Manaslu Trek Cost – Detailed Breakdown

The article explains all the Tsum Valley and Manaslu trek cost. This is the most up-to-date article for planning your trek to the Manaslu circuit properly. The cost of the complete package for the Manaslu circuit is $995 with Himalayan Masters.

The total price for the Manaslu trek includes basic accommodation during the trek and transportation from Kathmandu to Machha Khola by bus. Food and trekking permits for Manaslu and a professional, licensed trekking guide.

Among Nepal’s dozens of mountains above 8000 meters, Mount Manaslu is quickly becoming the trekkers’ favourite. Manaslu, the world’s 8th highest peak, lies about 64 km east of the famous Annapurna range in the Gorkha District.

Although the Manaslu climb is considered dangerous, the Manaslu circuit trek has become renowned for its wilderness and beauty. Almost half a month of trekking on the mountain is a rejuvenating experience.

Moreover, such a great escape is also cheap—the Manaslu Trek cost we offer cannot be as affordable and comfortable as this.

Nepal is one of the cheapest places to visit in the world, and the cost of this Manaslu trek is not something you should be worried about.

The bottomless gorges, remarkable landscape, hospitable locals, insight into century-old culture and architecture, and incredible biodiversity are something you cannot resist. People who have been to Manaslu once have fallen in love with this place, and we assure you that you will also adore it. So, if the Manaslu Circuit trek price is the only thing bothering you, we shall clear out the details for you.

The most significant travel expense is flying from your home country to Nepal. It depends on the distance and mode of transportation you choose. Add the cost of a two-way flight or ride to the trek cost list.

What Are the Manaslu Permit Costs and Paper Works?

Before coming to Nepal, it would be best to have travel insurance covering high-altitude trek rescue. Even after we adopt all the necessary measures, trekking in the mountains of Nepal is risky. You will need insurance before booking the Manaslu trek package, which covers medical bills and emergency helicopter evacuation.

Nepali Travel Visa

As soon as you land in Nepal, you need to issue a tourist visa to Nepal. A Nepalese visa is available on arrival, and costs are:

15 Days: $30
30 Days: $50
90 days: $125

NOTE: The Manaslu Trek cost for India and SAARC citizens does not require this visa cost. So, it’s pretty cheap.

Manaslu Permit Cost

Trekkers will need 4 different Manaslu permits for trekking in the Manaslu region.

Manaslu Restricted Area Permit: This special permit is issued by the Nepal government and is compulsory for trekking around the Manaslu region. It costs $100 per person from September to November ($15 per day if you stay longer than a week) and $75 per person from December to August ($10 per day if you visit more than a week).

Manaslu Conservation Area Permit: This permit costs $30 per person for foreigners and about $10 for people from SAARC countries.

Annapurna Conservation Area Permit: This permit is only needed for the Manaslu trek if you enter the Annapurna Conservation Area (ACAP). The ACAP entry fee is $30 per person for foreigners and about $10 for people from SAARC countries.

Chumnubri Rural Municipality Permit: This permit is levied by the local government of Chumnubri Rural Municipality (Manaslu region). It costs around $10 per person.

Further, if you are trekking to Tsum Valley with Manaslu Circuit, you must obtain an additional Tsum Valley Restricted Area Permit. This permit costs around $40 per person for the first 7 days and $7 per day after that (from September to November). Likewise, it costs $30 per person for the first 7 days and $7 per day after that (from December to August).

So, these Manaslu Permit costs add a lot to your travel expenses.

The first thing to note is that Manaslu is among the restricted trekking regions of Nepal. Here, free individual trekkers are strictly forbidden. You must be in the group (minimum of two people) and accompanied by a licensed guide to issue this permit. This doesn’t mean you will necessarily need a travel agency to book your Manaslu trip; however, having one will be wise.

Total Cost For Guide And Porters

Now, this is another significant part of your Manaslu travel price.

As mentioned above, you must hire a licensed trekking guide to Manaslu. The cost of the guide ranges from $25 to $30 per day. These English-speaking guides are very familiar with your trekking route and are helpful during an emergency. Having a good relationship with a travel guide makes your journey even better. They will help you build a better relationship with the locals, find better accommodation, and order food.

