Manaslu circuit

Manaslu circuit

Page Type Page Type: Album
Additional Information Image Type(s): Alpine Climbing, Hiking

Overview

I hiked a circle around Manaslu in fall 2008 starting at Arughat Bazar, ascending Samdo and Larkya north peak (6056m), passing over Larkya pass and going back through the Dudh Khola valley finally meeting the Annapurna circuit trail.

This was a commercial expedition by German amical alpin. There is nothing serious to say against the organisation except some minor misfits.
This was the first commercial expedition I "booked" in advance. Our group was 12 people strong, coming from Germany and Austria. Amical hired an arrogant mountain guide with a serious lack of social competence, who showed his quality on the one day climbing Larkya north peak, but was totally needless to me during the rest of the travel.
I never did anything with a guide before and didn't travel with a bunch of people I wouldn't know before.
Comparing this with other trips I've done in the past I can resume that it's a lot more fun organising and travelling on your own or in a small group of members that know each other before and go for similar goals together.
Private expeds have a smaller chance to run perfect all the way through, but they are definitely a deeper experience to me, than comercial trips like this one.

Anyway there were enough moments to enjoy away from bugging teammembers or our superhero 8k-guide.

The valleys around Manaslu are still very natural and will stay like this for at least some years until this area also becomes a popular one. The route offers all kind of variation nature has to give since it starts off at 530 meters above sealevel and rises over 5000 meters when passing Larkya pass. Vegetation changes often and even at higher stages very surprisingly. People are friendly and it's good to go through an area that tourism hasn't captured yet.

This trail is perfect for acclimatisation as it rises very slowly day by day following the Budhi Gandaki river all the time. I had absolutely no problem with altitude. Except of a headake on the summitday my body felt fine for 22 days.

Images

View Manaslu circuit Image Gallery - 67 Images

Comments

Post a Comment
Viewing: 1-7 of 7
Fred Spicker

Fred Spicker - Apr 9, 2009 5:30 pm - Voted 10/10

Very nice

Thank you for posting these great photos. They bring back wonderful memories of our trip around Manaslu in 2000.

Looks like some bridges have been replaced - we definitely crossed some in the class D category.

Nikman

Nikman - Apr 10, 2009 4:58 am - Hasn't voted

Re: Very nice

Thanks Fred, how did you do that back in 2000? Did you go on your own or organised?

Fred Spicker

Fred Spicker - Apr 10, 2009 8:32 am - Voted 10/10

Re: Very nice

Our trip was with a professional Nepali guide whom I knew personally from a previous trip. At the time we went, a guide and a government liaison officer were required to enter the Manaslu area. Is that still the case?

Originally there was to be a rather large group consisting of my wife, daughter and me along with 8 Dutch people. The Dutch canceled at the last minute making the trip just a family experience. We did not climb on the trip - just a trek.

Nikman

Nikman - Apr 10, 2009 5:01 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: Very nice

We had three permits, one for Manaslu conservation area, one for exiting through Annapurna area and one for climbing Larkya north peak.
We had a sirda with us, but I am not sure if it's allowed to go without.

RichardBall

RichardBall - Jan 16, 2012 11:46 pm - Hasn't voted

Manaslu trek now has a website!

Very nice Nick, you did it at a good time. Tourism is certainly catching up. The place now has its own website even - always a measure of progress. http://manaslucircuittrek.com

mosh

mosh - Nov 6, 2012 12:48 pm - Hasn't voted

Plan to go there in March

Hi Nickman,
my plan is to do Manaslu circuit in march 2013 and climb Larkye twin peaks. do you think the weather is good to climb there at that time, by other accounts i hear it is cold but possible.
cheers
moshe

Nikman

Nikman - Nov 6, 2012 2:43 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: Plan to go there in March

I suggest the weather might be more stable in Oktober/November than in the spring season.
Spring season is as you wrote a "could be" but late season is usually more stable with clear skies for many days (we had 18 days blue sky), but I also heard of rainy periods in the late season.

Viewing: 1-7 of 7


Parents 

Parents

Parents refers to a larger category under which an object falls. For example, theAconcagua mountain page has the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits' asparents and is a parent itself to many routes, photos, and Trip Reports.

ManasluAlbums