Manaslu Circuit Trek

The Manaslu Circuit is everything you dream of when you picture trekking in Nepal: dramatic mountain landscapes, peaceful trails, cozy teahouse villages, and a mix of cultures that make each day feel completely different from the last.

This route circles Mt. Manaslu, the eighth-highest peak in the world, and crosses the incredible Larkya La Pass at 5,160 meters. It’s a little more remote and rugged than the Everest or Annapurna trails, which makes it perfect if you’re after something that feels wild and less travelled.

You’ll hike through lush valleys, bamboo forests, and alpine meadows, passing waterfalls, monasteries, and small mountain communities along the way. It’s a stunning, off-the-beaten-path adventure and a pretty special way to experience the Himalayas with a group of women who love getting out there and going on adventures!

Highlights:

Spend a day exploring the culture of Kathmandu with a cooking class, seeing the sights and visiting a local women owned handicraft workshop.
Trek around Mt. Manaslu, the 8th highest mountain in the world!
Cross the Larkya La Pass (5160m) with jawdropping views of the Himalayas.
Explore remote villages that few travellers ever reach.
Hike through lush forests, alpine meadows and glacier valleys.
Stay in authentic teahouses and connect with the rhythm of mountain life.
Travel with a supportive group of women who share your sense of adventure!

The Details:

Duration: 16 days

Dates: April 7 - 22, 2026

Meeting place: Kathmandu, Nepal

Group size: 14

Price: $3550 AUD
*Payment plans available

Gallery

Information

• 3 nights accomodation in Kathmandu Hotel.
• 12 nights accommodation in traditional Nepalese "teahouses" during the trek.

• Airport transfer upon arrival and departure in Kathmandu

• Tourist coach from Kathmandu to Soti Khola and back to Kathmandu.
• Professional female Nepalese mountain guides.
• Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner while trekking.

Meeting Point

We will be meeting in Kathmandu, Nepal, on the 7th of April. You can book your flight arriving in on the 7th or earlier. We will be having our official "meet and greet" around 5pm on the 7th, so it would be good to arrive earlier than that to give you time to settle in.

A driver will be waiting for you at Kathmandu airport with your name on a card ready to bring you to the hotel.

Finishing Point

We will arrive back to Kathmandu after our trek on the 22nd of April and stay that night in the same hotel, so you can fly out any time the next day on the 23rd.

More challenging than the Poon Hill trek, the Manaslu Circuit requires a higher level of fitness. We will be walking for 11 days, covering a total of approximately 94kms with a LOT of stairs, steep slopes and high altitude. Therefore, the trek does require a good level of fitness. You should be able to walk up continuous inclines and stairs for 4-6 hours. But in saying this, we will take plenty of breaks and we’ll all be in it together, cheering each other on!

We will have porters to carry our main bag for us so we will only need to carry a small bag with what we need for the day.

All Australians can obtain a Visa on Arrival to Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu. It costs $30USD for 15 days, $50USD for 30 days, or $125USD for 90 days.

Important notes:

You will need a valid passport and one passport -size photo with a light background with you at immigration to get the VOA.
Visa can be obtained only through payment of cash in the following currency: Euro, Swiss Franc, Pound Sterling, US Dollar, Australian Dollar, Canadian Dollar, Hong Kong Dollar, Singapore Dollar and Japanese Yen.
Credit card, Indian currency and Nepali currency are not accepted as payment of visa fees

What to bring:

3 Passport size Photos (required for National Park trekking permits)
Day pack for you to carry on hike
Torchlight / Headlight
Warm light weight backpacking sleeping bag (-10 degrees Celsius)
Sunglass and sun-cream
Hat
Beanie
Neck warmer
Thin fleece gloves
Down jacket (this is a must! It gets really cold at high elevation!)
Base layer thermal like wool or similar
Sweat wicking t-shirt
Fleece mid layer
Waterproof/Windproof jacket

Long and short hiking pants
Swimmers
Hiking boots - "broken in" and comfortable
Wool socks- a few pairs for hiking and one thick one for night
Sandals (Crocs or Tevas are great to wear wool socks with)
Trekking poles (optional only if you feel your knees struggle with down hills or your worried about your endurance)
Dry fruits, protein bars and/or chocolates for trekking snacks - can buy in Kathmandu as well
Toiletries
Camera/gopro
Chargers - international adapter
Journal/book
2 x 1lt water bottles (recommend lifestraw or katadyn purifier bottles)

Season:

We have chosen April to go trekking as this is one of the best months of the year for the climate in Nepal. It will be mid spring, temps are warming up, but it can still be chilly during the day and pretty cold at night. The first few days of our hike will be warm, t-shirt weather, then the higher and higher we get up the mountain the cooler it will get. Temperatures can range from around 15-20 degrees Celcius at lower elevations during the day to below zero at the higher elevations so it's best to be prepared for everything and have lots of layers.

