Around Manaslu
(vero;2017-Jan-31)
While the Annapurna circuit is open to all, trekking around Manaslu and into the Tsum Valley is not so straightforward: you have to obtain a trekking permit in Kathmandu and be accompanied by a licensed guide. So, we liaised with a trekking agency which organised trekking permits, guide and transportation to the starting point of our trek. Our guide was to leave us after 18 days, when we would eventually reach the Annapurna Circuit and continue on our own.
Unfortunately for us, the monsoon this year lasted well into the beginning of October, which spoilt our Manaslu experience quite a bit. The problem was not so much the rain: when it fell, it was in the afternoon and not for long. But the skies were incredibly cloudy, we wandered around mighty Manaslu in a sea of mist and in 15 days managed to see the magic mountain only once, for around 15 minutes. A bit frustrating indeed…
On top of it, we could not visit the Tsum Valley as planned: since the 2015 earthquake, a huge landslide prevents easy direct access to the area and this was made even worse by the current monsoon. One either had to add two days to the trek (with a camping stop, and we did not have any camping gear) or cross this dangerous landslide, which the locals strongly advised us against doing (and after having seen pictures of people crossing this bit, we believe they were right!). No need to say we were quite disappointed and upset at our trekking agency, which, knowing this state on the ground, did not warn us and at the Nepalese government which kept issuing permits for a nearly unaccessible region…
But it was not all that bad. We got to experience the Manaslu region with hardly any other tourist around, we could observe and participate to everyday life in a way which is not possible anymore during the high season or in the highly frequented treks such as Everest or Annapurna. And, since we did not go to the Tsum Valley, we had plenty of time to explore the Manaslu region at our leisure.
We had already trekked around Manaslu in 2001, and at that time, camping was the only option for accommodation, so we had many porters, a cook, guide and even a liaison officer with us. This time, there were tea houses and lodges along the way and it was only the three of us: Thomas, Vero and our friendly guide, Santosh.
- Part 1: From Soti Khola to Ghap (7 days, 04 Sept 2016 to 10 Sept 2016)
- Part 2: From Ghap to Dharapani (8 days, 11 Sept 2016 to 18 Sept 2016)
As ever, there are also the Index and the Map pages for this section.
$updated from: Around Manaslu.htxt Mon 04 Mar 2024 16:04:40 trvl2 (By Vero and Thomas Lauer)$