Places to Visit in the Manaslu Region: 20 Villages, Monasteries and Lakes Worth the Walk

The best places to visit in the Manaslu region are not all on the main trail. Some sit an hour above a lodge. Some need a spare day. A few hide in a whole separate valley. This guide lists 20 villages, monasteries, lakes and viewpoints across the Manaslu Circuit and Tsum Valley, with the altitude of each, how long it takes, and where it fits in your trek.

Written by Nim Bhatta, a trekking guide licensed by the Nepal Department of Tourism who has led treks in the Manaslu region since 2009. Last updated November 2026.

What Are the Best Places to Visit in the Manaslu Region?

The must-see places in the Manaslu region are Lho and Ribung Gompa, Samagaun, Pungyen Gompa, Birendra Tal, Manaslu Base Camp, Samdo, the Larkya La Pass (5,106 m) and Bhimtang. With extra days, add Tsum Valley for Mu Gompa, Rachen Gompa and Milarepa’s Cave, or detour to Prok and Kal Tal.

Most of these sit on or near the classic Manaslu Circuit Trek, so you can see the big ones without adding a single day. Here is the full list at a glance.

#	Place	Altitude	Type	On the main trail?
1	Machha Khola	930 m	Trailhead village	Yes
2	Jagat	1,345 m	Stone village, permit check	Yes
3	Philim	About 1,570 m	Gurung village	Yes
4	Namrung	2,630 m	Village, first big views	Yes
5	Lho and Ribung Gompa	3,185 m	Village and monastery	Yes
6	Shyala	3,500 m	Village, mountain amphitheatre	Yes
7	Samagaun	3,530 m	Main village, rest day base	Yes
8	Pungyen Gompa	About 4,000 m	Sacred monastery	Side trip, 5 to 7 hours
9	Birendra Tal	About 3,650 m	Glacial lake	Side trip, 1 to 2.5 hours
10	Manaslu Base Camp	About 4,800 m	Viewpoint on the moraine	Side trip, 6 to 8 hours
11	Samdo	3,875 m	Last village before the pass	Yes
12	Dharamsala and Larkya La	4,460 m and 5,106 m	High camp and pass	Yes
13	Bhimtang	3,590 m	Meadow village	Yes
14	Ponkar Lake	About 4,100 m	Glacial lake	Side trip from Bhimtang
15	Tilje and Dharapani	About 2,300 m and 1,860 m	Gurung villages	Yes (exit)
16	Prok and Kal Tal	Lake about 3,600 m	Village and lake	Detour, 1 extra day
17	Serang Gompa	About 3,050 m	Monastery and school	Detour, 1 extra day
18	Lokpa	2,240 m	Gateway to Tsum Valley	Tsum Valley
19	Chhekampar, Rachen Gompa and Milarepa’s Cave	About 3,000 to 3,250 m	Village, nunnery, cave	Tsum Valley
20	Mu Gompa	About 3,700 m	Highest monastery in Tsum	Tsum Valley

Lower Budhi Gandaki Valley: Where the Trek Begins

The first days follow the Budhi Gandaki River up a deep gorge. It is hot, green and loud with water. These places are less famous, but they show you the Nepal that sits below the snowline.

1. Machha Khola (930 m)

Machha Khola means “fish river”. Jeeps now reach it from Kathmandu, so this is where most treks start on foot. It is a busy little bazaar with lodges, shops and the last easy supply stop. Do not linger. The real scenery starts the next morning. Our ground transport guide covers the drive in.

2. Jagat (1,345 m)

Jagat is a neat village of flagstone lanes and stone houses. It is also where the Manaslu Conservation Area checkpoint stamps your permits, so you will stop here either way. Look for small natural hot springs at Tatopani on the walk in from Machha Khola. Read our day guide from Machha Khola to Jagat.

3. Philim (about 1,570 m)

Philim is a large Gurung village with terraced millet fields and a school. Just past it, the trail splits. One branch heads north into Tsum Valley. The other carries on to the main circuit. Philim is the last place that feels like the middle hills before the valley turns Tibetan.

Kutang and Nubri: The Heart of the Manaslu Circuit

Above Deng, the people, houses and prayers change. You are in Kutang and then Nubri, home to Buddhist communities with old ties to Tibet. This stretch holds most of the places people come to Manaslu to see.

