Upper and Lower Manaslu Trek

You arrive in Kathmandu at Tribhuvan International Airport where you will be met by your representative of Vertical Expedition and taken to your Three Star Hotel for the evening where you can relax from your long flight.

The Kathmandu Valley is larger than the country of Singapore and the valley contains many interesting cities, villages and sights. It is also home to seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Today we will visit three of the World Heritage Sites; Swayambhu, Boudhanath Stupa and Pashupatinath Temple. All three places emphasize the uniqueness spirituality of the people of Nepal. We will travel by private car with our own English speaking guide. We will overnight in our Three Star Hotel.

We will travel by private land cruiser to the village of Soti Khola on the banks of the Budhi Gandaki River. We leave Kathmandu, crossing over the pass before dropping down and following along the Trisuli River until we cross the bridge to Dhading Besi. Our road gets narrower and eventually we find ourselves on a local road. We will pass through the village of Arughat Bazar, the last major village of any size before we enter into the Manaslu region. We will drive farther until the end of the road at Soti Khola where we will spend the night in a local tea house. Travel time is around 6 – 7 hours.

This is our first day of trekking and we are making our way north following along the Budhi Gandaki River. Our journey takes us past hot springs that ooze right out of the cliff and drip on the trail. The trail is busy here as there is a larger local population. That will be changing over the next couple of days as we get farther and farther from Arughat. We will spend the night in the multi-tiered village of Machhakholagaon at a good guest house with good local food. Trekking time is 6 – 7 hours.

The trail goes up hills and down others, past many walls while donkey trains come by with their bells jingling to announce their arrival. There are monkeys and languor jumping in the trees. Our destination is the village of Jagat which is a stone village with beautiful stone streets where we will spend the night in a local guest house. Trekking time is around 6 hours.

Just north of Jagat is the longest single suspension bridge over any river in Nepal. We will climb upwards to the pretty little village of Philim with its great views of the valley below. We will follow along the path that hugs the cliff, watching eagles soar on thermals overhead. The area becomes largely uninhabited as we walk along the edge of the gorge. From here, we will come to the junction with a right for taking one to Tsum Valley. We will choose the left fork as we follow now a much smaller Budhi Gandaki River as we enter now dark bamboo forests on our way to the village of Deng. Trekking time is 5 – 6 hours, and we will stay at a local lodge.

We start to gain some serious elevation today as the trail is now moving upwards. We pass streams, waterfalls, and by a number of villages. Our goal is the village of Namrung, which is inhabited by the Thakali people The local architecture is changing, become more typical of the area where several houses are gathered around a common courtyard with animals on the ground floor and people upstairs. We will spend the night in a local lodge. Trekking time is 5 – 6 hours.

We climb some more today, passing many walls and trekking through dark forests of rhododendron, fir and oak. Here we will see fields with platforms in the middle. These were constructed in order for the people to keep watch out for bears and other animals that threatened their crops. In a harsh land, the loss of crops to a hungry bear can mean starvation in the long, cold winters. There are excellent views today of the various peaks of the Manaslu range. We are now in a world of yaks, pastures and houses. We will spend two nights in Samagaon in order to acclimatize as well as to enjoy the great views from up here. Trekking time is 6 – 7 hours

We will take a day hike to Manaslu Base Camp (elevation 4400 m) and back which will bring us some great views, plus prepare our bodies for the higher elevations. The view from Manaslu Base Camp is outstanding! However, those who want to choose to rest this day can do so. There are still great views from Samagoan. Trekking time is 6 – 7 hours.

We are returning along the same route as we make our way back toward the lower trail. We get to go downhill now, enjoying the incredible mountain scenery as we plan to spend the night in Namrung. Trekking time is 5 – 6 hours.

We are making our way down the trail, following along the Budhi Gandaki river where we will spend the night in Dang. Trekking time is 5 – 6 hours

We come to the bridge over the Syar River as we make our way past the Tsum Valley trail and now rise high above the Budhi Gandaki. We walk along the Cliffside trail until we come to the village of Philim, and then downhill to cross river to lodge for the night in Jagat. Trekking time is 5 – 6 hours

We have an easier trail today, following along Mani Walls as we make our way to Machhakholagaon for the night. The name of this place means fish river village and we can enjoy a fish dinner tonight. Trekking time is 6 – 7 hours and we will spend the night in a nice lodge.

We are climbing upwards today as we make our way now into the Lower Manaslu region. The scenery changes as we can see Mt. Manaslu and the Ganesh Himal Mountain range from a different angle. The people here are primarily from the Gurung caste, and we will experience a very different culture. Our destination is the picturesque village of Laprak, built onto the side of the cliff. The village was destroyed by the 2015 earthquake, and is now being rebuilt. We will stay in a local lodge for the night. Trekking time is 6 – 7 hours.

Barpak is really more like a small city as it has a population of around 10,000 people. It is built onto the side of a hill, overlooking the snowcapped peak of Boudha Himal which rises to the north. There are some good local restaurants along with an interesting gompa on the hillside. If we have time, we can visit the local museum that honors the first Gurkha soldier to win the Victoria Cross in WWI. You will notice the large homes here; built by those who are retired from the British Army and Gurkha Soldiers. We will spend the night at a local lodge or tea house. Trekking time is 6 – 7 hours.

We return to today by private vehicle to Kathmandu. The road is gravel down the mountain and then follows the Daudanda River until it reaches the main highway south of Gorkha and then back to Kathmandu. The road from Barpak down to the Daudanda River is closed from July to mid-October due to landslides from the monsoon season. If we are trekking during that time, we will have to trek down to Baluwa village to pick up our vehicle.

Today we will visit two cities outside of Kathmandu but in the Valley: Patan and Bhaktapur. Both cities were once their own kingdoms before the conquest of the valley by the king of Gorkha in 1769. They retain their own royal palace, culture, art, museums and some incredible temples. Should we have to hike to Baluwa from Barpak, then this day will be traveling back to Kathmandu. In the evening, enjoy a farewell dinner and cultural show. Overnight at our Three Star Hotel.

All good things must come to an end, and today, it is time to travel to your next destination. Your representative at Vertical Expedition can help you to plan your future trip as well as to other destinations around South Asia. Be sure to talk to your representative before leaving Kathmandu about a return trip to this great country. As they say, a lifetime is never enough to explore all that Nepal and the Himalayas have to offer.