Rupina La, Tsum & Manaslu

Rupina La wilderness camping then lodge trekking around Manaslu off the beaten track

Steep-sided gorges with roaring waterfalls and soaring mountains with lively villages dotted throughout make the Manaslu Circuit is one of the Himalaya's very best treks - especially if you get off the busy beaten track. So we do, and savour the experience.

For our first section, there is an adventurous way to avoid the sweaty road bash of the first couple of days of the Manaslu Circuit. Instead, we start at Barpak (the epicentre of the 2015 earthquake) and trek through kharkas (herding camps) over the 4720m Rupina La with high Himalayan mountains in your face. Certainly, this route is isolated and longer, and appealingly is a camping only route.

The exit of the Rupina La lands us almost at the entrance to the delightful Tsum Valley and we head up to appreciate this peaceful beyul, switching to staying in the local lodges. In this sacred, steep-sided valley, soaring mountains tower above while the locals are friendly and no killing of animals is allowed. This combination means Tsum is one of the best treks in Nepal, and less busy that the main Manaslu Circuit too.

Once back on the Manaslu Circuit, we take a scenic detour missed by other trekkers, and have some half days rather than rushing through. Particularly from Hinang Gompa to Samdo, the mountain views are stunning and the villages pretty. Crossing the Larkya La, the impressive views continue into pleasant forest. We finish by breaking up the long drive to Kathmandu with a night at Bandipur. Alternatively, there's an option to continue around the Annapurna Circuit (as Jamie and Esther did in 2023).

This trek has it all. From a wilderness forest and alpine start, this trek turns into a trek rich in culture, with colourful flowers and vegetable garden villages with smiling Tibetan faces, yaks, remote gompas and endless jawdropping Himalayan panoramas.

Last year we camped with slightly overworked and under cared for mules carrying the loads, however for this trek mules cannot cross the Rupina La so we take porters with the full kitchen crew then once we met the Manaslu Circuit the kitchen crew and camping gear will leave us while we continue with only porters carrying our kitbags (and a few luxuries from the kitchen). Most Manaslu itineraries are rushed whereas our certainly isn't, we can cope with inclement weather and we've also broken up a couple of the usual longer days too.

Join us for an appreciative, best of both worlds camping and lodge adventure.

Highlights

+ steep gorges and high waterfalls

+ endless spectacular mountain views

+ peaceful, scenic wilderness camps

+ many exploratory day/side trips

+ diverse scenery and cultures

+ stunning Larkya La crossing

+ gompas galore

+ 5 rest-exploration days

+ several shorter trek days too

+ no domestic flights

Travel basics

e-visa before/on arrival

then USD125 visa fee on arrival

we handle all other permits & entry fees

Grading

max altitude 5160m

max sleeping altitude 4460m

rough, challenging trails

strenuous trekking

insurance: hiking/trekking

understand your health risks

city dengue season: Aug, Sept, October

2024 details

8 Oct-8 Nov, 32 days USD3980

trip deposit: USD780

Start and end in Kathmandu, airport code KTM

status: full

Max 8 bookings

additional hotel nights USD70/80

Preparation

trek gear discussion

Nepal visa

trekking intro

Leader

Jamie McGuinness

Mobile/WhatsApp: +977 98021 49789

Arrival hotel

Hotel Thamel House

transfer: Ritesh +977 98435 44996

Our service includes

airport transfers

3 nights hotel in Kathmandu,

single with breakfast

1 night Bandipur, twinshare

group transport by private vehicle

entrance fees and permits as needed

Kathmandu group dinner

The trek includes

all meals

filter coffee for breakfast

filtered drinking water

experienced, qualified guide

portering

guide and porter insurance

microspikes

lodge trek: twin share rooms

Camping: roomy single tent

our special comfy dining tent+

Our service excludes

insurance, Nepal visa, other meals in Kathmandu

additional hotel nights due to delays

international flights, equipment rental, alcohol, bottled water and soft drinks, gompa donations, laundry, tipping and other items of a personal nature

Tips & extra cash

allow approx USD50 per day for Kathmandu meals

we suggest 5% of the trip cost per trekker for the crew tips pool

*Our itinerary is longer that all other usual itineraries and particularly for this trek, we will adjust overnight stops to suit the trek team, although of course keep to the trip length. There are additional side trips (Serang Gompa?) that are possible if we are ahead of our plan.*

Day 0 - early arrival

Arrive early to recover from long flights, shop and to sightsee.

Day 1 - Tuesday 8 October - Arrive Kathmandu

Arrive any time today, or earlier. Our staff meet you at Kathmandu airport and transfer to the hotel where Jamie will meet you.

