The Manaslu Circuit walks round the world’s eighth-highest mountain and crosses Larke La, at about 5,100 metres, into the Annapurna region. The upper valley is a restricted area, so the permits are more than on most treks. Here is what you need in 2026.
The permits
- Restricted Area Permit (RAP), from the Department of Immigration, for the upper Budhi Gandaki valley:
- September to November: US$100 for the first week, then US$15 a day.
- December to August: US$75 for the first week, then US$10 a day.
- The first week is the minimum, even for a shorter stay.
- Manaslu Conservation Area Permit (MCAP): NPR 3,000.
- Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP): NPR 3,000, because the circuit ends in the Annapurna region.
Who can apply
A restricted area permit is applied for by a registered trekking agency, and a licensed guide must walk with you the whole way. Since a Department of Immigration notice of 22 March 2026, one trekker alone may get the permit; before that, at least two were needed. You still need the agency and the guide.
Tsum Valley
The Tsum Valley, a side valley of the circuit, is a separate restricted area with its own permit. If you want to add it, tell the agency at the start, so both are arranged together.
Before you go
- Fees and rules change: check the current figures with the agency a few weeks before.
- Carry copies of your passport and permits; there are checkposts on the trail.
- Keep a spare day: Larke La can be closed by snow.
Rules change. If something here is out of date, please tell me and I will correct it.Tell me
