Manaslu Circuit vs Annapurna Circuit: which should you trek?
Written by our trekking team
Photo: Remote Nepal Treks, 3 Apr 2023.
The short version
Both circuits have a big Himalayan pass and a teahouse every night, but the Annapurna Circuit is busy in season and Manaslu is quiet. Annapurna is Nepal's best-known loop. Manaslu is a restricted area, so you need a Restricted Area Permit and a licensed guide, and the trail stays quiet because of it. If you want the famous route with the most infrastructure, pick Annapurna. If you want fewer people, Tibetan-influenced villages and a pass day you share with a handful of groups, pick Manaslu. Our Manaslu Circuit is 15 days and crosses the Larkya La at 5,106m.
The two circuits side by side
We run the Manaslu Circuit and we don't sell the Annapurna Circuit, so the Manaslu column below comes from our own itinerary and the Annapurna column sticks to the basics. For current Annapurna details, ask an operator who runs it.
| Manaslu Circuit | Annapurna Circuit | |
|---|---|---|
| Restricted area | Yes | No |
| Permits | RAP, MCAP, ACAP | ACAP |
| High pass | Larkya La, 5,106m | Thorong La, 5,416m |
| Highest night | Dharamsala, 4,460m | Depends on the operator |
| Our itinerary | 15 days, Kathmandu to Kathmandu | We don't run it |
| Trail traffic in season | Quiet | Busy |
| Rescue infrastructure | Thinner | More developed |
On paper they look alike: each loops around a big massif, with teahouses the whole way and one long, early pass day. What you notice on the trail is how many other people are on it.
Who you share the trail with
The Annapurna Circuit is famous for good reasons, and in spring and autumn a lot of people walk it. Lodges are plentiful, there are plenty of places to buy a snack or charge a phone, and you're rarely far from other trekkers. Some people love that. It makes a first big trek feel easy to organize.
On Manaslu, every trekker needs a Restricted Area Permit, which only a licensed agency can get, and has to walk with a licensed guide. That paperwork keeps casual traffic off the trail. You still sleep in teahouses, but there are long stretches between Jagat and Samdo where the only people you pass are porters and the families who live in the valley.
People often say Manaslu feels like the Annapurna Circuit did decades ago. We think that's fair, and it's the main reason trekkers who've already done Annapurna come to us.
Larkya La and Thorong La
The Thorong La is the higher pass, at 5,416m to the Larkya La's 5,106m. Neither is technical on its standard route. Both mean an early start, cold air and a long descent on the far side.
On our itinerary you sleep at Dharamsala (4,460m), leave by headlamp and climb 646m to the pass, then drop 1,386m to Bimtang (3,720m). That's about 26km and 8–9 hours. It's a long day, but the three days before it are short on purpose and the rest day at Samagaon has already done most of the work. From the top you look across to Himlung, Cheo and Annapurna II, so you get an Annapurna view either way.
We've written up the whole day, hour by hour, in crossing the Larkya La.
Villages along the way
Manaslu starts low and warm. The first walking days follow the Budhi Gandaki gorge from Machha Khola (869m) through Jagat and Deng, with bamboo, rhododendron and hot springs at Tatopani.
On Day 5 you climb into the Nubri valley. Namrung, Lho, Samagaon and Samdo are Tibetan-influenced villages with prayer wheels, kani gates and long mani walls. The gompa terrace at Lho has one of the best views of Manaslu on the whole route. Samdo is the last village before the pass, and a trade trail still runs from there toward the Tibet border.
Photo: Remote Nepal Treks, 31 Mar 2023.
Annapurna has its own villages and culture, and plenty of people rate them highly. What Manaslu adds is that you see these places without many other visitors around.
Where the two circuits meet
Manaslu finishes on the Annapurna side. After Bimtang you walk down to Tilije, and on Day 13 a jeep takes you through Dharapani and down the Marsyangdi valley to Besisahar. That's the same valley the Annapurna Circuit goes up. It's also why the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit is in the Manaslu permit stack, and why Dharapani is your last checkpoint. The drive out is written up in our post on the way home from Tilije.
So even on Manaslu you get a look at the Annapurna side, from a jeep window after ten quiet days of walking.
Permits, guides and cost
Permits. Annapurna isn't a restricted area, so there's no RAP. Manaslu needs three permits: the RAP, the MCAP and the ACAP. You can't get them yourself, so we file all three for you, and the fees are in our price.
Guide. A licensed guide is mandatory on Manaslu. Solo trekkers are fine, as long as the guide comes too. Why Manaslu needs a guide covers what the rule means for you.
Group size. We take up to 8 people, and one person on their own is fine.
Cost. Our 15-day Manaslu Circuit runs $1,650 to $2,100 per person, depending on group size. The Manaslu cost breakdown lists what's included. A restricted-area trek has more permits and paperwork to organize than an open trail, and that shows in the price.
Safety. Rescue infrastructure on Manaslu is thinner than on Annapurna, so our itinerary keeps the climb slow above 3,000m and your guide checks for altitude symptoms at every stop. You'll also need travel insurance with high-altitude evacuation cover.
Choosing your circuit
- Pick the Annapurna Circuit if you want the classic route and the most lodges and services, and you don't mind company on the trail.
- Pick the Manaslu Circuit if you'd rather have quiet days in the Nubri villages and you're happy to walk with a guide.
- If you've already walked Annapurna, Manaslu is the natural next trek: similar days, far fewer people.
If Manaslu sounds right, the day-by-day plan is on our Manaslu Circuit itinerary, and the full Manaslu guide covers difficulty, season and who the route suits.
Frequently asked
Is the Manaslu Circuit harder than the Annapurna Circuit?
They're similar. Both are teahouse treks with one long, early pass day. The Thorong La is higher at 5,416m; the Larkya La is 5,106m, and on our itinerary that day is about 26km and 8 to 9 hours from Dharamsala to Bimtang. The bigger difference is the trail: Manaslu is quieter and has thinner rescue infrastructure.
Is Manaslu less crowded than Annapurna?
Yes. Manaslu is a restricted area, so every trekker needs a Restricted Area Permit through a licensed agency and walks with a licensed guide. That keeps casual traffic off the trail, while the Annapurna Circuit is busy in spring and autumn.
Do I need a guide for the Manaslu Circuit?
Yes. A licensed guide is mandatory on Manaslu. Solo trekkers are welcome, as long as the guide comes too.
What permits does Manaslu need that Annapurna doesn't?
The Restricted Area Permit (RAP) and the Manaslu Conservation Area Permit (MCAP). You also need the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP), because the route finishes through Dharapani on the Annapurna side. We file all three, and the fees are in our price.
Can I see the Annapurnas from the Manaslu Circuit?
Yes. From the top of the Larkya La you see Himlung, Cheo and Annapurna II, and the descent from Bimtang opens up views west toward the Annapurna range.
How long is the Manaslu Circuit?
Our itinerary is 15 days, Kathmandu to Kathmandu, with a rest day at Samagaon and a buffer day at the end. It costs $1,650 to $2,100 per person depending on group size.