Manaslu Lodge Circuit

• Three nights in standard hotels, 13 nights in teahouses and one night in three-person sharing huts
• 14 days of point-to-point walking with full porterage
• Group normally 4 to 16, plus leader and local staff (staff to client ratio of 1:4 on trek). Minimum age: 16
• Altitude maximum: 16,830ft (5,130m); average: 8,860ft (2,700m)
• Between five and eight hours of walking per day; the Larkya La day is approximately 11 hours of walking
• Staff carry oxygen and a first-aid kit on trek
• 19 October 2023 and 17 October 2024 led by Valerie Parkinson, Wanderlust World Guide Awards winner 2021

Breakfast is included throughout the trip. In teahouses, breakfast comprises a choice of bread (a slice of toast, chapatti or Tibetan bread), a choice of egg (boiled, fried or omelette), and a choice between either muesli or porridge each day. Hot tea/coffee is also served. On specific days, there will not be a choice for breakfast and either a trekkers breakfast (egg, hash brown, baked beans and toast) or a pancake with jam/honey is served – these options are not available in all teahouses and so we have only included them in locations where they can be guaranteed. You may also be able to supplement your included breakfast with additional items on the teahouse menu should you wish, additional items that are not included in the set menu should be ordered and paid for separately. Please note, some more remote teahouses/lodges are unable to provide an extensive menu due to irregular delivery schedules and during periods of bad weather or a high volume of trekkers, there may be a more limited menu choice. Lunch is at a teahouse en route – sometimes one of your guides will go ahead with the group’s order to make it more expedient. Dinner is in the same teahouse you sleep at (this is custom in Nepal as teahouses base their room rate on it). Although most lodges have almost identical menus, they are reasonably extensive and offer a varied selection, ranging from traditional Nepalese dhal bhat to pizza and apple pie. Dhal bhat is the staple diet in Nepal and comes in many different forms but generally comprises some curried lentils and meat or vegetables, some rice, and a pickle/chutney. Another popular snack is momos, a Nepalese dumpling, fried or steamed and filled with meat or vegetables. Although meat is available in the teahouses, we advise against eating it on trek. The meat has often been carried in the heat from lower altitudes for several days before reaching the lodges and can cause stomach upsets or illness. If you have a gluten-free diet, we strongly recommend you bring extra food and snacks with you to supplement the food on trek as there will be little variety available for you, particularly for breakfast. Even many of the soups are powdered and contain gluten. Gluten-free breakfast options will be limited to vegetable fried rice and a choice of egg, and on specific days only, a trekkers breakfast (without the toast/with an extra egg) will be served. Breakfast options for vegans will be limited to a choice of muesli/porridge with water each day, and on specific days only, a trekkers breakfast (without the egg), or vegetable fried rice will be served. If you are lactose intolerant, the same will apply although you will also have a choice of egg each day. If you buy imported food and drink on trek, you will spend more than the suggested amount. Drinking water Staying hydrated is important when undertaking any physical activity but particularly so at altitude where it is generally recommended to drink at least 100floz-135floz (3-4 litres) per day. However, we strongly encourage you not to buy bottled water on trek as this contributes to the growing problem of plastic pollution in Nepal. The teahouses sell boiled water for approximately 150-300 (US$1.15-US$2.30) per litre (the price increases the higher you trek) which should not require treating. This is also perfect for a bedtime refill as it can double up as a hot-water bottle. Alternatively, all teahouses provide cold water for free, if requested. This should not be drunk untreated, so we recommend you bring a reusable bottle and an effective form of water treatment. There are a wide range of products available that are more effective than the traditional purification tablets – we recommend talking to an outdoor retailer for the latest advice as technologies are improving all the time. Make sure to check the product’s performance in cold/freezing conditions and consider battery life (lithium batteries are best in cold conditions). Handheld UV filters such as a Steripen are very effective, can treat 33floz (1 litre) of water in a couple of minutes and the water is ready immediately – look for lightweight lithium battery models and remember you need to bring a wide-mouthed bottle for use with these devices. There are also an array of water filter and purifier bottles on the market but be wary of their weight, bottles with a small capacity and the product’s performance in freezing conditions. Exodus has partnered with Water-to-Go, a filtration system that eliminates over 99.99% of all microbiological contaminants from any non-saltwater source – please visit Water-to-Go for more information. Exodus customers can claim 15% off their first order and, better still, 15% of the purchase value will be donated to the Exodus Travels Foundation. Please note that if the water freezes it will clog up the filter – in this event, defrost before use by sitting the filter in lukewarm water for 10-15 minutes.

The main trekking season in Nepal is from October to mid-May when daytime temperatures at most altitudes are generally comfortable for walking, the sky is clear much of the time, and rain and snow are occasional occurrences. Daytime temperatures vary from 15C to 35C (59F to 95F) in the Kathmandu Valley to around 10C (50C) at 11,810ft (3,600m) and progressively lower the higher we go. Different seasons offer different advantages for trekking:

Post monsoon/autumn: Mid-September to November. This is the main trekking season in Nepal. Day temperatures in Kathmandu are generally above 20C (68F). For the first few days of the trek, at the lower altitudes, the temperatures can be very hot (up to 30C/86F) and it can be very humid. Once you are over 6,560ft (2,000m), temperatures are more pleasant. Skies are usually clear and days on trek are sunny and mild with clear mountain views. Nights will be colder with temperatures dropping to -5C (23F) or lower at the higher altitudes.

