Situated between the Himalayan peaks of Langtang and the Annapurnas are the less-visited regions of Ganesh Himal and Manaslu Himal. These two massive ranges encompass the trekkers’ paradise of both the Manaslu circuit and the hidden Tsum Valley. The Manaslu Circuit offers stunning views of the great peaks of Himalachuu, Ngadi, Manaslu, and the Larkya Himal, as well as the eastern giants of the Annapurnas, Lamjung, Annapurna II, and Kang Guru.
A myriad of lesser-known, but equally spectacular, peaks add to the fiesta of snowy summits. Several picturesque monasteries provide the main focus for the communities in these isolated pastures. Dominating the whole Tsum region are the stupendous faces of Ganesh Himal, Shringi Himal, and their spectacular, tumbling glaciers.
The Manaslu and Tsum region is one of Nepal’s last Himalayan jewels to behold; a glittering array of panoramas, peaks, and peaceful valleys awaits the adventurous explored, however, as magnificent as the mountains are, it is perhaps the people of Nepal who are its greatest asses.
They are hardworking, boisterous, industrious, endearing, brimming with humor, versatile, vibrant, and hungry for change just like most people across our planet. Progress will surely begin to change the region as new dirt roads begin to snake along the deep gorges. Trekkers visiting Manaslu and Tsum are sure to be smitten by these magical places.
While on the trek take a trip back in time while visiting the ancient monasteries, gumpas, and stupas. Get a spiritual connection at Mu Gompa which is one of the largest monasteries situated at 3,700 meters. Walk through the land of the mani walls and untouched Tibetan culture. Explore the Tibet Border Rui La and get an experience of the local culture, traditions, livelihood, and hospitality.
The trek is filled with scenic beauty, landscapes, picturesque valleys, and villages. Similarly, the nature of the Manaslu region is unique. There are many attractions of Manaslu with Tsum Valley Trek. Here in this section, we have highlighted a few of the major attraction points of the region:
The trail of the Manaslu with Tsum Valley Trek is less crowded compared to other trekking routes in Nepal. It has an off-the-beaten-path trail. The route is remote and less frequented. Hence, nature and wilderness are untouched and serene. It is great for nature enthusiasts looking to experience tranquil nature. Trekkers will walk through the forests of rhododendrons, oaks, and alpine meadows. Similarly, they can also pass by the serene rivers and Himalayan glaciers. They will also get the chance to walk on the suspension bridges and the world’s highest pass. Trekkers can also observe stunning mountain views while on the trek.
The trek to Manaslu with Tsum Valley begins from the Manaslu Conservation Area. Trekkers can witness vegetation from subtropical forests to highland pastures. The conservation area is also home to endangered species like red panda, Himalayan tahr, etc. It provides the opportunity to witness the flora, wildlife, and various bird species. Similarly, the Manaslu Conservation Area also includes the Manaslu and Ganesh Himal mountain ranges. Trekking through the conservation area, one can experience the serene and untouched nature. They can also view the stunning mountains and diverse landscapes.
Mu Gompa is a Buddhist monastery situated in the Tsum Valley. It is a hidden gem of the Manaslu region. The monastery is Tsum Valley’s oldest and largest monastery. In addition to its historical significance, Mu Gompa holds religious and cultural importance for the local Tibetan communities of the region. Tsum Valley has preserved its centuries-old Tibetan Buddhist culture. Mu Gompa has played a significant role in preserving the region’s cultural heritage. The monastery is decorated with intricate murals and prayer flags. Mu Gompa provides spiritual and cultural experiences along with majestic mountain views.
During the Manaslu with Tsum Valley Trek, trekkers will trek through the high mountain pass, Larkya La. Situated at an elevation of 5,160 meters, the pass provides breathtaking panoramic views of Mount Manaslu, Cheo Himal, Himlung Himal, Kang Guru, and several other peaks.
The Manaslu with Tsum Valley Trek also provides a unique cultural experience and interaction. The region is home to different ethnic groups. The majority of communities in Tsum Valley belong to the Tsumba. There are also Tibetan communities living in the region. Tibetan Buddhism influences the region’s culture, tradition, and lifestyle. The houses have unique architecture and cultural heritage.
