Today is for intensive sightseeing. We will walk you to the Swayambhunath temple complex, also known as the Monkey Temple. Then, there is the Boudhanath stupa, where countless prayer wheels and monasteries will confuse your senses. You will also visit the Pashupatinath Temple Complex, another ancient Hindu religious place. After we walk you through the historic streets of Kathmandu Durbar Square, our guide will assist you in acquiring or renting any necessary equipment.

In the early morning, we will set off on a mountain adventure. After managing the heavy traffic, we will leave Kathmandu and join the Trishuli Highway. Our real off-road adventure begins as we take on the side trail that leads us to Dhading Besi. The unpaved, bumpy road will take us towards the busy yet lively market of Arughat. Passing by the incredible cascade of trees and bushes, we will reach Soti Khola. Road development has enabled travel up to Machha Khola, minimizing the trekking hours for the next day.

From today, we will start our walking adventure, which will direct us through bamboo forests and the steep slopes of deep gorges of traditional Nepali villages. After Machha Khola, we will walk across our first hanging bridge over the Buddhi Gandaki River. The progressive trail will then take us to the characteristic village of Tatopani. The long stretch of forest trail will now take us to Yaruphant, where we will again cross yet another 92 km long suspended bridge. Now, taking the track through Thulo Dhunga, we will finally arrive at Jagat.

As we reach the end of the main street of Jagat, we will stop at the army checkpoint of the Manaslu Restricted Conservation Area to verify our documents. We will then resume our travel on the open road beside the sandy shore of the Budhi Gandaki River and shortly arrive at Salleri. Then, crossing a Tibetan bridge, we will reach the sunny Gurung Village of Philim. We are marching inside the lower Tsum Valley now. A small ascent will take us to Ekle Bhatti. The cool forest trail will now take us to Lokpa, which is positioned between the Budhi Gandaki and Siyar Khola waters.

From today onwards, we will be entering a different scenery, with different cultures and people. We will be in the territory where the ancient Tibetan culture of the Tsumbas dominates. Encountering several stupas and chortens, we will be progressing alongside the Siyar Khola. The route will unhurriedly climb to the majestic Sardi Khola ridge. We will walk down from the ridge, which may take us around half an hour, and we will find ourselves by the shore of the Lungwa Khola. The pathway will steepen through a dramatic gorge leading us to Gumlung. There is another suspended bridge over the Siyar Khola which will take us to Chumling.

The Tsum Valley opens up more as we progress in our today’s journey. Walking beside the amazing Siyar Khola, we will steadily take the ascending trail along the northern slope and arrive at Dumje Village. The forking road presents two options; we will follow the one that leads to Lar. Following this trail, we will come across the Serpu Khola. After crossing this marvelous small river, we will reach Gho and the high grassland of Chauri Kharka. We will now move east and traverse a small hill which will advance us to Lamagaon. Yet another long metal bridge will take us to the all-nunnery Rachen Gompa.

We will continue our journey, crossing some more authentic villages in the Tsum Valley. After Lar, we will walk through the appealing settlements of Phurbe, Chhule, and Pangdun. Along the way, we can take a glimpse at Piren Phu, the beautiful cave of Milarepa perched on the hill. The trail will continue to rise, becoming increasingly steep until we arrive at the extraordinary entrance of Nile Village. Our evening will be spent admiring the amazing profiles of Nadi Chuli, Himal Chuli, and Manaslu.

An important section of our trek has arrived as we traverse the last inhabited village of the Tsum Valley—Mu Gompa. From Nile, we will begin to climb the left path beside the Siyar Khola, which can get steeper and will continue for about 3 to 4 hours, culminating at the hill where Mu Gompa is perched. After we complete the monastery tour, we will get on with our adventure towards Ngula Bhanjyang Pass, which stands at 5,093m. We will turn north and head to Dhupchet and then proceed to the open pastures of Kalung. The eastern trail will climb us up to Ngula Dhojyang Bhanjyang, from where we can see the extended landscape of Tibet.

It's time to bring an end to our Tsum Valley trekking and begin our exploration around the Manaslu Himal, for which we will have to walk back to Chhokang Paro. The journey will be quite easy and simple as mostly we will have to follow the downhill path as we pass through familiar villages. Along the way, we will take a moment to visit Milarepa Cave, where the saint is believed to have engaged in deep meditation for several years.

We will now follow the route that runs parallel with the enchanting land filled with pines and blooming rhododendrons. We will travel back through Gho and Sarpu Khola once more and observe rural Nepal in the settlements of Kowo, Yarchyo, and Tanju before we arrive at Chumling. Once more, we will walk through Gumlung and tackle the up-and-down terrain of the Sardi Khola Danda before we reach Lokpa for the night.

From Lokpa, we will journey to reach the Budhi Gandaki valley once more. As we keep on walking, we will come to the path that meets the trail coming from Philim. We will now direct ourselves to the right and then move on to walk across the bridge over the glistening Budhi Gandaki River, which will take us to Ekle Bhatti. We will move through the lush bamboo thickets and arrive at Nupri. Prepare to cross a narrow canyon to reach Deng, which again gives us the impression of Tibetan Buddhism.

