Manasluसामागाउँ
The main village of Nubri, below Manaslu, and the usual acclimatisation stop on the circuit.
Higher seasonal exposure: altitude (All year), cold (Nov-Feb), landslides (Jun-Sep), river crossings (Jun-Sep).
Samagaun is the largest village of the upper Budhi Gandaki, a spread of stone houses, fields and gompas on a broad valley floor beneath Manaslu. On the Manaslu Circuit it is where almost everyone spends two nights to acclimatise before going higher, and it is also the base for climbing expeditions to Manaslu.
Day walks from the village lead to Pungyen Gompa, to the glacier lake Birendra Tal, and for strong walkers up towards Manaslu Base Camp at about 4,800 m. From Samagaun the circuit continues up the valley to Samdo, the last village before the Larkya La.
Samagaun was a village development committee with 665 people in the 1991 census, and is now a ward of Chumnubri Rural Municipality. Its people are Nubri, of Tibetan culture and Buddhist faith; the village has gompas and long mani walls, and yak herding and potato and barley farming are important alongside tourism.
Hike to Manaslu Base Camp
A strenuous full day gaining more than 1,200 m to about 4,800 m; return to sleep in Samagaun.
Visit Pungyen Gompa
A shorter acclimatisation walk up the valley side with views of the Manaslu glacier.
Walk to Birendra Tal
An easy outing to the glacier lake below Manaslu, about an hour each way.
Forecast for 3,530 m. Conditions change fast in the mountains.
Weather data: MET Norway, licensed CC BY 4.0. A forecast, not a guarantee.
Mar-May, Oct-Nov
Many lodges, the largest choice on the upper circuit.
No partner stays are listed here yet. List a property.
On foot only, usually reached on the fifth day from Machha Khola via Namrung and Lho.
Nearest hub: Machha Khola
Nearest hub: Machha Khola. Times are typical ranges, not schedules, and vary with roadworks, weather and the season.
On footfrom Namrungabout 6-7 h6-7 h from Namrung via Lho and Shyala, climbing roughly 900 m
On foot only, usually the fifth walking day from Machha Khola. Most itineraries add an acclimatisation day here for Birendra Tal or Manaslu base camp.
Restricted-area permit
This stop is on the Manaslu restricted-area route. Permits are issued only through a registered trekking agency, for trekkers with a licensed guide; a minimum group of two has long been required, so confirm the current rule.
Verify before travel: permit rules and fees change. Checked 2026-10-06 against Department of Immigration: Trekking route and permit fee.
On the Manaslu Circuit.
What this place is typically exposed to, and when. These are seasonal patterns, not a report on conditions now.
Altitudehigh in a typical yearAll year
At roughly 3,530 m, thin air affects most people. General information, not medical advice: gain height slowly, build in acclimatisation days, learn the symptoms of altitude sickness (headache, nausea, breathlessness, broken sleep) and go down if they get worse. See a doctor before travelling and carry insurance that covers helicopter evacuation.
Coldhigh in a typical yearNov-Feb
Nights are well below freezing from November to February at this height.
Landslideshigh in a typical yearJun-Sep
The Budhi Gandaki gorge is one of the more landslide-prone trekking corridors in Nepal and the monsoon months of June to September are generally avoided because of rain-slicked trails and slope failures.
River crossingshigh in a typical yearJun-Sep
The route crosses the Budhi Gandaki repeatedly on suspension bridges, and near Yaru a cantilever walkway carries the trail along the gorge wall. These are the most exposed sections when the river runs high in the monsoon.
Snowmoderate in a typical yearDec-Mar
Snow lies in the village and on the stages above through midwinter and into March, and some lodges close for the season.
Check current conditions before you travel
Roads, trails, passes and flights change with the weather and with roadworks, and nothing on this page describes conditions today. Before you set off, check the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology for weather and flood warnings, the Nepal Disaster Risk Reduction Portal for incidents, and the local authority, police or your licensed operator for road, trail and flight status.
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.
About 3,500-3,530 m.
To acclimatise before climbing to Samdo, Dharmasala and the Larkya La at about 5,106 m.
Yes, as a strenuous day hike to about 4,800 m, returning to Samagaun to sleep.
Valley or region
A restricted Buddhist side valley of the Manaslu region, with monasteries, Milarepa's cave and villages near the Tibetan border.
Trek stop · 3,590 m
A meadow settlement below the Larkya La, the first stop after the crossing.
Trek stop · 1,860 m
A small village at the head of the lower gorge on the Manaslu Circuit.
Trek stop · 4,460 m
The seasonal stop at the foot of the Larkya La, used the night before the crossing.
Trek stop · 1,340 m
A stone-paved village in the Budhi Gandaki gorge where the Manaslu restricted area begins.
Mountain pass · 5,106 m
The high pass of the Manaslu Circuit, a long glacial crossing from the Budhi Gandaki to the Marsyangdi side.
Trek stop · 900 m
A riverside village of lodges at the mouth of a side stream, the first night's stop for most Manaslu Circuit trekkers.
Trek stop · 2,630 m
The first village of Nubri on the Manaslu Circuit, among barley fields and forest.
Valley or region
A restricted trekking region around the world's eighth-highest mountain, from the Budhi Gandaki gorge to Tibetan-Buddhist villages and the Larkya La.