Manaslu Tsum valley trek is an excellent adventure to the unexplored lands of northern Nepal. The trek takes place in the remote, unspoiled lands of Manaslu and Tsum Valley. The place lies northwest of Kathmandu and is accessible only on foot. We at Mosaic Adventure propose a 20-day-long adventure to explore these unique lands through the Manaslu and Tsum valley trek.
The trek is a standard Himalayan trail encircling the Himalayan mountain called Manaslu, standing at 8163 meters (26,781 feet). The Manaslu Tsum Valley trek allows us to explore the hidden valleys, rural landscapes, and rare wildlife of the Manaslu Conservation Area. Along with that, we get to learn about the rare and unique Buddhist culture of the Tsum valley.
The trip will commence from Macha Khola via Kathmandu and end with a drive back to Kathmandu from Dharapani. We start by taking a jeep ride from Kathmandu to reach Machha Khola. Then we will officially start walking for our trek from Macha Khola to reach Lhokpa passing through Dovan and Salleri. This part of the trek shows you the Budhi Gandaki valley.
From Lhokpa, we hike uphill to Chumling, a Buddhist settlement area. Then we head to the Nile via Chekammpar, where we visit the Mu Gompa. From Nile, we head to Rachen Gompa and back to Chekampar to head towards Chumling. From Chumling, we will then descend down to Pewa. Then we will head to the hidden kingdom of Lho via Ghap. After our trip to Lho, we will head to Samagaon.
We will continue our journey aiming to cross the Larkey La pass. For that, we will head to Sambdo from Samagon and to Dharmashala. The trek takes us to Bhimthang from Dharmashala via the Larkey La pass. This will be the most strenuous part of our journey. Then we reach the end of our trekking journey by walking to Dharapani. From Dharapani, we will take a by-road journey via Besisahar to head back to Kathmandu. This will be the end of our amazing Manaslu and Tsum valley trek.
This breathtaking fortnight’s worth trek will take you through majestic landscapes. An unexplored, rare landscape with the fascinating culture of the Tibetan border makes up for a great trip. Stick with us to know more about this marvelous trip idea.
Highlights of the Manaslu and Tsum Valley trek
- Have a road trip with a mesmerizing landscape, moving from Kathmandu to Machha Khola.
- Get a chance to explore the mountain vistas, cascades, and water bodies of the Budhi Gandaki valley.
- Experience crossing several suspension bridges above major Nepali rivers
- Live among the local Buddhists of Tsum and get to experience Tibetan culture.
- Visit various monasteries, nunneries, chortens, and other religious sites.
- Visit the ancient monastery called Rachen Gompa along with Mu and Lungdang gompa.
- Get magnificent vistas of mountain peaks like Ganesh, Baudha, Manaslu, Himchuli, etc.
- Explore rarely visited and explored Tibetan borders of Nepal.
- Visit the Milarepa’s Cave or Namkading Cave. It is a significant location where Tibetan Buddhist philosopher Vajrayana Mahasiddha, Milarepa, spent many years of his life in the eleventh century.
- Cross the famous Larkey La pass
Trip Facts
- Public/ Private Bus
- Challenging
- Spring and Autumn
- Larkya La Pass 5,106 m
- Kathmandu
- 2+ pax
Itinerary
Machha Khola’s altitude - 930 meters
Drive hours - around 10 hours
Distance - 147 km
Overnight stay at Machha Khola
We will begin our trip by leaving Kathmandu early in the morning after breakfast. Our ride to Machha Khola will be via a local bus. The vehicle takes us through rocky terrains, riversides, terrace farms, and open fields on Nepal’s hills. The trails take you through the route from Dhading Besi to Arughat, which is dusty and uneven.
From Arughat, the bus will take us to Soti Khola, heading forward to Machha Khola. The bus will slowly take us uphill through mesmerizing Sal forests. We will have to continue our trek through the Sal-covered forests and pass through Khursane. Further walking on the trail, we will pass through a steep rocky track with two fresh waterfalls. We will then head downhill through rice and paddy fields and ascend to the hamlet of Labubesi. Then we will finally reach Machha Khola, which lies at the banks of the Budhi Gandaki river.
