Tsum Valley with Manaslu circuit

In the morning, we drive inside the vehicle, leaving the city. Once out of Kathmandu valley, terrace farm, green hill, and many small towns fall along the way. Then, the road is not tarred at a certain point, so it is rough and rugged. We have to drive to Soti Khola. On reaching the village at Soti Khola, we rest and prepare ourselves for the next day's hike.

Your first hike starts after breakfast; afterwards, we walk with zeal. Passing through a terraced farm, we reach Budhi Gandaki river valley. The narrow path, sparse population, and wilderness may be enchanting, but hiking has to go on. After passing Cliffside ridge and crossing a bridge, you can view down below the Budhi Gandaki river flowing. We give a huge waterfall on the way to Khursane and then reach a small Gurung settlement called Labubesi. From there, we continue on that hilly topography, and after crossing a suspension bridge, we reach Macha Khola. The first day of the hike ends here.

We follow a river and then a gorge walking through a small narrow path that goes up and down. After crossing the Tharo Khola and reaching Khorlabesi, we continue further and reach Tatopani(natural hot spring or geysers). Since this kind of natural spring consists of a remedial portion, you can get in and enjoy the hot bath. Then we move on. After some time, we come across a suspension bridge and reach a place called Dobhan. Again after crossing another suspension over Yaru Khola, we ascend the stone staircase to reach Tharobharyang. You may see Langur(monkeys grey in colour and bigger local monkeys) on the way. Climb the ridge and reach Jagat, where your permits will be checked.

Crossing Dudh Pokhari Khola, the path will lead us to Salleri and Siridibas villages which offer a fascinating view that is so bliss to watch. But then we continue and descend to a bridge over Budhi Gandaki River. We hike for quite some time and discover the name of Philim, finds a comparatively larger settlement. Then at the entrance of Tsum valley, permits will be checked, and then we enter to witness the marvellous view of the valley. We hike to Lopka village, lying between Budhi Gandaki and Siyar Khola, where you find that this place is detached from the modern world.

Since these are restricted areas, you will have a new experience. Trekking through the south bank of Siyar Khola, we walk through a shady forest. After reaching Lungwaa and Sarli Khola, we move towards the north bank, from where it gradually climbs to Chumling village. You can view Ganesh Himal, and the resident of this place are Tibetan Buddhists.

After hiking for almost 2 hours, we reach Dumje. After some time hiking constantly, we will reach a river and cross it and ascend towards Gho village. From this point clear view of Ganesh Himal can be observed. The trail is a bit tricky and difficult, which will take you to Chaurikharka. The wonderful landscape and mighty mountains are so mesmerizing to watch. In the distance, you can see prayer flags and Buddhist shrines, walk there and enter Chhokang Paro. Once we reach Chhokang Paro, we will stay there overnight.

The first phase of the trek will lead you on a flat terrain beside the north of Siyar Khola. You traverse a route connecting many small villages like Lamagaun, Bursi, Lar, Phurbey, Chhule, and Pungdun. There are fascinating sites like Rachen Gompa and Milerapa caves on the way, so we spare some time to visit them. The trail gradually climbs upwards to reach the village of the Nile.

As we venture deeper into Tsum valley, we will discover more cultures and traditions. You will discover that locals are theists yet respect diversity. We ascend to Mu Gompa, a monastery on the highest point of the valley. This monastery was established by a Bhutanese lama called Drupa Rinpoche. The sight of monks meditating and deciphering mantras is so redeemable that you can also try meditating. You can observe the mystical mountains under the blue sky from this elevation.

We make a descent to Busri village after breakfast. First, we pass through Kalung and Bajyo, where you will encounter one of the oldest monasteries, Rachen Gompa. There is Nunnery for nuns and lodging for the travellers, so it is a great opportunity to try local meals. You can also witness the lifestyle of monks and nuns. There is an amalgamation of Nepali and Tibetan Buddhist religions. We spend our night at the Rachen nunnery, which may be a different feeling to you as we have a chance to stay in a religious institution.

The trek is mostly descending, so it can be much easier. We retrace the root of the previous day and decline to observe the beautiful view of the periphery. Climbing down, we can get a clear picture of the Ganesh Himal. After hours of hike, we reach Chumling and spend the night.

Eventually, we will leave Tsum valley, so we get ready and start our trek early in the morning. Travelling through the amazing landscape, we descend. On the way, we pass Lokpa village, a beautiful settlement in those hilly areas. Then we cross Budhi Gandaki over a bridge, and from this point, the second part of the trip begins, i.e. the Manaslu circuit. The route passes through Buddhist stone arches before reaching Deng.