2 - Kathmandu 1350m

The office gets the permits today while we relax. There is optional morning sightseeing and we have a briefing today. Perhaps we will have dinner at Bauddha after doing a few koras.

3 - drive Barpak 2000m

Starting early, after a bumpy day of driving, we reach this village that few trekkers visit now.

4 - trek Humche 2800m

For our first day on the trail we have a long, easy climb on the rough 4WD track then we leave the beaten path for a herder's trail along the ridge. There is an alternative route, however we hope to take this higher and more scenic route.

5 - trek Mirja 3440m

This is a longer day of trekking and means we are at a good altitude for acclimatizing after a couple of nights between 2000-3000m.

6 - rest-explore Mirja 3440m

A rest-exploration day, perhaps to Narad Pokhari (lake) and allows for inclement weather too.

7 - trek Sanrung Khola 3800m

A short days trekking to put us in position for tomorrow, and with additional acclimatization.

8 - trek Thado Pug 3600m via Rupina La 4720m

A day of spectacular views! We may alternatively camp at Baudha Himal BC at 4100m, let's see.

9 - trek Jong/Zhong Kharka 2960m

Descending, we have more great views of the huge Himalayan peaks near us.

10 - rest-explore Jong Kharka 2960m

We have the option of exploring around here or taking a rest day later in the trek.

11 - trek Nyak / Pewa

There are two possible routes and let's see where we end up.

12 - trek Chumling 2400m

We drop down to cross the Buddhi Gandaki (river) then enter the steep-sided Tsum Valley.

13 - trek Chhokang Paro 3030m

A shorter day, we continue up to the beginning of the main farming area of the Tsum Valley. It is beautiful up here!

14 - trek Nile 3350m 4 hrs

Again, a shorter day to the last main village of the valley. Watch for Himalayan Tahr.

15 - trek Mu Gompa 3700m 3 hrs

Nile gets surprising early morning sun. At Mu the accommodation is rough however Bali (and perhaps Dawa) are good cooks and will help out in the kitchen.

16 - trek Nile 3350m / Rachen Gompa 3240m

We climb up to the lake above Mu Gompa for an exceptional, rewarding panorama then head down the valley - let's see where we get to.

17 - rest Rachen Gompa 3240m / Lar

We have a possible rest day here to enjoy the pretty villages, or we can continue and have a day in hand for later adventures.

18 - trek Chumling 2400m / Ripchet or further

Heading down again, let's see where we comfortably reach, and there are alternative route possibilities too.

19 - trek Deng

We descend back to the main Manaslu trail then ascend to the first decent lodges.

20 - trek Ghapsya / Namrung

This is a deep gorge with a much improved trail. With additional time, we could escape to Serang Gompa.

21 - trek Hinang Gompa 3230m

After morning on the main trail, we head off again for stunning Himal Chuli views.

22 - rest-explore Hinang Gompa 3230m

Up the valley, the panoramas get even better!

23 - trek Lho 3180m 3hrs

Explore or soak up the panorama in the morning then trek to picturesque Lho.

24 - trek Sama 3520m 3 hrs

After a Manaslu sunrise, we continue up the valley and it is here that we may change around the itinerary if we are ahead of schedule.

25 - trek Samdo 3875m

If we didn't already visit Birendra Tal, we have another chance today. It is a lot cooler up here.

26 - rest-explore Samdo 3875m

Relax or optionally explore up the valley to the north to one of the passes to Tibet.

27 - trek Dharmasala 4460m 3-4 hrs

A half day trekking. The lodges here have tents for sleeping, which are probably more comfortable than the rooms.

28 - trek Bimtang 3590m via Larkya La 5160m 7-8 hrs

A long, tough but rewarding day as we cross the pass and descend to Bimtang, still with incredible mountain scenes.

29 - trek-drive Tilje / Dharapani

Lets see where we can catch a jeep from, perhaps Karche but more likely Tilje.

20 - drive Bandipur

We break up the long drive with an overnight in delightful, semi-traditional Bandipur, slightly off the main road.

31 - drive Kathmandu

We will get back to the hotel sometime mid-afternoon, depending on traffic and roadworks.

Day 32 - Friday 8 November - depart

Fly out any time today - or spend longer here.

Annapurna Circuit extension

As the trek ends on the Annapurna Circuit, there is the option to continue to Tilicho and the Thorung La to complete the Annapurna Circuit taking roughly 36-42 days in total. Another option is to trek Nar & Phu. Please discuss!