Pre-monsoon: March to May. Both day and night temperatures are warmer in general but haze will often build up in the afternoons. It is very hot and humid at the start and end of the trek at the lower altitudes and temperatures rise to 30C/35C (86F/95F) in Kathmandu and the lower parts of the trek. Flowers bloom in this season and this is one of the reasons people chose to trek in spring.

The crossing of the Larkya La is cold at any time of year. There is sometimes a high wind over the pass, which makes the crossing extremely cold and you must have adequate protection for very low temperatures for this section. There is sometimes snow and ice on the pass. You need to be prepared for this. We recommend you carry yaktrax/microspikes in case of snow on the pass.

Snow can be expected on any departure, usually at the higher altitudes above Samdo.

In any mountain area, the weather is never wholly predictable and you should be prepared and equipped to deal with any differences in weather beyond the conditions described above.

This trip is rated Activity Level 5 (Challenging), mainly due to the varied and changeable terrain.

It’s a lodge-based trek with 14 days of walking and full porterage throughout – you need only carry your backpack. A description of our Activity Levels is on our website.

The itinerary is very well staged for acclimatisation. There are some long days at the lower altitudes; as we get higher, the days are shorter to allow for acclimatisation. The maximum altitude is 16,830ft (5,130m), and the average is approximately 8,860ft (2,700m). As this trip spends considerable time at altitude, we ask you to refer to the altitude warning within the Trip Notes.

Much of this trek is on established trails and is within the capabilities of a fit and experienced walker. The first half of the trek is at low altitude with approximately five to eight hours of walking a day on reasonably well-maintained trails. However, it can be very hot, dusty and humid at the lower altitudes (especially in spring) and there are some narrow and steep sections on the trails, which may not be suitable for those with a strong fear of heights. The crossing of the Larkya La is over rough, rocky glacial moraine and some of the descent is very steep. The day over the pass is approximately 11 to 12 hours. You should be a confident walker and be comfortable walking for five to eight hours a day, with an occasional longer day. The trails in the Manaslu region are less well-used than those in the Everest and Annapurna regions and are often rocky and uneven, requiring steady footing and concentration. This area was quite badly affected by an earthquake in 2015. Many of the trails have now been repaired but there are still landslides to cross and there may be changes to the descriptions below based on the seasonal monsoon weather bringing the potential for further landslides.

The trail crosses numerous modern suspension bridges over rivers and valleys, all with mesh sides. Anyone with a strong fear of heights or vertigo may find them difficult.

You may find our Walking & Trekking Fitness Training Guide a useful reference.

To help you better prepare for your Nepal trip, please also see our Nepal Destination Guide.

Why Trek with Exodus?

More than 30 years’ experience organising treks in Nepal.

‘Ask an expert’ – talk to Exodus staff who have done the treks themselves.

Experienced English-speaking local leaders who are qualified in first aid and trained in recognising and dealing with altitude sickness.

One of the highest staff-to-client ratios on trek – one staff memberto every four

All staff (leaders, guides and porters) are fully insured and paid a fair wage.

Carefully planned ascent rates and itineraries with built-in acclimatisation and contingency days.

Staff carry oxygen and a first-aid kit.

Self-assessment AMS cards used to monitor every client at altitude.

Walking hours stated within the itinerary are given as approximates only. Timings stated exclude lunch stops and vary depending on the group’s pace.

Nepal flight safety

Many of our treks in Nepal use domestic flights to reach the trekking areas. The mountainous Nepalese terrain is subject to changeable weather, which makes flying conditions complex and challenging and, unfortunately, there are significantly more incidents here than in other countries, including fatalities. The EU highlighted the poor safety record in Nepal in 2013 by including all Nepalese-registered airlines on the EU banned list, which prevents them from flying in EU airspace. While no Nepalese-registered airlines currently fly within the EU, the EU instigated this ban to highlight the risk of flying in Nepal to EU citizens. These airlines are unlikely to be members of any internationally recognised safety audit systems and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) of Nepal does not operate to the same standards as those of Western nations.

Flying within Nepal is therefore a known risk and we strongly encourage you to consider this carefully before booking. We suggest you refer to the following sources:

The current travel advice for Nepal issued by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

The Air Safety Network entry for Nepal

In response to concerns over this safety record, Exodus arranges for independent air-safety auditors to visit Nepal annually to assess the suitability of the available carriers. We then restrict our use to only those approved as part of this audit. In emergency situations, we will need to use helicopters, so we also have a list of approved helicopter carriers. Should concerns arise regarding the safety of an airline on our approved list, we will remove the carrier from the list immediately, and it would only be reinstated once our air-safety auditors are confident the airline meets acceptable safety standards.

We appreciate you may have concerns about flying within Nepal, so we ask that you consider all the information above when deciding to book this trip.