With the excitement of covering the second phase of our route, we first walk over the bridge at Budhi Gandaki. Bihi Phedi is another place we reach immediately after crossing the bridge. From Bihi Phedi, we trek through a waterfall and then cross a wooden bridge. Again we descend to Shringi Khola valley passing through lush green forests and remote villages heading westwards. The narrow way in the hilly region with bends and twists is remarkable. After hiking for some time, we reach Ghap, where we can view the fantastic mani wall on the southern side of the river. We walk through a forest covered with rhododendron and pine and ultimately reach Namrung.

There is a viewpoint from which full sights of mountains like Ganesh, Siring, and Himal Chuli can be captured. We will hike through the forest and reach terraced barley fields and many stupas. There we can find a small settlement of Lihi. Further on the route, we cross the villages of Sho and Lho. There we will glance at that region's extraordinary tradition and culture and move on to reach the village of Shyala. From there, we continue the journey to Sama, another settlement. On reaching Samagoan, you can visit the famous Ribung Gompa and observe Himal Chuli and Ngadi Chuli. We rest here for the night, enjoy our meal and go to bed early.

After a constant hike, a day of rest brings you the much-needed comfort. Waking up late will also go unnoticed, and you can intermingle with locals who will reveal their lifestyle, culture, and tradition to you. On strolling through the village, you will find a long mani wall with a Buddhist script. An ancient Gompa is also situated in this place, known as Pungyen Gompa, which is very sacred for the locals. From here you can watch marvellous glaciers and spend your time observing beautiful scenery.

Again we descend to Budhi Gandaki, enjoying the spectacular view of the surrounding. After crossing the river by the bridge, we pass mani walls in a village and move along our route closer to the Tibet border. Hiking through the forest, we reach Kermo Kharka. We continued our hike and crossed a wooden bridge. Similarly, following the ascending path, we reach a standpoint where mountains can be observed lying very high as if touching the sky. After hiking for a couple of hours, we finally get Samdo.

Since maintaining fitness and adjustment to such elevation are crucial, this day is kept for acclimatization. Samdo is one of the most beautiful places in this region, and you can also visit some vantage points as the trade passes heading to Tibet. If lucky, you can see Nepal's national bird Lophophorus as well. The view of mighty mystical mountains like Himal Chuli, Simrang, and Larkye is fascinating. You can also opt for a short trek to Gya La pass and retreat and rest, preparing yourself for the final lap.

Our morning hike starts at Larkya Pass. First, we descend through terraced fields on a narrow path along with mani walls and stone arches on the way. After a while, we cross a wooden bridge and pass through juniper forest, after which we will see a giant glacier Larkya. Then through a narrow, steep path, we climb the side of the gorge near the glacier. Since we plan to stay overnight below the mountains, there are no permanent settlements, only small lodges. So we spend our night in a local lodge. The place is isolated and silent.

We will hike to a small lake with a gentle climb to moraine initially. The trail gets adventurous and challenging, so after walking a certain distance first glance of Larkya La pass is revealed by prayer flags. Making gradual ascent ultimately, Larkya La pass is achieved, which remains closed during the winter season. Mt. Manaslu stands just in front, and this is one of the best views of the entire trek. Since the area is covered with snow and ice, you should be cautious. We head to the top of the moraine. Climbing down a steep slope, we reach a meadow and a spring. From here, the valley expands to a larger meadow leading to Bhimthang village.

Eventually, this is the last day of the hike. Stretching our legs, we carry on. The trail begins with descending to a glacial stream and crossing a wooden bridge. During the trek, you will walk through some downhill and a forest. After that, we eventually reach Hompuk. As soon as we reach Hompuk, the path becomes slightly better as we descend to the riverside. Again we take a steep climb to a ridge and move with mesmerizing scenery. After reaching the river bank of Gho, we hike through the forest covered with oak and rhododendrons. Then we come across Tilje village, a Gurung-dominated settlement. From there, we encounter a long suspension bridge which will bring us to Marsyandi valley, where Dharapani is located. As we reach Dharapani, the long hike is over. Now we take rest, relax and spend time rejoicing.

With a heart full of beautiful memories, we return to Kathmandu. First, we drive to Besishar, an off-road experience with sharp twists and turns. Since the road is rugged, you might have an uneasy jerk at a few points. However, ultimately after reaching Besishar, the road is tarred. From here, a long and smooth drive awaits till Kathmandu. On reaching the city, you will be taken to your hotel, where you can take a rest after a long day of the drive.

Our staff will come to pick you up from your hotel and take you to the airport. With a heavy heart, they will bid you farewell. If your thirst for exploring mountains is still not quenched, you can contact us again. We are always there to serve you and provide you with a homely atmosphere.