Our guides at Himalayan Masters are also trained for first aid and emergencies. This Manaslu Trek cost for a guide is worth it.

Next, you will need a porter. Since Manaslu is an isolated village, you must carry everything you need for the journey. This makes your bag very heavy, and hiring a porter is an easier way to deal with the load and enjoy the journey to the fullest.

You can hire one or two porters (one porter often carries the bag of two people if it’s not that heavy) as per your will. A porter costs about $20 to $25 per day.

Now, multiply the price by the number of days, and there you have the price for the guide and porter.

Transportation Cost for Manaslu Trek

Before the trek commences, we drive from Kathmandu to Machha Khola. The Manaslu Circuit Trek and Manaslu Base Camp trek usually end at Tilje, Dharapani, or Besisahar. If it’s the TSUM valley trek, you will probably start and finish trekking in Machha Khola. From there, to-and-fro, we need to travel by bus or a private vehicle.

There is no airport nearby, but helicopter flights are available. So, your only option is to ride for 6 to 8 hours from and to Kathmandu from the trek’s starting and ending points.

Add the best choice you find for the transportation to the total Manaslu Trek cost.

Cost of Local Vehicle

A bus to Machha Khola leaves from Gongabu Bus Park each morning. But you should know that the public bus in Nepal is not exactly a comfortable and clean option. The bus is primarily overcrowded, and the noise makes travelling hard. There’s never enough space for your legs and bags.

However, it’s hella cheaper than a private jeep or a Manaslu helicopter flight. You can travel to these places for $5 to $10 per person. If you are up for some adventure, this might be a great chance to witness the Nepalese lifestyle nearby.

Cost of Private Jeep

A jeep is well suited to running on the rough highways of Nepal. The Jeep accommodates about 5-8 people and takes you to Machha Khola in about six hours.

This is a very comfortable option for tourists. It’s also spacious, with a lot of room for bags. If you can book a Jeep by yourself, it will cost about $150 to $200; they will pick you up at the hotel. Or, you can share the jeep with others, which costs about $40 to $50 per person. However, finding another group to share a jeep with you is not always easy.

Cost of Taxi (Cabs)

While this is a very luxurious option, it’s not exactly suitable for the rough terrain in Nepal. You can have an entire car for yourself and travel at your convenience. A taxi accommodates four people at most and costs between $100 and $120 (slightly lower than the Jeep). Ask your guide to negotiate with the driver for the best deal.

Manaslu Trek Accommodation Costs

The accommodation in Manaslu is the teahouses. Teahouses are tiny wooden homes owned by the locals of Manaslu.

Since many of these teahouses have been newly built, you can expect them to be clean and comfortable. There will be a centrally heated dining room for a warm dinner. They provide a cozy room with two to three single beds only. In the teahouse, you will have a mattress, a blanket, and a pillow to sleep.

The rooms with private bathrooms are hard to get; you will be using the bathroom on a shared basis. Some bathrooms might have Western seats, but most bathrooms in Manaslu have Indian seats.

The cost of this room is $5 to $10 per person. This adds only a tiny amount to your Manaslu Trek cost. You can choose from 3 to 5-star hotels in Kathmandu. The cheapest bunk beds are available at $5-10 per bed, and a clean room can cost about $20.

Additional Charges in a Tea house

• Most tea houses in the lower region have Wi-Fi connections (even if the speed is not that good). Connecting to Wi-Fi costs about $3 per night.
• You can ask for a hot shower or a bucket of hot water in the tea house. A hot shower costs about $4 to $5.
• You should know that even electricity isn’t cheap. The room has no plug, and you must charge your phone in the reception or dining hall. Charging your phone, camera, or power bank costs about $2 to $3. The charge also depends on how long you will be charging your device.

Food Cost during the Manaslu trek

Food is the most significant part of your Manaslu Trek cost. While trekking in Nepal, the thumb rule is that you will eat where you sleep. So, you will be served the food listed on the menu available at the teahouses. A warm meal with freshly grown ingredients in a remote land is a blessing. The menu is almost the same throughout the route, and the cost is similar (a little more costly at the higher altitude).

