A two-to-three-week loop around Manaslu (8,163 m), the world's eighth-highest mountain, up the Budhi Gandaki valley through Tibetan-Buddhist villages and over the Larkya La pass.
Current notice: Update, 25 October 2026: a flood on the Budhi Gandaki on 11 October 2026 washed away sections of trail between Philim and Jagat, bridges and lodges. The main Manaslu route reopened from 16 October; the Tsum Valley side trip was still cut off. Check current access with a registered trekking agency before you go.
14–21 walking days · highest point Larkya La 5,106 m · Strenuous · best months Mar, Apr, May, Sep, Oct, Nov · Start and end: Arughat → Besisahar · Protected area: Manaslu Conservation Area
Drive from Kathmandu to the trailhead at Arughat or further up the valley; after the October 2026 flood, vehicles were reaching Khorlabesi, with a walk on to Jagat. The trek usually ends on the Annapurna side, at Dharapani or Besisahar, with a drive back to Kathmandu.
This is a restricted area: you need a special permit through a registered agency and a licensed guide. Larkya La is high and snow can close it, even in autumn: hundreds of trekkers have been held up in Samagaun and Samdo by snowfall. Acclimatise in Samagaun. The descent ends in the Annapurna Conservation Area; agencies say you also need the Annapurna permit (ACAP), but we found no official page that says so.
Restricted area: the special permit is issued only through a government-registered trekking agency, and a licensed guide must go with you. Since March 2026 solo trekkers can get the permit too, still with a guide.
Most of these treks go above 3,000 m. The US CDC advises: once above 3,000 m, sleep no more than 500 m higher each night, add an extra day for every 1,000 m you gain, never go higher with symptoms (headache, nausea, dizziness), and go down if they get worse.
Fees and rules checked on 2026-11-02.
Trekking and sightseeing in Nepal
General guidance from the sources listed, not a guarantee. Rules, fees and trail conditions change; confirm with the official source or a registered trekking agency before you go.