Manaslu Expedition in Autumn

When you land in Kathmandu, a representative of Outfitter Nepal will pick you up at Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport and transport you to your accommodation. You have the rest of the day to yourself. You can relax at your hotel or venture outside and explore the area. Evening strolls are ideal on Thamel's bustling streets. It's a great area with lots of places to get wonderful food and drinks, including cafés, restaurants, and pubs.

We will take you to tour the historic Kathmandu Valley on day two. The sightseeing tour includes stops at four of Kathmandu's top tourist destinations, which are also UNESCO World Heritage Sites. We leave the hotel after breakfast and go to Swayambhunath Stupa. It is a well-known Nepalese Buddhist shrine and is situated on a small hilltop inside the Kathmandu Valley. The greatest Buddhist stupa in Nepal, Boudhanath Stupa, is our next stop. Both tourists and locals admire it. After having lunch at Bouddha, we travel to Pashupatinath Temple, a Hindu shrine to Lord Shiva that is located on the banks of the revered Bagmati River. Finally, we go to the ancient Durbar Square in Kathmandu, which will enlighten you about Nepal's rich history and architecture.

You will attend a brief meeting with ministry officials today at the Ministry of Tourism. They'll give you the information and safety advice you need. On this day, your climbing and entry permits are also organized. After completing the paperwork, you can buy any supplies you might need for the trek and climb.

Now is the time to leave the valley and formally start our journey. Therefore, we'll take the Prithvi Highway to Soti Khola after breakfast. The route is tortuous, so it will take us nine to ten hours to reach the village. It's a difficult route because of the combination of off-road and black-topped roads, but it's also fruitful because of the landscape of lovely cities and villages along the Trisuli River.

A beautiful view of verdant meadows and imposing hills accompany the entire bus ride. Soti Khola, the starting location of the Manaslu expedition, is hidden away to the north of Arughat. You spend the night in Soti Khola.

The journey's first day begins with a hike through the countryside. You'll pass by rice fields, waterfalls, and remote communities with houses that have brown slate roofs along the way. We'll arrive in Lapu Besi after traversing several creeks and passing by several waterfalls. You get to Machha Khola after a few miles of hiking from this picturesque hamlet. We must first cross a suspension bridge over the Budi Gandaki River in order to get to Machha Khola. We spend the night in Machha Khola.

We may start the walk with cautious, deliberate steps and increase our speed as we go because today's trekking trip is brief. After leaving Machha Khola, our route follows the bank of the Budi Gandaki and then climbs and descends a few peaks.

The valley's path widens and falls, becoming straightforward to follow to Jagat. This Lamjung district's gorgeous town has an amazing view to offer. As it rises above the valley, Jagat offers daring tourists a serene scene of high cliffs, stunning mountains, and waterfalls.

After a brief breakfast at our overnight lodge, we leave for Chumet, our intended destination for the day. Although the elevation difference between Jagat and Chumet is only about 300m, the ascents and descents will put your endurance to the test. We finally arrive at Chumet, which is where we spend the night. We'll have a wonderful dinner and stay at a mountain lodge.

The initial sections of today's path include many turns and detours. You continue to Namrung after passing through the small community of Ghap, which has a relatively small number of houses. The journey is longer than in earlier days, but the stunning scenery makes up for it. You ascend the trek to a checkpoint and pass through stunning rhododendron forests before arriving at Namrung. The Rhododendron blossoms in the autumn make this specific walkway seem amazing. We spend the night at Namrung.

Our walk continues after going past the Barchham community and passing by a gorgeously running waterfall. After that, we ascend a hill to the town of Lihi, after which we drop once more to the Hinan River. The trail enters the Numla River after passing past the Sho village and provides a moving view of Himal Chuli, the sparkling Manaslu, and lush meadows. After spending around 5 to 6 hours on the level trail through lush farmland and landscape, we will eventually arrive in Samagaon, also known as Sama Gompa. In Sama Gaon, we spend the night at a tea house.

Between ascents and descents, you must take an acclimatization day so that your body can adjust to the shifting altitude. You will get one free day to get used to the altitude. The 3,350-meter height is ideal for a quick hike around town. Going on a hike is the best way to adjust to the high altitude. Another day-long walk is to Birendra Tal, which can take more than six hours each way. The leisure day can also be utilized on neighborhood strolls and trips to the famed Pungyen Gompa.