Full Packing List

Tipping is a customary way to show appreciation to our Nepalese guides and porters who work super hard to make sure we are always safe and having the best time ever. While not mandatory, it is highly appreciated and considered an important part of their income. As a general guideline, we suggest budgeting around $10-15 per day for your guide and $5-10 per day for your porter, per trekker. Tips are usually pooled and given at the end of the trek. Of course, the exact amount is up to you and what you feel comfortable with giving.

Altitude:

High altitude trekking is considered to be anything above 1500m, which is where you begin to feel the effects of less oxygen in the air. On this trek you will walk from 700m above sea level, to 5160m, and back down again, so you will definitely feel the altitude! But the good thing is, if you ascend up slowly, and make stops to wait and acclimatise, your body has the capability to adjust to the altitude.

In high altitude the first symptom you will feel is being out of breath, or "puffed", more quickly than you would at sea level. This is normal, and everyone trekking at altitude is guaranteed to feel it at some point. However the better your cardio endurance is, the higher you will be able to trek before you feel this extra exertion, and the less effect the altitude will have on your trekking experience overall. Which is why its important to work on your cardio fitness before the trek.

The next stage of altitude symptoms is to feel dizziness, a headache, a lack of appetite, and potentially nausea. If you feel this, you are approaching altitude sickness and will need to rest a while before continuing higher. For this reason, our group will have expert mountain guides, as well as a Wild Women trip leader, so that we can split when needed. This means there is no pressure for you to maintain any speed or keep going when you are not feeling well.

Altitude Sickness:

Altitude sickness, also known as acute mountain sickness (AMS), can occur when ascending to high altitudes too quickly. Symptoms may include headache, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, and difficulty sleeping. If you begin to feel unwell, the guide will recommend stopping and resting, drinking lots of water and monitoring your symptoms, and if it persists, you may need to descend.

What happens if you are unable to complete the trek?

If you realise that you are unable to go further, or your guide advises that you must descend due to altitude sickness, you will either rest in the tea houses until you feel well enough to walk back down, or directly begin to descend, escorted by a guide and porter.

In an emergency situation where you need to be evacuated due to acute altitude sickness, illness, or injury, a helicopter will be called. Helicopter pads are everywhere on the trail and common in this area.

As Nepal has a huge trekking industry, which is dominated by extreme altitude and dangerous trails, they also have a very competent mountain medical industry. Their hospitals are well funded and set up for foreigners.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive at Kathmandu (1400 m) / Meet & Greet

You’ll arrive at Tribhuwan International Airport in Kathmandu, greeted by the bustling atmosphere of Nepal’s capital city. The sights, sounds and smells will immediately immerse you in the rich culture of the region. After meeting our staff member at the airport you’ll be transferred to your hotel in Thamel where you can rest and recharge from your flight. In the afternoon you’ll meet the rest of your group for a briefing on the journey ahead before all heading off to dinner together.

Meals Included: Dinner

Accommodation: Kathmandu Guest House (twin share)

Day 2: Cultural day in Kathmandu

Before heading of on our trekking adventure we will take a day to learn a little bit more about the culture and explore Kathmandu. Some of the highlights will be doing a cooking class, exploring Bhaktapur, walking around Durbar Square & some local markets, and visiting a local women's handicraft workshop.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation: Kathmandu Guest House (twin share)

Day 3: Kathmandu to Machha Khola (900m): 8-10 hours drive

Our adventure begins! We'll set off early for the long but beautiful drive through green hills and river valleys toward Machha Khola, the gateway to the Manaslu region. Expect a full day of winding mountain roads and beautiful views before reaching our first teahouse where we'll rest before our first on the trail.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner