Kathmandu to Machha Khola: the drive to the Manaslu trailhead
Written by our trekking team
Photo: Remote Nepal Treks, 25 Mar 2023.
The short version
It's one long, scenic day in a vehicle. Day 2 of the Manaslu Circuit is the drive from Kathmandu to Machha Khola, 8 to 9 hours with stops, west out of the valley toward Arughat and then up the Budhi Gandaki. You drop from 1,400m to 869m, so there's no altitude to think about yet. The transport is included, your permits are already filed, and the walking starts the next morning. On the way home you take a different road, down the Marsyangdi, split over two days.
Where the drive sits in the 15 days
The Manaslu Circuit doesn't start with a flight. There's no small-plane hop to wait on, the way most Everest Base Camp treks begin at Lukla. You start on the road, and Day 2 is the whole of that road.
| Day | What happens | Altitude | Time | Overnight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Land in Kathmandu, trip briefing, welcome dinner | 1,400m | — | Hotel |
| 2 | Drive Kathmandu to Machha Khola | 869m | 8 to 9 hrs with stops | Teahouse |
| 3 | First trekking day, Machha Khola to Jagat | 1,340m | 6 to 7 hrs, ~22km | Teahouse |
So by the time you get in the vehicle, the paperwork's done. We file the RAP, MCAP and ACAP before you land, and Day 1's briefing walks you through them. You get in, sit back and watch Nepal go by.
The road from Kathmandu to Machha Khola
It's an early start. You head west out of the Kathmandu Valley on a mountain road that gets narrower as it climbs toward Arughat. After that it drops down to the Budhi Gandaki and follows the river up to Machha Khola, the trailhead village where you spend the night.
Plan on 8 to 9 hours, stops included. That's a long time in a seat, so it's worth setting yourself up for it (more on that below).
The view is the good part. You start among terraced farmland in the middle hills, and by the afternoon you're looking into the gorge you'll be following on foot for the next week. It's a good way to get a feel for the country before you walk any of it.
No altitude to worry about yet
Here's a nice surprise for anyone nervous about altitude: Day 2 takes you down. Kathmandu sits at 1,400m and Machha Khola at 869m, so you lose 531m over the day.
Machha Khola is warm and low, and it's the lowest night of the whole trek. The climbing starts on foot the next morning, gradually, and the high nights come much later, after Lho and Samagaon. Our Manaslu itinerary, day by day shows how slowly the height builds.
Making the long ride easier
None of this is complicated, but a few small things make a big difference to how you feel when you arrive.
Keep a small bag with you. Your main bag goes in with the luggage. Keep water, snacks, sunscreen, a light layer and anything you'll want on the road within reach.
Sort motion sickness before you leave. If winding roads get to you, bring whatever usually works for you, and ask for a seat near the front.
Sleep well on Day 1. The welcome dinner is a good chance to meet your guide, but make it an early night. You'll be off before the city wakes up.
Wear your trekking boots. Or at least have them on top of your bag. Day 3 starts walking straight out of Machha Khola.
Arriving in Machha Khola
You'll get there late in the day, stiff and ready to stretch your legs. The night is in a teahouse, the first of 11 on the trek, with a hot meal waiting.
Next morning, the walking begins. When we walked out of Machha Khola in March 2023, the first stretch followed a dirt road up the Budhi Gandaki, the one in the photo above. From there it's Khorlabesi, the hot springs at Tatopani, and a climb into Jagat, where officials log your Restricted Area Permit at the first checkpoint. Every stop after that is in our guide to the route from Machha Khola to Dharapani.
Photo: Remote Nepal Treks, 26 Mar 2023.
The way home is a different road
You don't drive back the way you came. The circuit crosses the Larkya La and comes down on the Annapurna side, so the drive out runs a different way, down the Marsyangdi valley.
| Day | Drive | Time | Overnight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | Tilije to Besisahar by jeep, via the ACAP checkpoint at Dharapani | 4 to 5 hrs | Hotel |
| 14 | Besisahar to Kathmandu, ~175km | 7 to 8 hrs | Hotel |
| 15 | Buffer day in Kathmandu in case the roads slow you down | — | — |
Splitting the drive out over two days, with a hot shower in Besisahar in between, makes it far easier than the drive in. And Day 15 is there because mountain roads in Nepal don't always run on schedule. If everything ran on time, it's a free day in Kathmandu before your flight.
All of these drives are in the price, from Kathmandu to Machha Khola and from Tilije back to Kathmandu. You'll find the full list of what's included, along with permits and costs, in our complete guide to the Manaslu Circuit, and the drive days sit alongside every walking day in our 15-day Manaslu itinerary.
Frequently asked
How long is the drive from Kathmandu to Machha Khola?
About 8 to 9 hours, including stops. It's Day 2 of our 15-day Manaslu Circuit itinerary, with an early start from Kathmandu.
What is the altitude of Machha Khola?
869m. That's 531m lower than Kathmandu (1,400m), so the drive takes you down, and Machha Khola is the lowest night of the trek.
Is the drive to Machha Khola included in the trek price?
Yes. Ground transport from Kathmandu to Machha Khola, and from Tilije back to Kathmandu, is included in our Manaslu Circuit price.
Do you drive back the same way?
No. After the Larkya La you finish on the Annapurna side, so the drive out goes from Tilije by jeep through Dharapani to Besisahar (4 to 5 hours), then on to Kathmandu the next day (about 175km, 7 to 8 hours).
When does the walking start?
On Day 3. You walk out of Machha Khola up the Budhi Gandaki, past Khorlabesi and the hot springs at Tatopani, to Jagat (1,340m), about 22km in 6 to 7 hours.