Manaslu Region
The Annapurna Circuit as it was thirty years ago — restricted, roadless and Tibetan.
Trekking in the Manaslu Region
The Manaslu Circuit follows the Budhi Gandaki river from subtropical gorge country at 900m to the Tibetan border region, circles the eighth-highest mountain on earth, and crosses Larke La at 5,106m into the Marsyangdi valley. Trekkers who walked the Annapurna Circuit before the road usually describe Manaslu as what Annapurna used to be.
The cultural transition is as dramatic as the altitude. The lower valley is Hindu and Gurung; by Namrung and Lho you are in Tibetan Buddhist territory, and at Samagaon you are two days' walk from the border looking straight up at the north face of Manaslu. The Tsum Valley branch, sealed to outsiders until 2008, adds a Tibetan Buddhist enclave where a valley-wide non-violence vow means the wildlife shows almost no fear of people.
Manaslu and Tsum are restricted areas. A licensed guide, a minimum of two trekkers and government restricted-area permits are mandatory by law — which is exactly why the trail has stayed quiet.
Treks in the Manaslu Region
Manaslu Circuit Trek – 14 Days
Fourteen days circling Manaslu, the world's eighth-highest mountain, crossing Larke La at 5,106m. The Annapurna Circuit as it was thirty years ago.
Manaslu Circuit with Tsum Valley Trek – 19 Days
Nineteen days combining the Manaslu Circuit with the Tsum Valley — a sealed Tibetan Buddhist enclave where hunting has been forbidden by sacred vow for centuries.