For breakfast, there are options like bread, omelettes, pancakes, oats, muesli, and fruits. The cost of breakfast is about $5 to $7. Then, you have Dal Bhat, pasta, Mo: Mo, noodles, soup, rolls, and other dishes for lunch and dinner.

The best combination and surplus in Nepal is Dal Bhat. The unlimited buffet of Nepalese khana has steamed rice, lentil soup, vegetable curry, spinach, and some pickles.

There are also some desserts, like pudding and chocolates. Lunch and dinner cost $5 to $10 per meal, as per your choice, while dessert is about $3. The cost of food in Manaslu is about $25 to $30 per day, depending on how foodie you are.

NOTE: Trekking in the mountains is a beautiful chance to hunt for local food. We suggest you try Tibetan bread, Gundruk, Dhindo, butter tea, Thukpa, yak cheese, and Nepali curd. You can ask the teahouse owner if they can prepare anything special for you, or you can even learn to make it yourself.

Cost of the Drink in Manaslu Circuit Trek

It would be best to understand that everything you eat during this trek is carried to a higher altitude by a porter, mule, or helicopter. That makes everything, especially food, quite expensive. Also, the menu options might not be as versatile as you would see in urban restaurants. However, the teahouse owner tries their best to serve you a great diet.

The cooks might not be very familiar with preparing continental cuisines, so it’s always safe to go for Nepalese food. That’s what they are best at cooking. Throughout the trek, you can get regular milk and coffee, which cost $1 to $3 per cup. There are not many options for coffee. We suggest that you carry your instant coffee or tea.

Also, you can get some hard drinks; a beer bottle costs about $7. You might also find some energy drinks and juice. Next is the drinking water—a bottle of water costs about $2-3 in Manaslu.

And considering you buy 3–4 bottles daily, that’s a lot of money wasted. It’s cheaper if you could carry a water bottle of your own and then refill it in teahouses or natural taps. Then, you can use purifying tablets to make the water pure and drink it.

Manaslu Trek Packing List cost

Manaslu Circuit Trek was a camping trek for a few years. The trail has recently been upgraded to a teahouse trek in Nepal. This implies that the Manaslu trekking region is remote, and you must carry everything essential.

A large sum of your expenses goes to clothes and gear for the trek. Here, we have listed a few essentials in short. You can get this stuff either from your home country or Nepal, and the price varies significantly per brand and choice. So, we have not mentioned the price here; add it to your total Manaslu Trek cost.

Shoes: Trekking shoes (high ankle hiking boots are pretty expensive, but it’s a trek prerequisite), a comfortable slipper and warm shocks
Down Jacket (air and water-proof): A thermal coat, most likely of cotton, trekking pants and comfortable shorts, T-shirts and a few inner clothes; windproof gloves, a head cover, and sunglasses
Health: Water bottles and purifying tablet, first aid kid, personal care items and toiletries
Food: Chocolate bars, instant coffee, energy drinks (and whatever you love).
Other: Sleeping bag, hiking bag, hang bag, two trekking poles (costing $5 each in Nepal), crampons (only in winter), phone, camera, charger, power bank, and whatever electronics you need.

NOTE: You won’t need climbing ropes, an ice axe, a Gore-Tex jacket, or a sleeping mat for this trek. Also, the packing list is different for each season. It’s better to consult your guide at Himalayan Masters and list things you need before the trek.

In Thamel, you can buy/rent sleeping bags, hiking bags, trekking boots, down jackets, etc., for $2 to $3 per day. If you want to save on buying them, ask your guide where to rent these products. However, buying your stuff is cheaper if you trek frequently.

Kathmandu has some great places to shop for trekking gear. However, they might not always be of reliable brand and price. So, we suggest that you shop for clothes in your home country.

Manaslu Trek Cost Due To Duration

The ideal Manaslu Circuit trek is 10 to 20 days long. No matter how long you stay, the cost of transportation, permits, and trekking gear are the same. However, it adds the price of a guide or porter, food, and accommodation.

