Manaslu and Tsum

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If you've gotta go, go all the way. In March 2018, I set off for my first trek in Nepal.

Against the backdrop of towering mountains, we feel so small. Every human connection becomes all the more important—whether it’s the young girl whose mother will probably hate you because you gave her chocolate and it’s now all over her face and clothes or the old lady who paused in carrying a heavy basket uphill to give us directions to a swimming hole.

The Manaslu Circuit is a younger trekking route than the Annapurna Circuit and Everest Base Camp treks. It's a little more remote and rough around the edges, especially if you make time for the side trip into Tsum Valley, a hidden vale close to the Tibetan border where much of the original culture is preserved.

The main circuit takes about 13 days, starting in Sotikhola and ending in Tilche or Dharapani, where the trail meets up with the Annapurna Circuit. The side-trip through Tsum Valley adds about 6-7 days. The highest point of the trek is Larke La, a high elevation pass with a max altitude of 5106m.

Walk with me to 5106m through the posts below!

Ready to plan your own trip? Check out the planning resource section I'm currently building or get in touch! Coming soon: trail description of the Manaslu Circuit.

 

Day 3: Nepali flat

Manaslu Circuit, Day 3: Nepali flat: a little up and a little down, it all evens out in the end. We made our way up our first steep ascents and descents and encountered young girls playing a game from my childhood, an ocean away and decades apart.

Day 4: Roadside dreams
Manaslu Circuit, Day 4: Walking with a burning fever isn't exactly fun, but I got to check "sleeping on the side of the road in Nepal" off my list! And we made good miles in the end.
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Day 5: Into Tsum Valley
Manaslu Circuit, Day 5: As we walked into the chill morning, the air smelled like rain. “Jum jum,” Bikram said, looking up at the clouds. “Let’s go.” Turning off the main Manaslu Circuit, the trail wandered up and over a
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Day 6: And then there were four
Manaslu Circuit, Day 6: Our team is down to four: three trekkers and our guide. With the sun in our faces and green all around, we wandered deeper into Tsum Valley.
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Day 7: Sonam
Manaslu Circuit, Day 7: A much-needed short rest day in Chhekamparo, where Sonam showed us her work in the fields.
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Day 9: Where have the monks gone?
Manaslu Circuit, Day 9: With the Spring melt just coming, the monastery halls still echo empty with just a caretaker to wander the halls.
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Day 8: Towards Tibet
Manaslu Circuit, Day 8: Flat fields of green provided welcome relief to the tough inclines we'd been climbing the past week. Fluttering Buddhist prayer flags and low mani walls added a sense of peace and direction.
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