Manaslu Circuit Larke La Pass Trek

Upon your arrival in Nepal, the land of the Himalayas, our representative from Bold Himalaya will pick you up from the Tribhuwan International Airport. Then, you will be transferred to your respective hotel. You can spend your day exploring the busy Kathmandu. For the day, you can roam around beautiful Thamel and find yourself some typical local products to shop and get a close look at the bustling urban life.  You can also visit restaurants and café and try out Nepali cuisine. Overnight in Kathmandu

After having our delicious breakfast, we will visit the most historical and spiritual attractions in Kathmandu. Some of these landmarks are considered World Heritage Sites including the historic Kathmandu Durbar Square, the sacred Hindu temple of Pashupatinath, the famous ‘Monkey Temple’ (Swayambhunath), and Buddhist shrine (Bouddhanath) which is one of the largest stupas in the world. The city life is vibrant as the culture and heritage reflect their ethnic identity. Later, there will be a pre-trip discussion where we can meet our trek leader, guide, and other team members. Bold Himalaya will give us brief detail regarding our trek as well as provides us an opportunity to ask any questions we may have regarding our upcoming adventure. You can also go for last-minute shopping for your trek. You will find each and every branded trekking gear at Thamel. Overnight in Kathmandu.

The Manaslu region’s adventure starts today. We will begin our journey driving along Prithvi Highway which runs alongside the beautiful Trishuli River towards Soti Khola. We will pass through dense forests, green terraces, lush hillsides, and past various old and new settlements. After reaching Arughat, we will begin to drive off-road amongst traditional settlements until we reach Soti Khola which is located in the Bhuri Gandaki Valley.  It is also the starting point of Manaslu Larke Pass Trekking and several other treks of this region. It is a beautiful yet thrilling one.

We will begin our trek after having breakfast. We will begin this trek up and down through different landscapes including forests, rice paddies, a cliff-face ridge, a rushing river, and numerous beautiful waterfalls. We will shortly cross a bridge and trek through the beautiful Sal forests. The trek continues onto a ridge above the Budhi Gandaki river. We will climb steep terrains to Kyoropani and descend towards the river to Khursane. The path leads to rocky terrains, tropical waterfalls on a sharp cliff and eventually we will walk our way down to Labubesi (885m)

We will have lunch at the Gurung village of Labubesi. The trek will continue shortly after to a steep climb behind a rocky terrain. The path prolongs through the rocky terrain and opens up a beautiful view of Budhi Gandaki. We will descend to the sandy river banks of Budhi Gandaki and hike along with the rounded stones. The trail leads to the suspension bridge over the river and finally after 6-7 hours of the hike, we will reach Maccha Khola. We will stay for the night at Maccha Khola.

After having our breakfast in Machha Khola, we will begin our trek, which follows the gorge and continues up the river. The path is constricted at first and gently ascending and descending, eventually crossing the Tharo Khola to reach Khorlabesi. After more ascending and descending, we will reach a small hot spring in Tatopani- the best place to take a break.

From here, we will ascend over another ridge, then cross the Budhi Gandaki on a suspension bridge. We will then climb up a staircase and head over a ridge to Doban. Upon crossing another suspension bridge over the Yaru Khola, we will climb a stone staircase and then drop to the river and ascend more stone stairs to Tharo Bharyang. Keep an eye out for neat Gurung villages in the jungle high above, as well as Langur monkeys that walk around in the region.

Crossing the west bank of the Budhi Gandaki, we will ascend over a ridge, trek along the river and then ascend towards the village of Jagat.

After having our breakfast in Jagat, we will make our way through various landscapes and dense sub-tropical forests as well as small rivers and rustic villages to get to our final destination.

We will begin the trek by climbing over a rocky ridge to Salleri and then descend to Sirdibas. The village welcomes us with several Gompas and Buddhist prayer flags. The valley broadens a bit as the path continues to the Ghatta Khola river. We will continue walking upstream to a long suspension bridge in Philim, a large Gurung village. From here, the trail turns north just above the lowest house in the village and stays on a fairy level trail as it crosses millet fields to Ekle Bhatti.