So, the cost depends on your Manaslu Trek itinerary. Sometimes, the unpredicted weather of Manaslu and untold emergencies might extend your trip. So, be prepared for such cases.

Other Costs for Manaslu Trekking

Offerings: During this trek, we will visit many temples, gompas, and monasteries. You might want to donate a few dollars here and there. Add a few dollars for that.

Tips: Nepal is not exactly a country known for generous tips; it’s customary to tip your guide and porter. Although the amount is your choice, you might want to keep it above $100 for them. You can also leave something for teahouses and restaurant owners. However, it’s just our suggestion; you can make a reasonable decision yourself.

Souvenir: Nepal’s unique handicrafts and artwork are loved around the world. The metal and woodwork in Nepal are also extraordinary. Tourists spend a lot on these kinds of souvenirs, so we want you to be prepared. Add a few dollars to your final Manaslu Trek cost for this stuff.

Manaslu Package Cost vs. Independent Travel Cost

Let’s consider the 13-day Manaslu Circuit Trek via Himalayan peaks and draw a conclusion. As independent trekkers (with a guide and a porter), you will spend about $995 per person. The usual Manaslu Circuit cost is about $1400 with a complete board package.

Some costs, like drinks, donations, tips, etc., are not included when you book the package. Eventually, both expenses will be similar. If you take other routes to Manaslu (Manaslu Base Camp, Tsum Valley, etc.), you can add up the costs and find the total expenses.

Then, compare it to the standard Manaslu package cost listed on the website of a Nepalese travel agency. Boom, you will know which option is the best. Also, remember that getting a well-arranged trek package to Manaslu saves you a lot of hassle and trouble.

Manaslu Trek Costs For Nepali Citizens

As an internal tourist, you can travel for a lower price. The cost of the Manaslu permit does not apply to Nepalese. Also, you can travel by public bus to reduce transportation costs. However, the cost of food and accommodation is similar for Nepalese and international tourists. The price for Wi-Fi, electricity, and a hot shower is also identical.

Some discounts will be available in the offseason if you have good bargaining skills. Next, you won’t need a guide (however, having a porter is very helpful). So, with a porter, Nepal’s 13-day Manaslu Circuit cost for Nepali citizens comes to around NPR 40,000, more or less depending on your desired luxury.

How Do You Get the Money—Cash or Card?

When you book the Manaslu travel package, you need to pay the amount to the travel agency before departure. You can transfer the payment into their account or pay through an ATM quickly, carrying only the extra dollars you need. You might want to keep about $500 or more with you for drinks and other personal expenses.

NOTE: Every time you pay through an international ATM card, an additional 3.5% fee is levied.

The money can be exchanged in one of the money exchange booths in Kathmandu. Or, we can help you with it. However, you must handle your money wisely. Instead of bringing all the cash from home, you can withdraw it from an ATM in Kathmandu and exchange it here.

There are no ATMs, and the card is not accepted in the Manaslu region. You need to pay for accommodation and food in Nepalese rupees.

A Small Tip: Don’t keep all your money in one place.

Here are some helpful tips to Lower Manaslu Trek costs. 

• Once you leave Kathmandu, you will probably not be able to withdraw the cash, so make sure you have enough Nepali currency with you.
• Although your Manaslu trek package covers all the expenses for the trek, you need to have some extra cash in your pocket; $400 to $500 might be a safe amount to keep with you.
• You can tip your guide and porter in advance, so you don’t have to carry a lot.
• To keep the cost of your Manaslu Trek low, carry fewer clothes and focus on other essentials like power banks, trekking poles, and food.
• Ensure you have a proper relationship with your guide, who will help you with packing, shopping, and other difficulties.

Conclusion

So, we have listed everything that adds to your Manaslu trek cost. This article can be helpful for all treks in the Manaslu region—even other teahouse treks in Nepal. The Himalayan master’s team is waiting for your visit.

Is there anything else that you are worried about? Then, please leave us an email here.

Our email is [email protected].