Manaslu Lodge Circuit

Take a lesser-known trek around one of the highest mountains in the world

This spectacular and isolated circular trek skirts around the eighth highest mountain in the world, formidable Manaslu (28,258ft/8,163m). We follow the mighty Buri Gandaki River as it narrows into a spectacular gorge, passing through tiny villages perched on valley sides. Eventually, the gorge opens out into alpine meadows inhabited by a cluster of Tibetan communities below the north face of Manaslu. Crossing the Larkya Pass, we see the snow-capped peaks of Himalchuli, Manaslu, Cheo Himal and Himlung Himal, before descending through forest to join the main Annapurna Circuit route.

People, Places & Planet

We work hard to create trips that improve life for the people and places we visit and look after the planet we explore. Find out more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here, and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.

Some sustainable travel highlights of this trip include:

People

How this trip helps improve life for local communities.

• The use of a local leader and trekking support staff (guides, porters/yak herders) means our customers will be well informed about local traditions and cultural-social sensitivities.
• This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally owned hotels, teahouses and restaurants, the emphasis on eating locally produced food, and by supporting other local enterprises.
• Following the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, Exodus has been able to support Karma, our local partner’s Food Package Project in Nepal, which has distributed food parcels to those in need on the streets of Kathmandu at a time when lockdowns and a lack of tourism left many without an income.
• It was not until 2005 that the ancient tradition of chhaupadi (banishing menstruating women and girls to huts or sheds during their period) was made illegal in Nepal. In rural parts of the country, menstruation is still a taboo subject. Since 2018, Exodus has supported the Freedom Kitbag Project, providing reusable sanitary wear and education in reproductive health to many hundreds of women and to their wider communities.
• Exodus has had a deep connection with Nepal since the 1980s and over the years has supported, and continues to support, many Himalayan Community Projects, including an elderly person’s home, the High Altitude Workers Welfare Association, providing solar cookers, smokeless stoves and running medical camps in hard-to-reach communities, to name but a few.

Places

How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.

• Read about our commitment to nature protection and restoration here, including our rewilding commitment for every customer who travels.
• By travelling in a small group and on foot, for the most part, led by a local leader, we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment.
• We buy our trekking permits and pay our Manaslu Conservation Area Permit (MCAP) and Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) fees, the income from which helps to preserve the region.
• Our trips adhere to ABTA’s industry-leading animal welfare guidelines to ensure the best possible practices with regard to working animals and wildlife viewing. Our animal welfare policy can be found here.
• We work with our partners on the ground to proactively eliminate or reduce waste, for example eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles and instead recommending that you refill your own reusable bottles with boiled water on the trek or that you treat tap water.

Planet

How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.

Read about our climate action here, including our carbon reduction and compensation commitments.

• In Kathmandu, we stay at a family-run Nepali-owned hotel, rather than using a large international hotel chain, and during the trek we stay in small locally owned teahouses, which helps reduce the carbon footprint of this trip.
• Few crops grow nor do animals graze at these altitudes, and as there are no roads to the more remote villages, food is often carried in along the trails by porters or yaks/mules, making its transportation footprint inherently low carbon.
• A vegetarian diet is common in Nepal, especially in the mountains where eating meat is not generally recommended due to hygiene concerns and a lack of refrigeration facilities. The staple diet is dal baht, which comes in various forms but generally includes lentils, vegetable curry and rice.
• Exodus established the Braga Tree Nursery Initiative in the Upper Annapurna Region of Nepal in the 1980s to play a part in tackling the deforestation problem at the time, and to this day, the tree nursery sustains itself.
• The provision of solar cookers to many villages along the popular trekking routes in Nepal has helped prevent further deforestation in the pursuit of wood used for cooking.
• There is no mains electricity in the mountains and many of the teahouses use solar power for hot showers or lighting.

Tips for sustainable travel on this trip

• Leave no trace: We do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish behind in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, we’d ask you to consider bringing recyclable materials home with you. When trekking – biodegradable soap, shampoo, and toilet paper are recommended. Keep to paths to reduce damage to plants and disturbances to wildlife.
• Plastic waste reduction: Avoid using plastic bottles or buying mineral water and instead use refillable water bottles wherever possible. Buy boiled water or carry water purification treatment (we recommend a Steripen or similar type of handheld UV water purifier).
• Try to buy locally made handicrafts but be wary of items made from wild animals eg shahtoosh shawls made from endangered Tibetan antelope.
• If while packing, you find a spare bit of space in your bag then you may be interested in donating to one of our projects. Exodus supports a Porter Clothing Bank in Kathmandu and also distributes clothing to villages and schools.

