Manaslu Circuit Route Map: Stages, Distances & Altitude

The Route in One Paragraph

You drive west from Kathmandu to Soti Khola (700 m) or increasingly Machha Khola (900 m) — the road pushes further up the Budhi Gandaki every year — and walk northeast up the deep river gorge through Jagat (1,340 m), Deng (1,860 m), and Namrung (2,630 m) into the Tibetan-culture villages of the upper Nubri valley. Samagaon (3,520 m) is the acclimatisation town, sitting in a natural bowl below the Manaslu icefall. From there you climb to Samdo (3,860 m) and Dharmasala (Larkya Phedi, 4,460 m), cross the Larkya La pass (5,106 m), and drop steeply to Bimthang (3,720 m) and eventually to Dharapani, which is on the Annapurna Circuit trail.

The circuit is a one-way trek, not an out-and-back — you exit onto the Annapurna Circuit road system and drive out from Dharapani or continue trekking down the lower Marsyangdi.

Standard 14-Day Route Table

Total walking distance is ~150–180 km depending on how much of the lower valley has been shortened by road. Cumulative ascent is around 5,600 m. The single biggest day by far is the Larkya La crossing (day 10) at 24 km with 650 m up and 1,400 m down at altitude.

Common Variants

Manaslu + Tsum Valley (18–20 days)

Detour from Philim (~1,600 m) up into the Tsum Valley, a Tibetan-culture side valley with its own restricted-area permit. Adds 5–7 days and is one of the most culturally intact detours in Nepal — many trekkers rate it higher than the main circuit itself. See the Manaslu + Tsum Valley guide.

Manaslu Base Camp side trip

From Samagaon, a full day up to Manaslu Base Camp (4,800 m) and back. A hard side-trip but excellent acclimatisation and a rare close-up view of the world's eighth-highest peak. Alternative: Birendra Lake, which is much easier and still spectacular.

Compressed 11-day version

Skip the Samdo night by going Samagaon → Dharmasala direct (long day at altitude), and jeep out from Bimthang or Tilije faster. Cuts 2–3 days but at the cost of acclimatisation and pace on the pass day. Only for parties with prior high-altitude experience.

Larkya La → Annapurna Circuit combined

Instead of driving out from Dharapani, continue trekking east onto the Annapurna Circuit toward Chame, Manang and Thorong La. Combined with Manaslu this becomes a legendary 25–30 day traverse crossing two 5,000+ m passes.

Key Landmarks on the Route

• Jagat (1,340 m): The restricted-area checkpoint. Your guide will register your permit here. From this point on you cannot proceed without a licensed guide and the restricted-area permit.
• Namrung (2,630 m): The gateway to the upper Nubri valley — the point where the trek becomes properly high-mountain and the culture becomes Tibetan.
• Samagaon (3,520 m): The acclimatisation town, a beautiful traditional village sitting under the Manaslu icefall. Side trips to Manaslu Base Camp, Birendra Lake, or the Pungyen Gompa are all excellent acclimatisation walks.
• Samdo (3,860 m): The last real village before the pass, a Tibetan refugee settlement dating to the 1959 exodus. Feels genuinely remote.
• Dharmasala / Larkya Phedi (4,460 m): Not a village but a bare cluster of lodges below the pass. Cold, basic, everyone leaves in the dark for the pass day.
• Larkya La (5,106 m): The pass itself — a broad col with a spectacular 360° view of the Larkya glacier, Himlung Himal and the peaks of the Cheo Himal group.
• Bimthang (3,720 m): A wide meadow on the west side of the pass with excellent views back up at the Larkya wall. The natural first sleep after the crossing.