Samagaon and Samdo: the high villages of the Manaslu Circuit
Written by our trekking team
Photo: Remote Nepal Treks, 30 Mar 2023.
The short version
Samagaon and Samdo are the two Tibetan-influenced villages at the top of the Nubri valley, and you spend three nights in them. Samagaon (3,530m) is the largest village on the circuit, with a working monastery below Manaslu, and you stay two nights for the acclimatization day. Samdo (3,860m) is the last real village before the Larkya La, reached on a short Day 9 over a high bridge on the Budhi Gandaki. A trade trail still runs from Samdo toward the Tibet border.
Three nights at the top of the valley
| Day | Stage | Altitude | Change | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Lho to Samagaon | 3,530m | ▲ 350m, ~8km | 3–4 hrs |
| 8 | Samagaon, acclimatization day | 3,530m | Optional hike | Your choice |
| 9 | Samagaon to Samdo | 3,860m | ▲ 330m, ~10km | 4 hrs |
| 10 | Samdo to Dharamsala | 4,460m | ▲ 600m, ~7km | 3–4 hrs |
Three of the shortest walking days on the circuit sit here, back to back. They give your body time to adjust before the pass, and they give you time to see the villages.
Samagaon: the biggest village on the route
Day 7 from Lho is short and easy, 3 to 4 hours, with Manaslu up the valley over pine forest most of the way. Samagaon spreads across the valley floor below the Manaslu massif. It's the largest village on the circuit.
Arrive early and spend the afternoon at the village monastery, watching the light change on Manaslu. The next morning, if you're up at dawn, the monastery with the mountain behind it is the photo at the top of this page.
Photo: Remote Nepal Treks, 29 Mar 2023.
The rest day
Day 8 is your acclimatization day, and you choose what to do with it. The longer option heads toward Manaslu Base Camp, around 4,800m, past Birendra Tal, the glacial lake at the foot of the Manaslu glacier. The shorter option walks up to Pungyen Gompa. Or you stay in the village. Either way you sleep a second night in Samagaon. We go through the options in the Samagaon rest day.
On the flats outside the village, yak graze in the pastures. It's a good, gentle walk if you want to stretch your legs without going high.
Leaving Samagaon
The trail out toward Samdo runs beside a long mani wall. Walk it with the wall on your right, as your guide will show you. Then the valley opens up, with yak on the open ground between the two villages.
Photo: Remote Nepal Treks, 31 Mar 2023.
Samdo: the last village
Day 9 is about 10km and 4 hours, gaining 330m. You cross the Budhi Gandaki on a high bridge and arrive at Samdo, 3,860m, the last real village before the pass.
From Samdo a trade trail still runs toward the Tibet border, just beyond the village.
Samdo's lodges are among the most basic on the circuit, and your own sleeping bag, rated to at least -15°C, does most of the work at night. Our post on teahouse life explains what to expect. On our trip we woke at Samdo on 1 April 2023 to fresh snow, and the valley up to Dharamsala was white. It didn't change the plan.
Tibetan-influenced villages
Both villages have the Tibetan influence that runs through the whole Nubri valley: working monasteries, prayer wheels, kani gates and long mani walls, with yak herds outside. A day like the Samagaon rest day is quiet in a way the Namche or Manang rest days aren't, because the restricted-area permit keeps the numbers down.
A few habits help:
- Ask before photographing people.
- Keep mani walls and chortens on your right.
- Take your time in the monastery and follow your guide's lead.
After Samdo
Day 10 is the last short day: 600m up to the basic lodges at Dharamsala (4,460m), your highest night, then the Larkya La crossing on Day 11. Our Larkya La post covers both days. The villages before these two are in Namrung and Lho.
Every day of the route, with our 2023 photos, is on the Manaslu Circuit itinerary.
Frequently asked
How high is Samagaon?
3,530m. It's the largest village on the Manaslu Circuit, and you spend two nights there, with an acclimatization day in between.
How high is Samdo?
3,860m. It's the last real village before the Larkya La, reached on Day 9 from Samagaon in about 4 hours.
What can you do on the rest day in Samagaon?
Hike toward Manaslu Base Camp, around 4,800m, past Birendra Tal, or take the shorter walk to Pungyen Gompa. You can also stay in the village and rest.
Is there a trail to Tibet from Samdo?
Yes. A trade trail still runs from Samdo toward the Tibet border, just beyond the village.
What are the lodges like in Samdo?
Basic. Samdo and Dharamsala have the most basic lodges on the circuit, so bring a sleeping bag rated to at least -15°C.