Manaslu and Tsum Valley Trek

Today you finally lace up your boots and hit the trail. The path runs alongside the Budhi Gandaki River for most of the day, and it's the kind of walking that reminds you why you came here in the first place. There's a pleasant rhythm to it, climbing gently through lush hillsides, dropping back down, passing through the small settlement of Khola Besi, and eventually reaching Tatopani where natural hot springs bubble up along the riverside. Many trekkers pause here, and honestly, it's hard to walk past without at least dipping your hands in. The afternoon gets a bit more physical. You'll cross a suspension bridge over the Budhi Gandaki and work your way up a rocky stretch to reach Doban, then cross a second bridge over the Yaru Khola. A solid climb through Thado Bharayng brings you up to the ridge where Jagat sits, marking the official entrance into the Manaslu Conservation Area.

This is the day the Tsum Valley adventure properly begins. The morning starts with a steady climb up to Salleri, then the trail follows the Budhi Gandaki once again before crossing a long suspension bridge into Philim. A little further along, you'll reach Ekle Bhatti, a quiet fork in the road where trails split between the Tsum Valley and the Manaslu Circuit. You take the Tsum route. From here the path winds through a handful of high-altitude villages, hugging the right side of the valley as it climbs. The scenery opens up beautifully, and if you're lucky with the weather, Boudha Himal, Himalchuli, Shringi Himal, and Ganesh Himal will be watching over you most of the day. Following the Syar River upstream, you'll eventually walk into Lokpa (2,240 m) as the afternoon light softens over the hills.

Today's trail takes you along the ridge that skirts the base of Ganesh Himal, and the views from up here are something you'll likely want to stop and photograph more than once. The trail is quieter on this stretch, fewer settlements, fewer people, just the crunch of your footsteps and the occasional rustling of the rhododendron and pine forests that line the trail as you descend into the Lungwa River Valley. There's a peaceful solitude to this section that veteran trekkers of the Tsum Valley often mention as one of their favorite parts of the whole route. After crossing the Syar Khola, the path climbs up again to reach Chumling, and then pushes a little higher to arrive at Dumje which is at an altitude of 2,460 m, the gateway to what's called the Lower Tsum Valley.

The Upper Tsum Valley begins in earnest today, and this is where many trekkers feel the real cultural character of this region start to come alive. The trail moves through Bgakyu Leru, where you can spot farmers tending to surprisingly fertile fields at altitude, and continues through Lamagaon before reaching one of the more memorable spots of the day: the Milarepa Piren Phu Cave near Burji Village, nestled at the foot of a dramatic rocky cliff. The cave is associated with the revered Tibetan saint Milarepa and feels genuinely ancient. It's worth pausing here before crossing the Shiar River to make the final push into Nile. Just 20 minutes beyond Nile lies Chhule (3,360 m), the last permanent settlement in the Upper Tsum Valley, a reminder that you're now deep into one of Nepal's most remote corners.

An early start sets the tone for a relatively manageable but deeply rewarding day. The trail follows the west bank of the valley, running close to the Tibetan border, across open yak pastures where the views stretch wide in every direction. It takes around 3 to 4 hours to reach Mu Gompa, and the approach through the open grasslands with the mountains rising all around you is genuinely special. Mu Gompa at an 3,710m is the largest monastery in the Tsum Valley and a place that carries a real sense of quiet reverence. Inside, you'll find a life-sized statue of Tara, along with figures of Guru Padmasambhava and Avalokiteshvara, as well as the sacred Kangyur texts. Just a short walk away is the Dhephu Doma Gompa, another ancient monastery worth exploring before you settle in for the night.

Once you cross the 3,500-meter mark, your body needs time to adjust, and this rest day is built right into the itinerary for good reason. But "rest day" doesn't quite capture it. Start the morning with a light hike around the ridges above the monastery, where the views on a clear morning are worth every step. The landscape here is heavily influenced by Tibetan culture and you notice it everywhere, in the prayer flags, the architecture, the sounds, and the pace of daily life. Spend the afternoon wandering at your own speed, poking around the monastery, chatting with the monks if the opportunity arises, and just letting the altitude slowly settle into your lungs. You'll sleep better tonight for it.

