Everest Base Camp Trek: The Complete 2026 Guide
Everything you need to plan the classic trek to Everest Base Camp, route, costs, permits, training, packing and the mistakes we see every season.
Read articleAsk a room full of Nepali guides for their favourite classic trek and watch how many quietly say "Manaslu." This is the journey we recommend to guests who want what the Annapurna Circuit was thirty years ago: deep gorges, Tibetan-Buddhist highlands, one serious pass, and blissfully few trekkers.
Why Manaslu feels different
The circuit follows the Budhi Gandaki river from subtropical lowlands at under 900 m all the way around Manaslu (8,163 m), the world's eighth-highest mountain, crossing the Larkya La at 5,106 m. Because it sits inside a restricted area, independent trekking is not allowed. You must travel with a registered agency, a licensed guide and special permits. That single rule has kept the trail authentic: villages like Lho and Samagaon still feel like villages first and trekking stops second.
The route at a glance
Our standard plan is 14 days from Kathmandu: drive to Machha Khola, walk up through Jagat, Deng, Namrung and Lho to Samagaon at 3,530 m, take a full acclimatisation day (Birendra Lake or Pungyen Gompa), continue via Samdo and Dharamsala, cross the Larkya La at dawn, descend to beautiful Bimthang and walk out to Dharapani on the Annapurna side.
The pass day, honestly
Larkya La is a long day, eight to nine hours, starting by head torch, but it is a walker's pass, not a climber's. The keys are the acclimatisation day at Samagaon (do the side hike, it matters), a slow steady rhythm, and warm layers for the summit wind. Our guides have crossed it in every condition and will move the schedule if the weather says so; the mountain always outranks the itinerary.
Permits, made simple
You need three: the Manaslu Restricted Area Permit (price varies by season, per week), the Manaslu Conservation Area Permit and the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit for the exit valley. The restricted permit also requires a minimum group of two trekkers plus a guide. It sounds bureaucratic; in practice you send us passport scans and photos, and it is all waiting when you land. More in our permits guide.
When to go and how fit to be
October–November and March–May are ideal. You should be comfortable with 6–7 hour walking days and back-to-back trekking; previous altitude experience helps but is not essential with our pacing. If you loved a classic trek and want the next level, this is the natural step.
Our take:
Manaslu rewards exactly the traveller it attracts, patient, curious, happy off the beaten path. If that is you, few treks anywhere will make you happier.
See the full day-by-day itinerary, or message us about joining a small group departure.
