Manaslu Circuit Trek Difficulty

Manaslu Circuit Trek Difficulty holds many adventurers from embarking on this wholesome adventure. It’s either because they don’t know much about the trek’s difficulty level or they don’t dare to embark on an adventure to Manaslu. Various factors along the trek make it a difficult one at times. But is it a demanding trek? Can a fit person embark on the Manaslu Circuit Trek in 2025? We’ll cover most of the topics that go into making this trek demanding at times.

In short, the Manaslu Circuit Trek isn’t as difficult a trek as many consider it to be. Instead, it’s a moderate-grade trek with few challenging sections, like crossing Larke La. Fair, Larke La isn’t a demanding mountain pass to cross. What makes Manaslu a demanding trek at times is the long walking distance. Unlike popular treks like Everest Base Camp Trek and Annapurna Circuit Trek, trekking in Manaslu Circuit, you’ll walk at least 7 hours each day. But the good part of the all-day walk is less steep ascends. Sounds mixed? So is the Manaslu. It’s neither demanding nor easy. But, it’s a wholesome adventure in the Himalayas, which, at times, tests you.

Manaslu Circuit Trek Difficulty Breakdown

Here’s how we’ve organized this blog for you.

First, we’ll guide you through the difficult aspects of the trek including:

• demanding sections
• walking distance each day
• altitude sickness and acclimatization
• seasonal impacts (weather and temperature)

Later on in the blog, we’ve put the ways to overcome the challenges this trek poses. We’ve covered the topics like:

• physical fitness requirements
• high-altitude trek experience
• appropriate trekking gears
• trekking with experts
• acclimatization
• itinerary customization

Let’s go through each topic in detail and understand what it takes to plan, prepare yourself, embark, and accomplish a trek like Manaslu Circuit.

Note: Our trek manager wrote this blog with his firsthand trek experience in Manaslu. Thus, all the information published here is authentic.

Difficult sections in Manaslu Circuit

A few sections in Manaslu Circuit are demanding but not extreme.

The most challenging part of the Manaslu Circuit Trek is the walk from Dharmashala to Larke La and a tea house section near Bimthang. Moreover, the seasonal impact can make a huge difference in making this part more demanding.

Usually, the Larke Pass remains calm. However, in December, April, and May, the strong wind adds up to the challenges.The most noticeable challenge is the extreme cold. A windy day at Larke La can make you cry and tumble with a temperature less than -25˚C.

Moreover, the snowfall adds more challenges to navigating along the trail.

To visit Pongkar Lake, you’ll need to cross a glacier. And the walk over the glacier can get tiring and tricky.

Apart from Larke La, the walk from Deng to Namrung and Namrung to Shyala is tiring. These sections have few steep ascends but shorter ones.

The visits to Pung Gyen Gompa from Shyala and Manaslu Base Camp from Sama Gaon are tiring and demanding to some extent. It’s natural here that the high altitude makes it hard for you to catch the usual breath and walking pace.

Walking Distance

The length of the Manaslu Circuit is 177 kilometers (110 miles). If you divide this distance by the number of walking days, it averages to 15 km each day.

Thus, every day in Manaslu Circuit Trek is a long walking day. And if the trek’s difficulty is within walking distance, it’s difficult.

The walk from Jagat to Deng, Deng to Namrung, and Namrung to Shyala are the longest ones. The walking distance on these sections is close to 20 kilometers, taking 7-8 hours at most. The shortest walk is four hours from Samdo to Dharmashala.

Due to the long walking distance, the trek can get demanding for you if you can’t walk all day. Thus, if you’re a trekker who can’t walk long distances, the 11-day Manaslu Circuit Trek isn’t for you. However, you’ll need a longer itinerary if you want to embark on this trek with a slow-paced walk.

Don’t worry! Our trek manager helps you design a perfect Manaslu Circuit Trek itinerary with adequate acclimatization, doable walking distance, and more.

Altitude sickness: How risky is Manaslu Circuit Trek?

Altitude sickness is common among high-altitude trekkers who embark on a trek with the highest altitude of over 5,000 meters. While trekking in Manaslu Circuit, trekkers often develop altitude sickness. And as a result, they fly back on a helicopter to Kathmandu.

Is altitude sickness a prone issue among trekkers in Manaslu? Will you get altitude sickness during the trek?

Manaslu Circuit starts from Machhakhola at 930 meters. From here, you’ll trek to Deng, Namrung, Shyala, and Sama Gaun. Upto Sama Gaun, you’ll walk over 3,530 meters.

You’ll stop at Sama Gaun for acclimatization and hike to Manaslu Base Camp and Birendra Lake. A half-day hike and half-day rest will provide adequate acclimatization.

From here, you’ll trek to Samdo at 3,865 meters and Dharmashala at 4,460 meters. The next morning, you’ll cross Larke Pass and descend to Bimthang at 3,590 meters.

Considering all this, you’ll get adequate acclimatization along the trek before crossing Larke Pass. However, some trekkers get altitude sickness at Sama Gaun or Samdo.

