The Manaslu Circuit is a restricted area: you need a restricted area permit through a registered agency and a licensed guide, plus the MCAP and ACAP conservation permits. It crosses Larkya La at 5,106 m and takes about 14 days. Agencies list US$1,200 to US$1,800 per person for a standard package in 2026. Since March 2026 a single trekker can get the permit.
Manaslu (Gorkha) · Permits: Restricted area permit: Gorkha, Manaslu (Chumnubri wards 1 to 4), Manaslu Conservation Area entry permit (MCAP), Annapurna Conservation Area entry permit (ACAP)
Key facts
- Days
- 12 to 16 days; cost tables are usually based on 14 days (nepalhikingteam.com, checked 2026-10-23)
- Highest point
- Larkya La pass, 5,106 m (en.wikipedia.org, checked 2026-10-23)
- Restricted permit
- September to November USD 100 for the first week then USD 15 a day; December to August USD 75 then USD 10 a day (immigration.gov.np, checked 2026-10-23)
- High pass
- Larkya La, 5,106 m (en.wikipedia.org, checked 2026-10-23)
- Difficulty
- Strenuous (our scale)
Permits
| Permit | Fee and conditions |
|---|---|
| Restricted area permit: Gorkha, Manaslu (Chumnubri wards 1 to 4) | September to November: USD 100 per week, then USD 15 per day. December to August: USD 75 per week, then USD 10 per day. (immigration.gov.np, checked 2026-10-23) |
| Manaslu Conservation Area entry permit (MCAP) | NPR 3,000 for foreigners and NPR 1,000 for SAARC nationals, tax included, on the same NTNC e-permit system as ACAP. Double fee if bought at a check post. (epermit.ntnc.org.np, checked 2026-10-30) |
| Annapurna Conservation Area entry permit (ACAP) | NPR 3,000 for foreigners and NPR 1,000 for SAARC nationals, tax included. Single entry. Children under 10 need no permit. Double fee if bought at a check post. Online payment by card adds 2.9%. (epermit.ntnc.org.np, checked 2026-10-30) |
Guide rule
Official rule Restricted areas (Upper Mustang, Manaslu, Tsum, Nar Phu, Dolpa, Kanchenjunga and others)
A licensed guide and a registered trekking agency are required. Since 22 March 2026 you may go as a single trekker with your own guide. (immigration.gov.np, checked 2026-10-23)(kathmandupost.com, checked 2026-10-30)
What it costs
Ranges published by agencies and guides, per person, in US dollars. They are not quotes. Check what each price includes.
- Total per person
- Budget US$900 to US$1,200; standard package US$1,200 to US$1,800; premium US$1,800 to US$2,200 or more (nepalhikingteam.com, checked 2026-10-23)
- Solo with guide
- US$1,500 to US$2,200 or more (nepalhikingteam.com, checked 2026-10-23)
- Guide and porter
- Guide US$25 to US$35 a day; porter US$18 to US$25 a day, shareable between two trekkers (nepalhikingteam.com, checked 2026-10-23)
- All permits
- About US$140 to US$180 in peak season, US$110 to US$140 off-season (nepalhikingteam.com, checked 2026-10-23)
Manaslu Circuit: cost and permit calculator
Per person, from the fees and day rates on this site. Permit fees are official where the issuer publishes them; guide, porter and flight prices are what agencies publish. Change any number.
Sources: permit fees on permits and rules; day rates, flights and package prices in each trek guide's cost section.
Altitude: the real difficulty
No technical climbing is needed on this trek. What makes it hard is the thin air. Go up slowly, keep the rest days in the itinerary, drink water, and tell your guide about headaches, nausea or breathlessness at rest. If symptoms get worse, the treatment is to go down. A good agency will plan acclimatisation days and never push you higher when you are unwell.
Restricted area rules that apply here
- The permit is issued by the Department of Immigration only through a registered trekking agency; you cannot apply yourself.
- A licensed guide is required for the whole trek, and one guide may lead at most seven trekkers.
- Since 22 March 2026 a single trekker can get the permit; before that you had to be in a group of two or more.
- The agency uploads your passport, visa, insurance and itinerary with the application.
How to book this trek safely
- Find the agency in our directory of TAAN General Members and open its TAAN profile link to confirm the name and registration number match what the agency sent you.
- Ask for the agency's Department of Tourism trekking licence number as well. TAAN membership and the government licence are two different records.
- Get the itinerary, the price and what it includes (permits, flights or transport, guide, porter, lodges, meals) in writing before paying anything.
- Buy travel insurance that covers trekking up to at least 5,106 m and helicopter rescue. Read the altitude limit and the evacuation clause yourself.
- Pay the deposit to the company's own account or by card, not to a personal account or wallet, and keep the receipt.
Travel insurance for Manaslu Circuit
Check three things in the policy wording before you buy:
- Trekking is covered up to at least 5,106 m, the highest point of Manaslu Circuit.
- Helicopter rescue or evacuation from the mountains is covered, and what you must do first (most insurers want a call to their emergency line before a helicopter is sent).
- Any conditions about using a licensed guide or staying on official trails.
We do not link to any insurer yet. When we do, we will show each policy's altitude limit and rescue terms next to the link.
Questions
- Can I trek Manaslu solo?
- You can go as a single trekker since March 2026, but not without a guide. A licensed guide and a registered agency are required in this restricted area.
- How much is the Manaslu restricted area permit?
- USD 100 for the first week and USD 15 per extra day from September to November; USD 75 and USD 10 from December to August. MCAP and ACAP are extra.
- How many days is the Manaslu Circuit?
- 12 to 16 days. Most agencies price a 14-day itinerary.
- How much does it cost?
- Agencies list US$1,200 to US$1,800 per person for a standard package in 2026; solo trekkers pay more because the guide is not shared.
Get quotes for Manaslu Circuit
Tell us your dates and group once. Only agencies we have checked against TAAN's member directory will see it, and only to send you a quote. Free, and no account.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Larkya La. Checked 2026-10-23.
- Nepal Hiking Team (agency): Manaslu Circuit trek cost, updated 2026-07-20. Checked 2026-10-23.
- Department of Immigration, Nepal: Trekking route and permit fee. Checked 2026-10-23.
Permit and rule sources are listed on the permits and rules page. Spotted something out of date? Send a correction.