We will check into a local lodging facility in Machha Khola and call it a night.
Dovan’s altitude - 1070 meters
Walking hours - 3.5 hours to 4 hours
Distance -
Overnight stay at Dovan
Today we will leave Machha Khola to reach Dovan. Dovan lies nearby the natural hot water spring of Tatopani. To reach Dovan, we will take an uphill walk to Khoralbeshi. A short 3 to 4 hours walk will bring us to Tatopani’s natural hot water. We will spend some time enjoying the natural hot water bath at Tatopani for a while.
Then we will take a few final steps uphill to reach the day’s destination at Dovan. We will check into our overnight lodge and rest.
Salleri’s altitude - 1440 meters
Walking hours - 4 hours to 5 hours
Distance -
Overnight stay at Salleri
Today we leave Dovan to head up eastwards, walking alongside Budhi Gandaki’s riverbanks. On today’s trek, we will pass through Thulo Dhunga through a tall waterfall. The trail will take us further uphill towards an open valley at the quaint place of Yaruphant. You will find a river and a suspension bridge above it. The river is called Yaru Khola and needs to be crossed to move forward with the day’s trek.
After crossing the bridge, we will climb the Thado Bharyang(which literally translates to steep stairs). Then we will cross the west bank of the Budhi Gandaki river to head towards Jagat. From here on, you need the Manaslu Conservation Area permit. There is an entrance and checkpoint as you enter this village. Salleri is nearby Jagat; we must cross a small tributary river to reach the place through a cliff-side trail. You will find the Shringi Himal in the north during this trek.
Upon arrival, we will check in a lodge at Salleri and end day four.
Lhokpa’s altitude - 2240 meters
Walking hours - 4.5 hours to 5 hours
Overnight stay at Lhokpa
Today we will start our trek by going downhill to Sirdibas on a flatter trail first. Then we go uphill towards the Ghatta Khola. From Ghatta Khola, we will cross a small bridge to head up to Phillim. Phillim is a small hamlet primarily populated by Gurung communities.
From Phillim, we continue our trek passing through alpine vegetation. You might also pass through beautiful Rhododendron trees en route. The descent past this vegetation will finally lead you to the entrance of Tsum valley. The valley welcomes you with beautiful panoramic mountain views. After around 4 to 5 hours of walking, we will finally arrive at our destination of the day at Lhokpa.
This marks the end of day four of the Manaslu Tsum Valley trek.
Lhokpa’s altitude - 2490 meters
Walking hours - 4 hours to 4.5 hours
Overnight stay at Chumling
We will travel further into the Tsum valley by walking towards the east roadway to Chumling today. We will leave Lhokpa through a zigzag uphill trail that passes through pines and Rhododendron. We will descend through wild forest trails and cross some streams. Then we should take a long steep climb through the south face of Siyar Khola gorge. The gorge drains the Tsum valley.
You will find flags marking at the top from where you can get views of Shringi Himal. Mesmerizing vistas of farming fields are available from here. Descending down, we will reach Gumlung and pass the Siyar Khola. We must cross the suspension bridge to reach the narrow trail leading to Chumling.
Chumling will welcome you will ancient-style Tibetan houses. They come with a slopping roof that protects them from heavy rain and snow. We will check into one of the lodges within such a unique architecture and call it a day.
Chekampar’s altitude - 2960 meters
Walking hours - 4 hours to 4.5 hours
Overnight stay at Chekampar
Today we will head towards Chekampar, passing through a suspension bridge. We will notice lush forest that houses white langurs on our walk. We continue our journey through Tanju and pass through the small monastery called Damphe gompa. It houses several minute ceramic statues of Chenresig(Buddha of Compassion).
You will pass across a place called Dumje and get views of the mountain peaks of Ganesh and Baudha Himal. Then we land on a farm named Rainjam, from where you find the altitude dropping. You will then find Sarphu Khola, which is a tributary of Shringi Himal.