If you’re physically fit, have adequate trek preparations, and eat and rehydrate well, you’ll survive the altitude sickness in Manaslu.

Manaslu Circuit Trek Difficulty due to Seasonal Impact

Seasonal impact can make your Manaslu Trek experience wholesome and extremely demanding. A gentle weather morning at Larke Pass lets you spend time for photos and videos. The same altitude on a windy morning can make the crossing challenging, with temperatures dropping below -25˚C.

March, April, October, and November are the best times for Manaslu Circuit Trek. The reason is the stable weather, ideal temperature, snow-occupied mountains, and rain-free days. The utmost visibility during these months makes the viewing experience wholesome.

May and December are the windy months where the wind blows at 40 km/hr. The windy morning makes it challenging to cross Larke Pass. Trekkers often tumble in the wind gusts and injure themselves.

The summer months, June to early September, aren’t ideal times to trek here. The humidity, rainy days, leeches, landslides, and overcast over the mountains make the Manaslu Circuit Trek difficult.

Winter months in Manaslu are treacherous. Whether it’s a snowy or a dry day, you’ll feel the cold of high elevation. Also, the tea houses get closed during winter and descend to lower altitudes like Arughat and Kathmandu to escape the cold.

Thus, Spring and Autumn are absolute times to trek to Manaslu.

Meals and Accommodation along the trek

The tea houses in the Manaslu region offer quality accommodation and expansive meal choices. The twin sharing rooms with or without attached bathrooms, hot shower, wifi, fresh vegetables, hygienic meals, and comfortable overnight ensure your utmost comfort and quality time along the trek.

With Manaslu Circuit Trek being in demand, the tea houses here have upgraded with quality services rapidly. The tea houses in Jagat, Deng, Namrung, Shyala, Sama Gaun, Smado, and Bimthang have upgraded their services rapidly over the years, and trekkers love to stay at quality tea houses.

If you plan to stay in Namrung, there’s a cottage-style tea house to the left, almost at the end of Namrung. Their expansive private cottage with warm beds and attached toilets provides the utmost comfort.

Manaslu Circuit Trek Difficulty: Ways to overcome !

We’ve discussed a few crucial topics that contribute to making Manaslu a demanding trek at times. Now, it’s time to mention the ways to overcome the difficulty and complete the trek on a good note.

Physical Fitness: A must!

Physical fitness is a must for everyone, even during regular activities. And for an adventure like Manaslu Circuit Trek, where you’ll walk over high-altitude terrain for days, fitness is a must.

Straightforward, if you’re physically fit, you can complete the trek. And if not, you won’t complete the trek at all and end up with altitude sickness, cramps, and extreme exhaustion.

Physical fitness requirement for trekking means that you should be able to walk 7-8 hours on high-altitude terrain with a backpack without getting significant fatigue or altitude sickness. To walk all day, you must have strong legs and healthy lungs.

In a nutshell, cardio training of a few months is sufficient to embark on the Manaslu Circuit Trek and conquer it easily.

Here are some highly recommended high-altitude fitness exercises to build your cardio.

• Cycling
• Swimming
• Jogging
• Short day walking
• Hiking (3-4 one-day hikes before joining the trek)
• Yoga and meditation for peace of mind

These exercises build your lungs and strengthen your legs. Moreover, for endurance and legs, you can visit the gym and work on weight lifting.

Note: If you plan to embark on Manaslu Circuit Trekking, you must build physical fitness at least three months before joining the trek.

High-altitude trek experience: Recommended

Can a novice trekker embark on the Manaslu Circuit Trek? Yes. How difficult will it be for novice trekkers in Manaslu? It depends on your physical fitness level.

If Manaslu Circuit Trek is your first high-altitude trek, for reasons, it’ll be more challenging for you. But if you’ve been to some easy trekkings, Manaslu will be less demanding.

A less demanding trek like Langtang Valley Trek or Annapurna Base Camp Trek via Poon Hill with no high mountain pass is highly recommended.

Here’s why!

The experience of less demanding high-altitude trekking makes a significant difference in how you approach Manaslu.

Embarking on a trek as a novice trekker gives you plenty of ideas on how you should approach the trek. Also, you’ll get the idea of trekking gear, expectations and demands, physical and mental fitness requirements, efficient way of planning the trek, knowledge of Himalayan culture, high altitude weather and temperature, and more.

Appropriate Trekking Gears

As much as physical fitness, proper trekking gears and clothes is a must if you’re planning a trek in Nepal. Most importantly, trekking gear must be according to the time you plan the trek. For instance, the Spring months are warmer than Autumn, which demands different clothes and gear.

The base layer, insulated and breathable mid-layer, and protective outer layer are much needed for Manaslu Circuit Trek.

The base layer keeps you warm and dry and sits close to your skin. For example, a close-fitting quick dry or Merino woolen t-shirt for the upper body and leggings for the lower body is the most essential base layer.

Fleece, merino wool base layer jacket, soft shell zip-up, padded jacket, and hiking trousers come under the mid layer. These layers are most effective overnight at lower elevations and day walks at higher elevations like Shyala, Sama Gaun, and Samdo.

For higher elevations like Samdo, Dharmashala, and Larke Pass, you’ll need a hardshell (external protection). It includes waterproof and windproof jackets and windbreaker over-trousers.

Here’s how to layer these different layers to keep you warm and safe throughout the Manaslu Circuit Trek.

• Layer 1: Full sleeve or quick dry T-shirt (merino wool)
• Layer 2: Base layer jacket or soft shell zip-up or quarter tees
• Layer 3: Quilted down jacket
• Layer 4: Waterproof and windbreaker (lower and upper body)

If you want a premium quality quick dry t-shirt or soft shell zip-up jacket in Nepal, don’t miss out on Gorkha Athletic. They use world-class fabric in every product you can take to the mountains and are still affordable.

Want some discount on these already affordable gears? Use our referral code GTG05 for a flat 5% discount on every purchase.

Acclimatization along the trek

Lack of acclimatization increases Manaslu Circuit Trek Difficulty as you’ll expose yourself to a great risk of altitude sickness.

Acclimatization plays a significant role during the trek and is a must. During the Manaslu Circuit Trek, trekkers take at least one acclimatization stop at Sama Gaun. But if you prefer an additional acclimatization day, you can stop at Samdo and visit to Nepal-Tibet border for an acclimatization hike.

Sama Gaun at 3,530 meters is a perfect place for a day of rest and acclimatization. Here, you’ll have the option to hike to Manaslu Base Camp and Birendra Lake, two beautiful landmarks in Manaslu Circuit.

Manaslu Base Camp is 4,800 meters high and 1,270 meters from Sama Gaun, a perfect altitude for an acclimatization hike. More than acclimatization, the hike to the base camp offers a unique perspective of Mt. Manaslu, Sama Gaun, and the entire landscape around it.

On return, you’ll visit Birendra Lake, a turquoise glacier lake.

If you want to further acclimatize and explore the region in detail, visit Pung Gyen Gompa. This ancient Buddhist Gompa is at 4,000 meters altitude, making it a perfect visit.

You’ll stay at Syala, hike to Pung Gyen Gompa, and trek to Sama Gaun.

Our recommendation: Instead of staying a day at Samdo for acclimatization, it’ll be worthwhile to hike Pung Gyen Gompa from Syala and stop for a day at Sama Gaun. These two acclimatization hike provide adequate adaptation to the altitude and also offer the unique perspective of Manaslu Circuit.

Overcoming Manaslu Circuit Trek Difficulty: Itinerary Customization

If you think 11 days isn’t adequate or want more acclimatization along the trek, you can customize the Manaslu Circuit Trek Itinerary. If you’re a slow-paced hiker, want to enjoy the walk more, explore every significant landmark, and acclimate at least two days along the trek, we recommend you customize the itinerary.

As expert advice, here are some noteworthy add-ons you can make to the trek itinerary to make it lengthier.

• We’ve included a jeep drive from Machha Khola to Bangsing. During September, with a landslide, the roadway often gets blocked. That time, you’ll trek from Machha Khola to Jagat and Jagat to Deng via Philim.
• Stop at Lho and visit Lho Monastery.
• Trek from Lho to Shyala and visit Pung Gyen Gompa
• Acclimatization stops at Sama Gaun, and hike to Manaslu Base Camp and Birendra Lake.
• Trek to Samdo, acclimate for a day, and visit the Nepal-Tibet Border.

And if you’re well acclimated, let’s say you did Everest Base Camp Trek and want to embark on Manaslu right away, you won’t have to trek for 11 days. Unless you want to visit the landmarks, you can complete the trek with a short itinerary.

Manaslu Circuit Trek Elevation- One to watch!

It’s an extreme elevation trek. At times, the altitude makes the trek demanding. Moreover, the extreme elevation also causes altitude sickness to some trekkers. Thus, as a trekker, to plan it, you must be aware of the elevation guide.

The wholesome Manaslu Trek starts at the steamy low land of Machha Khola, culminates at freezing Larke La, and ends at steaming Besisahar. And in between, you’ll trek through popular landmarks at different altitudes.

Here’s a detailed Manaslu Circuit Trek Elevation profile for you.

Trek with experts

An experienced trekking guide who’s been to Manaslu on multiple occasions knows the region and boasts the affluent information of culture, people, routes, and challenges along the trek. Thus, only an experienced guide can make your trek successful at every step.

Guides at NepTrek have been to Manaslu on multiple occasions. They’ve been at the best times and also in the cold months, guiding the client. Thus, they know what it’s like to guide an adventurous soul in the off-beat path route of Manaslu.

We’re proud of our 100% trek success ratio and zero clients with altitude sickness, thanks to our expert team and experienced trekking guides.

Want to trek to Manaslu Circuit with our experienced team? If yes, join us on the Manaslu Circuit Trek in 2025. We’ll help you embark on this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Contact us to learn more!