Manaslu Circuit Trek: 12 Days

Manaslu is a restricted area, and Nepal caps the numbers on purpose, so the villages along this route still feel like villages, not rest stops built around trekking. The circuit runs a full loop from Soti Khola, following the Budhi Gandaki valley through Gurung settlements that turn increasingly Tibetan-influenced as you climb, with prayer flags and monasteries becoming part of everyday scenery rather than tourist stops. The high point, literally, is Larkya La at over 5,100m, one of the longest and toughest days on the trek. Not technical, but real, cold, high, and long enough that you earn the descent into the Annapurna region on the other side. This suits trekkers with some prior hiking experience, not a first Himalayan trek. Twelve days at altitude, teahouse stays throughout, and a guide plus porter included so you are not carrying full pack weight over the pass.