A teahouse journey around the Annapurna massif, from the green Marsyangdi valley through Manang and over the Thorong La (5,416 m) to Muktinath and the dry Kali Gandaki valley.
- Days
- 11 days
- Maximum altitude
- 5,416 m
- Difficulty
- Strenuous
Manangधारापानी
Dharapani (Manang)
A Marsyangdi valley village where the Manaslu Circuit joins the Annapurna Circuit road.
This is Dharapani in Manang district on the Marsyangdi, where the Manaslu Circuit meets the Annapurna Circuit; not the Dharapani in the Tsum Valley or other villages of that name.
- Altitude
- 1,900 m*
- Best months
- Mar-May, Oct-Nov
- Type
- Trek stop
- District
- Manang, Gandaki
- Permit
- Permit required
Why go
Dharapani is a village on the Marsyangdi in Manang district, at the point where the Dudh Khola comes down from Bimthang. On the Annapurna Circuit it is one of the first villages of Manang; for Manaslu Circuit trekkers it is where the trail from the Larkya La reaches the road.
Most Manaslu trekkers finish here and take a jeep down the valley to Besisahar and on to Kathmandu or Pokhara. Others continue up the Annapurna Circuit towards Chame and Manang, already acclimatised from the Larkya La.
History and culture
The village lies in Nashong Rural Municipality and inside the Annapurna Conservation Area, with an ACAP and police checkpoint for trekkers. Its people are mainly Gurung, with Buddhist chortens and mani walls along the main street. The road up the Marsyangdi has changed the village from a trail stop into a jeep stop over the past fifteen years.
Things to do in Dharapani (Manang)
Continue on the Annapurna Circuit
North to Chame, about 5-7 hours on foot, towards Manang and the Thorong La.
Drive out to Besisahar
By shared or private jeep down the Marsyangdi, roughly 4-6 hours, then on by bus.
Weather and the best time to visit Dharapani (Manang)
Weather in Dharapani (Manang)
Forecast for 1,900 m. Conditions change fast in the mountains.
Weather data: MET Norway, licensed CC BY 4.0. A forecast, not a guarantee.
Best time to visit
Mar-May, Oct-Nov
- Jan
- Feb
- Good month: Mar
- Good month: Apr
- Good month: May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Good month: Oct
- Good month: Nov
- Dec
- Autumn (Sep-Nov)
- October and November are the main season, with clear skies and stable weather before the winter cold.
- Winter (Dec-Feb)
- December to February is cold; snow can close the Larkya La and some upper lodges shut.
- Spring (Mar-May)
- March to May is the second season, with rhododendrons lower down; snow can linger near the pass early in spring.
- Monsoon (Jun-Aug)
- June to August brings rain, leeches and a high landslide risk in the Budhi Gandaki gorge.
Where to stay
TeahousesGuesthouses
Several lodges along the main street.
No partner stays are listed here yet. List a property.
Getting there
By jeep from Besisahar up the Marsyangdi valley, roughly 4-6 hours, or on foot from Bimthang in 6-8 hours.
Nearest hub: Besisahar
- jeepBesisahar to Dharapani by shared or private jeep, roughly 4-6 hours on a rough road.
- trekBimthang to Dharapani via Tilije and Thonje, about 6-8 hours.
Permits and fees
Permit required
Dharapani is inside the Annapurna Conservation Area; an ACAP entry permit is needed and is checked here. Check whether a TIMS card is currently required.
- Annapurna Conservation Area entry permit: Checked at the ACAP checkpoint in the village.
- TIMS card: Issued through a registered agency; check the current requirement.
Verify before travel: permit rules and fees change. Checked 2026-10-06 against Nepal Tourism Board: Park entry fees.
On the trail
On the Manaslu Circuit, Annapurna Circuit.
- Previous stop:
- Bimthang (Manaslu) or Tal (Annapurna)
- Next stop:
- Besisahar by jeep, or Chame on foot
- A typical day:
- From Bimthang, about 6-8 hours mostly downhill through forest, losing about 1,700 m.
Practical tips
- Mobile signal is usually available.
- Book jeeps out the evening before in peak season.
- Landslides can close the Marsyangdi road in the monsoon.
Treks through Dharapani (Manang)
A restricted-area teahouse trek around Manaslu (8,163 m), up the Budhi Gandaki gorge through Gurung and Nubri villages, over the Larkya La (about 5,106 m) and down to Dharapani on the Annapurna Circuit.
- Days
- 12 days
- Maximum altitude
- 5,106 m
- Difficulty
- Strenuous
A restricted-area trek from Koto on the Annapurna Circuit into the high Tibetan Buddhist villages of Phu and Nar, crossing the Kang La (about 5,320 m) to Ngawal and Manang.
- Days
- 12 days
- Maximum altitude
- 5,320 m
- Difficulty
- Strenuous
Questions about Dharapani (Manang)
Where does the Manaslu Circuit end?
Most trekkers finish at Dharapani, where the trail from Bimthang meets the Annapurna Circuit road, and take a jeep to Besisahar.
Can I continue from Dharapani onto the Annapurna Circuit?
Yes. Walk north to Chame and Manang; you will need the ACAP permit and should check TIMS and guide rules.
How high is Dharapani?
About 1,860-1,960 m.
More in Manang
All of Manang
Valley or region · 4,150 m
Nar Phu Valley
A restricted high valley north of the Annapurna Circuit, with two old Tibetan Buddhist villages, Nar and Phu, reached through a narrow gorge from Koto.
Lake · 4,919 m
Tilicho Lake
A glacial lake at about 4,920 m beneath the ice walls of Tilicho Peak, reached on a demanding side trip from Manang.
Trek stop · 2,670 m
Chame
The district headquarters of Manang, a road-head town in fir and pine forest where most Annapurna Circuit trekkers spend a night.
Trek stop · 2,600 m
Koto
A small village in pine and fir forest on the Annapurna Circuit, just below Chame, and the start of the trail into the Nar Phu valley.
Trek stop · 3,660 m
Ngawal
A stone village high on the north side of the Manang valley, on the upper Annapurna Circuit route and at the foot of the Kang La from Nar.
Trek stop · 3,300 m
Pisang
Twin villages in the upper Marsyangdi, where the old stone houses of Upper Pisang look across to Annapurna II.
Trek stop · 4,070 m
Shree Kharka
A small lodge stop in high pasture west of Manang, on the trail to Tilicho Base Camp and Tilicho Lake.
Trek stop · 4,540 m
Thorong Phedi
The lodges at the foot of the Thorong La, where Annapurna Circuit trekkers sleep before the pre-dawn climb to the pass.
Nearby
Trek stop · 3,590 m
Bimthang
A meadow settlement below the Larkya La, the first stop after the crossing.
Town or village · 3,519 m
Manang
A high stone village in the upper Marsyangdi valley below Annapurna III and Gangapurna, where Circuit trekkers stop to acclimatise.
National park or conservation area
Annapurna Region
Nepal's largest protected area, from Gurung hill villages and rhododendron forest to the dry valleys behind the Annapurna range.
Valley or region
Manaslu
A restricted trekking region around the world's eighth-highest mountain, from the Budhi Gandaki gorge to Tibetan-Buddhist villages and the Larkya La.
Editorial draft: facts are being checked against the sources below. Last checked 2026-10-06. Sources: Manaslu Trek, Wikivoyage, OpenStreetMap: Dharapani, Nepal Tourism Board: Park entry fees