Manaslu Circuit Trek - With Subash Gurung

ARRIVE IN KATHMANDU Arrived in Kathmandu, we are greeted at the airport by our local team and transferred to the hotel, to take advantage of a time of rest, briefing of presentation of the progress of the trek, then free time. In case of arrival in the morning, free day: rest or the possibility of making free visits for those who wish. This is the perfect opportunity to immerse you in Nepalese culture and to test the local gastronomy. Transfer to hotel Final altitude: approximately 1350 m Meals: Dinner Accommodation: night in the hotel

PREPARE FOR TREKKING AND EXPLORE KATHMANDU VALLEY (1350M) Have breakfast, and then you have the whole day to explore the best Kathmandu Sightseeing spots with your guide. You can visit and explore one of the most famous Shiva temples, Pashupatinath, recognized as the monkey temple; Swyambhunath, the largest Stupa in the world, also called Boudhanath Stupa; and finally the Royal Palace, Kathmandu Durbar Square. The next day, you will begin your trek on the Annapurna Circuit, so you have to check your equipment to make sure that you are ready for your adventure and climb. Have dinner and stay overnight in the same hotel in Kathmandu Day tour Final altitude: approximately 13,50 m Meals: Breakfast Accommodation: night in the hotel

KATHMANDU - BALUWA - BARPAK (1900 M) We take the Private Jeep to Barpak, via a road along the Trisuli River, with beautiful views of the Gorkha Himalayan range. Then we continue in the Daraundi Khola valley to Baluwa. After Baluwa the road is off-road up to Barpak. Beautiful view of Boudha Himal culminating at, 6672 m. 7hrs of driving Final altitude: approximately 1900m Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner Accommodation: night in a Tea house

TREKKING FROM BARPAK TO LAPRAK (2,200M) After a warm breakfast, we ascend by a peaceful forest path, until Pushu Danda located at 3000 m altitude. Our effort is rewarded with superb views of Buddha Himal (6672 m) and the various peaks of Ganesh Himal (7100 m). We then descend to Laprak, an authentic Gurung village. We sneak between the stone houses to join our hosts, who welcome us warmly. 6hrs of walking Final altitude: approximately 2,200m Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner Accommodation: night in a lodge

TREKKING FROM LAPRAK - SINGLA - KHORLA BENSI (970 M) We start this day of walking with a short descent to the jarbu Khola river. Then a gradual climb on the balcony towards Singla. We have a beautiful view of the villages of Laprak and Gumda, clinging to the sides of the mountains, entirely sculpted by the rice fields as far as the eye can see. From Singla, we see again the imposing massif of Ganesh Himal. Descent to Khorla Bensi, where we recover the classic path of the Manaslu circuit trek. 7hrs of walking Final altitude: approximately 2,600m Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner Accommodation: night in a lodge

TREKKING FORM RUNCHET - HULCHOWK (1500M) short day, from runchet to hulchowk is not very far, it takes only 3 hrs to 6hrs of walking Final altitude: 1500m Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner Accommodation: night in a lodge

TREKKING FROM KHORLA BENSI TO AGAT (1370 M) We climb gradually through the gorges of the Bhuri Gandaki. Then we change banks and after a steep climb we arrive in the very pretty village of Jagat. 6hrs of walking Final altitude: approximately 2,600m Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner Accommodation: night in the lodge

TREKKING FORM JAGAT TO DENG (1800 M) Ascent right bank crossing the villages of Saleri and Sirdibas to the bridge under Philim. The path turns into a balcony path with a beautiful view of the village of Pansing. For an hour, the trail is carved into the cliff above an impressive gorge. At Pewa (1750 m), the valley opens up to offer a beautiful panorama of the Ganesh Himal massif. Crossing the deep gorges of the Budi Gandaki on an iron bridge. The path evolves between wooded areas and rocky areas, the vegetation changes gradually. Arrival at the village of Deng where the Tibetan influence is already felt, as much by the architecture as by the faces of the villagers, or the prayer wheels. 7hrs of walking Final altitude: approximately 1800m Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner Accommodation: night in the lodge

TREKKING FROM DENG TO PROK (2540 M) The “Tibetan” villages follow one another with their “manis” (engraved stone walls) and prayer wheels, signs of cultural change. The path is sometimes tricky (rockslides). Crossing of humid forest, where we can see some monkeys (without any aggressiveness). Steep climb before reaching the village of Namrung. A beautiful typical village, with its stove built in the middle of the main street and its women working on their looms. Here we will stay 2 nights and, so, 1 day we will go for a hike to kal lake at 3600m. 6hrs of walking Final altitude: approximately 2,600m Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner Accommodation: night in the lodge

