Manaslu Region Trekking

Manaslu Region Trekking

Trekking around Manaslu and Tsum Valley is amongst the great walks of the Himalayas with a bit of adventure. This three-week great walk offers incredible scenery of the Himalayas, including Ganesh Himal, Manaslu, and Annapurna.

The trip begins from Kathmandu with a Jeep drive to Jagat and starts the walking through several Gurung villages and entering the secret valley of Tsum, hidden from the outside world of modernization, a Shangri-la, opened to trekkers only in 2008. The people of Tsum, the Tsumbas, are about 4000 in number, and much of their trade is with the Kyirong region of Tibet, which lies across two passes at the head of the Shyar Khola (east river) Valley. The fabulous views in the valley are of the Ganesh Himal, Sringi Hima, Baudha Himal and Himalchuli. Buddhist saints Milarepa and Guru Rinpoche have visited the Tsum; therefore, it is considered a Beyul or hidden land. An important month-long pilgrimage route, the Kyimalung Circuit, runs through the Tsum Valley. This secret and sacred valley has several sacred sites, such as the Piren Phu (Pigeon Cave or the Milarepa’s Cave) near Burj village and several ancient monasteries such as Rachen Nunnery, Mu Monastery, Gumba Lungdang Nunnery and the villages of Chumling, Chhule, Chhekampar and Nile. The Tsum Valley trek ends by rejoining the Manaslu circuit trail at Lakuwa/Lokpa/Lokwa and continuing the Manaslu circuit.

The grand and lofty mountains of Manaslu, Bouddha Himal, Himal Chuli and Ganesh Himal dominate the Manaslu circuit trekking trail. The main villages of Manaslu, such as Lo, Sama Gaon, and Samdu, lie above the tree lines on the trail to Manaslu base camp, Larke La Pass 5,135m, and the Tibet border.

Mount Manaslu, called Kutang Kang in the local language, stands as the world’s 8th highest mountain on the earth, at an altitude of 8,163 metres, first conquered by a Japanese Expedition on May 9th 1956. Feared by the Khampa movement, the Tibetan separatist, the higher area of Manaslu was closed to visitors. The Manaslu area is bordered by Tibet and easily crosses both sides and is an old Trans Himalayan Salt and Caravan Trail of Nepal/Tibet.

The Larke La, at 5,135 metres, is the main pass that separates the Manaslu and Manang Marshyangdi Valley. After the Larke La, a long descent takes you back into the lush forests of rhododendron, oaks, pines and fir, and you reach the road head at Dharapani, where the Manaslu trail and Annapurna circuit trail meets or separate! After spending a night at Dharapani, extending the Annapurna circuit trek, Besisahar, or driving to Kathmandu are options.

If you extend the trek to Besisahar, the sceneries of the lower valley, through the gorges of Marshayngdi River Valley, are impressive and accordingly, the cultural life, different ethnic groups living together in harmony.