Manaslu Tsum Valley trek

Best Season for TSUM Valley Trek

The naturally and culturally diverse Manaslu Tsum Valley trek has two best seasons: Spring (March to May) and Autumn (September to November). The monsoon period has not arrived yet in spring and the heavy rainfall subsides in autumn.

Therefore, the days in spring and autumn are often free of clouds, offering you perfect views of mountains and the surrounding terrain. The sun becomes warm during the day and the temperature feels very pleasant from 6 to 12 degrees Celsius favorable for long day treks. The rhododendron flowers are in full bloom and decorate the mountain paths.

In addition, the trekking to Manaslu Tsum Valley route is often not crowded even in the peak trekking season of spring and autumn in Nepal. Therefore, you can still enjoy the untouched beauty of the region in peace.

The summer days of June, July, and August bring monsoon rain to the Manaslu region. The morning starts with thick clouds often shrouding the high mountain views and the heavy rainfall causes frequent landslides. With rain comes the leeches which make hiking a terrible experience. However, there will be fewer people on the trail and the landscape turn beautiful lush green.

Harsh colds and occasional snow storms in the winter months of December, January, and February can overwhelm you but a good sleeping bag and a warm down jacket can keep you safe.

Manaslu TSUM Valley Trek Difficulty

A moderately difficult Manaslu Tsum Valley trek takes you to the last area on the planet where you can still experience nature in its most original form. But reaching this unspoiled zone of Nepal requires you to hike for 6 to 7 hours a day and sometimes even 9 hours.

You will get as far as the high elevation of 4800 m at Manaslu Base Camp and 5160 m at Larkya Pass. The trail to the base camp constitutes passing steep slopes, climbing ridges, crossing rivers, and walking through some dense forests.

Although the trail is not technically challenging and it doesn’t require past experience in hiking or climbing, still you need to be in the best physical condition. You should be able to withstand the physical fatigue of long hikes and should be well prepared to deal with unexpected weather changes.

The Manaslu Tsum Valley trek trail is not that well exposed to tourism therefore there are still limited simple accommodations where comfort is not particularly high. In the Manaslu Base Camp, you may need to stay overnight in tented camps and handle harsh colds. But the reward will be no less, you will wake up and have morning breakfast among the fascinating mountain scenery you have never seen anywhere else.

Altitude Sickness at Manaslu TSUM Valley

Undoubtedly the Manaslu Tsum Valley trek is a high-altitude trek in the remote regions of Nepal that will take you to the highest elevation of more than 5000 m above sea level. The route to the Base Camp and Tsum Valley requires you to ascend to an altitude of more than 3000 m from day 8 when you arrive at Chhekampar village.

Till day 11, you will remain at an altitude of more than 3000 m and descend to a lower altitude till day 14. from the 15th day, you will again traverse to continuously gain altitude till day 21.

Therefore, most of the trekkers are susceptible to go through altitude sickness especially if they are new to trekking in high altitudes. An adequate and well-planned rest day has been allocated to allow your body to adapt to a thin atmosphere. Utilize this day to ascend and descend and rest.

Ensure your body is not over-exhausted and take your pace gradually. Do not rush to your destination, and make sure you drink plenty of water. Drink 1 liter of water before beginning your trek and carry at least 2 liter in your bottle. Drink along the way and when you stop for lunch, have some hot garlic soup with your meal.

If you feel mild headache, nausea, dizziness, exhaustion, insomnia, and loss of appetite, inform our guide at once. He may descend you to a lower elevation to alleviate your symptoms. If you take Diamox, again make sure you drink plenty of fluid.

Generally, 2 to 3 days are enough to adjust to high altitude, and eventually, the symptoms of altitude sickness also disappear on their own.

What to expect at Manaslu TSUM Valley Trek?

The unique Manaslu Tsum Valley trek is a rare opportunity that takes you to the most authentic regions of Nepal. The unspoiled nature and numerous historically important religious artifacts make this trek a very special experience.

During this unparalleled adventure, you will trek through a very rugged trail of Budi Gandaki Valley. You then walk through the exceptionally colored rhododendron forest, passing numerous original Tibetan villages of Chhekampar, Nil, Gumba Lungdang, Lokpa, Lho, and Sama Gaon to name a few.

