The autumn 2016 Manaslu trekking season is about halfway done, so it’s a good moment to share detailed feedback about the trail conditions from a number of groups who booked their trek with kimkim. So far, everyone successfully completed the trek, despite the fact that conditions were challenging early in the season due to the monsoon extending well into September
The following adventurers, hailing from different corners of the globe, have generously shared their captivating experiences with us: Michael Freel, an outdoor enthusiast from the beautiful state of Oregon in the United States; Rohan Delhikan, a seasoned traveler from the vibrant city-state of Singapore; and Scott Brennan, a nature lover from the rugged landscapes of Montana, also in the United States. All three intrepid individuals successfully completed the renowned Manaslu Circuit Trek during the months of September and October in the year 2016.
The trekking season that year presented some unique challenges. It began with an unusually wet period, as the monsoon season lingered far longer than expected, extending its reach well into September. This resulted in difficult conditions along the trails and, unfortunately, triggered several landslides. The popular Tsum Valley extension, a sought-after addition to the Manaslu Circuit Trek, remained closed throughout the entire season due to a combination of a high river level and a broken bridge, rendering it impassable for trekkers. However, demonstrating their commitment to providing alternative options, our experienced operators thoughtfully arranged for the Nar Phu extension to be offered as a viable alternative for those reaching the end of the Manaslu Circuit Trek. As October arrived, the weather patterns shifted dramatically, ushering in more stable conditions that are typically associated with this time of year. The skies cleared, revealing the breathtaking, panoramic views that the Manaslu Circuit Trek is so famous for. Fortunately, even the trekking groups who completed their journeys in September were rewarded with stunning vistas from the iconic Larkya Pass.
Below, you will find their detailed accounts, offering valuable insights and personal perspectives on their adventures:
## Navigating the Challenging Road Conditions from Kathmandu to the Trailhead in Sotikhola and Arughat
Michael recounts his arduous journey: “We departed from Kathmandu bright and early at 7 am. The monsoon was still very much in control, unleashing heavy rains upon us. Around 1 pm, our progress was halted shortly after we left the smooth, paved road. We encountered gaping holes in the road, some reaching a depth of three feet! Undeterred, we decided to start hiking, hoping to find an alternative mode of transportation. Eventually, we managed to flag down a jacked-up 4×4 suspension truck. It turned out to be a thrilling experience, sharing the ride with the local people. We had to jump in and out of the vehicle several times, navigating the treacherous terrain. Finally, after a long and eventful day, we reached the trailhead by 8 pm.”
Rohan provides his perspective on the road conditions: “The road conditions leading to Arughat Bazaar were undeniably challenging, but they added an element of adventure to the experience. The unseasonably late heavy rains had transformed the final stretch of the road into a muddy quagmire. Our jeep driver, unfortunately, burned out the clutch while attempting to navigate the mud. As a result, we had to walk approximately 10 kilometers before we could hire an old, battered bus to take us to our destination. I must commend our guide, who proved to be exceptionally effective and creative in resolving our transport issues. Despite the initial setback, my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed the bus ride, watching the young driver skillfully maneuver the vehicle along the road while listening to their favorite music and picking up other trekkers and local residents along the way.”
[Image of Rain Clouds near Arughat – Photo by Scott Brennan – October 2016]
Caption: Rain Clouds near Arughat – Photo by Scott Brennan – October 2016
## Delving into the Trek & Trail Conditions
Michael shares his observations:
“The first two days were spent trekking through the dense jungle. The atmosphere was humid and hot, and the trail involved a considerable amount of elevation change, with frequent ups and downs. The undulating terrain was more pronounced than I had anticipated. On some days, we climbed as much as 2,000 meters, but due to the constant ups and downs, we only ended the day a few hundred meters higher than where we started.
[Image of Crossing a suspension bridge on day 1 of the trek – Photo by Scott Brennan – October 2016]
Caption: Crossing a suspension bridge on day 1 of the trek – Photo by Scott Brennan – October 2016
The trek follows the course of the river, and we crossed it using some truly impressive suspension bridges. Unfortunately, some of the bridges had been washed away by the storm, forcing us to descend all the way down to the river and then work our way back up to the trail.
We witnessed several landslides during our trek. One morning, someone shouted “Landslide!” and we watched as a large section of the hillside came crashing down. Later that day, we had to cross that very hillside, which we did quickly, hopping over the large boulders that littered the path. The initial days of the trek also involved navigating narrow paths with a steep drop on one side and a steep wall on the other.
We experienced a significant amount of rain, indicative of a particularly heavy monsoon season. Even at higher elevations, we encountered heavy rainfall. We were fortunate to have one exceptionally clear day, but rain was a common occurrence on most days.”
[Image of Clouds clearing above the Manaslu Range – Photo by Michael Feel, September 2016]
Caption: Clouds clearing above the Manaslu Range – Photo by Michael Feel, September 2016
Rohan provides his insights:
“The ascent was characterized by a steamy atmosphere, resulting from the humidity generated by the persistent rain. The first few days were quite sweaty, but the valleys were vibrant and lush, and the walks gradually improved our fitness as we acclimatized to the altitude. We did not encounter much rain, but the temperatures dropped significantly as we climbed above 3,000 meters. Fortunately, the weather turned sunny once we reached Dharamsala at an altitude of 4,400 meters. We enjoyed a beautiful day, despite the presence of a rather cold wind, as we crossed Larkya La. Larkya La proved to be a challenging undertaking, as the pass seemed long, requiring us to traverse it for a considerable amount of time at altitudes above 5,000 meters. However, I found it incredibly beautiful, offering stunning views of glaciers, small icy lakes, and the surrounding mountains. We were also rewarded with an amazing view of the Annapurna range as we crossed over. I thoroughly enjoyed exploring the Nar-Phu valley. The walks were long, as the tea house infrastructure is still under development, but the friendly locals, the limited number of trekkers, and the deep valleys, which gradually transition into desert-like areas as you approach Phu, are simply breathtaking. On our first day of walking from Koto to Meta, we encountered approximately five local people and no other trekkers.
The pass was undoubtedly challenging, as I suspect they always are. It involved a very long day, and Larkya La requires a significant amount of time spent at high altitude. The weather conditions also play a crucial role in the experience. However, despite the challenges, I genuinely enjoyed Larkya La. The scenery in Nar-Phu was particularly amazing, featuring towering granite rock faces and deep river valleys that eventually open out onto wider, ancient glacial valleys, such as the one where Phu village is located. The forest coverage was also remarkable. In India, much of the Himalayan woods and forests have disappeared, making it a wonderful sight to behold in Nepal.”
[Image of Larkya La crossing – October 2016]
Caption: Snow-covered Larkya La crossing, looking back towards Dharamsala – October 2016 – Photo by Rohan Delhikan
Scott shares his perspective: “Regarding the roads, the first day’s journey from Arughat to Soti Kola involved a hot and monotonous three-hour walk along the road, while jeeps and buses drove past us on the same route. The last two days of the trek itinerary included the stretch from Tiilje to Tal (with the last half of this day spent on a jeep road) and the final day from Tal to Syange (almost entirely on the road). In my opinion, the ideal plan would be to walk from Soti Kola to Dharapani in 13 days or to incorporate a few layover, acclimatization, and/or exploration days between Lho and Dharamsala, while eliminating the days spent walking on the road but maintaining the overall trek duration at 16 days. There are ongoing efforts to extend the road beyond Tillje, with plans to eventually reach Bimthang, which I consider to be a regrettable development.”
[Image of 1km above Tillje, chipping away at the trail toward Bimthang]
Caption: 1km above Tillje, chipping away at the trail toward Bimthang. Photo by Scott Brennan – October 2016
## Essential Tips for Individuals Preparing for the Manaslu Circuit Trek
Rohan offers valuable advice:
“I would advise allowing ample time for this trek and ensuring flexibility regarding trekking passes, which are required to access the restricted areas. Several of our fellow trekkers encountered difficulties because their guides failed to inform them early on that the Tsum Valley was closed. As a result, they were unable to obtain passes for places like Nar-Phu (which are only available back in Kathmandu) and had to resort to the Annapurna circuit, which they had hoped to avoid due to its high traffic. Incorporating one or two extra days to simply relax and enjoy a charming village along the way is highly recommended. The tendency among trekkers and guides is to walk quickly and adhere strictly to the timetable. While I understand that many people have limited time and need to return to work, taking the time to stop and immerse yourself in the experience is well worthwhile. You might find yourself in a particularly beautiful tea house and village, where you can interact with the locals around their cooking fires and explore the area before moving on.”
Michael provides practical suggestions:
“Bring a SteriPen to sterilize your water. It saves time because you don’t always have to wait for water to boil and cool down.
