Manaslu Trek

Day 1 Morning at 06:30 after breakfast, drive to Aarughat to Sotikhola (10 hours drive)

Aarughat is a famous place for Peaches ( a fruit known as aaru in Nepali) and used to be base point for the trek. However, because of the road extension to the Sotikhola, the trek point is Sotikhola. The main attraction of this route are local thatched houses, view of Sringi Himal (7187m), Buri Gandaki Valley, water fall, Magar and Gurung village and the valley has beehives for honey extraction. Overnight rest.

Day 2 Sotikhola to Machhakhola (5/6 hours)

The trial crosses the bridge and treks through beautiful saal forests, then climbs onto the ridge above rapids on the Buri Gandaki river. Much of the trial is blasted out of vertical rock walls on the way to Khursane and a Gurung village. The rocky trial then weaves its way up and down, past to tropical water falls on the steep, rocky trial clinging to the side of a cliff. The trial climbs behind a rocky outcrop to an old school then get to Machhakhola, a village.  Overnight rest.

Day 3 Machhakhola to Jagat (6 hours)

The narrow trial makes some minor ups and downs, often dropping onto gravel bars alongside the river then reaches Khorlabesi. There are few houses, fields of tobacco, wheat and buck wheat, a rudimentary shop, small teashop etc., but the main part of village is far above, on the top of the hill. After more ups and downs there is a small trial-side hot spring then the route reaches to Taatopani, there is small shop nearby stone shrine and several spouts of hot water. The trial climbs over another ridge and crosses the Buri Gandaki on a suspension bridge in a state of moderate decay. The path goes through rugged trial  after crossing landslide, few houses, well crafted staircase and you will be at the Jagat. Overnight rest.

Day 4 Jagat to Ghap (6/7 hours)

Climb over a rocky ridge Salley, a settlement of some houses and herders’ hut you can explore superb view of Sringi Himal.The trial continues upstream crosses several mills (Ghatta in Nepali) and pass suspension bridge which looks like it’s in danger of collapse. Then trial goes through Philim, a Gurung village, which is famous for their culture and tradition and the trial descends grassy slopes dotted with tall pine trees and climbs up bamboo forests to the Deng Khola, crossing it on an unstable collection of rocks and logs where the newly constructed trial abruptly ends Then you will be at the Dyang where primarily inhabitated by Gurungs who practice Buddhism.

Further, a short distance beyond Dyang the trial re-crosses the Buri Gandaki onto what is now the north bank, and climbs to Rana in 1980.The trial from bridge climbs on steps past a waterfall. Cross the stream on a crooked wooden bridge, then drop to another stream that follows in a steep, narrow canyon. The trial then goes ups and downs through forests, passing an occasional house or mani walls. The mani wall has particularly elegant carvings (Buddha in various meditative pose) said to have been made by a family of stone   carvers from Bihi Village.

Day 5 Ghap to Namrung (5 hours)

Pass a few houses and three streams in a forest of big firs, alive with birds, including the Danphe, national bird then with ups & downs you will be at the Namrung. There are some interesting rock-hopping exercises stretch  if you want to keep your feet dry. Some caves, villages and mountains are the other attractions of this trial.

Day 6 Rest Day

Day 7 Namrung to Sama

The trial goes up through a forest of firs, rhododendrons and oaks to a promontory and to a stone arch then enters the closely packed houses and wheat fields of Lihi at 2900m. There s a monastery (Gompa) on the side of the trial and another above the village. The spectacular views of the Manaslu, Manaslu north, Naike peak appear at the head of the valley. There is watchtower   where villagers sit whole night to scare bears away from the crops. Lho is a big village with a gompa, a rough stone archway at the entrance and a Tibetan style chorten and hugh mani wall at the western end. A spectacular view of Manaslu can be seen from Kani just above from Lho. Drop down to the Damonan Khola, crossing it on a two-span bridge near some mills, then ascend again. The trial follows the north fork of the stream up for a long distance through damp forests on ground that is neither muddy nor icy, depending on season. The trial emerges onto a plateau at Shyaula with a wide vista of Himalchuli(7983m), Ngadi Chuli(7879m) and Manaslu himal. Cross the ridge and trek in and out of the canyon of the Thosang Khola, then descend onto a rock-strewn moraine.

Day 8 Sama to Samdo (5 hours)

After Samagaon, walk across fields of wheat and buckwheat, past a chorten, to a large yellow Kani with bright, well preserved painting inside. Only the barely and potatoes are the main crops of this place and tradition along with mountains are the attraction of this trial. There is a mani wall near the small stone-roofed school and the closely packed stone houses at Samdo. A major Tibetan trade route heads east through the village and over the Lajyang La at 5098m to Rhee village in Tibet, a day’s walk from here. The sceneries of mountain range and landscape are the attraction of this trial.

Day 9 Rest Day for acclimatization

Day 10 Samdo to Larke Phedi (6 hours)

Descend on a wide, gentle trial from Samdo past many fields to a big, old mani wall and stone archway. Climb gently through tundra and juniper opposite the hugh Larkya glaciers that drops from Manaslu North. Avalanches roar down down from this peak, but the trial is safely out of their path.

Day 11 Larke Phedi to Bhimtang (8/9 hours)

The route starts up from the ridge in front of the Stone Hut, eventually becoming a long, gentle climb beside a morain. Cross a small, descend a bit to a lake, and keep climbing the ridge until you reach the top of the morain at 4690m. The view of this trial is tremendous. The peaks to the west of the pass are Himlung Himal (7126m) Cheo Himal (6820m), Gyaji Kung (7030m) Kang Guru (6981m) and Annapurna II (7937m). The trial descent along the grassy morain, the valley becomes larger, and the trial heads down to a large meadow, a mani wall and a small tea house.

Day 12 Bhimtang to Tilje (6 hours)

The trial descends down and crosses a glacial stream, the head waters of Dudh Khola, on a wooden bridge. After crossing the bridge, the trial headed down through rhododendron & pine forests. Further the trial crosses a landslide, then goes across fields before making a steep climb over a ridge decorated with prayer flags and finally reach at a tea house at Tilje

Day 13 Tilje to Jagat (6 hours)

Climb over a small ridge to the stone paved village street and wind among the closely spaced houses of this large Gurung Village to the communal water tap and cross the Dudh Khola and trek along the river embankment. Trek continues to the south through the steepest part of the Marshyangdi river gorge.

Day 14 Descend to Besisahar and drive to Kathmandu or Pokhara

Jeep available to drive to Besisahar or can make an easy walk up to Besisahar and then drive to Pokhara