The famous Mani walls with their characteristic prayer wheels will always salute you along the trail. When passing through these villages, you often observe the inhabitants engaging in their everyday lives away from the chaos of social networks and the internet. Children still run around playing local games instead of focusing on mobile games.

Similarly, the most adrenaline-rushing thrill is when you pass the Larkya Pass above 5000 m. almost from everywhere, you will have incredible views of Himalayan giants such as Manaslu, Naike Peak, Himlung, and Cheo Himal.

Another high point of the trek is arrival at the Manaslu Base Camp which shows the panoramic beauty of the 8th highest mountain along with glacial lakes and mountainous terrain. The outstanding Manaslu, Ganesh Himal often smiles at you standing at its full glory while Annapurna Himal plays hide and seek.

The next adventure is when you arrive at the blessed village of Tsum Valley which tells the story of ancient Buddhism. You will also find numerous remains of religious and archaeological structures here, such as several historic Buddhist monasteries, stupas, and chortens. This is not surprising, because for Buddhists the Tsum Valley is one of the most sacred areas.

In short, the Manaslu Tsum Valley trek provides you with the unadulterated cultural and natural treasures of Nepal. It is probably one of the most interesting destinations of the 21st century.

Travel Insurance

When traveling to high altitude and remote areas such as Manaslu and Tsum Valley, it is of utmost importance that you take our travel insurance. It is a tool that protects you from unforeseen events or accidents, and, if they occur, it helps to you face them in the best possible way avoiding or minimizing losses.

It gives you peace of mind from the moment of boarding until you return to your country of origin. Your travel insurance should have broad coverage including medical, hospital, and evacuation expenses, both urgent and emergency.

In addition, it should also include services for locating or replacing lost luggage, and rescheduling outbound or return tickets in case of unforeseen medical or climatic events. Also, travel insurance for our Manaslu Tsum Valley trek is obligatory as you will get entry only after you present your insurance policy copy.

Please remember, that your travel insurance should cover the entire duration of your trip. We recommended to have two days off to cover any delays. From the beginning of the trip, the insurance is already in effect. The minimum cost for taking our travel insurance for a trip to Nepal can range from USD 150 to USD 200 for a month.

Accommodation, Food, and Transportation

Our trek and tour company is committed to providing you a comprehensive support throughout your trip to Nepal and our Manaslu Tsum Valley trek is no exception. Our package therefore covers all your accommodation, food, and transportation expenses during the entire trekking period.

We will begin our service as soon as you land in the International airport of the capital. We will receive you at the exit gate of the airport and take you to our hotel via a private vehicle( car or van based on group size).

In Kathmandu, you will stay in a 3-star category hotel with a complimentary breakfast every morning. Lunch and dinner are not included because the city has a lot of options where you can dine as per your choice.

As you start your trek officially, we will drive you from Kathmandu to Soti Khola in a private 4-wheel Jeep, or Land Cruiser ensuring you have a comfortable journey on the road.

As you rest overnight in different villages, our guide will make sure you stay in the best available lodgings in the village. The villages along the trail to Manaslu and Tsum Valley are still not well exposed to Western tourism. Therefore, proper infrastructure has not been developed, still, you will stay in a lodge that offers little comfort and simple sanitary facilities, which are usually located outside the room.

Regarding food options, breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided timely with menus offered by the lodge. In lower altitudes, you can have egg dishes from boiled and fried to scrambled, bread, chapati, pancakes, jam, honey, and so on.

In higher altitude lodges, you may not find all these options but bread and egg are common. For lunch and dinner, you can order noodles, pasta, momo, pizza, salads, and the famous Dal Bhat (rice and vegetables). The lodges also provide tea, coffee, fruit juice, hot chocolate, etc for which you have to pay an additional cost.

After successfully accomplishing your trek, we will transfer you to our hotel in the capital. To show our gratitude, we will offer you a farewell dinner at a typical Nepali restaurant in Kathmandu. The next day, after learning about your departure time, our driver and guide will receive you at the hotel. They will take you to the International Airport hoping to see you again on your next trip to amazing Nepal.