 Cultural respect:

• The Nepalese greeting is namasté with hands held in front of the face, the higher they are held, the more respect it exudes. Men will shake hands with men but not with women.
• Walk in a clockwise direction around temples or monuments. Ask permission before entering places of worship and remove your shoes. Leave leather behind before entering Hindu temples.
• Pointing your feet (the least sacred body part) at people or religious places or pointing or beckoning with a single finger is considered impolite.
• Displays of affection should be kept at bay, and loose-fitting clothing that covers legs and shoulders is advisable, especially when visiting homes, monasteries or temples.
• Do it like the locals! The left hand is associated with toilet duties, so eat, wipe your mouth, pass food, give and receive with your right hand. Only handle your own food and drink.
• Ask before you capture people on camera. Exchanging a few words or gestures beforehand can go a long way. Offering (and actually sending) a copy via post is a great way to benefit both parties!

Visa

Nepal

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally need a visa to enter Nepal. Visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/asia/nepal
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/nepal
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/nepal/entry-requirements
• USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Nepal.html

You can obtain your visa in advance or on entry. If possible, apply in advance as queues on arrival can be very long. Please note, the Immigration Department of Nepal has suspended visas on arrival for certain nationalities – please check if this applies to you with your nearest embassy or consulate .

When you arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, there will be three lines. If you have already secured you visa, go straight to the Immigration line. If not:

1. Fill in a tourist visa form at the electronic kiosks. After inserting your passport, the machine will automatically fill out an application form, take an electronic photograph of you and print a paper slip. If the machine won’t read your passport, complete the details manually using the touchscreen. We recommend taking a passport photo with you just in case.
2. Proceed to the visa fees collection counter and pay the visa fee (in cash, if possible). Make sure to keep the receipt.
3. Go to the relevant immigration desk and present your tourist visa form, payment receipt and passport to obtain your 15-, 30- or 90-day visa stamp. Please check you have been given the correct visa duration.

Vaccination

Nepal

There are no required vaccinations. However, recommended vaccinations include tetanus, typhoid, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, cholera, Japanese encephalitis, rabies and tuberculosis. You will also need a yellow fever vaccination certificate if you're arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission or transiting for more than 12 hours through a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Some travellers may also need proof of a polio vaccination. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic.

There is little to no risk of malaria in Nepal; therefore, antimalarial tablets are not usually advised although may be considered for certain high-risk groups. You may wish to consult your doctor or travel clinic for further advice.

Additionally, dengue fever, a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes, is a known risk in Nepal with an outbreak in September 2022. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis, so take extra precautions (such as wearing full-length trousers, long sleeves and applying insect repellent during the day, dawn and dusk) to prevent being bitten.

Most of our trips to Nepal go to high altitudes where there is a risk of being affected by Acute Mountain Sickness. Our itineraries are designed to enable everyone to acclimatise to these altitudes, but you should be aware that it is still possible for you to be affected. Please refer to the Altitude Warning within the Trip Notes for further advice on AMS.

Eating and Drinking

Breakfast is included throughout the trip.

In teahouses, breakfast comprises a choice of bread (a slice of toast, chapatti or Tibetan bread), a choice of egg (boiled, fried or omelette), and a choice between either muesli or porridge each day. Hot tea/coffee is also served. On specific days, there will not be a choice for breakfast and either a trekkers breakfast (egg, hash brown, baked beans and toast) or a pancake with jam/honey is served – these options are not available in all teahouses and so we have only included them in locations where they can be guaranteed. You may also be able to supplement your included breakfast with additional items on the teahouse menu should you wish, additional items that are not included in the set menu should be ordered and paid for separately.

Please note, some more remote teahouses/lodges are unable to provide an extensive menu due to irregular delivery schedules and during periods of bad weather or a high volume of trekkers, there may be a more limited menu choice. Also, the higher altitude the more expenses the menus and extras generally are.

Lunch is at a teahouse en route – sometimes one of your guides will go ahead with the group’s order to make it more expedient. Dinner is in the same teahouse you sleep at (this is custom in Nepal as teahouses base their room rate on it).

