Overview
The Manaslu Circuit and Tsum Valley trek is a sixteen-day teahouse journey from Kathmandu that pairs the full circuit of Manaslu, the world's eighth-highest peak, with a detour into Tsum, a sacred hidden Buddhist valley tucked against the Tibet border. From the road-head at Machha Khola you climb the Budhi Gandaki gorge, branch off to Tsum for its old gompas at Mu and Rachen, then rejoin the main valley for Namrung, Samagaon and Samdo before crossing the Larkya La at 5,106 metres and descending to Dharapani. It is a restricted-area trek, so it is walked with a licensed guide, the required permits and a minimum of two trekkers, on trails that are remote, culturally rich and steadily high. This version begins and ends with the long drives from Kathmandu, so it suits trekkers basing themselves in the capital.
The itinerary
- Long day on the road up the Budhi Gandaki, arriving in the evening or after dark
- Rough final stretch beyond Arughat and Soti Khola to the road-head
- Overnight at Machha Khola, the start of the trekking trail
- Short drive on to Jagat, the official restricted-area checkpoint
- Trek up the gorge to the Tsum Valley turn-off
- Overnight at Lokpa (2,240 m), the gateway village into Tsum
- About six hours climbing into the lower Tsum Valley
- Forest and side-stream crossings with first views of Ganesh Himal
- Overnight at Chumling (2,386 m)
- Around eight hours on a moderate trail into upper Tsum
- Pass through Chhokangparo (3,031 m) as the valley opens out
- Overnight at Nile and Chhule (about 3,360 m)
- Acclimatisation day among the high Tsum villages
- Visit Mu Gompa (3,700 m), the valley's highest monastery, and Rachen Gompa nunnery
- Return to overnight in the upper valley
- Descend out of Tsum and rejoin the main Manaslu valley
- Follow the Budhi Gandaki past waterfalls and terraced fields
- Overnight at Deng (about 1,860 m)
- Climb steadily through pine and rhododendron forest
- Enter increasingly Tibetan-influenced Buddhist country
- Overnight at Namrung (about 2,630 m)
- Pass mani walls, chortens and the villages of Lho and Lhi
- Opening views of Manaslu and the peaks around the head of the valley
- Overnight at Shyala (about 3,500 m)
- Side hike up to Pungen Gompa (3,700 m) for close Manaslu views, then back to Shyala
- Continue on to the large Tibetan village of Samagaon
- Overnight at Samagaon (about 3,530 m)
- Early climb up towards Manaslu Base Camp (about 4,800 m)
- Glacier and icefall views beneath the eighth-highest peak, aiding acclimatisation
- Return to overnight again at Samagaon
- About four hours on a gentle, scenic trail above the tree line
- Cross the Budhi Gandaki with wide views towards Tibet
- Overnight at Samdo (3,875 m), the last permanent village
- Hike up towards the Rui La pass on the Tibet border and back
- High, open trail that helps prepare the body for the Larkya La
- Return to overnight at Samdo
- Short, steady climb to Dharmasala, also called Larkya Phedi (about 4,460 m)
- Basic high camp below the pass with thin air and cold nights
- Rest early ahead of the pre-dawn crossing
- Long day, often eight to nine hours, starting before dawn
- Cross the Larkya La at 5,106 m, the trek's highest point, with a panorama over Himlung, Cheo and Kang Guru
- Steep descent to overnight at Bimthang (about 3,720 m)
- Descend through forest, pasture and the villages of the Dudh Khola valley
- Rejoin the Annapurna Circuit trail near Dharapani
- Overnight at Dharapani (about 1,960 m)
- Jeep down the rough valley road to Besisahar
- Continue by road back to Kathmandu
- The trek concludes on arrival in the capital
Things to carry
- A warm down jacket and a four-season sleeping bag for the high camp and pass
- Layered clothing, waterproofs and broken-in trekking boots with warm socks
- A warm hat, gloves, buff and thermal base layers for the Larkya La crossing
- Sunglasses, sun hat, high-factor sunscreen and lip balm for strong high-altitude sun
- A refillable water bottle with purification, a daypack, a headtorch and a power bank
Good to know
Complete guide
The Manaslu region is one of Nepal's great circuits, and adding the Tsum Valley turns it into something rarer still: a full loop of an eight-thousander combined with a detour into a sacred, long-hidden valley. Doing it from Kathmandu means the long drives at each end are built in, so you start and finish in the capital. Here is how the trek works and what to know before you go.
What the Manaslu Circuit and Tsum Valley trek covers
The route runs from the Machha Khola road-head up the Budhi Gandaki gorge, branches off at Lokpa into the Tsum Valley for its monasteries at Mu and Rachen, then rejoins the main valley through Deng, Namrung, Samagaon and Samdo before crossing the Larkya La at 5,106 metres and dropping to Dharapani for the drive home. The first and last days are travel by road; the heart of the trip is around twelve days of teahouse walking. If you want the circuit without the Tsum detour, the shorter Manaslu Circuit trek from Kathmandu follows the same main valley and pass in fewer days.
Permits, guides and the restricted-area rules
Manaslu and Tsum are both restricted areas, which shapes how the trek is done. You need a separate restricted-area permit for each valley, plus the Manaslu Conservation Area permit and the Annapurna Conservation Area permit for the final descent. These permits are issued only through a registered agency, a licensed guide is mandatory, and there must be at least two trekkers on the permit, so genuinely solo trekking is not possible here. We handle the paperwork and the guide; you bring your passport and passport photos.
Crossing the Larkya La and how the altitude feels
The Larkya La at 5,106 metres is the crux of the trek. The itinerary builds towards it slowly, with acclimatisation hikes to Manaslu Base Camp from Samagaon and towards the Tibet border from Samdo, before a short day up to the high camp at Dharmasala. Crossing day is long and cold, usually begun before dawn, and rewards you with a wide panorama of surrounding peaks before a steep descent to Bimthang. The gradual height gain keeps serious altitude sickness uncommon, but the air is thin up high, so walk slowly, hydrate and treat any symptoms seriously.
Tsum Valley and how it compares to other circuits
Tsum is what sets this trek apart. Sealed off from outsiders until recent decades, it remains a devout Buddhist valley of gompas, nunneries and mani walls, with a quiet, protected atmosphere that the busier trails have lost. Combined with the Manaslu circuit it makes for a long, remote and culturally deep trek. If you enjoy a big loop over a high pass but want something more established underfoot, the classic Annapurna Circuit trek from Pokhara crosses the Thorong La on well-served trails and works well as a next step or an easier alternative.
