Manaslu trek permit cost is one of the several factors that influence the total expenses of your Manaslu Circuit trek.
Manaslu is a popular trekking destination in Nepal.
The Manaslu Circuit trek opened for trekking only in 1991 and to trek in this region, you need special permits.
And the Manaslu Trek Permit Cost depends on the season you are planning to trek.
It is one of the restricted trekking routes.
The Government of Nepal controls all trekking activities within the Manaslu Circuit.
Hence trekking to Manaslu region requires a various permits.
Manaslu is among the isolated regions and its popularity has been increasing with each trekking season as more visitors explore this area.
And the trek is doable at any time of the year.
But the money you will be spending on Manaslu Circuit Trek varies with the change in the season of your treks.
In comparison to Everest Base Camp trek and Annapurna Base Camp trek, the permit cost of Manaslu is higher.
However other costs are similar to other trekking routes in Nepal.
So, let us discuss the Manaslu Trek Permit Cost.
Table of Contents
Manaslu Trek Permit Cost
The government policy in Nepal requires an issuance of a special permit if the trekking area is an open border or has a connection with another country.
Since the Manaslu trek route shares border with China (Tibet), Manaslu Trek Permit is necessary.
Manaslu is a special zone, trekkers need the restricted permit to trek to this region.
Manaslu trek permit cost varies according to the month and also the number of days you spend on the trekking trails.
September, October and November are the best seasons for trekking.
Hence due to the demand, the permits costs are higher during these months.
The cost is less during other months.
So to trek Manaslu region, you need three permits issued by the Government of Nepal. They are
- Manaslu Area Restricted Area permit
- Manaslu Conservation Area Project (MCAP) permit
- Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) permit
Manaslu Area Restricted Area Permit
Manaslu Restricted Area Permit costs USD 100 per person for the first week.
While you have to pay an extra USD 15 per person per day.
The rate of 100 USD per person for the restricted Manaslu trek permit cost is valid during the months of September to November.
From December to August, Manaslu Restricted Area Permit costs USD 75 per person for the first week.
While you pay extra USD 10 per person per day after the first seven days.
Manaslu Conservation Area Project (MCAP) Permit
Regardless of months and the number of days, conservation area permits are the same.
The permit costs Nepali currency 1000 for SAARC nationals and NPR 3000 (about USD 30) for other nationals.
Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) Permit
Similar to MCAP, ACAP area entry fee for SAARC national is NPR 1000 and NPR 3000 (about USD 30) for other nationals.
Tsum Valley Restricted Permit (If you want to go to the Tsum Valley)
If you plan to do Manaslu Tsum Valley trek during the months of September to November you have to pay US$40 for the first 7 days.
Whereas it costs US$30 for first 7 days from December to August.
Days extended to Tsum Valley area doesn’t count in your regular Manaslu trek permit cost.
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Departments issuing Permit
You can get the Entry permit for Manaslu trek such as Manaslu Conservation Area permit and Annapurna Conservation Area permit from the following departments:
Trekking Department of Nepal Immigration Office issues the Manaslu Trek permit.
Department of Immigration is at Kalikasthan, Kathmandu. It remains open from Sunday to Friday (10am to 4 pm).
Be sure to check out for public holidays before arrival and plan accordingly.
Nepal Tourism Board Office in Kathmandu issues the MCAP and ACAP.
It is open throughout the week from 9 to 4 pm except on public holidays.
You can also get the ACAP from the Nepal Tourism Board, Tourist Service Center, Pardi Damside (Pokhara), and ACAP entry permit center, Besisahar (Lamjung).
These offices remain open throughout the week from 10 am to 4 pm except on public holidays.
Note: You will not get the entry permits from the checkpoints in trekking routes but only by the concerned authorities in Kathmandu.
With an additional cost, you can, however, get the permits at checkpoints only under special circumstances.
You can also allow us to take care of the necessary permits for you.
Documents required
For the Manaslu Permit, you will need to meet the requirements of various documents.
They are as follows:
- Original passport with the visa of Nepal along with the arrival stamp.
- 2 passports sized photos.
- Registration documents from Trekking agency in Nepal
Trekkers can also apply for the permits in advance or before arrival.
This depends on the local trekking company. The documents you will need are
- Clear scanned copy of passport
- Copy of obtained Nepal Visa (required)
- Copy of flight tickets clearly showing the arrival and departure date.
- Consent letter addressed to Immigration Chief mentioning the reasons for arrival in Nepal in advance for obtaining the permit.
- Consent letter of the trekking company guaranteeing required documents upon arrival.
Additional Information on Manaslu Trek Permit Cost
- Children below 10 years do not need an entrance fee.
- Manaslu doesn’t allow individual trekkers. Hence you need to trek in a group of two accompanied by a registered guide and a local operator.
- TIMS (Trekkers Information Management System) card is not necessary if the trekker has the restricted area permit. Yet, you will need it if you want to visit nearby places like Jomsom, Mustang, Pokhara.
- Trekkers need Individual Entry permits to enter Annapurna Conservation Area (ACA) and Manaslu Conservation Area (MCA)
- After meeting all the requirements, the permit will be ready in 2 to 3 hours.
Terms and Conditions
There are a few things you need to consider regarding the Manaslu Trek Permits. During the trek, you must abide by these rules and must be informed about the regulations. Some of those conditions are
- The entry permit is non-refundable and non-transferable.
- The permit is valid for individual trekkers only. Two people cannot enter with a single permit.
- Trekkers can enter only selected places within the Conservation Area.
- The person entering the Conservation Area must abide by the rules and regulations enacted under the National Park and Wildlife Conservation Act, 2029 B.S (1973)
- Carry the entry permit at all times during the entire trip.
- Show the entry permit to the concerned person of the Conservation Area when asked.
Other costs
Except Manaslu Trek Permit Cost you will be spending on various factors during the whole trek.
Some of the factors you will be spending money during Manaslu Circuit trek include:
Transportation cost
The Manaslu trek begins from Arughat or Soti Khola.
To reach there you can either take a local bus or hire a private jeep.
The local bus costs less than USD 10 per person to reach Soti Khola from KTM.
Jeeps, however, are costly and cost approx 150 to 200 USD each way.
But you can reduce the cost if you share (approx USD 30 for 7 people).
The same is for the end of the trek from Tal or Besisahar to Kathmandu.
Yet, in between Tal and Besisahar, there are local jeeps that cost a little less than Rs 1000 or USD 10 for tourist and Rs 600 or USD 6 for locals.
Guide or Porter cost
Due to the specialty of the Manaslu region, trekking without a guide is not allowed.
As the rule insists you will need at least an authorized person from Nepal Trekking Association.
So if you hire a professional guide it will cost you USD 20 to 25 on average.
And that includes the guides for food, accommodation and, insurance.
On the other hand, if you are thinking of taking only a porter and not guide then that is also possible.
The charge is roughly the same i.e USD 15 to 20 per day.
Food and accommodation cost
The price of the food increases with the increase in altitude due to lack of transportation.
Hence, you may have to budget yourself roughly USD 5 per meal i.e USD 15 to 20 on daily basis.
Manaslu trek is also known as tea house trek and hence you will find many tea houses for accommodation.
The cost of one twin sharing room is roughly USD 6 to USD 9 per night.
If you want to sleep alone in a twin sharing room, make sure that you will need to pay for the total cost of the room.
Miscellaneous cost
Miscellaneous cost is the extra charges for things like charging your gadgets (mobile-phone, camera etc).
Also for a bucket of hot water heated by gas or firewood.
Manaslu Highlight includes:
- The breathtaking view of Mount Manaslu, Ganesh Himal, Mt. Himchuli and other mountain ranges.
- Larkya La Pass, the highest point of the Manaslu Circuit Trek.
- Opportunity to explore the traditional culture, rich heritage and the lifestyle of the locals.
- Pristine Budhi Gandaki River Valley.
- Scenic view while driving from Kathmandu to Arughat and Besisahar to Kathmandu.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
When is the best time to do the Manaslu Trek?
The best months to take the Manaslu Circuit trek are Spring and Autumn.
March, April & May are the best months for trekking because in these months the weather is clear and calm.
You can also view the high mountains covering with full of snow.
After the rainy season ie. September, October, and November are the perfect month to take the trek. October is the busiest month.
December to late February is the winter season with snowfall. Yet the view during the day is clear.
You will collect different memories in the Manaslu trek in different seasons.
What to take with you on the trek?
- Guidebook
- A map of Manaslu
- Good sleeping bag – it can be cold in early spring and late November.
- Down jacket for higher altitude
- Sunglasses – the sun is very bright, high amounts of UV. Take them off when talking to people to make personal contact.
- Head-torch – for reading, going to the toilet. Expect limited electricity at a higher elevation.
- Buffer to protect your face and neck from the sun.
- Trekking poles –These are great on the hills and steep descent from the pass and trail to Dharapani
- Hand sanitizer and a small bar of soap for washing after visiting the toilet.
- First aid kit
Conclusion
Manaslu Trek offers a wonderful trekking experience into the isolated region of Nepal.
With its gaining popularity, you can definitely put Manaslu into your checklist.
Learn about Manaslu Trek Permit Cost and plan your trip accordingly.
Purchase the required permits and be ready to explore all the beauty that Manaslu has to offer.
For further question and queries, please feel free to contact us.
We are here to guide and assist you with the best of our knowledge.
Want more information? Send us your query, and our experts will get back to you within 24 hrs.
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.