Similarly, the trekkers can also get a glimpse of the traditional attire and accessories (Tibetan style). It also provides opportunities to witness the handicrafts of the local communities including weaving and traditional art. Likewise, it is also a great opportunity to get a taste of the local hospitality and local cuisine.
On the first day of this exciting journey, you will land in the capital of Nepal, a city of temples, Kathmandu. Upon your arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport, the representative of Adventure Walkway will be there to welcome you and assist in your transfer to the pre-booked hotel in Kathmandu. After you are settled and refreshed, we’ll meet for a briefing and short rundown about the trip. During the evening, you’ll be invited for a Welcome dinner of typical Nepali cuisine as our warm welcome and overnight stay and rest at the hotel before the challenging journey that tomorrow brings.
Kathmandu is an ancient city full of unique arts and artifacts, one day is not enough to cover the whole city. After Breakfast at the hotel in Kathmandu, we will take you for a cultural sightseeing tour of Kathmandu Valley which includes Kathmandu Durbar Square, Monkey Temple, Pashupatinath Temple, and Boudhanath Stupa and your tour will include visits to UNESCO declared world heritage sites as you get to see thrilling historic monuments where the echoes of royal conspiracies & tragedy still ring in the corridors of these ancient symbols of a once-upon-a-time thrilling history that still lives on to this day. In the evening you will meet your trek leader and have a briefing on the whole course of the trip and you will have some time to shop for your trekking gear if you need it.
Our out-of-valley journey starts today. We wake up early in the morning and catch a bus to Soti Khola. We’ll drive through the blacktopped highway and see green hills, terrace farming, rivers, and amazing landscapes. The landscape starts changing as we leave the big cities and enter small towns. The drive is about 7-8 hours. Soti Khola is a small settlement of indigenous tribes of Gurung and Magars near the river names ‘Soti’. Overnight at lodge. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Our official trek starts today. After having a warm breakfast, we start walking. We cross a few suspension bridges over Budi Gandaki and Soti Khola today. The trails pass through the forest of sal. Moving forward, we walk through a rugged path that passes through some tropical waterfalls, cliffs, and terrace fields. A stunning northeast view of Ganesh Himal will be with us throughout our walk. Overnight at lodge. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
We ease through Khorlabesi during the early part of the day and make our way to Tatopani, famed for its natural hot springs. A precipitous climb takes us up to Dobhan as we enter the Manaslu Conservation area and on to the scenic village of Jagat and its rugged setting and narrow paved lanes. We start with our day with a warm breakfast and a stunning view of the vistas. Our trail starts through Khorlabesi and reaches up to the Tatopani, a natural hot spring. We enter Manaslu Conservation Area today, the walk the steep and rugged to the Jagat. Overnight at Lodge. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
We start our day with a warm breakfast with a stunning view of Shringi Himal. Our walk today is pleasant as we walk by the river bank for a while. We come across many suspension bridges and waterfalls today. We also enter the restricted area of Tsum Valley today. Overnight at Lodge. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner).
Our day starts with breakfast. We start today’s walk by descending to a stream and then hike uphill through the pine and rhododendron forests. We come across another settlement and cross the stream to reach Chumling. Overnight at Chumling. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner).
Our day starts with a warm breakfast and glorious views of the Ganesh Himal. You will witness the changing landscapes and natural ambiance. The untouched Tibetan culture and their typical lifestyle will commence. The day finishes off with our arrival at Chhokangparo, the largest settlement in the valley. It is an outstanding spot of green landscapes and waterfalls. The houses are made of stone, mud, and clay. Also, the early morning sunrise at Chhokang Paro is much blissful. Overnight at Lodge. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Today is the most special day of our trek as we visit the Mu Gompa. We’ll walk by the bank of Tsum – the Chu river and walk closer to the Tibetan border. The trail is an uphill walk and steep, however, every step we take toward Mu Gompa is worth it. Mu Gompa is the most beautiful part of Tsum Valley Trek. Situated at 3700m, Mu Gompa is the largest monastery and the highest point of the trek. It represents the land of the ancient Mani wall, unspoiled Tibetan cultures, gumbas, stupas, caves, nunnery, and mani walls. Overnight at lodge. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner).