Now our trail will get steeper for about two and half hours as we walk past Gho reaching the upper Tsum valley. The upper Tsum valley brings the hamlets of Chhokang and Paro, also called Chekampar. This will be our destination for the day. The place houses mesmerizing slate chortens with unique houses among the villages. You will find stone-built houses under the cliffside. There are large fields of crops with barley, potatoes, maize, buckwheat, etc. Animals like tahr make use of such fields for grazing. The Tibetan borders of Nepal, with such a unique lifestyle, will amaze you.
Nile’s altitude - 3500 meters
Walking hours - 4.5 hours to 5 hours
Overnight stay at Nile
Today we will leave Chekampar destining towards Nile, also called Nile Chuley. Today’s trek will be a piece of cake as the road doesn’t have difficult steep, and narrow paths. Today, we will pass through various hamlets with ancient architecture yet again. You will see ancient mane walls and mane constructed from hands. We will also pass through a large Mane stupa today. You can pay a visit, ask for blessings, or learn about the place’s culture and beliefs.
First, we will pass through a checkpoint within the territory of Chekampar. Then we will pass through the hamlets of Chhokang, Lamagaun, Bursi Lar, Phurpey, Chule, Pungdun, etc. We must cross a suspension bridge and walk for around 5 hours to complete today’s trek. You will also find Rachen Gompa, which we will explore later in today’s trek. The Milarepa cave is also another attraction point for today.
We will reach today’s destination after crossing the Chhule village. We will check into our lodge upon arrival at Nile and mark it a day.
Mu Gompa’s altitude- 3800 meters
Walking hours - 4.5 to 5 hours
Overnight stay at Nile
Today we will do a hike uphill to visit the Mu Gompa. This is the highest point of Tsum valley on our Manalsu Tsum valley trek. The gompa, or monastery, is very large and significant among the locals. We will walk through some steep terrains today. It will be quite arid, and you’ll get vistas of nearby high mountain peaks.
After around 4 hours of constant walking, we will reach the quaint place of Mu Gompa. The religious site, combined with the place’s beauty and serenity, is mesmerizing. You can explore the Buddhist monks, meditate, pray or just simply observe the area. It will be a great retreat and a way to freshen your mind.
After a few hours of exploration of the Gompa, we will head back down to Nile. We will be staying at the same place as the day before. This will be all for our eighth day of the Manaslu and Tsum valley trek.
Rachen Gompa’s altitude - 3240 meters
Walking hours - 4 hours
Overnight stay at Chekampar
Today is another day for Gompa exploration. We will head towards Bursi from Chempakar today to see the Rachen Gompa. The monastery is an ancient site that lies on the edge of Tsum Valley across the hamlet known as Bursi village. From Nile, we will pass through Chule - Pangdun - Phurpey - Lar to reach Rachen Gompa. Rachen Gompa is another famous ancient monastery that is significant to the region. The place reflects everything about the values and beliefs of old Buddhism. You can see the Tibetan culture and its flourishment within the monastery.
After our exploration of Rachen Gompa, we will head back to Chempakar for the day. Our overnight stay will be at Chempakar. So, we will check into our lodge for the day and mark the day's end.
Chumling’s altitude - 2490 meters
Walking hours - 4 hours to 4.5 hours
Overnight stay at Chumling
Today, we will retrace our steps to return to Chumling from Chempakar. On our way, we will again pass through Chhokang and Paro villages. Then we leave the upper Tsum valley area and head towards Gho.
We will then come across Sarphu Khola and find beautiful Ganesh and Baudha Himal vistas at Dumje. We then take steady descents passing through Damphe Gompa and Tanju. We reach our destination of the day by finally crossing a suspension bridge to reach Chumling. This will be the end of day 10 of our Manaslu Tsum valley trek.
Pewa’s altitude - 1650 meters
Walking hours - 5 hours
Overnight stay at Pewa
We will head to Pewa today, a hamlet within Budhi Gandaki's banks. The place is a remote, rarely populated settlement area. To start today’s trek, we will first do a downhill trek till we reach a river called Ghadhi Khola. We then have to cross a suspension bridge. From Ghadhi Khola, our trek takes us uphill to a cantilever bridge. You will find another suspension bridge to cross to reach Lokpa.
