Manaslu Tsum Valley Trek

Our journey to Manaslu Tsum Valley begins with an early morning drive from Kathmandu toward Machha Khola ( a camp of the Manaslu region ). Generally, the driving takes 7 to 8 hours by private jeep and 10 to 11 hours by local bus ( about 160 km road distance ). The driving route follows winding highways alongside rivers, terraced farmland, and hillside villages.
After passing Arughat, the road becomes rough because of the off-road drive ( the road from Kathmandu to Machha Khola is 30% off-road ) . But the section drive offers beautiful views of green hills and rural Nepalese life. Upon crossing several suspension bridges and riverside settlements, you finally reach Machha Khola. Machha Khola, also known as Machhi Khola. This is a small village of the Manaslu Region, also known as the gateway to the Manaslu region of Nepal. Around 30 plus local houses are living in Machha Khola. Stay overnight at a teahouse in Machha Khola.

The journey to Jagat trail follows the Budhi Gandaki River through forests, narrow paths, and small Gurung villages. Jagat is the entrance to the restricted Manaslu region. Natural hot springs and traditional stone-paved villages are the highlights of the day. On this second day of our journey, we will trek from Machha Khola to Jagat. Around 8 hours of walking from Machha Khola, you will reach Jagat. Before reaching Jagat, we will pass through Khorla Besi, Tatopani, Dovan, and Thulo Dhunga. The total trek distance between Machha Khola and Jagat is about 20 km (12.43 miles). Jagat is a small village in the Manaslu Circuit and the Tsum Valley trek. Around 5 to 7 teahouses are located in Jagat Village.

Today marks the third day of our journey, and on this day, we’ll trek from Jagat to Lokpa. The trek begins after registering our restricted area trekking permit at the Jagat Check Post. The trail from Jagat to Lokpa enters a more remote and peaceful section of the region. You pass through Salleri, Sirdibas, and Philim. Philim is one of the largest Gurung villages in the area. Passing numerous settlements like Salleri, Sirdibas, Philim, Ekle Bhatti, and Lokpa, we will reach Lokpa.
The total trekking distance between Jagat and Lokpa is around 12km (7.4 miles) and takes around 5 to 6 hours. Regarding Lokpa, it’s a small village which consists of 2 to 3 teahouses.

From Lokpa, the trail descends into a gorge before climbing the hill through pine and rhododendron forests. During the day, you will cross suspension bridges over the Siyar River. From Siyar, you will see beautiful views of Ganesh Himal. The approximate distance from Lokpa to Chamling is 8km (5 miles), 5 to 6 hours of walking from Lokpa village. Before reaching Chumling, we will pass Sarti Gorge and Gumlung. Chumling is a small village with stones and Buddhist monasteries. Most of the people in the Chumling village are Tibetan, and there are about 10 to 15 local houses of the people. Stay overnight at a teahouse in Chumling.

Today marks 6th day of our trek and on this day we will trek to Chekampar from Chumling. On this day, trail follows a gradual ascent through traditional Tibetan villages and Buddhist landmarks. Along the way, we will crosses several mani walls and prayer wheels. Around 5 to 6 hours walking from Chumling, you will reach Chekampar. The Chekampar is one of the largest villages in Tsum Valley. From Chekampar, you will get magnificent views of Himalchuli and Ganesh Himal. Stay overnight at a teahouse in Chhekampar.

On this day, we will trek from Chhekampar to Nile. When you move forward to Nile from Chhekampar, the valley becomes increasingly barren and Tibetan in appearance as you gain altitude. We will pass through ancient monasteries, yak pastures, and traditional villages including Chhule before reaching Nile. The total distance between Chhekmampar and Nile is 7km (4.3 miles), which takes about 5 to 6 hours. The Nile is the last village before the Tibetan border. In Nile village, there are many walls, stupas, and schools. We can see Ganesh Himal from Nile village. Stay overnight at a teahouse in Nile.

Today marks the 7th day of our trek, and on this day, we will explore Mu Gompa. Mu Gompa is the largest monastery in the Tsum Valley. The trail from Nile to Mu Gompa ascends gradually through barren high-altitude terrain with spectacular mountain views.
In the west section, you will see stunning views of Ganesh Himal. In the evening, we walk back to the Nile. Mu Gompa is the biggest monastery in the Tsum Valley. In this gompa, female monks are studying. Around 200 students can be accommodated in Mu Gompa. There is a facility for meals and accommodation in the monastery. After exploring the monastery and its surroundings, we will return to Nile for an overnight stay. The total walking distance from Nile to Mu Gompa and back to Nile is 5 km (3.1 miles), which takes about 4 to 5 hours.

On 8th day, we will retracing our steps down the valley. We descend through Chhule and other traditional settlements. The downhill walk provides excellent opportunities to enjoy mountain scenery and local culture from a different perspective. Stay overnight at a teahouse Chhekampar.

