Complete Manaslu Circuit Trek Itinerary with Larke Pass

Every Manaslu Circuit Trek itinerary follows roughly the same trail, so the real question is not which villages you pass through. It is how each version of the itinerary sets you up for Larke Pass, the 5,106 m crossing that decides whether the whole trip feels manageable or miserable.

A rushed schedule and a well-paced one can cover the same distance and still produce two completely different pass days.

Below, we break down our standard 12-day route at Everest Trekking Routes day by day, then look at how shorter and longer itineraries change the approach to the pass itself!

The 12-Day Manaslu Circuit Trek Itinerary We Recommend

The route leaves Machha Khola and climbs through Jagat, Deng, and Namrung, gaining around 1,300 m over three days without forcing the pace.

By Lho, Manaslu itself comes into view, and Samagaon at 3,530 m is where the itinerary slows down on purpose. The rest day here matters more than any other single day on the trek, because it prepares your lungs and legs for the thinner air above.

From Samagaon, the trail to Samdo and then Dharamsala climbs gradually rather than steeply, which keeps the daily altitude gain within a safer range before the hardest section begins!

Dharamsala, sometimes called Larke Phedi, sits at 4,460 m and works as the high camp for the pass.

Most groups leave in the dark, since wind picks up on Larke Pass by mid-morning and can turn a manageable crossing into a genuinely hard one.

The climb to 5,106 m takes several hours, and the descent to Bimthang on the far side is long enough that trekkers who rushed the days before usually feel it in their knees. Two easier, lower days through Tilche and Besisahar follow before the drive back closes the loop!

How Shorter and Longer Itineraries Change the Larke Pass Approach?

Compressed itineraries of 10 or 11 days usually cut the Samagaon rest day, or merge Samdo, Dharamsala, and the pass into fewer, longer days.

That saves time, but it also means reaching 5,106 m with fewer days spent adapting to elevation above 3,500 m.

Research on Nepali trekking routes consistently links faster ascent rates with higher rates of acute mountain sickness, and Larke Pass has few options to turn back once you are committed to the crossing.

Extended itineraries of 14 to 20 days, often built around Tsum Valley or a Serang Gomba detour, arrive at Dharamsala having already spent extra days above 3,000 m. That additional adaptation time generally makes the pass day feel easier, even though the total trekking distance is longer.

If this is your first high-altitude trek, or you have not spent time above 4,000 m before, we recommend choosing length based on how much acclimatization you actually get, not how many souvenir days you can fit in.

Permits for the Manaslu Circuit Trek

You need four permits to reach Larke Pass legally, and all of them are arranged as part of our package:

• Manaslu Restricted Area Permit (RAP): USD 100 for the first week in September to November, USD 75 for the first week from December to August, plus a daily rate afterward
• Manaslu Conservation Area Permit (MCAP): around NPR 3,000.
• Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP): around NPR 3,000, required because the descent from the pass enters Annapurna territory.
• Chumnubri Rural Municipality Fee: around NPR 1,000.

As of March 2026, Nepal’s Department of Immigration removed the old two-person minimum for the Restricted Area Permit, so solo trekkers can now apply on their own.

A licensed guide is not something we present as a legal obligation here, but our packages at Everest Trekking Routes include one anyway, because the checkpoints, permit paperwork, and pass-day decisions genuinely go smoother with local support.

Best Time to Cross Larke Pass?

Autumn, from September to November, gives the clearest mountain views and the most stable weather window, though permit fees and lodge demand rise during this period.

Spring, from March to May, brings rhododendron blooms at lower elevations and generally safe pass conditions.

Winter often closes Larke Pass with heavy snow, so most agencies, including us at Everest Trekking Routes, avoid scheduling departures between December and February.

Cost, Accommodation, and Other Practical Details

• Cost: A guided 12 to 14-day trek typically runs USD 1,200 to 1,900 per person, depending on group size and season
• Accommodation: Teahouses throughout, with fewer choices above Samagaon
• Connectivity: Phone signal and data become unreliable past Samagaon, so tell family to expect quiet days
• Cash: There are no ATMs beyond the lower villages, so carry enough Nepali rupees for the entire trek
• Packing: A rated sleeping bag, microspikes, and a proper down jacket matter most for the Dharamsala to Bimthang stretch

Choosing the Manaslu Circuit Itinerary That Fits You

The trail to Larke Pass does not change much between itineraries. What changes is how prepared your body is when you get there. If you are newer to altitude, take the extra acclimatization days.

If you already have high-altitude experience, a tighter schedule is workable, provided you watch for symptoms honestly rather than pushing through them!

Our team at Everest Trekking Routes builds each Manaslu Circuit Trek itinerary around your fitness level, travel dates, and prior altitude experience, and we handle the RAP, MCAP, and ACAP paperwork directly so you can focus on the walk itself.