Sama Gaon is a small settlement with mani walls, a small gompa, and tightly spaced rows of houses at its lower reaches and a large gompa at its upper reaches. It is located in a basin at the foot of sweeping pastures. The two gompas that still stand today were entirely made of wood and have unique architectural styles designed by the earliest residents, who arrived from Tibet more than 500 years ago. The entrance gates to the Tibetan communities here are noticeably different from ones in Tibet, and they frequently conduct business with their fellow Buddhists in Tibet (note the Chinese brandy and beer on sale). You may watch rural women constructing outfits from Tibetan wool (Baal).

After a little break, your journey along the Manaslu trek continues today. The routes are a little more challenging here because of the steep elevation over the glacial moraines. The walk travels through Birendra Kunda in addition to little towns and stunning nature.

You progress slowly through the rocky, steep trails until you reach the base camp. When you reach this location, you run into the crew member and Sherpa guide, who will take you to the summit. They also handle the summit preparation, setting up campgrounds, and cooking. 

You will begin preparation for your Manaslu Expedition after arriving at the Manaslu Base Camp, including learning to attach ropes and carabiners and climb with crampons. For the next 20 days, the base camp will serve as your home. Each area—sleeping, bathroom, shower, dining, and kitchen—will have its own tent. The head guide will now solely decide the time and duration of the ascent. You start your ascent toward the Manaslu summit once everything, including the weather, is clear. You should follow the bamboo marker wands on the Manaslu glacier. Use ropes and crampons to navigate crevasses and dangerous terrain. Due to weather conditions, you might need to stop at various places.

Climbing from Base Camp to Camp 1 (5600 m)

When the weather is suitable and the Sherpa guide has reviewed your preparation, you will begin your ascent toward Camp 1. There are two portions in total. A moraine with grassy slopes and rock slabs can be found initially. The next part is the glacier, which has a few crevasses and flashes of ice. The average climber needs approximately 4 hours to complete it—1 hour for the moraine portion and 3 hours for the glacier part.

Climbing from Camp 1 to Camp 2 (6300 m)

The hardest section of Mount Manaslu's ascent is the ascent between Camps 1 and 2. The center of the icefall can be found here. You essentially have to slog in the snow for the first hour or so. You'll then go through some steep ice patches, two ladder crossings, and steep snow climbing. This section will take you about five hours to complete. You can expect a few severe ice sections with a 100-meter length and a 65-degree slope.

Climbing from Camp 2 to Camp 3 (6800 m)

It is the fastest climbing day because Camps 2 and 3 are located close together. A few crevasses must be traversed, but no ladders are necessary. The climbing Sherpa's crew fixes the main ropes. This section is more comfortable for most climbers, but you should still treat it seriously. The ascent is still done on supported slants, and there is an opening to the chilly wind. Despite being autumn, people have complained that this place seems hot because it is directly exposed to the sun.

Climbing from Camp 3 to Camp 4 (7300 m)

As you approach the death zone, the short distance between Camps 3 and 4 seems like a lengthy day. At this altitude, oxygen levels are low. Thus, it is normal for any effort, no matter how minor, to feel taxing. On a 50 to 55-degree incline, you must ascend for three to four hours in this phase. This section is dangerous because the snow slope hides a layer of ice, making it avalanche-prone. Due to its extended steep snow parts and avalanche terrain at extremely high altitudes, this route section is more difficult than the preceding ones.

Climbing from Camp 4 to the summit (8163 m)

Your summit-climbing day is today! Climbers typically begin their ascent at one in the morning. They will summit between 7 and 10 am, assuming all goes as planned. As you go through a number of basins with tiny snow headwalls, the climbing is not particularly technical in the beginning. After crossing the false peak, the ascent continues over an exposed ridge to the real summit, with a breathtaking view of the mighty Himalayas. Our Sherpa guides will fix ropes, clear the trail, and employ all other methods necessary to assist the group in reaching the summit of the eighth-highest mountain in the world.

The struggle doesn't end just as you reach the summit. We hope to reach Camp 2 by late afternoon or early evening. The mountain is easy to descend, but you must proceed with caution because you will be fatigued when you reach the top. We descend from Camp 2 to base camp in 3 to 4 hours the very next day. There, our base camp team will be waiting to support us as we rejoice in our victory upon reaching the summit.

