Choose Manaslu Circuit if
- you have time and want a longer journey
- you prefer to stay lower
- you want a remote valley few people see
Nepal treks compared
Manaslu Circuit vs Annapurna Circuit
Two great circuits around an 8,000 m mountain, each over a high pass. Manaslu is a restricted area: quieter, wilder, Tibetan Buddhist villages, a permit through an agency and simpler lodges. The Annapurna Circuit is the classic: more people, a road on parts of it, more comfortable lodges and the Thorong La. If you want the old feeling of a trek in Nepal, Manaslu.
- Days
- 13 / 11
- Highest
- 5,106 / 5,416 m
- Checked
- Nov 2026
- Written by
- Rujan Neupane, trained guide
Side by side
From each trek's own page.
| Manaslu Circuit | Annapurna Circuit | |
|---|---|---|
| Days | 13 | 11 |
| Highest point | 5,106 m, Larke La | 5,416 m, Thorong La |
| Nights at 3,000 m or more | 7 | 6 |
| Grade | Challenging | Challenging |
| Best months | Oct–Nov, Apr | Oct–Nov, Apr |
| On the trail | Busy in season | Busy in season |
| Getting there | With a flight | With a flight |
| Permits | The Manaslu Circuit is a restricted area. Three permits are needed: the Manaslu Restricted Area Permit, the Manaslu Conservation Area permit (MCAP) and the Annapurna Conservation Area permit (ACAP), because… | For the Annapurna Circuit walk: Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP), arranged through my registered partner agency. |
| Guide fee | $455 for the walk | $385 for the walk |
The guide fee is one fee for 1 to 5 people. Permits, lodges, food and transport are paid at cost: what a trek really costs.
The difference, in short
- Manaslu Circuit takes 13 days, 2 more than Annapurna Circuit.
- Annapurna Circuit goes higher: 5,416 m against 5,106 m, so it needs more rest days and warmer nights.
- Manaslu Circuit is in a restricted area: a special permit, paid in US dollars, through a registered agency.
Which one for you?
Choose Annapurna Circuit if
- you have fewer days
- you want to go high and are ready for the altitude
From people I walked with
The walk around Kathmandu was very informative and interesting. Rujan did a great job showing us the highlights. The outdoor crematorium in particular really stuck with me, probably because it was so foreign to us. On our way to our homestay we did a hike where we got to enjoy the beautiful mountain scenery. It…
Best three weeks on my trails
Not sure which trek suits you? Tell me your dates and what you hope for, and I will say honestly.
My next free weeks from 12 Nov The calendar