Although most lodges have almost identical menus, they are reasonably extensive and offer a varied selection, ranging from traditional Nepalese dhal bhat to pizza and apple pie. Dhal bhat is the staple diet in Nepal and comes in many different forms but generally comprises some curried lentils and meat or vegetables, some rice, and a pickle/chutney. Another popular snack is momos, a Nepalese dumpling, fried or steamed and filled with meat or vegetables.

Meat is available in the teahouses but we advise against eating it on trek. The meat has often been carried in the heat from lower altitudes for several days before reaching the lodges and can cause stomach upsets or illness.

If you have a gluten-free diet, we strongly recommend you bring extra food and snacks with you to supplement the food on trek as there will be little variety available for you, particularly for breakfast. Even many of the soups are powdered and contain gluten. Gluten-free breakfast options will be limited to vegetable fried rice and a choice of egg, and on specific days only, a trekkers breakfast (without the toast/with an extra egg) will be served. Breakfast options for vegans will be limited to a choice of muesli/porridge with water each day, and on specific days only, a trekkers breakfast (without the egg), or vegetable fried rice will be served. If you are lactose intolerant, the same will apply although you will also have a choice of egg each day.

If you buy imported food and drink on trek, you will spend more than the suggested amount.

Drinking water

Staying hydrated is important when undertaking any physical activity but particularly so at altitude where it is generally recommended to drink at least 100floz-135floz (3-4 litres) per day.

However, we strongly encourage you not to buy bottled water on trek as this contributes to the growing problem of plastic pollution in Nepal.

The teahouses sell boiled water for approximately 150-300 (US$1.15-US$2.30) per litre (the price increases the higher you trek) which should not require treating. This is also perfect for a bedtime refill as it can double up as a hot-water bottle.

Alternatively, all teahouses provide cold water for free, if requested. This should not be drunk untreated, so we recommend you bring a reusable bottle and an effective form of water treatment. There are a wide range of products available that are more effective than the traditional purification tablets – we recommend talking to an outdoor retailer for the latest advice as technologies are improving all the time. Make sure to check the product’s performance in cold/freezing conditions and consider battery life (lithium batteries are best in cold conditions).

Handheld UV filters such as a Steripen are very effective, can treat 33floz (1 litre) of water in a couple of minutes and the water is ready immediately – look for lightweight lithium battery models and remember you need to bring a wide-mouthed bottle for use with these devices.

There are also an array of water filter and purifier bottles on the market but be wary of their weight, bottles with a small capacity and the product’s performance in freezing conditions. Exodus has partnered with Water-to-Go, a filtration system that eliminates over 99.99% of all microbiological contaminants from any non-saltwater source – please visit Water-to-Go for more information. Exodus customers can claim 15% off their first order and, better still, 15% of the purchase value will be donated to the Exodus Travels Foundation. Please note that if the water freezes it will clog up the filter – in this event, defrost before use by sitting the filter in lukewarm water for 10-15 minutes.

Weather

The main trekking season in Nepal is from October to mid-May when daytime temperatures at most altitudes are generally comfortable for walking, the sky is clear much of the time, and rain and snow are occasional occurrences. Daytime temperatures vary from 15C to 35C (59F to 95F) in the Kathmandu Valley to around 10C (50C) at 11,810ft (3,600m) and progressively lower the higher we go. Different seasons offer different advantages for trekking:

Post monsoon/autumn: Mid-September to November. This is the main trekking season in Nepal. Day temperatures in Kathmandu are generally above 20C (68F). For the first few days of the trek, at the lower altitudes, the temperatures can be very hot (up to 30C/86F) and it can be very humid. Once you are over 6,560ft (2,000m), temperatures are more pleasant. Skies are usually clear and days on trek are sunny and mild with clear mountain views. Nights will be colder with temperatures dropping to -5C (23F) or lower at the higher altitudes.

Pre-monsoon: March to May. Both day and night temperatures are warmer in general but haze will often build up in the afternoons. It is very hot and humid at the start and end of the trek at the lower altitudes and temperatures rise to 30C/35C (86F/95F) in Kathmandu and the lower parts of the trek. Flowers bloom in this season and this is one of the reasons people chose to trek in spring.