TREKKING FROM PROK TO LHO GAU (3200M) The path is sometimes tricky to descend to Gapshe small villages. Crossing of humid forest, where we can see some monkeys (without any aggressiveness). Steep climb before reaching the village of Namrung. A beautiful typical village, with its stove built in the middle of the main street and its women working on their looms. After the superbly cultivated plateau which crosses the hamlets of Baksan, Lihi, and Wangsang, we walk against the backdrop of the Manaslu, immaculate, contrasting with the color of the fields. The trail soon arrives at Shyo, offering us beautiful views of the Ganeshs and then the Himal Chuli. We pass a beautiful series of chortens and mani walls. Arrived at Lho, we visit the village, the school, and its small monastery, then we settle down at the lodge for the night. 7hrs of walking Final altitude: approximately 3200m Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner Accommodation: night in the lodge

TREKKING FROM LHO- SHYALA - PUNGYAN (3870M) TO SAMA GAU (3500M) We also have a beautiful view of the Manaslu Himal. We visit Lho Monastery before continuing to Shyala. From Shyala we head towards Sama then we branch off towards the old monastery of Pung Gyan at 3,870 meters above sea level. This stage is a little-used variant of the Manaslu tour and allows us to perfect our acclimatization. We are in a wild environment between rock and grassy plateaus. The panorama is exceptional, and we admire the Manaslu which is getting closer to us every day. We are not far from the glaciers, and the chortens and mani walls remind us of a human presence from a not-so-distant time. We retrace our steps to take the “classic” path and go to the village of Sama. Here we will stay 2 days for acclimatization. Acclimatization day. We visit the superb Tibetan village of Samagaon, the monastery, and the cells of the nuns, we make a short detour to Lake Birendra Kund (3,570 m) located at the foot of Manaslu. For the fittest and best acclimatization, it is possible to climb to the base camp of Manaslu at 4,850 meters. 7hrs of walking Final altitude: approximately 3500m Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner Accommodation: night in the lodge

TREKKING FROM SAMA TO SAMDO (3800M) We continue our progress towards the long Mani wall of Kermo Manan and the village of Samdo (3,800 m) located very close to the Tibetan border, not far from the confluence of the Sama Chu with the Budhi Gandaki, and which is home to a community of Tibetan refugees. A caravan trail joins Tibet by the Lajyung Pass (5,096 m). 7 hours of walking Final altitude: approximately 3,980m Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner Accommodation: night in the Tea house

TREKKING FROM SAMDO TO DHARMASALA (4470M) Altitude acclimatization day. It is possible to discover the surroundings of Samdo before continuing our progress toward Dharamsala. A stone hut only. The highest camp of the trip, the night will be cold. 4 hours of walking Final altitude: approximately 4470m Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner Accommodation: night in the Tea house

TREKKING FORM DHARAMSALA — LARKYA LA (5,150 M) — BHIMTANG (3700M) Departure early in the morning, going up the course of the Larke Khola. The progression is easy at first, then becomes much steeper at the end of the ascent of the Larkya pass, the altitude of which varies quite significantly depending on the sources, from 4,910 m to 5,220 m. In any case, we have a great view of Tibet border peaks such as Cheo (6,812m), Nemjung (7,140m) and Himlung (7,126m), as well as Kang Guru (7,010m) , Gyaji Kang (7,036 m) and even Annapurna II (7,937 m). On the other side of the pass, we often descend on snow, then scree, to reach Larcia, then Tabuche and the glacial valley of Bimtang, from where we can see the west face of Manaslu. 9 hours of walking Final altitude: approximately 3,700m Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner Accommodation: night in the Tea house

TREKKING FROM BHIMTANG TO SURKI KHOLA (2700M) we descend the valley of the Dudh Khola River to the wooded with rhododendrons and conifers forest to arrive at the surki Khola. 5 hours of walking Final altitude: approximately 2700m Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner Accommodation: night in the Tea house

TREKKING FROM SURKI KHOLA TO NACHE VILLAGE (2200M) short and easy day, we will descent gowa, tiliche village and continue to nache village 5 hours of walking Final altitude: approximately 2200m Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner Accommodation: night in the Tea house

DRIVE FROM NACHE - BESHISHAR TO KATHMANDU last day of trek, we drive early in the morning by private jeep to Kathmandu 8 hours of drive to Kathmandu Final altitude: approximately 1350m Meals: breakfast – lunch Accommodation: night in the hotel

FINAL DEPARTURE TO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT free time depending on the departure time of your flight and our representative will drop you at the airport, ending your journey in Nepal. Thank you and safe travels.