From Deng, we will start walking beside the eastern shore of the vast Budhi Gandaki River. Our journey will lead us steadily upward to Rana Bridge, then we will progress to Bihi Phedi. The 'Om Mane Padme Hum' carved Mani walls will be our solace en route as we keep on moving along some sharp climbs and descents which will end only after we reach Ghap village. The trail will be relieving now as we once again walk through the magical jungle of fir and rhododendron trees towards Namrung.

Resuming our walk along the enriching Mani Walls, we will soon traverse the jungle track again which will take us to Lihi Village. The track will softly begin to rise as we walk for about 50 minutes and arrive at Sho Hamlet. The path ahead will become more inviting as we start to see the glowing peaks of Manaslu and Manaslu North. Lho village will arrive soon, resting happily in the Nubri Valley. The deeply rich Tibetan Buddhism can be profoundly seen as we set forth for a short detour of the Ribum Gumba.

After Lho, we will engage in a progressive climb until we reach Shayala Village. This larger village is an exquisite location to admire the stunning outline of the Manaslu, Naike, and Shringi Himals. As we proceed further, we will meet a small fresh stream and yaks grazing around it. An hour hike further and we will be at Sama Gaon, the largest village in the valley. After some rest, we can set out to observe the artistry of the Kagyu Chholing Monastery, which hosts a magnificent statue of Guru Rinpoche.

We will have a pretty physically challenging day today as we prepare to climb to Manaslu Base Camp. The trip will acclimatize us well before we set on to tackle the Larkya La Pass. Progressively ascending the same path as taken by many climbers, we will be at the base camp within 3 to 4 hours. The preeminent glacier of Manaslu and the peak itself can be seen from very close up here. After some time, we will return to eat and sleep at Sama Gaon.

We will have a day of intense calm as we extend our hike for about 30 minutes to approach Birendra Lake. The glistening Manaslu will again greet us here as we sit by the shore and just immerse ourselves in its calmness. We will then climb the hill where the Pung Gyen Gompa has been resting for a long time. Here, you will also have the incredible chance to interact with the residing monks and gain some life perspective from their ancient knowledge. Sama Gaon will be our home for the night again.

After Sama Gaon, we will leave the cool embrace of the tree lines and walk up to the more open area of yak pastures at Kermo Kharka. The Budhi Gandaki River will be flowing by us as we traverse its torrential current over a wooden bridge. Now, the further trail softly climbs towards the White Kani gate, indicating we have reached the charming land of Samdo. After some relaxation, we can extend our route further to explore the exquisite monasteries of this village.

Samdo is just a few kilometers away from the Tibetan border, and today we will make our way to the Rui La Pass. From Samdo, we will turn north, cross the Athahra Saya Khola, and begin to ascend. We will continue following the northern path, which will slowly keep elevating. After some three hours of upward climb, we will turn west and climb a slope. It will be an additional two hours of climbing further before we make it to the top of the Rui La pass. The Fukang and Hindu Glaciers, along with Manaslu, seem very close and imposing from up here.

After Samdo, our trail will widen and become more beautiful, adorned with Mani Walls side by side. After walking a little further, we will encounter two small mountain streams, probably originating from the black glacier of Larkya, which will soon be in front of us. Now, we will walk beside the Salka Khola and climb leisurely to reach Dharamsala. Sometimes known as a Refugee Camp, it is more commonly known by the name of Larke Phedi in Manaslu. It is regarded as the base camp before we approach the behemoth Larkya La Pass.

We have a very long, exhausting, and most demanding stage of our trek today, so we will begin as soon as dawn breaks. We will first surge up the ridge and traverse the lateral edge of the Larke Glacier. Then, we will surpass the rocky scree and walk slowly across several frozen alpine lakes. As we reach the final 100m stretch to the pass, we may have to use crampons for a more stable climb. After around 3 to 5 hours, we will finally be at the top of the giant pass, where we can enjoy the resplendent peaks of Kanguru, Himlung, and Annapurna II. Get ready for a sharp plunge down the pass over its rocky landscape. After we travel through Larkya Kharka and Tanbuche, we will finally be at Bhimtang.

That’s it! We have reached the end of our grand trekking itinerary. From Bhimthang, we will walk downward towards Sangure Kharka and reach the Dudh Khola, which we will cross through a beautiful hanging bridge. Then, we will walk through the enchanting territories of Hambuk, Puktu, and Phute, and then Gho. After a sharp climb up the Karche Pass, an easy descent will direct us to Tilje. A beautiful stone bridge is seen over the Dudh Khola, after which our trail runs beside the Marshyangdi River, taking us to Dharapani.

From Dharapani, we will take public transport and drive over challenging dirt roads that pass through the villages of Tal, Chamje, and Jagat, until we arrive at Besisahar. From there, the road is very pleasant as the Prithvi Highway will be our companion, taking us back to Kathmandu. To give a wonderful closing to our adventure, we will enjoy a vibrant evening with all our team members over a pleasant Nepali dinner.

All great adventures have an ending, and so does our Manaslu Tsum Valley circuit trek. After breakfast, it’s time to go to the airport to take the flight back home. A representative will transfer you to the airport, marking the end of your incredible journey in Nepal.