After spending the night at the nunnery of Mu Gompa, we trace our way back to Chhokang Paro. We re-tour from Mu Gompa as far as the village of Lar then take an alternate route back to Chhokangparo via Rachen Gompa, home to the valley’s most famous nunnery. Overnight at lodge. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
After having our breakfast, we move downhill on a narrow track visa the small settlements and crossing the wooden suspension bridge over Shiar Khola. We ascend steeply on an unclear path through pines and rhododendrons. The walking trail is full of mani walls, chortens, and prayer flags. Gompa Lungdang is a small nunnery located in the foothills of the Himalayas. We’ll be mesmerized by the Ganesh Himal range and other vistas. Overnight at gompa Lungdang. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Today, we hike up to the Ganesh Himal Base Camp and return to Gompa walking on the vertical, icy, and slick paths of Torogumba Glacier, we arrive in Torogumba Kharka before reaching Ganesh Himal Base Camp. From the base camp, a breathtaking view of the Ganesh Himal range can be observed. Later, hike back to Gumba Lungdang and attend the night puja. Overnight at Gumba Lungdang.
Our return path takes the alternative route towards Ripchet, which gives us a new and fulfilling standpoint on the scenery as we make it overnight.
Our day starts with a warm breakfast. Today, we leave the surreal Tsum Valley and put all our focus on the Manaslu region and Larke La Pass. We descend some 600m down to Deng. Overnight at Lodge. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
We start our day with a warm breakfast. The walk is steady through the forest of sal, rhododendrons, pines, and oak. We ascend towards Ghap and start gaining altitude. The climb to Namrung gets quite steep as we get closer. Overnight in lodge. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
We start our day with a warm breakfast. We then start the walk to our first destination for the morning is the scenic village of Lho with its gorgeous views of Manaslu and Rebung Gompa perched atop a hillside nearby. From Lho we hike to the equally impressive village of Shyala and its own spectacular vistas, then climb steadily through yak pasturelands to Sama Gaun. Overnight at lodge. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Today we take a rest and get familiarized with the altitude. We take a short day trip to the pretty lake of Birendra Taal nearby, the highly gratifying and dramatic hike to Manaslu Base camp, or the other walk to Pungen Gompa and its tranquil environment amidst the mountains.
We start our day with a warm breakfast. The trail from Samagaon to Samdo crosses relatively flat land, although at this elevation even the smallest hillock seems an effort. The village of Samdo was established during the 1950s Chinese moved to Tibet. The people were originally from Ro, a Tibetan region close to the border. Overnight at Lodge. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Today is the acclimatization day and we take a side trip to the Tibet border Rui la. The countryside is bleak and barren but has that certain mystical charm that so inexplicably endears visitors to the Tibetan landscapes. Overnight at Lodge. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Leaving Samdo, the trail skirts the fields and drops to cross the Budi Gandaki for the last time before heading west. We take a short hike in the nearby village to get familiar with the altitude and sleep better at the night. Overnight at Lodge. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
The big day has arrived, and we wake up early in the morning. The trail goes through the ablation valley on the north side of the Larkya Glaciers, a particularly awesome and dread-locked region. However, despite this forbidding aspect, the mountains, are sensational the whole way to Bhimthang. In the morning, the views are exceptional, with Himlunng and Cheo Himal northwards and the snowy ramparts of Manaslu, with its constant companion. It takes 4-5 hours to reach Larkya la Pass (5160m) from Dharamsala. For those who still have any breath here, the views from the top will take it all away. After spending some time here, we descend to Bhimthang. Overnight at Lodge. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Today is the last day of our trek. With the spectacular views of the Manaslu and Annapurna ranges, we descend from Bhimthang through yak grasslands. One of the most beautiful stretches of the forest of rhododendron, spruce, oak, cedar, juniper, and birch on the whole trek graces the morning descent. We reach a small settlement called Tilje where a variety of people belonging to different ethnicity as Ghale, Gurung, Tibetan, and Chhetri live. Dharapani is about 2 hour uphill walk from Tilje. Dharapani is a junction to start Annapurna Circuit Trek. Overnight at Dharapani (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
We have completed our trek of Manaslu and Tsum Valley today. We drive to Kathmandu today, or, we can also drive to Pokhara for relaxing in the city of lakes. Overnight the hotel (Breakfast)
The trip ends, and our Airport Representative will drop you at the Tribhuvan International Airport for your final flight departure from Nepal.
