Our expedition began at Heathrow Airport with a long-haul overnight flight to Kathmandu. Excitement was high as the group prepared to leave behind London and head towards the Himalayas.
We transferred in Bangkok, then flew to Kathmandu, then on to the Aloft Kathmandu Thamel. After a long journey, the focus was on rest, hydration, and adjusting to the new environment. We organised permits, checked our equipment, and make final preparations for the trek into the Manaslu region.
A long and challenging 13-hour drive took us deep into rural Nepal. The journey gradually transitioned from roads to rough tracks, marking the true start of the expedition. We woke up at 6.45am for an early departure on the bus. All was going smoothly, until the first breakdown at around 12pm.
We waited at a roadside cafe by the river, either for repairs to finish, or failing that, a new bus. The bus left the cafe at about 1pm, but it was just our luck that it broke down a second time. This provided time for a scenic lunch and cards, so not all was doom and gloom.
From the broken-down bus, we transferred to jeeps for the next 6 hours. We went through far less inhabited valleys, and arrived at Maccha Khola and experienced our first tea house experience.
After a bumpy two-hour jeep ride to Jagat with pumping Nepali house music courtesy of the driver, the trek officially began with a seven-hour walk (20km) to Deng (2,095m). This first trekking day introduced suspension bridges, river valleys, and steep ascents, with a total altitude gain of approximately +1,200m.
We were stunned by the views of the valley; some very imposing ‘hills’ surrounded us — mountains in Nepal tend to be 5000m+. Once we reached Dyang, we cleaned up, adjusted kit and debriefed before the second proper day of trekking.
A 19km trek led us to Namrung (2,900m). The trail climbed steadily through forests and small settlements, with an altitude gain of approximately +805m. This was the longest day so far. Starting from Dyang (2095m), we ascended up to Namrung (2900m) and we walked for around five and a half hours. The day started with breakfast at 7am and a quick start up the valley, with distant mountains and steep hills in sight.
The day consisted of walking for the entire morning until lunch at Ghap, with the best stocked shop of the trip. We got a great deal of supplies which significantly boosted morale. The afternoon was much tougher, with the majority of the altitude and the sweltering heat, with brief respite from some forest shade as we approached Namrung. All in all, a great day!
A shorter but still demanding 11 km trek reached Lho (3,180m). The group gained around +280m, with increasing views of snow-covered peaks becoming visible for the first time. We ascended from Namrung (2900m) to Lho Gaun (3180m), which totalled four–five hours of walking overall.
We started the morning with beautiful clear blue skies and spectacular views of the Himalayas and Mt Manaslu. Some of us chose to visit the Lho Gaun Monastery which was another two-hour hike, and provided a dose of Buddhist culture. The shorter trek allowed us to fully take in the beauty of the trail, and some early acclimatisation as we steadily gained altitude.
The 8 km trek to Samagaon (3,500m) brought a further altitude gain of +320m. Samagaon marked a key acclimatisation stop with wide mountain views and a noticeably colder climate. This day of trekking was one of the shortest, to help with acclimatisation and rest up before some of the longest and most challenging stretches. We crossed a series of bridges throughout the morning, and passed through a small town with a beautiful temple on higher ground, where we took a break to refuel.
We reached Samagoan at around 2pm for some lunch, before heavy, settling snowfall halted any plans of exploring the town. As a result, many rounds of cards were played in the warm dining room before supper — this was the first and last time that Nepalese pizza was ordered in the mountains.
A rest and acclimatisation hike took the group to Birendra Lake (3,600m). On our first acclimatisation day we took a trip to Lake Birendra, which began with a light hike through a monastery, and up to Birendra Taal at 3644m where, given the abundance of snow, a rowdy snow fight broke out!
With Archie C going Rambo-mode, attempting to be a one-man army while being targeted by everyone else, and neutral students caught in the crossfire, Mr Couchman and Mr Mackenzie watched on in amusement while Mr & Mrs Russell escaped to the relative sanctuary of the lake.
After a while we went down to the lake where another contest began in the shape of stone skimming, while others discovered a new passion for geology. Overall it was a great mix of hiking and leisure — a welcome break for some after a relatively intense sequence of days.
An 8.5km trek reached Samdo (3,875m). The landscape became increasingly barren and dramatic, with strong winds and wide valleys replacing forested sections. Despite some remaining snow cover, the sun was out with clear skies and the short hike was pleasant, meaning that we could acclimatise and rest up for some of the longer incoming days. The scenery was becoming barer as we ascended, creating a breath-taking & open landscape.
A 9km trek led to Dharmasala (4,470m). This was one of the most significant acclimatisation climbs, with reduced oxygen levels becoming clearly noticeable and preparations beginning for the crossing of the pass. We started our day at Samdo with a 7.45am departure.
We took a steady pace for the hike because we had a steep incline and we didn’t want to overexert ourselves before the big hike over the Larke La Pass. We reached above the tree line, but still only had patchy snow cover, creating quite barren landscapes. We arrived at Dharmasala for lunch (tea and daal baht) and we retired early and set our alarms for the early hours in preparation for the Pass day.
The hardest and most memorable day of the expedition saw us cross Larke La Pass (5,160m) before descending to Bimthang. We woke up at 3.30am to start our ascent to the pass in the dark — it was essential to allow for any interruptions and reduce avalanche risk from melting snow. The moon cast a dim light over the peaks, and combined with clear and starry skies, created a breath-taking scene.
At that altitude (4600m–5100m) the air is dry and thin, and even a few steps could take the wind out of you and worsen altitude sickness. Eventually, we reached a flatter area at around 4900m where we equipped with microspikes before travelling in between mountains for the next few hours in the daylight.
Eventually, we reached the pass, grabbed a few photos and started our descent, which, by distance, was twice as long as the ascent. When we finally reached a small teahouse for lunch, we joined other groups in leaving a message on the walls for future hikers to read. After, we commenced the two-hour journey to Bimthang which flew by, with the hike becoming easier with decreasing altitude.
A long descent day covering approximately 15km took us to Gho (2,510m). The final day of trekking was certainly warm as we descended into the valleys. The walk itself was relatively nice, despite the descents being steep. We made it to the last teahouse and to the delight of all, there was WiFi and power, and after dinner (Dhal Baht, complete with infinite refills) everyone settled down.
Once back in Kathmandu, a cultural day allowed the group to explore the city before departure. The trip concluded and our long journey home marked the completion of an intense and unforgettable adventure through the Manaslu region.
