of steep, loose, knee-punishing drop off the western side, often on snow near the top. Poles help enormously.

Bimthang (3,720 m) is a beautiful meadow with lodges and mountain views. A long 8–9 hours. Overnight in Bimthang.

The final walking day, a long descent of nearly 1,900 m into the Marsyangdi valley.

The trail drops from Bimthang, crossing the moraine and glacial streams below the meadow before entering forest — first rhododendron and juniper, then dense pine, oak and eventually bamboo as you lose height.

The change over the day is dramatic. You start in bare high alpine country the morning after crossing a 5,106 m pass, and finish in warm, green, subtropical valley among terraced fields and banana palms. The oxygen and warmth both arrive quickly, and the descent, while long, feels easy.

The route passes through Karche and Goa, and the villages become Gurung and Hindu-influenced again after two weeks in Tibetan Buddhist country.

Dharapani (1,860 m) sits on the Annapurna Circuit, and joining that well-trodden trail after the emptiness of Manaslu is a striking contrast.

Around 7–8 hours. Overnight in Dharapani.

A long road day out of the mountains and back to the capital.

The first stage is by 4WD jeep down the Marsyangdi valley to Besisahar — a rough, narrow, unsealed track cut into the valley wall, crossing bridges and passing under waterfalls. It is spectacular and slow, and takes several hours.

At Besisahar you join sealed road, and from there the route runs south to Dumre and then east on the Prithvi Highway, following the Trishuli back toward Kathmandu through terraced middle-hill country.

The whole journey takes most of the day, with a lunch stop along the way.

You arrive in Kathmandu (1,400 m) in the evening and transfer to your hotel. After nearly three weeks on the trail, the shower is memorable, and the evening is the natural time for a celebration with the guide and crew. Overnight in Kathmandu.

The last day of the Tsum Valley and Manaslu Circuit Trek.

Depending on your flight time there may be free hours in the morning. Thamel is the obvious place for last-minute shopping, and Boudhanath — the centre of Kathmandu's Tibetan Buddhist community — connects directly to the gompas of Tsum and Nupri you have just walked through.

Our representative collects you from your hotel and transfers you to Tribhuvan International Airport around three hours before departure.

You leave having completed one of the great long routes of Nepal: the sacred hidden valley of Tsum up to Mu Gompa on the Tibetan border, the full circuit of Manaslu (8,163 m) with its base camp, and the crossing of the Larkya La (5,106 m) — through two restricted regions where Tibetan culture remains largely intact.