A good map of the Manaslu Circuit Trek tells you more than just where to sleep each night. It reveals the logic of the terrain — why the route dips before climbing, why certain villages became checkpoints, and why the trail takes specific lines through valleys rather than following obvious ridgelines. This guide walks through every significant village and waypoint on the map with context that raw GPS coordinates cannot provide.
Reading the Map: The Budhi Gandaki Spine
The first thing to understand about the Manaslu Circuit map is that the outbound route (Soti Khola to Samdo) follows the Budhi Gandaki River valley northward. The river is the spine of the route. Every village from Soti Khola to Samdo sits either on the riverbank or on terraces above it. The trail is essentially a river-road built by centuries of trade and migration between the lowlands and the Tibet border.
The return route (Larke Pass to Dharapani) crosses into the Marsyangdi River valley — a completely different watershed — after the pass crossing. This is what makes it a "circuit" rather than an out-and-back trek.
Lower Gorge Villages (890m – 1,340m)
Soti Khola (890m)
The road from Arughat ends here. Soti Khola is a small riverside settlement with basic teahouses and a bridge crossing the Budhi Gandaki. The dramatic gorge walls begin almost immediately after the trailhead.
Machha Khola (869m)
The name means "fish river" in Nepali — a clue to the village's traditional economy. It sits slightly lower than Soti Khola because the trail descends along river terraces before climbing again. A reasonable first-day destination.
Tatopani (1,190m)
Tatopani means "hot water" — a name given to several villages along Nepal's trekking routes that sit near geothermal springs. This Tatopani has simple bathing facilities near the river. A pleasant midway stop in the lower gorge.
Doban (1,070m)
Named for its position near two (do) rivers (ban), Doban is a small settlement in a narrow section of gorge. Multiple suspension bridges cross near here, and the trail presses close against cliff walls. It sits lower than Tatopani due to river descent.
Jagat (1,340m)
The first major checkpoint on the circuit. Police and permit officers check all documentation here. Jagat is a stone village with a military post and the first real cluster of teahouses since Soti Khola. The architecture begins showing the influence of Tibetan culture.
Mid-Valley Forest Villages (1,340m – 2,630m)
Philim (1,570m)
A larger village spread across a wide valley terrace. Philim is ethnically mixed and has a small school and health post. The trail enters denser rhododendron forest beyond here.
Deng (1,804m)
A compact village at a river junction. The Budhi Gandaki narrows above Deng and the trail becomes more demanding. Good overnight stop before the long climb to Namrung.
Ghap (2,160m)
Listed as two settlements — Lower Ghap and Upper Ghap — separated by a short climb. This confuses itinerary-readers who see "Ghap" as a single destination. Plan your stop carefully and confirm with your guide which Ghap is the intended overnight.
Namrung (2,630m)
The gateway to the alpine section of the circuit. Namrung sits on a broad terrace with improving mountain views. The village has a gompa (monastery) and several teahouses. Above Namrung, the trail character changes markedly — forest gives way to open slopes and the first distant glimpses of Manaslu appear.
Upper Valley Alpine Villages (2,630m – 3,860m)
Lihi (2,920m)
A small village known for its panoramic position. Often used as a lunch stop rather than overnight.
Lho (3,180m)
Perhaps the single most scenic village on the entire circuit. Lho faces Manaslu's south face directly — the mountain fills the sky above the village in a way that photographs rarely capture. The Rachen Nunnery sits above the village and is worth the short climb. Many trekkers choose Lho over Shyala as an overnight for this view alone.
Shyala (3,500m)
A wind-exposed settlement sitting higher than Lho despite being further along the same valley. Some itineraries skip Shyala in favor of pushing to Samagaon.
Samagaon / Sama (3,530m)
The cultural and logistical hub of the upper circuit. Samagaon is the largest village above Namrung, with a police checkpoint, multiple teahouses, and a monastery. The Pungyen Gompa sits an hour's walk above the village and offers extraordinary close-up views of the Manaslu glacier. Most itineraries spend two nights here — one for rest, one for acclimatization walks.
Samdo (3,860m)
A quiet settlement near the Tibetan border. Several buildings in Samdo are used as summer trading posts by Tibetan merchants. The village sits at the head of the valley and feels genuinely remote. The trail to Dharamsala branches from here.
High Camp and Pass
Dharamsala (4,460m)
Known as Larkya La Base Camp or Larke Pass Base Camp. A small cluster of simple stone shelters used exclusively as the last stop before the pass crossing. Few trekkers find it comfortable — it is utilitarian lodging at altitude.
Larke Pass / Larkya La (5,160m)
The highest point on the circuit. The pass sits on the divide between the Budhi Gandaki and Marsyangdi watersheds. On a clear day, the 360-degree panorama includes Manaslu, Himlung Himal, Cheo Himal, Ngadi Chuli, and distant Annapurna peaks.
Descent Settlements (3,590m – 1,860m)
Bimtang / Bimthang (3,590m)
A wide, flat meadow valley that feels like a reward after the pass crossing. Bimtang has several teahouses and a seasonal monastery. The surrounding peaks — Manaslu, Lamjung Himal, Annapurna II — create one of the finest mountain amphitheaters on the circuit.
Tilje / Tilche (2,300m)
A farming village in the Marsyangdi valley, noticeably warmer and greener than the upper circuit. The trail widens as road infrastructure approaches.
Thonje (2,030m)
Close to motorable road access. The upper Marsyangdi valley has seen road construction in recent years, and the trail near Thonje increasingly intersects with vehicle tracks.
Dharapani (1,860m)
The official end of the Manaslu Circuit. Dharapani sits at the junction with the Annapurna Circuit trail. Some trekkers continue east on the Annapurna Circuit from here; most take a jeep toward Besisahar and then transport to Kathmandu or Pokhara.