Today, through this blog, you will know in detail about accommodation & food on the Manaslu Circuit Trek. Learning about the accommodation facilities on the trail before planning to go there shortly is critical, as such facilities make your journey more convenient. Or else, you will need to carry all the stuff, such as a tent, food, sleeping bag, water, etc., by yourself, which makes your trip even tougher.
It is okay if you prefer extreme adventure, don't care about accommodation and food along the route, and are willing to arrange it all yourself. Nevertheless, most people don't prefer that, as you get tired enough during trekking at the end of the day. And in such circumstances, everyone wants to have already arranged housing so they can rest directly when reaching the place for an overnight stay.
Even though carrying all the necessary stuff for camping saves you money, I guess paying more to the hotel businesses along the way is better. Because it saves you time and offers a cosy space to rest.
Camping yourself makes you worry about reaching the point for an overnight stay before dark to set up everything. But if you stay at tea houses instead, you can enjoy your journey without a rush.
It doesn't matter if it gets dark before reaching the hotel. You can find a room for yourself and food to collect energy.
Speaking of Manaslu Circuit Trekking, it is one of the off-the-beaten-paths in Nepal. The trek offers jaw-dropping views of the world's 8th-highest peak, Mt. Manaslu (8,163 m/26,781 ft) and other neighbouring peaks in the Mansiri Mountain Range. Besides, it also offers the beauty of Tibetan Buddhist culture and traditions and the chance to witness endangered wild species, such as the snow leopard, Himalayan Tahr, blue sheep, etc.
The trek is located in the Gorkha district of Gandaki province in the Western Development Region of the country, and the highest and main point is Larke Pass (5,106 m/16752 ft). As stated earlier, it is an off-the-beaten-path, meaning the trail has less traffic.
It is the ideal destination for those who love to immerse themselves in nature alone and peacefully rather than prefer commercial trekking destinations like Annapurna Base Camp Trek, Everest Base Camp Trek, Mardi Himal Trek, Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek, and Annapurna Circuit Trek. You will also visit the last settlement to the north of the country near the Nepal-China Border, which is Samdo.
Accommodation During Manaslu Circuit Trek
Regarding the fact that the Manaslu Circuit Trek is currently not as popular as the other treks, which I have mentioned above, you don't need to worry about finding a comfortable space to spend a night in. From a typical starting point, Soti Khola (710 m/2,329 ft) to the ending point, Dharapani (1,860 m/6,102 ft), you will find plenty of tea houses available to provide you with all the basic services and facilities along the way, such as follows:
Electricity & Internet
In modern days, electricity and the internet have all become our basic needs. For this reason, all these tea houses are equipped with such modern amenities so that you don't have to spend the evening in complete darkness, can charge your electric gadgets, and can stay in touch with your family, relatives, friends, and the outside world.
Hot Showers
The temperature is low and cold for sure, especially in the morning and at night, even in the summertime, at high altitude locations like the Manaslu Region. Also, walking for several hours gets your body wet with sweat, making you clean up your body at the end of the day for hygiene purposes. As a result, these hotels have also made the facility of hot showers available because it isn't a wise idea to take a bath without hot water in the Himalayas.
Fireplace
These tea houses have a dining hall with a fireplace in order to give you warmth. Hence, all trekkers from different countries gather there to feel the heat and share their experiences at the end of the day, among the beautiful parts of the adventure.
Enough Blankets & Cleanliness
For a night, you can have enough clean blankets. So, you don't need to carry a sleeping bag; yet, if you're still so concerned with hygiene, then it's up to you. However, what I highly suggest is to keep your backpack as light as you can and not worry about hygiene because all these hotel operators along the trail clean everything in a room after the last check out of guests.
What Not To Expect Regarding Accommodation
What I reckon is we cannot expect a high standard of service and facilities at an affordable price in such a remote place like we can find in the hotels of city areas, just because there are tea houses at every point. They're not exactly like a city hotel and offer us a basic twin shared room and shared bathroom.
Additionally, the WiFi service isn't that perfect at higher elevations of the trek. Sometimes you may get a poor connection. You'll also need to pay to use it and for hot showers separately, which costs you around USD 2 to 3.
The price of the service and facilities is high there. This is because there are no roadways for transportation, only trekking trails, and they need to carry all the hotel stuff with the help of horses, donkeys, and humans from the town below. Also, in some emergency cases, they charter their kitchen supplies by helicopter, which makes the cost of their service go high.
They are providing us with as many facilities as they can offer from their side. They are all just simple and nice, and we can at least appreciate the effort they're making for us along the route, instead of complaining about the high price.
