Region
The Manaslu region is a restricted trekking area in west-central Nepal circling the 8,163 m Manaslu, the world's eighth-highest mountain, crossed by the 5,106 m Larkya La pass. Treks here run 14 days and require a restricted-area permit (USD 100 per week in September to November, USD 75 per week otherwise), plus Manaslu Conservation Area (NPR 3,000) and Annapurna Conservation Area (NPR 3,000) entries. The restricted permit carries one hard rule now: a government-licensed guide, booked through a registered agency. A minimum-two-trekker rule applied until March 2026, when the Department of Immigration dropped it nationwide, so a solo trekker can now hold the permit alone.
Our Manaslu guides know the checkpoint sequence that decides whether a departure clears immigration on schedule. The pages below cover the Circuit, the Tsum Valley side trek, and the restricted-permit mechanics.
Routes
The restricted-area permit is the defining difference: Manaslu sits inside a controlled zone near the Tibet border, so every trekker needs a special authorization the Department of Immigration issues only through a registered agency, never to individuals. The mandatory licensed guide follows from that status; a minimum-two-trekkers rule applied until March 2026 but was dropped nationwide. Teahouses run the full route since 2010, so this is a lodge trek, not a camping expedition, despite the remote billing.
The Circuit takes 14 days around Manaslu and over the Larkya La. Tsum Valley runs as its own 14-day trek into a Buddhist side valley with its own restricted permit, or combines with the Circuit into a single 21 to 24 day itinerary. Both routes' permit costs, checkpoints, and photo requirements are detailed in the Manaslu restricted-area permit requirements guide, written by the person who files them.
| Route | Duration | Max altitude | 2026 group cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manaslu Circuit | 14 days | 5,106 m (Larkya La) | USD 1,250-1,750 |
| Tsum Valley (standalone) | 14 days | 3,700 m (Mu Gompa) | USD 1,150-1,600 |
| Circuit + Tsum Valley combined | 21-24 days | 5,106 m (Larkya La) | Priced from the Circuit rate plus the extra Tsum days |
Tsum Valley on its own runs the same 14 days as the Circuit but costs less, because its lower-altitude side valley tops out at 3,700 m rather than crossing the 5,106 m Larkya La, which needs less guide and porter support per day than the Circuit's higher, more remote final stretch. Combining the two into one 21 to 24 day itinerary is priced from the Circuit's rate with the extra Tsum days added at cost, and both figures already include the restricted-area permit, so there's no separate line item to budget beyond what's quoted.
Manaslu is often described as what the Annapurna Circuit was before a jeep road reached Manang, since it shares a similar high-pass structure, the Larkya La against the Thorong La, but keeps the roadless, restricted character the Annapurna route has partly lost. The full side-by-side, covering permit cost, crowding, and difficulty, sits in the Annapurna Circuit vs Manaslu Circuit comparison, written by a guide who has led departures on both.
October-November and March-May carry Manaslu's stable weather windows, the same pattern as the rest of Nepal, with autumn's higher restricted-permit fee, USD 100 a week against USD 75 the rest of the year, reflecting that season's heavier demand rather than any change in route conditions. A spring or early-winter booking trims that specific cost without giving up much in the way of trail conditions, since the Larkya La crossing itself needs the same stable high-pressure weather in either season.
Because the restricted permit requires agency filing with a minimum two-week lead time, a Manaslu departure needs to be booked further ahead than a standard Annapurna or Langtang trek, regardless of which season you choose.
Planning
FAQ
Yes, since 22 March 2026. The restricted-area permit still requires a government-licensed guide booked through a registered agency, but the minimum-two-trekker rule that applied since before Nepal's 2023 national guide requirement was removed nationwide on that date. A solo trekker can now hold the Manaslu permit alone.
USD 100 per person per week from September to November, and USD 75 per week the rest of the year, filed only through a registered agency. This is on top of the Manaslu Conservation Area (NPR 3,000) and Annapurna Conservation Area (NPR 3,000) entries every Manaslu trekker also needs.
Slightly, on cumulative terms, despite a lower high pass: Manaslu's Larkya La sits at 5,106 m against the Annapurna Circuit's 5,416 m Thorong La, but Manaslu's gorge trail covers more ground with more elevation gain overall. Neither route requires technical climbing skill.
