The Manaslu Circuit is one of Nepal’s most rewarding trekking routes, which you should experience at least once in your lifetime. It circles the beautiful and underrated Mount Manaslu (8,163 m), the world’s eighth-highest peak. What makes this route special is the way it manages to be both classic and untouched at the same time.
Unlike the busier and popular trek routes of Nepal, the Everest Base Camp or the Annapurna Circuit, the Manaslu trek still receives only a fraction of the crowds. Yet, it delivers everything you hope to find in the Himalayas: dramatic landscapes, rich culture, remote valleys, and that rare sense of true exploration.
Here are the top 10 reasons you must do the Manaslu Circuit at least once.
Even in peak season, you can walk for hours without meeting another trekking group while on the Manaslu Circuit. The villages are also spaced far apart, and the trail feels untouched. You realize that the daily life of people in this region hasn’t changed much. This makes the sense of remoteness real.
Meanwhile, the restricted-area permit system and the requirement for a guide keep the number of visitors low. As a result, usually just a few thousand trekkers visit this area per year compared to tens of thousands elsewhere.
Mount Manaslu dominates the northern skyline as you approach Lho and Samagaun during the trek. The sight of this peak in the morning light is something most trekkers remember long after the trek ends. You are also treated to close-up views of peaks like Himalchuli, Ngadi Chuli, and Ganesh Himal. On clear mornings, Annapurna II even peeks over the ridges in the distance.
Few treks in Nepal deliver this much variety. In the Manaslu Circuit, you start the trek in warm river valleys with rice terraces and dense forests. Slowly, you ascend into alpine meadows, glacial valleys, and high mountain basins. The shift in landscapes makes every day feel new rather than repetitive.
The upper villages of the Manaslu Circuit, Samagaun and Samdo, have strong Tibetan roots. Monasteries are still active centers of daily life, not just photo stops. You will walk past cultural heritage mani walls, stupas, chortens, and ancient monasteries that hold generations of stories. And locals are curious and welcoming rather than accustomed to endless streams of visitors.
Trekking the Manaslu Circuit is not an easy endeavor, and that’s part of its appeal. The route climbs steadily, requires smart acclimatization, and finishes with the long crossing of Larkya La Pass. Nonetheless, this challenge at the end of the journey makes you feel proud of what you have accomplished.
At 5,106 meters, crossing Larkya La is one of the most satisfying pass days in Nepal. It is the literal and emotional high point of the trek. Starting in the dark, you reach the prayer-flagged summit as the sun rises. The climb is steady rather than technical. And the views from the top are worth the effort. You can see Himlung, Cheo Himal, Manaslu, and beyond. It is a feeling of looking out over a sea of peaks, the kind of memory that stays sharp for decades.
The upper valley of the Manaslu Circuit narrows, and the landscape turns windswept and barren. You can also see blue sheep grazing on the hillsides. It’s as close as most of us will ever get to the Tibetan plateau without crossing an international border.
The Manaslu Circuit trek comprises side trips to Manaslu Base Camp or Birendra Tal from Samagaun. Both are spectacular day hikes that add depth to the trek. These are not small detours. But these side trips are major highlights that offer close-up views of glaciers and alpine valleys, along with aiding in the acclimatization process.
Manaslu Conservation Area is a restricted region. It requires trekkers to be accompanied by a registered guide. And the trail is managed carefully. This has kept the environment cleaner and the villages less overwhelmed by tourism. It’s one of the few Himalayan routes where the impact of trekking still feels controlled. Probably that is why elusive snow leopards, endangered red pandas, and Himalayan tahr call this region home. Sightings of these species are rare. Yet, the knowledge that these animals still thrive here adds a deeper layer to the journey.
You naturally slow down when on the Manaslu Circuit trek. You walk through quiet landscapes, spend evenings by wood stoves, and move from village to village without rushing. By the time you finish the journey of some two weeks, you realize the best feeling of being unplugged from a busier life.
Nepal offers many beautiful treks and tours — proper trekking as well as helicopter trips not requiring you to walk, like the Mount Everest Base Camp Helicopter tour. But the Manaslu Circuit stands apart because of its balanced offering. It is remote yet accessible, challenging yet rewarding, and cultural yet wild.
These factors give you everything you hope for in a Himalayan journey. That is possible without the crowds that often dilute the experience. Therefore, if there is one trek you should do at least once in your life, Manaslu makes a strong case for itself.
