Manaslu Circuit Trek Cost

Hidden in the Himalayas, north of the capital Kathmandu, is a thrilling adventure: the Manaslu Circuit Trek. It’s not just about stunning views; it’s also about the cost. In this article, we explore the charm of this trek and answer a common question: how much does the Manaslu Circuit Trek cost? Let’s dive in and uncover the adventure that awaits!

Manaslu Circuit trek is an opportunity to discover the unspoiled part of this beautiful country Nepal in a different way than other regular treks and challenge yourself!

Manaslu Circuit Trek is growing popular as the best alternative to another popular classic Annapurna Circuit trek.

Due to its remoteness, isolated villages, untouched culture, and pristine environment, Manaslu Circuit trekking trail is slowly attracting many adventure enthusiasts and trekkers all around the world.

During Manaslu Circuit trek, you can enjoy the less crowded environment with the perfect blend of unique nature, culture, people and landscape.

Before you begin your trek, you need to collect information on the trek itinerary, prepare your packing list, and most importantly plan your Manaslu Circuit Trek cost.

This article will guide you about trekking cost of  Manaslu Circuit trek, what to budget yourself for this wonderful trek.

The good news is: Manaslu Circuit trek is not as expensive as many people would have imagined.

At the end of the post, you will get exact idea of how much money to budget when planning your Manaslu Circuit trek.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of everything you need about Manaslu Circuit trek cost:

Cost of Trekking Permits on Manaslu Circuit trek

To preserve the unique culture and natural beauty of the region, Nepal Government has declared this region as the restricted trekking region.  Thus, every trekker is required to apply for special trekking permits issued by Nepal Government using authorized local trekking agency.

You require four different type of trekking permits to enter and trek around Manaslu region:

Manaslu area restricted permit:

Depending on the trekking month and the number of days you’ll be staying in the Manaslu area, the cost of the permit differs. From the months of September to November, the cost to enter restricted area of Manalsu region is USD 100 for the first week per person and plus USD 15 for additional extra day per person. So, cost of 7 days permit is USD 100 whereas USD 145 for 10 days (100 for 7 days plus 45 for additional 3 days).

But if you’re traveling on rest of the months, the cost will be USD 75 for the first week per person and plus USD 10 per extra day per person. For example: cost of 10 days permit is USD 105 (75 for 7 days plus 30 for addtional 3 days).

Manaslu Conservation Area Permit (MCAP): USD 30 per person

Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP): USD 30 per person

Trekkers Information Management System (TIMS): USD 20 per person.

If you choose to do Manaslu Tsum Valley Trek by adding side trip to Tsum on your regular Manaslu Circuit Trek, then USD 30 to USD 40 per week per person is charged.

Therefore, compared to other trekking regions, special trekking permits will slightly increase Manaslu Circuit Trek cost.

Note: For this trek, TIMS (Trekkers’ Information Management System) card is not alwasy required as you already have special trekking permits. But if you wish to continue your trip to other regions like Annapurna Base Camp then you’ll also need to obtain TIMS card.

Cost of Accommodation on Manaslu Circuit trek

The good news is that teahouse on the Manaslu Circuit trek is not expensive, costing as little as  USD 6 – USD 9 per night. That’s because most of the teahouses don’t make money from  rooms, they make money from food.

Almost all teahouses have an offer. You eat dinner and breakfast there and get a room on better price, pay less for the night stay.

Rooms are typically very basic with twin beds. The bedsheets and blankets are available. We recommend bringing a sleeping bag as well, it gets really cold at night, morning and evening.

Normally, there are no heaters in the bedrooms, only dining room is heated using wooden/dung fire.

At low altitude, a few tea houses have western toilet while most of them have squat toilets.

Cost of Food on Manaslu Circuit trek

Food on Manaslu Circuit trek is little costly than other trekking regions in Nepal. Since all the supplies have to be carried up to the villages by porters or mules, food is little pricier.

Generally, food in the tea house on the trail is basic. Almost all teahouses offer a similar food menu like popular Nepalese dish Daal-Bhat-tarkari. On average, the food cost USD 10 per meal.

Cost of Snacks on Manaslu Circuit trek

Since the trail of Manaslu region is not fully established, you’ll only find few shops on the trek. So, it’s rare to find places with a cafe on the trail. But there are few local shops where you might get biscuits, noodles, and chocolate bars etc. On average, for the snacks you can separate USD 5 – USD 10 per day.

Cost of Drinks on Manaslu Circuit trek

For the tea and coffee the price range from USD 5 – USD 10. A bottle of water cost range from USD 1 – USD 4.

While trekking in high altitude, it is better  to avoid alcoholic drinks as it increases the risk of altitude sickness.  But at the end of the trek, you can have a celebratory drink in Kathmandu. It would be a good way to end a once in a lifetime journey. Normally, a bottle of beer costs USD 5 – USD 10 depend on category of restaurant.

Cost of Transportation on Manaslu Circuit trek

Transportation includes buses and jeeps to reach trail head. But during the trek, the only mode of transportation you use is your own feet.

Public transportation is not that expensive in Nepal. Though it is said “you get what you pay for”, inadequate seats, overcrowded bus may make the journey unpleasant. But sadly this is the reality of public transport, Nepalese style.

But if you can stretch your budget then consider spending it on private jeep for extra safety and comfort. Comparatively comfortable journey can be available on the jeeps with higher prices.

On average,  the local buses from Kathmandu to Soti Khola costs USD 10 per person. Jeeps costs more, roughly USD 150- USD 200 per jeep (can be shared by 4/5 people).