Definitely bring a headlamp and a warm sleeping bag. And bring quick-drying clothes.”
## Additional Observations About Experiencing Nepal and Selecting the Right Trek
Rohan Delhikan shares his insights:
**Please tell us a little bit about yourself. Where are you from? What do you do?**
“I am currently on sabbatical, taking a break from my usual work in the financial services industry to travel around Asia. By training, I am an economist, but I have also worked as a banker and a journalist. When I am not traveling, I enjoy reading extensively, particularly Asian history, studying languages (currently Bahasa Indonesia), and practicing Buddhist meditation.”
**What kind of travel experiences have you had prior to this trip?**
“I’ve traveled extensively in Europe, North America, and Asia, both for business and pleasure. I have been trekking in India (Sikkim) and in Australia (Tasmania) and New Zealand (the South Island).”
**Was this your first visit to Nepal?**
“Yes, historically I’ve spent more time in India, but I have found that over time, the environmental degradation and pollution in India (North India in particular) has reached levels that have made recent trips quite unpleasant.”
**With so many great treks in Nepal, how did you decide to choose the Manaslu Circuit Trek? What stood out to you most about this trek?**
“I wanted to go on a less frequented trek, and friends of mine had suggested that the Tsum Valley would be a great trek to do. I am also a Buddhist and had a cultural and religious interest in going to Tsum. As it turned out, the Tsum Valley was not accessible, so we did the Nar-Phu Valley instead, which was very beautiful, and we were able to visit a monastery dedicated to the 16th Karmapa. The Manaslu trek had far fewer people on it than the Annapurna circuit, so much so that we made great friendships along the way with the small groups that were doing the Manaslu trek at the same time. When we briefly hit parts of the Annapurna circuit, I was shocked at how many people were walking there – it felt like a highway for walkers, and quite impersonal. On the Manaslu circuit and the Nar-Phu Valley in particular, we often walked for hours without seeing anyone else.”
**Please tell us about your preparations. What kind of prior hiking or trekking experience did you have? Did you do any specific training?**
“My wife and I hadn’t been trekking for years, but now that we had the time, we were keen to do something special (longer). We did try to increase the amount of walking in our day-to-day lives, but we didn’t do any specific training. The first few days of the trek were hard work, but we got used to the distances, and I also walked as slowly as I wanted, allowing me to enjoy the incredible beauty of Nepal.”
**How was your experience arriving in Nepal? Tell us about your experience in Kathmandu?**
“Kathmandu airport was chaotic with the return of many young Nepalese men back home with huge bundles of presents, flat screen TVs etc (probably for Diwali). But despite the long delays, I couldn’t help enjoying their excitement at being home. Despite the crowds and an airport luggage system that was completely overwhelmed, we managed to get through with smiles all around. Kathmandu was bustling and had great markets and shopping, and our hotel in Thamel was very welcoming. I also found Nepal much cleaner all around than North India, though it has a bad dust problem, perhaps due to the post-earthquake reconstruction and poor road infrastructure. We enjoyed exploring Thamel and walking around the city and finding quiet green spots.”
## Valuable Tips from Spring 2016 Trekkers
Several kimkim travelers successfully completed the Manaslu Circuit Trek in March and April of 2016. Here are some insightful tips from Karyn Anderson (from New Zealand) and Louis Fiorello (California, USA):
* “I would recommend that trekkers bring spikes for the descent from the pass – I used Kahtoola microspikes, and those worked great.”
* “Bring heavy thermals (it can be cold!)”
* “Dried meat is nice, jerky or sausage, as you will be eating mostly veg for the two weeks.”
* “It’s cold! Bring a very good sleeping bag as blankets are for guides only, not the trekkers in high season, as there is not enough to go around.”
* “Think of the trek in three sections: The first section of the trek (day 1 – 6) from Soti Khola to Loh: basically, this is the section where the hiking days are relatively long, you are covering the most miles in a day, and ascending 1000s of feet per day.”
* “The second section, from Loh to the pass (day 7 – 11): there is definitely enough time here to acclimatize. The hiking days are relatively short, and there is plenty of time to drink hot tea and absorb the scenery of the high mountains (10,000 feet plus).”
* “From the pass to Dharapani (day 12 – 14): the descent is fast, and it is interesting to see the change in landscape and vegetation in 2 days, from the snow/ice/rock of the pass to the lush valley and rhododendrons near Goh.”
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