A gentler day follows the acclimatization rest, and it's a welcome change of pace. The trail descends from Mu Gompa down into the Shiar Khola Valley, and the walk has a pleasant, almost meditative quality to it. Rachen Gompa comes into view sitting in a stunning natural setting right at the Nepal-China border. This nunnery is home to nuns from the Ngak-Pa Sect and is one of the largest religious communities in the Tsum Valley. What catches most visitors off guard is the sheer scale of the 1,000 Avalokiteshvara statues on the monastery premises. It's a quiet, humbling place and one that tends to stay with trekkers long after they've returned home.

Fair warning: today is a long one. The trail from the nunnery winds down through a series of elevation changes, passing through Chhokung Paro and heading toward Gho. The wide-open Himalayan views along this section make up for the effort, particularly on the stretch just before the suspension bridge near Gho. After crossing the bridge, the path passes through Rainjam Village before the trail commits to a long descent back down into the Tsum Valley floor. By the time you reach Chumling (2,386 m), your legs will know they've done a full day's work. The lodge here is a warm and welcoming place to recover, and a good meal goes a long way after a trek like this one.

After yesterday's long haul, today comes as a relief. The trail descends at a comfortable pace, first tracking along the Shair Khola toward Lokpa Village, then dropping down through open grazing land where it's common to encounter large flocks of Himalayan sheep and goats wandering the hillsides. There's something deeply unhurried about this stretch. The views of Ganesh Himal and Manaslu are outstanding as the trail crosses several gorges before reaching a solid bridge over the Budi Gandaki River. The river leads you through narrow gorges with a few ups and downs before the trail passes through a scenic stretch of bamboo forest and delivers you into Deng at an altitude of 1,860m is a traditional Gurung settlement with warm lodges and cold evenings.

Today's trek has a bit of everything. It starts with an uphill push out of Deng before dropping briefly to the Budhi Gandaki, then climbs steadily through Rana, Bhimphedi, and over the Serang Khola to reach Ghap. From Ghap the trail steepens, but the forest keeps things interesting as you move through dense patches of rhododendron and bamboo, filling your lungs with cool mountain air. The final stretch crosses a couple of wild rivers before landing you in Namrung at an 2,630m is a village with a notably Tibetan character. It's considered the entry point to the Nupri region, and you can feel the shift in both the architecture and the culture as you settle in for the evening.

Buddhism is woven into every part of today's walk. Right from the morning climb through forested terrain above Namrung, the trail begins to reveal mani walls, prayer flags, and chortens at regular intervals. It's the kind of walking where you can lose track of time. Passing through Lihi and into the Simnang Valley, you'll eventually reach Sho Village, and the view from here is one of the best of the entire trek. Manaslu North (7,157m) and Manaslu itself rise sharply above the valley, and on a clear day it's simply breathtaking. Continuing through the valley, you arrive at Lho, a village with traditional Tibetan-influenced stone architecture and a small monastery that's worth a quiet visit before dinner.

A lighter day in terms of distance, though the mountain scenery turns it into something memorable. Leaving Lho with Peak 29 watching from above, the trail follows the river toward Shyala Village, where Manaslu, Himal Chuli, and Phungi make for a striking backdrop as you stop for tea. The walk into Samagaun (3,500 m) feels like a reward. It's a well-established village close to the Tibetan border, anchored by the famous Sama Gaon Monastery. The elevation here is enough to notice, and many trekkers spend the late afternoon sitting quietly, watching the mountains shift color as the sun goes down.

