Trekking in Manaslu

a massive anti-clockwise circumnavigation

The Manaslu Range is a section of the Himalayas in northwest Nepal, immediately to the east of the better known Annapurna Range.

This lesser-known group of mountains, like the more famous Annapurna and Everest ranges, also reaches over 8000 metres, with the summit Manaslu itself reaching 8163m (26781’), which makes it the eighth highest mountain in the world.

The landscapes here are utterly beautiful, with a large national park containing impressive high mountain scenery and gorgeous lower valleys, which include some extensive oak, maple and rhododendron forests, home to a range of elusive wildlife, including snow leopards, red pandas, Himalayan black bears, grey wolves and Himalayan tahrs (wild goats).

The main trekking route in this area is the anti-clockwise circuit of the range, starting in Arughat and ending at Bahundanda (which happens to be the start point for treks around the next massif of Annapurna).

This route passes through some pretty remote valleys, which are dotted with remote villages, largely inhabited by indigenous Buddhist peoples.

Accommodation is mostly in simple but reasonably comfortable teahouses, with the occasional night in a more basic facility.

The whole circumnavigation takes around 14 nights.

As an area for trekking, Manaslu lies a long way behind Annapurna and Everest in terms of popularity. The main reason is simply that it’s lesser known. Arguably the high mountain scenery is not quite as powerful as those more elevated ranges, but the place remains spectacularly beautiful.

The much lower trekker numbers mean that the trails are more intimate and the villages are more authentic. This area isn’t exactly untouched, but it is a lot less commercial, especially compared with the main valley up to Everest Base Camp.

As a result, Manaslu tends to appeal to returning visitors who have previously trekked the more famous areas or to travellers for whom getting off-the-beaten-track is a high priority.

The best time of year to go trekking in Nepal are the warmer seasons either side of the main monsoon, so Mar-May and October.

Whilst it’s true that the trekker traffic is naturally higher during these periods, the consequences of travelling at other times can be pretty serious. So if you want a more peaceful time, then it’s usually best to travel at the right time of year but head for a less busy route.

October

This period represents arguably the best time to be trekking in Nepal. Some operators suggest that the season starts mid-September and runs on to the end of November, but there are chances of very high rainfall earlier on and very low temperatures later.

October is the transition period between the end of the monsoon rains and the start of the cool dry season.

During October the daytime temperatures usually rise to around 26C/79F, whilst the nighttime low temperatures hold up around 13C/55F. However the rainfall is much lower, dropping to around 50mm (2”) per month. Sunshine is around 8 hours per day (around 75% of daylight hours), meaning that skies are usually clear.

After the rains the air tends to be clear and the visibility for mountain panoramas is at its best.

Nov-Feb

Nov-Feb is the main cool dry season.

During Nov-Feb the daytime temperatures usually rise to around 25C/77F, whilst the nighttime low temperatures plunge to around 6C/43F. There should be very little rainfall. Sunshine is around 8 hours per day (around 80% of daylight hours), meaning that skies are usually clear.

At higher altitudes the temperatures can get a great deal colder and occasional snowfalls can cause various high passes to become impassable. Although conditions can be pretty adverse, on balance we would much rather be trekking during this season than during the monsoon months.

Mar-Apr

This period represents a good time to be trekking in Nepal. Some operators suggest that the season runs into May, but we feel rather uncomfortable about the increased chances of serious rainfall and the accompanying risks of landslides.

Mar-Apr is the warm season, with rainfall slowly increasing in advance of the main monsoon.

During Mar-Apr the daytime temperatures can climb to around 28C/82F, whilst the nighttime low temperatures hold up around 12C/54F. Rainfall usually increases slightly, from almost nothing in March to around 50mm (2”) in April. Sunshine is around 8 hours per day (around 60% of daylight hours), indicating that showers tend to be occasional, set against a usually clear sky.

Although there can, on occasion, be serious occasional showers and periods of persistent drizzle, this really is one of the best times to be out in the mountains. Of course the surrounding mountain peaks are resplendent in their full covering of winter snow.

Into March and spring welcomes a blooming of flowers across the hillsides and hedgerows, as well as bringing some wonderful colour to the rhododendron forests. However, with dust rising from the plains of India, the visibility reduces and mountain panoramas can become far less crisp for photography.

May

May is the transition month ahead of the main monsoon rains, often with considerable rainfall.

During May the daytime temperatures can climb to around 28C/82F, whilst the nighttime low temperatures remain up around 16C/61F. Rainfall climbs to around 125mm (5”) over the course of the month. Sunshine is around 7 hours per day (around 60% of daylight hours), meaning that skies are often overcast as the monsoon clouds gather.

With the much higher temperatures, even at higher altitudes the precipitation is more likely to be rain rather than snow. In all honesty the chances of persistent rain are probably too high and the chances of a trek becoming miserable are quite high. Unless you particularly enjoy rain. An umbrella is definitely recommended.

Treks which head around the north side of the mountains (such as the Annapurna Circuit) tend to get much less rain, so would likely be the best choice at this time.

Jun-Sep

Jun-Sep is the main monsoon season and is generally considered to be the least favourable time to visit

During Jun-Sep the daytime temperatures drop off slightly to around 28C/82F, whilst the nighttime low temperatures remain up at an uncomfortable 20C/68F.

Rainfall climbs to an extremely high 350mm (14”) per month. Sunshine drops to around 4 hours per day (around 35% of daylight hours), meaning that skies are very often heavily overcast.

As if the constant threat of heavy rain was not enough, in more forested sections you may encounter leeches, as well as an increased potential for severe and dangerous landslides.

Getting there

The Manaslu Range is accessed from the city of Kathmandu, which lies only 80km (50 miles) to the east as the crow flies.

However, the roads heading out here are pretty tortuous and the drive from Kathmandu to the start location at Arkhet Bazaar typically takes 7-8 hours.

The return journey from Ngaddi to Kathmandu is more like 6-7 hours.

Where to stay

We presently only offer one trek in this Manaslu area, a fourteen night anti-clockwise circuit, which takes in some very remote valleys on the north side, close to the border with Tibe.

one of our all-time favourite treks in Nepal