How acclimatization is built into the Manaslu, Kanchanjunga and Makalu itineraries
Written by our trekking team
Photo: Remote Nepal Treks, 29 Mar 2023.
The short version
Every itinerary spends a set number of nights at set altitudes, with rest days built in before the hardest crossing. Your guide carries a pulse oximeter and a standing evacuation protocol on all three routes.
The pass days on these routes are long, cold, and set at high altitude, with no easy way out partway through. So we don't just lean on fitness. Each itinerary is built to give your body time at height before it actually has to cross.
Climb high, sleep low
On rest days, there's an optional side hike that takes you higher than the village you're sleeping in, and then you come back down to sleep at the same altitude as the night before. The extra altitude exposure helps your body adjust, and sleeping lower afterward lets you recover. The hike itself is optional. The rest day is not.
Manaslu Circuit
| Day | Stop | Altitude | What happens |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Samagaon, rest day | 3,530m | Optional side trip toward Manaslu Base Camp (about 4,800m) or Pungyen Gompa, then back to Samagaon for the night. |
| 9 | Samdo | 3,860m | A short 330m gain, about 4 hours, so you arrive rested for the climb to Dharamsala. |
| 10 | Dharamsala (Larke Phedi) | 4,460m | Staging night directly below the pass, so pass day is shorter. |
| 11 | Larkya La to Bimtang | 5,106m / 3,720m | 8–9 hours, starting by headlamp to clear the pass before afternoon wind. |
Kanchanjunga
| Day | Stop | Altitude | What happens |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Ghunsa, rest day | 3,595m | Optional climb to the ridge above the village. |
| 11 | Khambachen, rest day | 4,050m | Optional side hike toward the Jannu Base Camp trail. |
| 13 | Lhonak to Pangpema and back | 4,780m / 5,140m | Out and back to North Base Camp, returning to Lhonak to sleep. This works as built-in rest. |
| 15 | Ghunsa to Cheram | 3,870m | The Sele La complex: three linked passes above 4,200m, scheduled with a weather buffer day. |
Makalu Base Camp
| Day | Stop | Altitude | What happens |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Khongma Danda, rest day | 3,560m | Optional short hike toward the ridge above camp. |
| 11 | Langmale Kharka, rest day | 4,410m | Optional climb toward the moraine above camp. |
| 14 | Makalu Base Camp, exploration day | 4,870m | A full day at base camp with an optional viewpoint climb, before the return journey. |
| 8 & 16 | Shipton La complex | about 4,170m | Crossed in one push on the way in and again on the way out. |
What your guide checks
On all three routes, your guide carries a first aid kit, a pulse oximeter, and a standing evacuation protocol. On Manaslu, your altitude is checked and logged at every stop above 3,000m. On Kanchanjunga, an assistant guide joins the team above Ghunsa for the tougher upper sections.
We'll only attempt the Sele La complex or the Shipton La complex with a clear forecast. The exposure and route-finding get properly hard if visibility drops.
What you should know before you book
- These routes do have thinner rescue infrastructure than Everest Base Camp or the Annapurna Circuit, which is part of why the pacing matters so much.
- Travel insurance with high-altitude evacuation cover isn't included in our price, so you'll need to arrange your own.
- Planning to carry Diamox? Talk to your doctor before the trip. Our packing lists say the same.
A note on advice
This post is about how our itineraries are paced, not medical advice. If you have a medical condition, please see a doctor familiar with high-altitude travel before you book.
Frequently asked
How many acclimatization days are there?
Manaslu gives you one rest day at Samagaon, then an easy half-day to Samdo and a staging night at Dharamsala before the pass. Kanchanjunga has rest days at Ghunsa and Khambachen, plus the Lhonak-to-Pangpema out-and-back. Makalu has rest days at Khongma Danda and Langmale Kharka, plus an exploration day at base camp.
What does climb high, sleep low mean?
On a rest day, you can take an optional hike above the village you're sleeping in, then come back down to sleep at the same altitude as the night before. That extra altitude exposure helps your body adjust.
What does the guide carry?
A first aid kit, a pulse oximeter, and a standing evacuation protocol, on all three routes.
Is high-altitude evacuation insurance included?
It's not included in our price, so you'll need to arrange your own travel insurance with high-altitude evacuation cover.