Your second scheduled rest day, and this one comes just before the hardest stretch of the trek. The highlight is a hike up to Pungyen Gompa, perched on a hilltop above the village. The views from there are jaw-dropping: a panorama of snow-capped peaks and glittering glaciers that makes the short climb completely worth it. Take the afternoon slowly. Wander through the village, eat well, drink plenty of fluids, and let your body do its quiet work of adjusting. A good acclimatization today means a safer and more enjoyable crossing of Larkya La in the days ahead.

An early morning start gets you onto the trail while the air is still crisp. The path moves alongside terraced fields and mani walls before joining the route of the Budhi Gandaki River, which you cross on a wooden bridge. From there a mani wall marks the beginning of the long ascent toward Larkya La, though today you're only climbing part of the way. The second half of the walk is more gradual, with prayer flags fluttering along the trail as it traces the river through several open ridges. Samdo that sits at an altitude of 3,860m, appears ahead with the impressive Samdo Peak (6,335m) towering behind it. It's a small and welcoming community, and the views from the village in the evening light are hard to leave.

The Larkya Glacier makes its first appearance today, and its presence adds a raw, glacial drama to the walk. The trail climbs steadily from Samdo, crossing two streams along the way before moving through the Salka Khola Valley. The landscape at this altitude is stark and beautiful, all rock and ice and sky. The final push up to Dharamsala (4,480 m) is tiring but worthwhile. This high stone guesthouse, also known as Larkya La Phedi, is one of the most atmospheric places to spend a night on the entire route. From the lodge, you have unobstructed views of Manaslu and the Larkya Glacier spreading across the valley below. Go to bed early tonight. Tomorrow is a big day.

This is the day that defines the whole trek. You'll be up before the sun, breakfast eaten quietly in the dark, headlamps on and boots tightened. The pass needs to be crossed before midday when strong winds start hammering the ridge, so there's no lingering over coffee. The climb starts across open moraine before the trail dips slightly toward a frozen lake and then gets serious, pushing up a steep grassy slope to two stone cairns. From there, four frozen ledges bring you to the final steep pitch to the top of Larkya La at 5,213 meters. The views from the pass on a clear morning are some of the finest in all of Nepal, with Himlung Himal, Kanguru, Cheo Himal, and Annapurna II lined up across the horizon. The descent down the western side is long and the moraine makes it technical in places, but the trail gradually softens as you lose elevation, eventually leading through meadows and past a mani wall before opening up into the wide, peaceful meadow at Bimtang. You'll be tired, but it will be the good kind.

After the high drama of the Larkya La, today is about coming back down to earth in the most literal sense. The trail leaves the glacial terrain behind and drops quickly into thicker vegetation, the greenery returning in a rush after so many days above the treeline. It's a long descent through Sangore Kharka and Hompuk, with continuous mountain views, particularly of Cheo Himal, Himlung Himal, Manaslu North, and Phungi Himal. You'll pass through a landslide zone before climbing briefly over a ridge down to the river at Gho, then continue toward Tilje through the Marsyangdi Valley. A suspension bridge over the Dudh Khola brings you into Thonje, and from there it's a short walk to Dharapani which is at an altitude of 1,960 meters, a familiar crossroads for anyone who has done the Annapurna Circuit. The Himalayan journey is nearly complete.

The final chapter. After breakfast, you pile into a private vehicle and start the long drive back to Kathmandu at an1,400 m. The first four hours to Besisahar are on rougher mountain roads, but once you hit the paved highway the ride becomes much more comfortable. Along the way, you pass through small towns like Bhulbhule and Khudi before the road joins the Prithvi Highway, following the Marsyangdi and Trishuli Rivers all the way back to the capital. The scenery out the windows, terraced fields, forest-covered riverbanks, and occasional Himalayan peaks on the horizon, is a gentle reminder of the landscapes you've spent the last 18 days walking through. By the time you arrive in Kathmandu, there's a mix of exhaustion and satisfaction that is hard to put into words. Our representative will drop you at your hotel, and depending on the time, the city's restaurants and cafes are right there waiting. It's been a privilege trekking with you. Safe travels ahead.