From Lokpa, we will again enter the Tsum valley, passing through pine trees and bush-covered forests. On today's hike, we will reach the diversion point between the Manaslu circuit and Tsum valley. Crossing a suspension bridge to reach Pewa creates the division between the Manaslu circuit and Tsum Valley. After crossing the bridge, we reach a hamlet called Nyak Phedi and walk alongside the trail of the Budhi Gandaki river.
You will find mesmerizing viewpoints showing clear blue water near a rocky cliff. Furthermore, we will cross two more suspension bridges that join the Tsum and Manaslu circuit trails. After around five walks alongside various rivers and bridge crossings, we will arrive at Pewa.
Ghap’s altitude - 2160 meters
Walking hours - 4.5 to 5 hours
Overnight stay at Ghap
Today, we will head towards Ghap from Pewa. First off, on our journey, we will reach Deng. Then we will descend through the forest and re-join the main Manaslu Circuit trail. The main trail traverses the river on multiple long suspension bridges as it snakes through the Budhi Gandaki canyon. Before crossing the river, we will pass through the Rana village.
With a few uneven, uphill, and downhill hikes, we will move to Bihi Phedi from Rana village. A few more steps from Bihi Phedi, we will enter the Budhi Gandaki valley. The valley welcomes you with our day’s destination, Ghap.
We will check into our accommodation for the day, and this will mark the end of day 12.
Lho’s altitude - 3180 meters
Walking hours - 5 hours
Overnight stay at Ghap
Today we leave Ghap to reach Lho. Upon leaving Ghap, you will notice that the valley of the Budhi Gandaki enlarges. The river may be seen crammed behind a naturally occurring stone arch when you eventually cross a suspension bridge over a river. A wonderful stone staircase then leads steadily upward to Namrung.
After Namrung, we will travel to a higher elevation and return to a region with a Buddhist lifestyle. We get to the Sho community, which is famous for its apples and offers breathtaking views of Himalchuli from the top of Hinang Glacier. We will then have to hike for roughly half a day to Lho.
Lho has so many attraction points that you can explore. In the late afternoon, you can go up to the impressive-looking Ribung Monastery. Climb the slope behind it to obtain a clear glimpse of the Manaslu Massif. In order to see the captivating sunlight rays on Manaslu, you can also climb a short distance to a popular viewpoint near Ribung Monastery.
Samgaon’s altitude - 3530 meters
Walking hours - 4 hours to 4.5 hours
Overnight stay at Samagaon
Today we will head toward Samagaon from Lho. The trek will be a short, straightforward half-day hike to Samagaon. You may take exploration Manaslu with a Chorten in front of it, which is close to Lho. The path dips to a river before ascending again. We will pass the settlement of Shyala, where the slope finishes. Then the valley starts to open up, and the trail becomes a straightforward walk across the meadows.
You may get breathtaking views of Himalchuli, Nadi Chul, and other adjacent peaks from the Shyala settlement. Manaslu, Naike Peak, Larkya Peak, Sambdo, and Saula Himal are also visible.
At the further end of the Shyala community, you will find the Sama monastery. The place is a major Tibetan settlement. The place lies in Manaslu's foothills and is the day's destination. It will take 4 hours to walk along the river valley with amazing mountain vistas to arrive at the day’s destination. We will check into our accommodation and rest. Be ready for the next day full of exploration of the area.
Samgaon’s altitude - 3530 meters
Walking hours - 2 hours to 8 hours
Overnight stay at Samagaon
Typically, we stay at Samagaun for two days, one day for arrival and the next for acclimatization. The following day is set aside for rest and exploration. Today, we will stay in Samagaun and explore the area.
You can walk an hour to Birendra Tal, a popular sightseeing spot near Samagaun. A hill next to Smagaun is home to the Pungyen Gompa, which you can also be a place to visit. It offers a beautiful view of the glaciers.
You can climb to the Gompa, built between the two Manaslu summits. It was destroyed during the first Japanese effort to reach the summit of the peaks. According to popular mythology, the gods may have become angry while climbing the summit.
After exploration of these popular spots in the vicinity of Samagaon, we will check back to our lodge. This will officially mark the end of the fifteenth day of the Manaslu and Tsum valley trek.
Sambdo’s altitude - 3690 meters
Walking hours - 4 hours
Overnight stay at Samagaon
Today we will continue along the trails of Manaslu alongside the Budhi Gandaki river. The day’s destination is the hamlet called Samdo. In today’s trek, we will get mesmerizing views of mountains on the Tibetan border. The Manaslu area’s geographical diversity blooms here as we enter the Manaslu conservation area.
Our trek further aims to reach Larkey peak. Hence, we will pass the Larkey La trail on this trek. The trail passes along several Mani walls and further to various forests of Birch and Juniper. They lie on a ledge above the Budhi Gandaki river at Kermo Kharka. Moving forward, we will cross the Budhi Gandaki river on a wooden bridge. This will finally lead us to the day’s destination of Samdo.
We will mark a day by checking into a local lodge in Samdo.
Dharmasala’s altitude - 4470 meters
Walking hours - 4 hours
Overnight stay at Dharmasala
Today we will yet again continue towards the trails of Larkey with mani walls. You will yet again have to cross a wooden bridge to head up to the day’s destination. We will pass two streams as well as the Larkey glacier. Then we will find the valley called Salka Khola. From there, we will find a stone guest house as we ascend a little further up. This guest house is the day’s destination, called Dharmashala. This place is also popularly known as Larkey Phedi, as it is the base of Larkey peak. The place gives enchanting views of Larkey glacier and the Manaslu massif.
We will stay overnight at Dharmashala and get ready for the next day’s gruesome journey.
Larkey La Pass' highest point - 5106 meters
Bimthang’s altitude- 3720 meters
Walking hours - 10 hours
Overnight stay at Bimthang
Today’s journey will be a long one. We will head for Bimthang from Dharmasala, which requires passing the Larkey La pass. These two points have no lodges or any type of accommodation. Hence, we must complete this journey to get a good night’s sleep. The hike starts with an easy ascent through the moraine, which has chilly air. Then we will make a short downhill walk to a lake.
The terrain becomes rugged and rough as we cross some grassy trails. Slightly further, we will find a ridge with two stone piles called cairns. You can also find prayer flags in the area. From here, we will make some descents as we pass through various frozen lakes. We will continue the journey with a final steep climb to reach the highest point. This part of the journey will be quite pleasing aesthetically. Panoramic views of mountains like Himlung, Cheo, Kanguru, Minjung, Annapurna II, etc., are visible.
Now we will begin our descent and notice the moraine changes to loose gravel and then into grassy moraine. Then moving more downhill, we will find a small meadow. The meadows will be the entry point of the broader valley and our destination. We will walk across a Mani wall and finally arrive at today’s destination of Bimthang.
Dharapani’s altitude - 1920 meters
Walking hours - 7 hours
Overnight stay at Dharapani
Today we will take the final few steps of our Manaslu and Tsum valley trek. We will leave Bimthang towards Dharapani to leave for Kathmandu. The trek will be long but not as strenuous as crossing the Larkey La pass.
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To reach Dharapani, we will have to go via Karche - Goa - Tilije. The walk will take you on a downhill trail that moves alongside Dudh Koshi. You will find significant alpine vegetation with pine trees and rhododendron shrubs throughout the trails. The vistas of the Marsyangdi valley are also visible during this part of the trek. We also cross the Tilije hamlet, a popular Gurung village famous for local brandy today.
Before reaching Dharapani, we will pass through some checkpoints. This marks the entry point of the Annapurna Conservation Area. Around 7 hours worth of walking will finally lead us to today’s destination. We will check into a local lodge and mark the official end of our trekking journey.
Driving hours - 9 hours
Kathmandu’s altitude - 1400 meters
Overnight stay at Kathmandu
Today will be the last day of our trip as we leave the trails of the Manaslu Tsum valley trek. We will leave Dharapani to head toward Besi Sahar. The road to Besi Sahar is quite rough and dusty. We will catch a public vehicle from Besi Sahar to head back to Kathmandu. The roads are comparatively smoother and better in this part of the journey. We will travel alongside the Marsyangdi river and pass through various hamlets and hills.
Around 9 to 11 hours of by-road travel will bring us back to Kathmandu. We will check into a hotel and officially end the Manaslu Tsum valley trip.
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