We offer fixed departure dates. If these dates are not suitable for you or if you prefer to schedule your own departure, please contact us.
Since the trek route lies in a remote area, do not expect to find luxurious accommodations. There are mostly tea houses and lodges available along the trail. These accommodations provide basic facilities with limited amenities. They provide a basic room, usually on a twin-sharing basis with a bed, blanket, and clean sheet pillows. Similarly, these accommodations usually have shared bathrooms and shared communal dining areas.
Although they are basic, these accommodations are comfortable and cozy. The accommodations provide you with basic meals of Nepali cuisine, Dal Bhat. The meal consists of rice, lentil soups, vegetables, meat, etc. At higher elevations, accommodations usually charge extra for hot showers, internet, power bank charging, heaters, etc.
Adventure Walkway Manaslu with Tsum Valley Trek package includes accommodation and meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) during the trek. The accommodation is on a twin-sharing basis. The package does not include any drinks during the trip, hot showers, and personal expenses.
The Manaslu with Tsum Valley Trek is a moderately difficult trek. Manaslu region lies in a restricted area and the trail goes through remote areas of the region. As the trail gradually ascends, the hike starts to become quite strenuous. Trekkers have to climb up and down some narrow paths. So, trekkers have to prepared to face the physical challenges. The weather also becomes unpredictable as trekkers move to the higher elevations. Therefore, proper equipment preparation is also important.
The trekkers have to be prepared to walk anywhere from 6 to 7 hours daily during the trek. The elevation also poses difficulty during the Manaslu with Tsum Valley Trek. The highest point of the trek is at an elevation of 5,160 meters. So, it is common for trekkers to contract altitude-related sickness. The trekkers will go from low elevation to high in a short period which further increases the risk. Thus, proper acclimatization is required to minimize the risks. Adequate hydration, good sleep, and avoiding alcoholic beverages, and tobacco during trek are some other ways to minimize altitude sickness.
The Manaslu with Tsum Valley Trek is moderately difficult. However, it has its fair share of physically challenging terrains. Adventure Walkway prioritizes their trekkers’ safety and guarantees them. The guides are experts with many years of experience. They also have the required training to handle any emergencies. They also carry the proper gear and first aid kits.
Trekkers need to have a good level of fitness for the Manaslu with Tsum Valley Trek. The trail can get rugged, and rocky, and there are some steep sections. Similarly, trekkers have to climb uphill and downhill. Trekkers should train and prepare themselves a few weeks before the trek.
Yes, trekkers need to have travel insurance for the trek. The insurance covers medical emergencies. There are limited medical facilities in the Himalayas. Hence, in case of serious injury and illness, evacuation might be necessary. Travel insurance helps to cover the cost of such emergency medical treatments.
The highest point trekkers will reach during the Manaslu with Tsum Valley Trek is at Larkya La Pass. It is situated at an elevation of 5,160 meters (16,929 feet). Due to the high altitude, there is a high risk of altitude sickness. Proper acclimatization and precaution play a pivotal role in reducing the risk of the sickness.
For the Manaslu with Tsum Valley Trek, trekkers will require a TIMS (Trekkers Information Management System) Card, Manaslu Restricted Area Permit, Tsum Valley Restricted Area Permit, and Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP). The permits are available in Kathmandu. The Adventure Walkway package comes with all the permits.