Manaslu Tsum Valley Trek

Day 1: Arrive in Kathmandu

Our team meets you at Kathmandu airport with a warm Nepali welcome. A short drive takes you to your hotel in the middle of the city. Check in, rest and shake off the jet lag.

Later, you meet your guide and the rest of the group for the trek briefing. He explains the route, the lodges and the food. Ask anything. Then we head out for a welcome dinner at a traditional Nepali restaurant.

Day 2: Kathmandu sightseeing and trek preparation

After breakfast, your guide takes you to Kathmandu Durbar Square. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with old palaces, courtyards and temples from the Malla and Shah eras. This is also home to the Kumari, the Living Goddess. You will see Kasthamandap too. Legend says the city's name comes from this temple.

Next, a short drive west brings you to Swayambhunath Stupa. It sits on a hill and gives you wide views over the valley. Spend the rest of the day on final trek preparation.

Kathmandu is the best place to buy or rent any gear you forgot. Do it today, not on the trail.

Today is a long drive. You leave the Kathmandu Valley and ride through the hills and farmland of Gorkha district. The first hours follow Nepal's busy main highway. Then the road turns north toward Arughat, a town beside the Budhi Gandaki River.

From Arughat, a dirt road takes you on to Machha Khola for the night. Your vehicle depends on group size. It can be a private car, a tourist bus or a coach.

• 6 hours walk
• Accommodation: Guesthouse or local lodge

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinnerOvernight: Jagat

The real walking starts today. You leave the warm, farmed lowlands and follow ups and downs along the river. The trail passes through patches of forest. Look out for Tatopani, a village with a natural hot spring. If time allows, take a dip.

You also pass Khorlabesi and Dovan, a farm village that makes a good short stop. Then the climb continues to Jagat, a mid-size hill village. Take a short walk here to see how Hindu and Buddhist cultures mix.

Past Jagat, the restricted area begins. This is where your special permit counts. You cross a bridge and walk on to Nagjet and Philim, a lovely farming area with neat terraces.

The trail then slips into cool forest and reaches Deng. From here, Buddhist culture grows stronger as you walk higher. The long day ends at Chisapani, a small farm village.

Today you enter Tsum Valley. The morning starts with a walk to a narrow river gorge. A short drop is followed by a steep climb through rhododendron and pine forest.

The trail passes small farm villages, then climbs gently east above a stream. You arrive at Chumling, the first village of Tsum. Enjoy it. The valley is just beginning.

Head east after breakfast. You walk through farm terraces and villages with views of Ganesh Himal, Sringi Himal and Manaslu. Then the trail drops to a bridge over a stream and climbs to Chokang-Paro.

Spend the afternoon in the village. Strong Buddhist culture is everywhere, with prayer monuments around every corner.

The scenery changes today. The path crosses windswept ground and enters a wide, open valley. Trees fade, and juniper bushes take over. The land turns dry and arid, a lot like Tibet.

Ganesh Himal and the Manaslu peaks stay in view as you walk. You end the day at Nile. The lodge here is simple, but it is among the more comfortable stops in the upper valley.

It is a short walk today, and a big one. The path climbs gently across dry, windswept ground with big views of snow peaks. You reach Mu Gompa, the highest point of the trek and the end of the valley.

You sleep in a simple hut used as a guesthouse. The facilities are basic, but the setting is hard to beat, with Ganesh Himal and many other peaks in front of you.

Mu Gompa is the highest point of your trek. Every night after this one is lower.

After days of steady walking, you rest. This day also helps your body adjust to the altitude. Spend it at Mu Gompa, the oldest monastery in Tsum Valley.

Step inside to see its old relics, statues of the Buddha and saints, and bright religious paintings. If you feel strong, you can walk to Dhephu Doma Gompa, a nunnery nearby.

You start the way down today. On the trail to Burgi, you stop at the cave of Milarepa, the great 11th century Tibetan saint. He lived as a hermit and meditated in caves.

After the cave, the trail drops, climbs again and finishes at the small farm village of Burgi.

Today you head back south. The trail crosses a bridge to the west bank, then passes through Chokang-Paro. A long downhill takes you to Chumling, where you meet the main trail again.

This is your last night inside Tsum Valley. The air feels warmer and thicker already.

Walk to Lokpa, then drop down to Philim, a spread-out farm village with a mild climate. Here you rejoin the main Manaslu trail and leave the Tsum Valley area behind.

From Philim you walk down to Jagat, a good place for lunch. After a break, the trail keeps dropping. The plants change and the air grows warmer.

You stop at Khorlabesi, a small farm village, for the night.

This is your last walking day. The trail winds through cool forest to Tatopani. If you have time, soak your tired legs in the hot spring one more time. Then you continue down to Machha Khola.

Raise a cup of tea tonight. You have walked into one of Nepal's hidden valleys and back.

After breakfast, you leave Machha Khola. The road winds through the farmland of Gorkha and Dhading districts and passes through Arughat. The vehicle is a shared jeep or a bus, depending on group size.

The road climbs to the edge of Kathmandu Valley. You reach your hotel in the late afternoon or evening.

A private vehicle both ways is available at extra cost.

Today is your last day in Nepal. Our team takes you to the international airport and says goodbye. Safe flight home.