Food During Manaslu Circuit Trek
The tea houses and lodges have a menu that includes local Nepali foods such as Daal Bhat, Momo, chowmein, thukpa, etc., and other Western cuisines like pasta, pizza, spaghetti, pancake, french toast, etc., for you. Thus, you do not even need to worry about eating only Nepali cuisine during your journey to the Larkya La Pass (5,106m). You can easily go through the menu and order food according to your preferences.
In terms of beverages, you can have regular things, such as tea, coffee, hot water, milk, soft drinks, hard drinks, and some other kinds of fruit juice. However, I don't recommend you to have a beer or some alcoholic drinks during trekking just because they're available on the menu.
Hard drinks usually dehydrate your body and have a high chance of suffering from altitude sickness. Instead, you better order a garlic soup with a mix of Timur (Sichuan pepper) in your meal, at least once a day in your breakfast, lunch, or dinner, because garlic and Timur are the best home medicines to avoid altitude sickness.
For non-veg lovers, it is kind of a sad thing to know that you won't find meat items, especially at higher sections on the Manaslu Circuit Trail. There are two reasons behind this:
- First, the route is thoroughly occupied by the Tibetan Buddhist Community and they believe that eating meat is an act of violence, which is yes. Consequently, they don't allow non-veg items in the villages.
- Second, the common non-veg items we mostly prefer are chicken, beef, pork, and mutton, and at high altitudes, animals such as pigs and chicken don't have their existence. Beef and mutton are possible to get there; however, the entire trail is filled up with religious people.
Accommodation & Food On The Manaslu Circuit Trek During Season
In terms of trekking season, spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are the best times for trekking in the Manaslu Region.
During these seasons, tourists mostly visit Nepal for trekking purposes. In other regions, such as Annapurna and Everest, hotels mostly get packed, making it hard to find room for an overnight stay.
If you don't act smart by making an early booking, you may get in trouble. However, as mentioned earlier, the Manaslu Circuit Trek is a lesser-visited trail compared to Annapurna and Everest. Accordingly, you might not find it difficult to get a room to spend a night here even during the peak season.
Anyway, this trail is also gaining popularity gradually nowadays. Trekkers from around the world have been spotted more here in recent times. Currently, you may not face any problems booking a room at tea houses anytime during these two seasons.
But it may soon become hard to find space for yourself at hotels along this trail too. Thus, it is always wise to make early bookings at the hotels of all the places along the way where you're planning to stop for a night despite the trek being lesser-known in the world right now.
For early bookings, you don't need to worry about this. A local trekking agency will arrange everything, from transportation to accommodation for you. Now, you might be wondering why would I need to contact a local tour operator for this trek when I can do it all by myself.
This is because the entire region is considered a restricted area by Nepal's government to protect the culture and traditions of the locals and endangered wild species from the influx of tourists in the area. It means you cannot enjoy your adventure here on your own. You will at least need a guide to travel within this area and it's mandatory.
It also benefits you because a trekking guide will take care of you and your belongings while enjoying nature's beauty. You know what? Travelling in the lap of Nepal's Himalayas is no joke and a different experience than any other place in the world.
Several cases of tourists losing their lives and getting lost while hiking at high altitudes in Nepal have been found till now. So, to control such unwanted situations, you'll need to go through a local tour operator.
One of the trusted companies is Ammonite Adventure and Treks, located in Thamel, Kathmandu. They can help you plan your Manaslu Circuit Trek and make it unforgettable. They'll take care of your hotel bookings and other things regarding your program along the trail and make your journey hassle-free.
Accommodation & Food On The Manaslu Circuit Trek During Off-Season
Winter (December to February) and monsoon (June to August) are called off-season for trekking and almost every outdoor recreational activity. During these seasons, nearly all the hotel businesses stay closed and only a few remain open to provide accommodation facilities on the Manaslu Circuit Trail.
Due to unstable weather, views of Mount Manaslu and other landscapes along the route are not certain, especially during the rainy season, where natural disasters such as floods, landslides, and avalanches can occur at any time. That is why very few tourists are found enjoying the Manaslu Trek, causing hotel operators to close their business until the next season.
Even during the peak season, this trail doesn't appear full of nature hikers; yet, the locals open their tea houses for us. But during the off-season, there are literally no tourists on the trail. Hence, most of the hotels along the route remain closed.
Monsoon trek in the Manaslu Region isn't impossible but way more demanding. Anyway, trekking during winter is not that difficult, as in the daytime the sun usually gets up and bright, giving you warmth while hiking. But still welcomes fewer travellers compared to the spring and autumn.
Therefore, if you are aiming to visit Nepal to trek the Manaslu circuit during the off-season, then winter could be your only option. One or two tea houses remain open at every point of the trail, enough for you to find a space for yourself.
In the morning time and at nighttime, the temperature is freezing. Therefore, you should carry enough warm clothes and for the night, the hotel will provide you with as many warm blankets as you want.