The crossing of the Larkya La is cold at any time of year. There is sometimes a high wind over the pass, which makes the crossing extremely cold and you must have adequate protection for very low temperatures for this section. There is sometimes snow and ice on the pass. You need to be prepared for this. We recommend you carry yaktrax/microspikes in case of snow on the pass.

Snow can be expected on any departure, usually at the higher altitudes above Samdo.

In any mountain area, the weather is never wholly predictable and you should be prepared and equipped to deal with any differences in weather beyond the conditions described above.

Is this trip for you?

This trip is rated Activity Level 5 (Challenging), mainly due to the varied and changeable terrain.

It’s a lodge-based trek with 14 days of walking and full porterage throughout – you need only carry your backpack. A description of our Activity Levels is on our website.

The itinerary is very well staged for acclimatisation. There are some long days at the lower altitudes; as we get higher, the days are shorter to allow for acclimatisation. The maximum altitude is 16,830ft (5,130m), and the average is approximately 8,860ft (2,700m). As this trip spends considerable time at altitude, we ask you to refer to the altitude warning within the Trip Notes.

Much of this trek is on established trails and is within the capabilities of a fit and experienced walker. The first half of the trek is at low altitude with approximately five to eight hours of walking a day on reasonably well-maintained trails. However, it can be very hot, dusty and humid at the lower altitudes (especially in spring) and there are some narrow and steep sections on the trails, which may not be suitable for those with a strong fear of heights. The crossing of the Larkya La is over rough, rocky glacial moraine and some of the descent is very steep. The day over the pass is approximately 11 to 12 hours. You should be a confident walker and be comfortable walking for five to eight hours a day, with an occasional longer day. The trails in the Manaslu region are less well-used than those in the Everest and Annapurna regions and are often rocky and uneven, requiring steady footing and concentration. This area was quite badly affected by an earthquake in 2015. Many of the trails have now been repaired but there are still landslides to cross and there may be changes to the descriptions below based on the seasonal monsoon weather bringing the potential for further landslides.

The trail crosses numerous modern suspension bridges over rivers and valleys, all with mesh sides. Anyone with a strong fear of heights or vertigo may find them difficult.

You may find our Walking & Trekking Fitness Training Guide a useful reference.

To help you better prepare for your Nepal trip, please also see our Nepal Destination Guide.

Why Trek with Exodus?

• More than 30 years’ experience organising treks in Nepal.
• ‘Ask an expert’ – talk to Exodus staff who have done the treks themselves.
• Experienced English-speaking local leaders who are qualified in first aid and trained in recognising and dealing with altitude sickness.
• One of the highest staff-to-client ratios on trek – one staff memberto every four
• All staff (leaders, guides and porters) are fully insured and paid a fair wage.
• Carefully planned ascent rates and itineraries with built-in acclimatisation and contingency days.
• Staff carry oxygen and a first-aid kit.
• Self-assessment AMS cards used to monitor every client at altitude.

Walking hours stated within the itinerary are given as approximates only. Timings stated exclude lunch stops and vary depending on the group’s pace.

Nepal flight safety

Many of our treks in Nepal use domestic flights to reach the trekking areas. The mountainous Nepalese terrain is subject to changeable weather, which makes flying conditions complex and challenging and, unfortunately, there are significantly more incidents here than in other countries, including fatalities. The EU highlighted the poor safety record in Nepal in 2013 by including all Nepalese-registered airlines on the EU banned list, which prevents them from flying in EU airspace. While no Nepalese-registered airlines currently fly within the EU, the EU instigated this ban to highlight the risk of flying in Nepal to EU citizens. These airlines are unlikely to be members of any internationally recognised safety audit systems and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of Nepal does not operate to the same standards as those of Western nations.

Flying within Nepal is therefore a known risk and we strongly encourage you to consider this carefully before booking. We suggest you refer to the following sources:

• The current travel advice for Nepal issued by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
• The Air Safety Network entry for Nepal

In response to concerns over this safety record, Exodus arranges for independent air-safety auditors to visit Nepal annually to assess the suitability of the available carriers. We then restrict our use to only those approved as part of this audit. In emergency situations, we will need to use helicopters, so we also have a list of approved helicopter carriers. Should concerns arise regarding the safety of an airline on our approved list, we will remove the carrier from the list immediately, and it would only be reinstated once our air-safety auditors are confident the airline meets acceptable safety standards.

We appreciate you may have concerns about flying within Nepal, so we ask that you consider all the information above when deciding to book this trip.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.