In this article, we are going to give a brief description of those things which must be considered to be safe while doing the Manaslu trek.
The off the beaten trek – Manaslu Circuit Trek goes through several rugged paths and barren lands although it is a moderate trek. This trek is widely known as restricted area trekking, because foreigners must obtain special trekking permit to visit the Manaslu.
Manaslu trek emphasizes the unexplored and remote areas of Manaslu region which is typically related to Tibetan culture and geography.
Narrow and Rugged Paths
Manaslu trek is an off the beaten track. So it is full of narrow and rugged paths. After the trip begins, trekkers follow grainy and narrow ways that doesn’t end till the ending of the trek. During the trek, you will encounter such kind of ways in several places, which you can not avoid. You must be aware of it while passing through it as there may be coming donkeys and pony from your opposite sides. If you see donkeys coming from the opposite side, you should give passing way to them. If anything goes wrong, then you may fall into Budhigandaki river and unfortunately die.
Read also: Road condition in Manaslu
Places Prone to Landslides
Walking on the hillsides and mountainsides obviously brings the risk of being hunted by landslides. Likewise, you will be on the risk of it while doing Manaslu trek. I don’t want to afraid you, however, it is truth that Himalaya or the whole Nepal is one of the most risky place of earthquake which causes landslides in its hillsides. In 2015, earthquake 7.8 hit Nepal and took life of around 10 thousand people. It triggered avalanche in Mt Everest and Langtang, and killed 21 trekkers in Mt Everest and 250 more people in Langtang. So be aware of it.
Weather Forecasting
Weather in Himalaya is unpredictable. Nevertheless, spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are considered as the best seasons for trekking in Nepal. In these time, sky usually becomes crystal clear and there is likely no rain in the Himalaya. If it is possible, you should choose best time to trek in Nepal.
Read also: Best time to trek in Nepal – Weather in Nepal
Be careful while crossing the suspension bridges
Trekkers will be crossing several suspension bridges during the trek. In many places, you will find quite strong bridges. However, there are also several bridges which seem to be weak. If you slip and fall off the bridge, you might be badly injured or unfortunatly died.
Here is a sample video of a dangerous crossing of suspension bridge in Manaslu trek, uploaded in YouTube by Michelle L.
Crossing the Larkya Pass (5200 m)
Larkya La is among the highest pass in Nepal, remains above 5200 m above the sea level. And it is notorious for the sudden snowy storms. It is the highest point of Manaslu trek and takes around 9 hours to cross from Larkya Phedi. High altitude sickness is main challenge of crossing the Larkya Pass. Despite of not being a sharp-edged, it goes on and on. Get physically and mentally ready to cross Larkya Pass.
The above four points are some of the most important considerations that you should never forget before doing this trek. However, there are several more things to be remembered for this trek. If you want to inform or notice some of the point, please do comment below and let people know about that.
Here I have embedded an amazing experience of Jess brothers in Manaslu trek. I hope, you will love this short and sweet video.
Hi Ariyal I am coming to to Pokhara on Sunday, from Kolkata. Though I am not really too fit now, I was planning to do the Annapurna circuit trek, as I did some treks earlier. I loved the Manaslu trek article which you wrote. Can you please suggest me something for a week ? Any rarely visited trek? I just want to get lost for few days, nothing else. Please get in touch if you see my message.
Hi Sir, we are really sorry that we couldn’t respond to you in a timely manner. However, if you are still visiting Nepal and need any assistance, please feel free to contact me.