We must pay the environment for all the good things it provides us. We transport all of the mission's waste down to the lower communities, clearing the way we came. As a result, we pick up all the rubbish in the area today and clean up the base camp. By doing this, we help to keep the area's aesthetic attractiveness and cleanliness. Today is also the day we mentally prepare ourselves for the trail's descent and pack our luggage.

We proceed from the base camp by following the path that leads to the glacier moraine. By catching the speed of light, we will return to Samagaon. The settlement offers a dreamlike perspective of Mount Manaslu, Mount Himalchuli, and Naike Peak, in addition to the stunning view from the path.

The route to Samdo is a destination in and of itself, a moving feast with an unequaled vista of Manaslu and enticing surroundings. The trail continues north along the Budhi Gandaki River from Samagaon. After that, it travels through the Khormo Kharka pasture, from where a stunning panorama of the surrounding snow-capped mountains and Mani wall is visible.

The pathway keeps going for another hour as it rises from the incline. After dropping into the river and crossing the bridge, it briefly ascends to Samdo. The Himalayan settlement of Samdo is incredibly stunning, with ancient Tibetan monasteries and a gorgeous backdrop.

We will travel via the Larke Bazaar, a temporary Tibetan bazaar, after breakfast in Samdo and descend to the Budi Gandaki River. As you begin your trek, cross the wooden bridge, and you will be able to see the Larkya Glacier as you go across two streams. To get to Dharam Shala, also known as Larke Phedi, we'll do a U-turn and travel through the Salka Khola Valley. We will pass numerous old-style monasteries on the way. It takes four hours for the journey. We spend the night at Dharam Shala.

The journey starts with a moderate elevation along a hill and ends at the moraine from Dharam Shala to Bhimtang. After a while, we will reach the top of Larke-La Pass, where Menjung, Kang Guru, and Gyagi Kang may be seen. After our exploration, we'll descend the trail via an area of snow and ice. After the arduous long walk, we'll meander about Bhimthang. We spend the night in Bhimthang.

Since we started the Manaslu Expedition more than a month ago, the expedition is finally ending. We'll climb up to Tilje today in 7 to 8 hours from Bhimtang. We will travel to Hampuk by descending the trail from Bhimtang via lush, verdant pine and rhododendron trees. We will eventually arrive after following the pathways downhill at Dudh Khola, where the trail splits and gets exceedingly challenging.

The route descends a severely landslide-damaged cliff from here to the chaotic village of Kharche. After we leave Kharche, getting to the far-off town of Tilije is easy. At Tilje, we spend today's night.

Tal ends yet another grueling day of the Manaslu Expedition's journey. We'll start walking after breakfast because getting to the settlement takes about 6 hours. As the trail leads us to Dharapani, we will ascend the hill and move further from the Marsyangdi River.

Following the level terrain of the valley, the trek continues to a little village called Tal. Tal offers a fantastic view because it is situated at the base of a waterfall that is constantly gushing. Tal is where we spend the night.

We finished all of the trekking on the Manaslu adventure after more than one and a half months. We need to bid the charming Tal farewell and head back to Kathmandu at this point. Our picturesque route to the valley will be along the Prithvi Highway. One may witness enclaves, lush landscapes, stunning mountains, spectacular waterfalls, and more from the path.

After more than a month of travel, you have finally arrived in Kathmandu, and this is your first day of rest there. Whatever approach you choose is OK. It's acceptable if you feel like going sightseeing. You can visit your favorite city destinations with assistance from an Outfitter Nepal representative.

You can purchase last-minute gifts for your pals back home on this day. You can find many gift shops in Thamel. You can celebrate your victory with your teammates and friends in Kathmandu before departing for your home nation. In Thamel, you'll discover outstanding eateries, bars, and pubs. We cordially invite you to your farewell dinner on your final day in Kathmandu. Let's gather everyone to honor the Manaslu summit.

Finally, your time in Nepal is up. You will be driven to the international airport by a representative of Outfitter Nepal, where you can fly elsewhere or return home. We sincerely hope you had fun on this adventurous holiday.

We look forward to your return to Nepal. Enjoy a safe flight!