Cost of Guide and Porter on Manaslu Circuit trek

Manaslu region lies in the restricted trekking region. So it’s mandatory to travel with a licensed guide only. Guides are people who have a good knowledge about the trail and country and have lots experience about trekking in Nepal.

They’ll guide you via navigation, suggest you the best place to stay and eat. Also, they’ll help you during emergencies.

You can also considering hiring a porter who can help you carry your backpack. With their help, you can enjoy your journey more comfortably. And you are also helping local economy by hiring locals.

Nowadays, guide-porter are also available. These are people who’ll carry your luggage and  guide throughout the trek. Hiring a guide-porter will save you from extra expenses. But their expertise are limited and sometime overall experience can be less pleasant than hiring both guide and porter.

A good licensed guide costs around USD 35 – USD 40 per day, including their food, lodging, and insurance.

Porters cost around USD 25 per day, including their food, lodging, and insurance.

Guide-porter costs around USD 30, including their food, lodging, and insurance.

For budget traveler who are looking into doing it solo, read about this article about Manaslu Circuit trek without guides and plan accordingly as its not possible to do solo trip in Manaslu region without hiring a guide.

Cost of Travel Insurance on Manaslu Circuit trek

While trekking in Nepal, travel insurance is important. Nobody knows what befalls while trekking in hills, and in high altitudes. There’s  always an element of risk when trekking in the remote Himalayan region.

Prices and plan of insurance can vary from company to company. The insurance plan must cover emergency medical cost and helicopter evacuation, travel risks like road blockage, and damaged or lost baggage etc.

On average, a 30-day insurance policy is likely to cost around USD 150 – USD 200. It covers all the standard emergencies.

Miscellaneous Costs on Manaslu Circuit trek

Miscellaneous cost on Manaslu trek includes charging your electronic gadgets, hot shower, Wifi etc. In some tea houses at lower altitude, all these services can be available free of costs. But most of the teahouses at lower or high altitude charges few additional dollars for these extra services.

Also, if you visit monasteries or stupas, they might expect a bit donation for the maintenance of the area. In Nepal, tipping the guide or porter is expected at the end of the trek. If you’re satisfied by the service they deliver, you can express thanks in the form of tips.

For all these miscellaneous services you can separate USD 250 to USD 300.

Cost of Clothes, Equipment, and Gears on Manaslu Circuit trek

The right clothes, equipment, and gears make real difference in how comfortably you trek.

During Manaslu Circuit trek, msot days are warm with nights becoming pretty cold. Thus, clothing in layers is important. Also, a good sleeping bag and a quality pair of trekking boots are really essential part of your packing list.

Your costs on clothes and gears will depend entirely on what quality you decide to buy. If you spend money on lower quality items, but they may not last till the trek ends.

The budget might range anywhere between USD 1500 USD 2000. This could be considerably less depending on how much gear you already own.

If you want to spend less money then you can also hire trekking gears and down jacket in quite reasonable price at Kathmandu.

Money Saving Tips for Manaslu Circuit trek

Here are some tips that will help to save lots of money during Manaslu Circuit trek.

• The full bucket shower costs around USD 3 – USD 5 and may not always get hot shower. So, undressing to rinse off in cold water is a bad idea especially when the temperature is below freezing level. Instead of that, you can use wet wipes daily after a hike and feel clean and fresh.
• On the trail, some tea houses charge few dollars from USD 3- USD 5 for the WiFi services. But if you want to stay connected while on the trail, you can purchase a Ncell SIM card which offers 4GB data for one month. Note: sim network may not be available throughout the trek.
• On the trail, purchasing snacks, toiletries and medication can be pretty expensive. So, if you want to save few dollars, you can buy in Kathmandu before your trek. Also, the trail lies in the remote region of Nepal, you do not get variety of items the prices are also quite high.
• On the Manaslu Circuit trail, the cost of one liter water can cost anywhere from USD 3- USD 5. To avoid altitude sickness, you need to drink plenty of water. If you drink daily 4 liters plus water, then that’s a lot of money. So, to save money you can use water purification tablets. On the way, you’ll get tap water free of cost.
• Most electricity along the trek comes from the solar power. So, most of the teahouse charge anywhere between USD 2- USD 3 per hour to recharge your electronic devices. It’s better if you bring power bank with yourself.

Final Say

Trekking to Manaslu region is every adventurer’s dream. And of course, it is not an inexpensive dream to have. However, your dream can’t be tagged with the price.

You want the best experience, many memorable moments !

It’s obvious that everyone’s spending habits are different. So, it depends a lot on the things that you decide to pay for!

We, Mosaic Adventure being a lead tour operator in a country will look after you and yours needs as well. If you like to know more about us and our trekking packages, feel free to contact us. We’re always available at your service.

I hope this article Manaslu Circuit trek cost will definitely help you plan your budget for the trek.

Happy Trekking !

Madhav Prasad

Madhav started working as a porter in 2001 and then moved on to work as a trekking guide. After working in the trekking and tourism industry for eight years, he co-founded Mosaic Adventure in 2009.

Madhav has trekked to most of the trekking destinations in Nepal, including Everest Base Camp Trek, Annapurna Base Camp, Annapurna Circuit Trek, Poon Hill Trek, Jomsom Muktinath Trek, Indigenous Peoples Trek, Langtang Valley Trek, Mardi Himal Trek, and all of the day hikes around Kathmandu.

He has also extensively traveled to other countries such as Australia, the USA, the UK, France, Hong Kong, Japan, China, the Philippines, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Thailand, Turkey, and India. Madhav is the one who answers most of your questions about trekking and tours and helps to plan your trip by giving a personal touch.