Today marks the 9th day of our trek, and on this day, we will trek to Chumling from Chhekampar. The trail continues descending through forests and riverside paths toward Chumling. Along the way, we will see prayer flags, monasteries, and cultivated terraces. Stay overnight at a teahouse in Chhekampar.

On the 10th day, we trek from Chumling to Deng. Leaving Tsum Valley behind, we will rejoin the main Manaslu Circuit trail near Philim. The route continues through bamboo forests and narrow river gorges before arriving at the village of Deng. Stay overnight at a teahouse in Deng.

On this day, we will trek from Deng to Namrung. The trail gradually ascends through forests of pine and fir. Along the route, we will pass several small villages influenced by Tibetan culture. As altitude increases, the scenery becomes more alpine. Around 5 to 6 hours’ walk from Deng, we will arrive at Namrung. The Namrung village is a beautiful mountain village with impressive mountain views.

Today marks the 12th day of our trek, and on this day, we will trek to Lho. On this day, we will get one of the best mountain scenery of the trek. The trail passes through Sho village before reaching Lho. From Lho, trekkers enjoy stunning close-up views of Mount Manaslu and nearby glaciers. Stay overnight at a teahouse in Lho.

Today marks the 13th day of our journey, and on this day, we will have a short trek up to Sama Gaun. It would be a relatively short trekking, allowing time for acclimatization. Along the way, we will pass Shyala village with panoramic mountain scenery before reaching Sama Gaun. Samagaun is one of the most beautiful villages on this trail. Since we will reach Samagaun at lunchtime, we can explore some of the popular spots like Birendra Lake after Lunch. Birendra Lake is a stunning glacial lake which is beneath the Manaslu mountain. Stay overnight at a teahouse in Samagaun.

Before leaving Samgaun, it will be very beneficial to have an acclimatization day. For this, we set 1 day for acclimatization day in Sagamagaun. On this day, we visit some highlighted spots nearby for acclimatization. For acclimatization, we can visit Pungyen Gompa. Along with the monastery, we can visit Manaslu Base Camp. Stay overnight at a teahouse in Samgaun.

After having breakfast at Samagaun, we depart for the Samdo village. The trail gradually climbs through yak grazing areas and barren alpine landscapes toward Samdo. Samdo is a small Tibetan refugee village close to the border. The afternoon can be spent exploring nearby ridges for acclimatization and mountain views. The total distance between Samagaun and Samdo is 9.1 km (5.1 miles), which takes about 3 to 4 hours by walking. Stay overnight at a teahouse in Samdo.

Though high altitude walking from Samdu to Dharmsala, the trail is manageable as the way is mostly flat. The route gradually ascends, passes through yak pastures, and afterwards open fields. On the way to Dharmsala, you’ll enjoy stunning views of surrounding mountains like Manaslu and Larke Peak. As you reach higher, the path becomes rocky and barren. In between Samdu and Dharmsala, you’ll cross small streams and wooden bridges. Around 3 to 4 hours’ walk from Samdu, we will reach Dharmasala. The total distance between Samdu and Dharmasala is about 6.1km (3.8 miles). Dharmasala is also known as Larke Phedi. Dharmasala, also known as Larke Phedi, is the base camp for crossing Larke Pass.
The afternoon is spent resting and preparing for the challenging pass crossing. The settlement is small with a basic teahouse. Stay overnight at a teahouse in Dharmasala.

This is the most challenging and rewarding day of the trek. You start early before sunrise and steadily climb toward the spectacular Larkya Pass. Today is the most exciting and adventurous day of the 20-day trek. Because we will cross the Larkya Pass on this day. We will wake up early in the morning so we can cross the Larkya Pass before the weather gets worse. The walk begins from Dharamsala at dark (around 3 to 4 a.m. ). The trail starts with a gradual ascent which gets steeper as you approach Larkya La Pass. The view from Larkya La Pass is just breathtaking. You’ll be surrounded by peaks and glaciers. From Larkya La, enjoy breathtaking views of Himlung Himal, Cheo Himal, Kang Guru, and Annapurna II. After spending some time at the pass taking pictures and celebrating the achievements , we descend carefully through moraines and alpine valleys to Bimthang. After a few hours descending from Larkya La, we will reach Bhimthang. The total distance from Dharmasala to Bhimthang is about 16km (9.9 miles), and it takes about 9 to 10 hours. Bhimthang is a beautiful camp surrounded by peaks. At Bhimthang, there are around 7 beautiful teahouses.

Today is also one of the best parts of the trekking because from Bhimthang to Besisahar, you will see many impressive waterfalls and diversified landscapes. On the way, we will pass the beautiful village Tilche, Goa, Dharapani, Tal, Chamje, Jagat, Syange, Rambagar, Khudi, Nadi Ja before reaching Besisahar. Upon reaching road point, we will drive to Besisahar. Stay overnight at a hotel in Besisahar.

Today marks the last day of our Tsum Valley Manaslu Trek. On this day, after having breakfast at Besisahar, we will drive to Kathmandu. Once we reach your hotel in Kathmandu, our 19-day journey will be concluded.