10 facts about trekking in the Manaslu region

Would you like to go for trekking in the Manaslu region in the Himalayas for your upcoming adventure? The name Manaslu is derived from the Sanskrit word Manasa and is translated as “Mountain of the Spirit”. Set in the northern Himalayan range in the Gorkha District of Nepal, Manaslu is a serrated “wall of snow and ice hanging in the sky”. If you would like to experience both extremes of the trekking in Nepal and willing to see the most breath-taking scenery of mountain on earth, then make a mind to trek in the Manaslu region. Manaslu offers a unique opportunity to experience a reasonably “untouched” region of Nepal. Here are listed 10 facts about trekking in the Manaslu region.

1. Mt. Manaslu (8,156m), the eight highest mountains in the world, has been opened for travelers in 1992. It is about forty miles east of Annapurna. The mountain’s long ridges and valley glaciers offer feasible approaches from all directions, and it culminates in a peak that towers steeply above its surrounding landscape, and is a dominant feature when seen from afar. Important peaks surrounding Manaslu include Ngadi Chuli, Himalchuli and Baudha.
2. Manaslu trekking is geographically spectacular and culturally fascinating. The trekking in the region is well-known and well-loved as it offer the perfect views of mountains, combination of rich cultural heritage, genuine adventure, incomparable beauty and biological diversity.
3. With Mt. Manaslu, the Manaslu Circuit trek, the Tsum Valley, Nubri trek and the Manakamana Temple, Manaslu region has a lot to offer. The Manaslu trek begins either in the town of Arughat Bazaar or Gorkha Bazaar and ends in Besisahar, which is also the starting point for the Annapurna Circuit Trek.
4. Manaslu Region sees few trekkers, which makes a visit here more exclusive and unspoiled. The Manaslu Circuit has recently become a teahouse trek, opening up the misty wood-shingled villages of the Nupri Valley. But hikers are free to explore the many other trails being forged now. Part of the trek falls beyond the Himalayan range, in a valley called Tsum.
5. It will be a beautiful trek, with spectacular views of the Manaslu and going through authentic Hindu and Tibetan-style villages. It will be a walking through green countryside, and passing small Hindu villages. Heading northwards, the valley opens up to reveal delightful alpine meadows and small Tibetan-style villages which cluster beneath Manaslu’s sweeping North Face.
6. Trekking in the Manaslu Region further includes a culturally enchanting homestay experience with the Tamangs, the original horse traders of Nepal. The adventurous can venture higher for a ‘walk in the clouds’ above Tiru Danda, from where gorgeous views stretch from the Annapurnas to Ganesh Himal.
7. Manaslu was first climbed on May 9, 1956 by Toshio Imanishi and Gyalzen Norbu, members of a Japanese expedition. It is said that “just as the British consider Everest their mountain, Manaslu has always been a Japanese mountain”.
8. The trekking route is through mountains prone to the consequences of monsoon rainfall, landslides and land falls. Encounters with passing yaks, and hypothermia and altitude sickness, are common. Trekking to Manaslu is thus a test of endurance.
9. The Tsum Valley Trek in the region has beautiful views of the four 7000m peaks of the Ganesh massif, and visitors can experience the distinct Tibetan-influenced culture of the Tsumba people.
10. The Tibetans of the upper Budi Gandaki, a region known as Nupri, are direct descendants of Tibetan immigrants. Their speech, dress and customs are almost exclusively Tibetan. The mountain views in Nupri are sensational and the Larke pass (5,213m) is a dramatic Himalayan pass to cross.