4. Namrung (2,630 m)

Namrung is where most trekkers get their first big mountain views. Siring Himal and Ganesh Himal peaks rise above the village on a clear morning. It has some of the best lodges on the lower trail and a small monastery. From here up, you will walk past long mani walls and chortens every hour.

5. Lho and Ribung Gompa (3,185 m)

Lho gives you the classic Manaslu photo: Ribung Gompa on the hill with the peak rising straight behind it. Walk up to the monastery before dinner, then get up for sunrise. On a clear morning Manaslu glows pink from the lodge terrace. Full guide: Lho Village and Ribung Gompa.

6. Shyala (3,500 m)

Shyala is a small village in a wide bowl of mountains. Himalchuli, Ngadi Chuli and Manaslu wrap around it like an amphitheatre. Many groups stop only for tea, but it is one of the best viewpoints on the whole circuit. If your legs allow, slow down and take the photos here.

7. Samagaun (3,530 m)

Samagaun is the main village of the upper valley and the place you will spend the most time. Almost every itinerary includes a rest day here to acclimatize. Walk through the yak pastures, visit the village gompa and watch the farming life around you. Three of the best side trips in the region start from your lodge door. Read our Samagaun rest day guide.

8. Pungyen Gompa (about 4,000 m)

Pungyen Gompa is the most sacred monastery in the Manaslu region. It sits on an alpine plateau right under the south face of the mountain. Local Nubri people built it roughly 400 years ago. The hike takes 5 to 7 hours round trip and climbs about 500 m, which makes it a near perfect acclimatization day. See our Pungyen Gompa day hike guide.

9. Birendra Tal (about 3,650 m)

Birendra Tal is a turquoise glacial lake at the foot of the Manaslu Glacier. It is the easiest side trip from Samagaun, taking 1 to 2.5 hours there and back. You can hear ice cracking off the glacier above it. That glacier is active. An avalanche hit the lake in 2024 and sent a flood down the valley, so stay back from the shore and follow your guide. Read about the 2024 Birendra Tal avalanche.

10. Manaslu Base Camp (about 4,800 m)

Manaslu Base Camp is the hardest day hike in the region. You climb past Birendra Tal and up the moraine for 6 to 8 hours round trip. The reward is a close view of the icefall and the camp where climbing teams start their summit push. Go only if you feel strong after your first night in Samagaun. Planning tips: Manaslu Base Camp trek duration.

Samagaun side trip	Max altitude	Round trip	Effort	Best for
Pungyen Gompa	About 4,000 m	5 to 7 hours	Moderate	Culture, history, quiet views
Manaslu Base Camp	About 4,800 m	6 to 8 hours	Hard	Big glacier views, fit trekkers
Birendra Tal	About 3,650 m	1 to 2.5 hours	Easy	A short walk on a tired day

11. Samdo (3,875 m)

Samdo is the last village before the pass and the closest one to Tibet. Many families here came from across the border, and the trade route north is still used. It feels windswept and high, with yak herds on the slopes and stone walls around every field. A short walk on the ridge above the village helps you acclimatize. Full guide: Samdo Village.

12. Dharamsala (4,460 m) and the Larkya La Pass (5,106 m)

Dharamsala, also called Larke Phedi, is a basic high camp. Nobody visits it for comfort. You sleep early and wake around 3 or 4 am to cross the Larkya La, the highest point of the trek at 5,106 m (16,752 ft). Pass day takes 7 to 9 hours to Bhimtang. From the top you see Himlung, Cheo Himal, Kang Guru and the Annapurna II massif. Before you go, read our Larkya La Pass guide.

The Manang Side: After the Pass

Once you drop off the pass, you are in Manang district. The trail turns green again, and the views of Manaslu now come from the north and west.

13. Bhimtang (3,590 m)

Bhimtang sits in a wide grassy meadow ringed by glaciers. After the pass, it feels like a reward. The sunset on Manaslu’s north side and on Himlung is one of the best of the trek. If you have one spare day after the Larkya La, spend it here. Read our Bhimtang Village guide.

14. Ponkar Lake (about 4,100 m)

Ponkar Lake is a quiet glacial lake above Bhimtang, tucked under the Ponkar Glacier. Few trekkers make it, because most are too tired after the pass. Add one rest day in Bhimtang and you can walk up and back with a light pack. If you want the lake as the focus of your trip, see the Ponkar Lake Trek.