Then the route will invade a steep, uninhabited gorge where we will descend to the grassy slopes, and then cross the Budhi Gandaki river. Trek along the west bank for a while, then cross to the east bank before we return to the west side again. The path broadens through the valley and we will pass through bamboo forests to the Deng Khola river. After crossing, we will reach the tiny village of Deng.

After breakfast in Deng, we will begin one of the most important and culturally significant parts of the trek. First, we will cross the Budhi Gandaki river and climb up to the bridge, where we will climb a bit further to join a trail from Bihi. On the trail, we can see white faced monkeys visiting villages on the lookout for a free feed. Then, head west up the valley passing through dense forests, alpine vegetation, and unusual villages housing ethnic groups of the Manaslu region with major peaks starting to appear in the distance.

Even though there is another route, we will take the trail through Prok. This village has a beautiful blessing point of the snowcapped Shringi Himal. We will take a break here and then continue to cross the Budi Gandaki several times, running into several Gompas along the way. The path then chases the river upstream through a dense forest and leads to a narrow gorge. We will keep on moving until we notice the forest becomes less dense. The rewarding part of the walk is an impressive way to experience the Manaslu Conservation Area. We will eventually reach one last steep climb to get to the village of Namrung.

After having breakfast in Namrung, we will walk around the village for a better viewpoint of Shringi, Ganesh Himal, and also Mt. Himal Chuli to the south. Once on the trail, we will first ascend regularly and pass through forests to reach Lihi, a fine village with many stupas and barley terraces. The path then drops and crosses the side valley of Simnang Himal with Ganesh Himal close by.

Further along, we will pass through the villages of Sho, Lho, and Shyala before reaching Sama Village. We can relish extraordinary views of Manaslu from Lho and also explore the famous Ribung Gompa. In Shyala village, we will be enclosed by high mountains like Himal Chuli and Peak 29 (Ngadi Chuli) to the left, Manaslu and large glaciers straight ahead. Other snowcapped peaks can be seen to the right, and at the far end stands Ganesh Himal. Today’s journey ends in Samagaon where we will spend the night.

Today, we will explore Sama Gaon, an idyllic village with a stone gate and Mani stone wall, so it’s the perfect place to explore the Sherpa culture in the village. In order to acclimatize, we will hike through yak pastures and large grasslands to Pungyen Gompa, which is a beautiful Buddhist monastery and the oldest Gompa sitting in the lap of Himalayas. This is the best viewpoint for the beautiful landscape and surroundings. We can also visit Chorten, and spend some time soaking in the breathtaking beauty of Manaslu (8,163m) along with the other peaks of the region. It also offers splendid views of glaciers. Then, we will hike back to Sama Gaon for an overnight stay.

After having breakfast in Sama Gaon, we will leave the village to continue our trek. Samdo is not so far from Sama Gaon so, it will be another slow and easy trek day. We will slow down our trek and enjoy each and every view that we can witness. We will love everything up there around Samdo. As we leave the village, we will get a sight of beautiful pastures, high hills, and mountains at the top of the view.

The Budi Gandaki river will come across once again and we will use a wooden bridge to cross the river. Just before reaching Samdo, the other village i.e. Kani will be there to host our short break. It is a neighbouring village to Samdo, a very beautiful village dedicated to Yak herding. We will boost our energy by having organic snacks at the village. As we will reach Samdo earlier, we can explore the village thoroughly and we can go up to Samdo Peak. If we want to do this then we shouldn’t waste our time much before reaching Samdo. Samdo is known for traditional yak herding and it portrays the traditional Tibetan lifestyle- breeding sheep and goats, training horses and planting barley. The Larkya La trail is on the left on top of the valley. We can also see the main track for Tibet over the Larjyang La forming slopes on the Larkya La trail. It offers excellent views of Mt. Manaslu, Nagdi Chuli, Simnang Himal, Samdo, Manaslu glacier, Manaslu ice fall, and several other peaks.

After having breakfast, we will hit the trail to Dharmasala. Today’s trek is not so long so, rather than rushing, we will trek slowly by glancing at every scenic view around the trail. The mountains will start to appear closer than before and we will be mesmerized by the views of the Manaslu Region Mountains. However, the path will be a bit rougher now and we should watch every step forward.

We will start climbing down the river, before ascending to Larkya Bazar. The trail passes through several Mani walls and stone huts, and also walk on the gorge of Syacha Glacier to reach Dharmasala, also known as Larkya Phedi. Larkya Phedi provides stunning views of the Larkya Peak (6,249m) and Naike Peak (6,211m). Along the route, we will see many traditional monasteries.

Maximum altitude: Larkya La Pass (5160m)

Undoubtedly, the trail to Larke Pass is a rough, steep, and challenging one but the views of sunrise at Mount Manaslu (8156m), Larke Peak and Cheo Himal are spectacular. And, we should reach the Pass by afternoon as we have to reach Bimthang before nightfall. We will have the most wonderful day of life while approaching the Larke Pass. The trail passes through the moraines of Larkya Glacier and continues climbing up the steep and icy trail until we reach Larkya La Pass.  And all of the struggle and sweat will be paid off from the top. It stands at a surreal height of 5,160m and from there we can get enough views of all the Manaslu region and the neighbouring Annapurna region’s mountain and landscape views. From the top, we will have a panoramic view of Manaslu (8,163m), Himlung (7,126m), Annapurna II (7,937m), Larkya Peak (6,249m), Kang Guru (6,981m), and Ratna Chuli (7,128m).

After a glorious time at the top, we will now descend towards Bimthang. Though the trail is descending and easy, the rough and slippery stones can slow down the trek. It will take around 3 hours to reach the night’s destination and along the way, we will come across various glaciers of the region. A much deserving good night in Bimthang.

Today is the most exciting day of the Manaslu Larkya Pass Trekking as we will reach the Larkya Pass. The day is overwhelming as well as exciting one but also a long trek as we will encounter the number of rustic villages, clear glacier lakes, beautiful valleys, and a wide range of flora and fauna.

From Bimthang, we will descend down to Dharapani, leaving behind the spectacle of the Himalayas. We will climb down Yak Kharka and pass through rhododendron forests to reach Kharche. Then, we will cross the fields and sub-tropical forests as we pass the Gurung village of Gho, en route to Tilije, enjoying the view of Manaslu and the Annapurna ranges along the way. We will cross the bridge over Dudh Khola and climb up through an arch- shaped Chorten, pass a Mani wall and reach the Thonje village. We will go through a police checkpoint and continue to Dharapani. Following the trail Marshyangdi River downstream, passing through the scattered villages and crossing the iron bridge, we will reach Dharapani village. We will then stay overnight in Dharapani.

After spending a good time, we will drive to Besisahar for around 3 to 4 hours. We will witness beautiful waterfalls and lush landscapes during the road drive to Besisahar. Enjoying the beautiful scenery of the surrounding, we will reach Besisahar and will take a good rest.

We will enjoy a crisp view of hills and mountains on our drive from Besisahar to Kathmandu. The drive will follow the banks of the Marshyangdi and Trishuli rivers, enjoying the countryside view that comprises markets, rivers, bridges, green hills, mountains, farming terraces, and colorful villages  along the way. On arrival at Kathmandu, you will be transferred to the hotel and you can take a good rest. Also, you can feel free to explore and enjoy. We will celebrate the successful completion of our trekking with a pleasant farewell dinner.

After wishing you a goodbye, our representative from Bold Himalaya will assist you to Tribhuwan International Airport for your next destination. If you have any intention of extending your stay in Nepal for an adventurous experience like Safari, Rafting, Biking Tours, Peak climbing, and more trekking in other regions, then we would be more than happy to be of help. We also welcome you to visit our country again for more experiences.  It would be our bliss to help you plan your next trip to Nepal. Take care and goodbye from Bold Himalaya.