15. Tilje and Dharapani (about 2,300 m and 1,860 m)

Tilje is a Gurung village of stone houses, apple trees and buckwheat fields. Dharapani is where the Manaslu trail joins the Annapurna Circuit and the road out. It is the end of the walk for most groups, and the first hot shower in days for many.

Hidden Detours on the Manaslu Circuit

These two places sit just off the main trail. Each costs about one extra day. Very few trekkers see them, which is exactly the point.

16. Prok Village and Kal Tal (lake about 3,600 m)

Prok is a farming village across the river from the main trail, with wide views and almost no other trekkers. Above it on Lungmang Hill lies Kal Tal, also called Kalchhuman Tal. The name means “death lake”, but it is calm and beautiful, with peaks reflected in the water. A small gompa stands beside it. Read our Kal Tal guide.

17. Serang Gompa (about 3,050 m)

Serang Gompa is a large monastery and school in a hidden side valley above Bihi. Young monks study here far from any road. Reaching it takes a long day from the main trail, so it suits trekkers who want monastery life more than mountain views. Ask us to build it into a custom itinerary.

Tsum Valley: The Hidden Valley

Tsum Valley branches north from the main trail near Lokpa. It was closed to outsiders until 2008 and still needs its own restricted area permit. People here follow old Buddhist customs, and many villages have a gompa above them. Plan at least 6 extra days. Start with our Tsum Valley trek guide.

18. Lokpa (2,240 m)

Lokpa is the first village of Tsum Valley, set in forest high above the gorge. It is a simple place with a few lodges. From here the trail climbs steeply into the lower valley. Read more about Lokpa Village.

19. Chhekampar, Rachen Gompa and Milarepa’s Cave

Chhekampar is the main village of upper Tsum, around 3,000 m. Nearby, Rachen Gompa is a large nunnery where you can sit in on prayers if you ask first. Close to the trail is Milarepa’s Cave, also called Piren Phu or Pigeon Cave. Buddhists believe the poet and saint Milarepa meditated here. Footprint marks in the rock are said to be his.

20. Mu Gompa (about 3,700 m)

Mu Gompa is the highest and most remote monastery in Tsum Valley, close to the Tibet border. Monks live here year round in a bare, windblown landscape. Most Tsum itineraries turn around here. Spend the night if you can. The silence after dark is something you will remember.

How to See These Places in One Trip

You do not need a month. Match the list to the days you have.

Days you have	What you can see	Trip that fits
About 10 to 12	The main trail from Machha Khola to Dharapani, Samagaun and the Larkya La, with a short side hike	Short Manaslu Circuit Trek
About 14	All main trail stops plus one Samagaun side trip (Pungyen Gompa or Birendra Tal)	Manaslu Circuit Trek package
About 16	All of the above plus Manaslu Base Camp with extra buffer days	Manaslu Base Camp Trek
About 20 or more	The full circuit plus Tsum Valley, Rachen Gompa and Mu Gompa	Tsum Valley Manaslu Circuit Trek

Simple Rules for Visiting Monasteries and Villages

• Walk clockwise around mani walls, chortens and gompas, keeping them on your right.
• Ask before you take photos of people, monks or the inside of a gompa.
• Take off your shoes and hat before you enter a prayer hall.
• Leave a small donation in the box. Entry is usually free, and the money keeps the gompa running.
• Do not touch statues, masks or ritual objects, and never point your feet at an altar.

You need a Restricted Area Permit, the MCAP and the ACAP for the circuit, and a licensed guide is required. Our Manaslu permit guide explains each one. For timing, see the best time for the Manaslu trek.

Places to Visit in Manaslu: FAQs

Plan Your Manaslu Trek With Us

Tell us which of these places matter most to you and we will shape the days around them. Check current dates and rates on each trip page:

• Book the Manaslu Circuit Trek: the classic route with Samagaun, Pungyen Gompa and the Larkya La
• Manaslu Base Camp Trek: the circuit with time for the base camp hike
• Tsum Valley Manaslu Circuit Trek: both valleys, including Mu Gompa and Rachen Gompa
• Manaslu Tsum Valley Trek: a focused trip into the hidden valley
• Ponkar Lake Trek: the quiet lake above Bhimtang
• Manaslu Photography Tour: slower days at the best viewpoints

Questions about a side trip or a custom route? Email info@manaslucircuittreks.com or chat with us on WhatsApp: