Nepal Visa Procedure
Get your Nepal visa before embarking on this Manaslu Expedition. You can get it through the online site of “The Nepal Immigration Department” or at the airport, “On Arrival Visa”. Ensure you have a passport with 6 months of validity and a copy of your photo. The Nepal Visa costs are:
- 15 15-day visa costs $30
- 30-Day Visa Costs $45
- 90-Day Visa Costs $125
Travel Insurance Requirement for the Expedition in Nepal
Travel Insurance is one of the most important documents while participating in the Manaslu Climb. Moreover, NMA (Nepal Mountaineering Association) will also ask for the insurance before issuing the climbing permits. The insurance must cover medical bills, injuries, helicopter evacuations, trip cancellations, and other losses. Climbing Mount Manaslu is an adventurous trip that involves risky activities. Hence, your insurance should know about the activity you are going to take part in. Travel Insurance is specifically important in remote and rugged terrain while engaging in trekking and climbing activities.
Responsible Tourism during the Peak Climbing in Nepal
During the Manaslu Climb, our team is aware of several tourism activities. Considering this fact, we have a motto of leaving only footprints behind during any trips all over Nepal. We always provide our clients with information regarding the preservation of our Nepalese culture and nature throughout the journey. Travelers must follow the guidelines of the Restricted Region, such as Manaslu and Tsum, during the trekking and climbing. Even at the base camps and high camps, you must deposit the garbage from your side to preserve Mother Nature at high altitude.
Best Time for the Manaslu Expedition in Nepal
Choosing the best time for the Manaslu Expedition is crucial for safety and success. The climb is typically done in two main seasons in Nepal: pre-monsoon spring (April-May) and post-monsoon autumn (September-October). Each season has its advantages:
- Autumn (September to early October): This is generally considered the prime season for Manaslu expeditions. After the summer monsoon rains, the weather usually stabilizes with clear skies and relatively less precipitation. The autumn air is cool and visibility is excellent, offering breathtaking views of the Himalayas. Most climbers attempt Manaslu in September, aiming to summit by late September or early October. Daytime temperatures at base camp are moderate, though nights are cold, and higher on the mountain, it gets progressively frigid. One challenge in autumn can be heavy snowfall if the monsoon lingers or if early winter storms arrive – climbers must be prepared for deep snow on the route in some years. Overall, autumn provides a good balance of acceptable weather and is the most popular Manaslu expedition season in Nepal.
- Spring (April to May): Spring is the other window for climbing Manaslu. The weather starts cold and dry in early spring, with increasing warmth as May approaches. Climbing conditions can be favorable in late April and May, as the snowpack has settled over winter. There tend to be fewer teams on Manaslu in spring compared to autumn, which means less crowding on the route. However, spring can bring strong winds at high elevations (the jet stream is often over Nepal in winter/spring). Temperatures remain extremely cold high on the mountain, but base camp and lower camps gradually warm up. One big advantage of spring ascents is that days are longer, giving more daylight during climbs. By summiting in May, you avoid the incoming summer monsoon that typically begins in June.
Manaslu Expedition Permit Fees and Requirements
Climbing Mount Manaslu requires several permits and adherence to Nepal’s mountaineering regulations. Here’s an overview of the Manaslu expedition permit fees and requirements:
Manaslu Climbing Permit
This is the mountaineering royalty fee paid to the Nepal government to climb Manaslu. The cost for foreign climbers is approximately USD $1,700 per person in autumn and about $1,500 in spring. Overland Trek Nepal arranges this permit card for the climbers. The permit fee is higher for Manaslu than for smaller peaks, reflecting its status as an 8000m mountain. Additionally, expeditions must submit a refundable garbage deposit (often around $500) to ensure all trash is brought back; this deposit is returned upon verification of proper waste management.
Restricted Area Permit (Manaslu RAP)
The approach trek to Manaslu base camp passes through a restricted region. The Nepalese government requires a special restricted area permit for each foreign trekker/climber entering this region. The Manaslu RAP fee varies by season: approximately $100 per person per week in autumn (Sept–Nov), and about $75 per week in other months.
Conservation Area Permits (MCAP and ACAP)
You will need a Manaslu Conservation Area Permit (MCAP) and an Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP). Each costs roughly NPR 3,000 (about $25) for foreign nationals. These are basically entry tickets to the protected areas and support local conservation and community projects. They are easily obtained by your agency from the Nepal Tourism Board offices in Kathmandu.
Safety Tips for Manaslu Expedition Climbers
Climbing Manaslu is an extreme adventure, and safety should always be the top priority. Here are some essential safety tips for Manaslu expedition climbers to ensure you mitigate risks on your journey:
- Acclimatize Properly: Altitude sickness is a serious concern above 3,000 m. Follow the expedition itinerary’s acclimatization schedule diligently. Spend extra nights at intermediate altitudes like Samagaun and Manaslu Base Camp to allow your body to adjust. Climb high, sleep low during rotations to higher camps. Watch for symptoms of AMS (headache, nausea, dizziness) and never ascend if you’re not well acclimatized.
- Train and Stay Fit: Good physical preparation before the climb is a key safety factor. Arrive in Nepal in top shape – strong legs, endurance, and cardiovascular fitness will reduce fatigue and help you handle the tough climb. On the mountain, pace yourself. Climb slowly and steadily rather than rushing, and stay hydrated and well-nourished to maintain energy levels.
- Use Experienced Guides and Sherpa Support: Always climb with experienced guides and Sherpa climbers who know the route and conditions on Manaslu. They will fix ropes, set safe tracks across crevasses, and make critical decisions about weather and timing. Listen to your guide’s instructions at all times. Do not wander away from the team or designated route, especially in low-visibility conditions. Our guides from Overland Trek Nepal are highly experienced and know the route very well.
- Check and Use Proper Gear: Your climbing gear is your life-saver up there. Before the expedition, double-check all equipment (boots, crampons, harness, ascender, carabiners, helmet, etc.) for good condition. On the mountain, always clip in to fixed ropes on steep or exposed sections. Wear your helmet in areas prone to icefall or rockfall. Keep your down suit or layers handy to avoid hypothermia when resting – temperatures can drop suddenly.
- Weather and Avalanche Awareness: Pay close attention to weather forecasts and signs of changing conditions. Summit attempts should only be made in stable weather windows. High winds or heavy snow can turn a climb deadly. Your Sherpa team will evaluate avalanche conditions; heed their decisions on whether it’s safe to proceed or if you should wait. Avoid camping under hanging seracs or avalanche-prone slopes. In dangerous weather or deep snow, be ready to turn around – the mountain will always be there for another attempt.
- Emergency Plan: Despite precautions, emergencies can happen. Ensure you have a clear evacuation plan. Carry a satellite phone or radio for communication between camps and to call for a helicopter rescue if needed. Each climber should have travel insurance that covers emergency evacuation from high altitude. Know basic first aid and carry a first aid kit with altitude medicines (like Diamox) and other essentials. In case of severe altitude sickness, frostbite, or injuries, descending immediately is the first treatment – never delay an evacuation in critical situations.
By following these safety guidelines, climbers can significantly increase their chances of a safe and successful Manaslu ascent. Remember that safety is a collective effort – stay alert, support your teammates, and communicate any concerns to your guides promptly. It’s better to err on the side of caution in the high Himalayas.
Training Required for Manaslu Expedition
Tackling an 8,163 m peak like Manaslu demands serious preparation. Prospective climbers should undertake months (if not years) of training and gain prior experience before attempting the Manaslu Expedition. Here’s what kind of training and background is recommended:
- High-Altitude Experience: Before Manaslu, it’s highly advisable to have climbed smaller peaks. Experience on 6,000 m trekking, like Lobuche or Island Peak Climbing, or even a 7,000 m expedition like Himlung Expedition, can be invaluable. Such climbs teach you how your body reacts above 6000+ meters and give you confidence with basic mountaineering skills.
- Cardiovascular and Endurance Training: Summit day on Manaslu can be 10–14 hours round-trip, and the expedition itself involves weeks of hard effort. Your training should include plenty of cardio workouts – running, cycling, swimming, or uphill hiking – to build stamina. Aim to be comfortable with multi-hour strenuous activities. Additionally, incorporate long hikes carrying a backpack to simulate the effort of climbing with gear. The better your endurance, the more you can handle low-oxygen environments without exhaustion.
- Strength and Core Conditioning: Climbing big mountains is a full-body challenge. Focus on building strength in your legs (for uphill climbing and descending), core (for balance and stability on uneven terrain), and upper body (for jumar ascents on ropes or carrying a pack). Exercises like squats, lunges, step-ups, planks, and weight training are beneficial. Strong leg muscles will especially help when climbing steep snow slopes or ice steps on the Manaslu route.
- Technical Mountaineering Skills: Ensure you have solid skills in using mountaineering equipment. Practice how to put on crampons quickly and move efficiently on snow and ice. You should be comfortable with rope techniques: ascending with a jumar (ascender), descending with a figure-8 or belay device, and clipping into fixed lines with safety leashes. Crevasse rescue knowledge and ice axe self-arrest skills are also important to know (even though on a guided expedition, your Sherpa/guide will take the lead in emergencies, you should be as self-sufficient a climber as possible). If needed, take a winter mountaineering course or glacier travel course before the expedition.
- Mental Preparation: Don’t underestimate the mental aspect of an expedition. Living on a mountain for weeks, pushing yourself in harsh conditions, and possibly facing setbacks (like bad weather) can be mentally taxing. Build your mental resilience through smaller challenges – endure that tough winter hike, practice staying positive when trips don’t go as planned, and learn meditation or breathing techniques to stay calm under stress. A positive attitude and determination are crucial traits on the mountain.
By focusing on these training elements, you’ll be better prepared to handle the rigors of climbing Manaslu.
Climb Mount Manaslu with Sherpa Support of Overland Trek Nepal
One of the keys to a successful and safe ascent of Manaslu is the invaluable support of Sherpa guides. When you climb Mount Manaslu with an experienced Sherpa team, you benefit from their expertise, strength, and local knowledge of the mountain. Overland Trek Nepal provides dedicated Manaslu expedition Sherpa support for all our expeditions, ensuring each climber has the guidance they need.
- Sherpa Guides’ Role: The Sherpa climbers are the true heroes behind your successful Mount Manaslu Expedition. They will go ahead to fix ropes along the Manaslu route, securing the path through the icefall, up steep snow faces, and across crevasses so that you can ascend safely. They also establish and stock the high camps – ferrying tents, food, oxygen cylinders, and equipment up the mountain. By the time clients reach each camp, often the Sherpa team has it prepared and ready. On summit day, a personal Sherpa guide typically accompanies you, managing the oxygen flow rate, helping change oxygen bottles, and offering encouragement and assistance on difficult sections. Their high-altitude prowess and familiarity with the terrain greatly increase the success rate of expeditions.
- Safety and Guidance: Climbing with Sherpa support means you have someone knowledgeable to rely on if conditions get tough. The Sherpa guides constantly monitor weather changes and mountain conditions. They know the signs of altitude sickness and will check on you regularly, making sure you’re eating, drinking, and staying warm. If anything goes wrong, they are your first responders – whether it’s helping a climber descend rapidly or coordinating with base camp for rescue. Essentially, a Sherpa guide is your climbing partner who has summited peaks like Manaslu multiple times; their calm decision-making and strength can be life-saving on a big mountain.
Manaslu Expedition Preparation and Equipment List
Proper preparation and having the right equipment can make or break your Manaslu expedition. Below is an overview of essential gear you will need, as well as preparation tips to ensure nothing is overlooked before you depart for Nepal.
- Personal Climbing Gear: What you wear and carry on the mountain should be of high quality and tested beforehand. Key items include:
- Mountaineering Boots: Insulated double boots (or triple boots) designed for 8000m peaks are a must to prevent frostbite.
- Climbing Helmet: A lightweight helmet to protect from ice or small rock falls, especially in the icefall sections near Camp 1.
- Crampons: Sturdy steel crampons that fit your boots (12-point crampons for steep ice). Check that they are adjusted to your boot size and carry spare parts (straps, bolts).
- Ice Axe: A general mountaineering ice axe for support on ascents and self-arrest if needed. Length should suit your height; you’ll use it as a walking aid on steep snow.
- Climbing Harness: A comfortable harness that fits over bulky clothing. You will wear this for the entire climb above base camp. Include essential attachments, 2 locking carabiners, 2 regular carabiners, a figure-8/belay device, an ascender (jumar) for fixed ropes, and a safety tether/leash system.
- Trekking Poles: Useful for the trek to base camp and even on lower slopes for balance. Make sure they’re collapsible to stow away when not needed.
- Clothing and Sleeping: Layering is critical in the variable climate of an expedition. Bring:
- Base Layers: Moisture-wicking thermal tops and bottoms (at least 2 sets) to keep you dry.
- Insulating Layers: Fleece jacket, down jacket (medium weight) for lower elevation warmth.
- Shell Layers: Waterproof and windproof jacket and trousers (Gore-Tex or similar) to shield you from wind, snow, and ice. These should fit over your insulating layers.
- Gloves and Mittens: Several pairs – lightweight gloves for hiking, thicker insulated gloves for climbing, and expedition down mitts for summit push (to protect against frostbite on hands). Don’t forget glove liners for flexibility.
- Headgear: Warm beanie or wool hat, a balaclava or buff to cover your face, and UV-protective glacier sunglasses. For summit day, ski goggles (with high UV protection, Category 4 lens) are essential to prevent snow blindness in the intense sun and wind up high.
- Sleeping Bag: An expedition-grade sleeping bag rated to at least -30°C or -40°C. Your nights at Camp 3 or Camp 4 will be extremely cold, so a high-quality down sleeping bag is crucial. Also, bring a good foam or inflatable sleeping pad for insulation from the ground.
Other Essentials
- Headlamp: A durable headlamp with extra batteries – you’ll use this for pre-dawn climbs and around camp at night.
- Water Bottles & Thermos: Carry two 1-liter wide-mouth bottles (Nalgene or similar) for water – wide-mouth so they don’t freeze shut. Additionally, an insulated thermos (0.5–1L) is wonderful for keeping tea or hot water warm during long summit pushes.
- Personal First Aid and Toiletries: Include any personal medications, blister care (bandages, tape), sunscreen (SPF 50+ is a must at high altitude), lip balm, and basic first aid (ibuprofen, throat lozenges, anti-altitude sickness meds if recommended by your doctor).
- Snacks and Energy Food: While main meals are provided, it’s good to have your favorite high-energy snacks for quick calories during climbing. Think energy bars, chocolate, trail mix, or gels that won’t freeze solid. These personal treats can keep morale up on tough days.
- Backpack and Duffel: A sturdy duffel bag (120L) will carry your gear on the trek (usually yaks or porters transport it to base camp). For climbing, have an expedition backpack (50-70L) to carry your essentials between camps (down suit, spare gloves, personal items, etc.). It should be comfortable and well-fitted. A smaller daypack (30L) can be handy for the approach trek days.
Food Items During the Manaslu Climb
Maintaining proper nutrition is essential on a long expedition like Manaslu. You’ll be burning thousands of calories each day, and although high altitude often suppresses appetite, it’s important to refuel your body. Here’s what to expect regarding food during the Manaslu climb:
During the Trek, Teahouses will serve fresh, hot meals – a mix of local and international dishes. A staple you’ll encounter is Dal Bhat (rice with lentil soup and vegetables), a hearty Nepali meal that provides plenty of carbs and protein. You can also get noodle soup, fried rice, eggs, potato dishes, and sometimes pasta or momos (dumplings) in these lodges. Overland Trek Nepal ensures that trekkers get clean, boiled water for drinking (or provide water purification methods) and that the food is prepared hygienically. Eating well on the trek is vital, as it builds your strength for the climb ahead. We encourage climbers to eat until full and even have extra snacks, as your body is already working harder at altitude.
- At Base Camp and above: Expect surprisingly varied meals at base camp; the cooks are skilled at whipping up everything from soups and porridge to pizza or momos with the supplies carried up. A typical day at base camp starts with a hot breakfast (porridge or muesli, eggs, toast, pancakes, etc., with hot tea or coffee). Lunch and dinner often include a mix of rice, noodles, or pasta with vegetables, potatoes, and some canned foods. Soups and garlic soup are common to keep you warm and hydrated. There will be plenty of hot drinks: tea (ginger, lemon, green tea), coffee, hot chocolate, as well as snacks like popcorn or biscuits for the afternoons.
- Common foods at high altitude camps include: freeze-dried packets (just add hot water to get a hot meal like noodles, rice, or even freeze-dried curries or pastas), instant soup cups or ramen, packets of instant oatmeal, energy bars, chocolates, cookies, and lots of hot drinks (tea, cocoa, soup broths). Overland Trek Nepal provides all the high-altitude food for the group, and our Sherpa team will help prepare it. We also ensure an ample supply of drink mixes (electrolyte powder, instant energy drink mixes, etc.) so you can stay hydrated with a bit of flavor in your water.
Accommodation and Tent Camping in Manaslu Expedition
Accommodation on a Manaslu Expedition ranges from rustic teahouses to high-altitude tents, each offering a different experience during the journey. Here’s a breakdown of what to expect:
- Teahouse Lodging During the Trek: At the starting phase of the journey to Manaslu Base Camp Trek, you’ll pass through several villages where teahouse accommodation is available. These are small mountain lodges run by local families. Rooms are basic, usually twin-sharing, with wooden beds and a mattress, pillow, and blankets.
- Base Camp Tents: Once at Manaslu Base Camp, the expedition operates from a tented camp. You will have a personal sleeping tent (usually a durable high-altitude tent like North Face VE25 or similar) shared by two climbers, unless you’ve requested a single tent. These base camp tents are roomy enough for two people and their gear. Base camp also has toilet tents (simple but necessary) and possibly a shower tent for occasional use (a warm bucket shower on a sunny day at base camp can feel heavenly after weeks of climbing!). The camp is organized for maximum comfort given the conditions – you’ll have chairs and a table in the dining tent, solar lights or lanterns in the evenings, and hot water for washing in bowls upon request. Our team works hard to make Base Camp as comfortable as possible, since you’ll spend a good amount of time here resting and preparing.
- High Camp Tents: Above base camp, all accommodation is in mountaineering tents pitched on the snow or ice. At Camp 1, Camp 2, and Camp 3, tents are usually two or three-person tents, but typically two people will share one for space and warmth. The expedition Sherpas climb ahead to secure flat tent platforms carved into the snow. Given the extreme environment, expect close quarters – there’s just enough room to lie down and keep a few essentials inside (other gear might be stored in the vestibule area or outside in a securely tied duffel).
Booking Process of Manaslu Expedition
To book the Manaslu Expedition, you can simply email us or contact our travel planner on WhatsApp at +9779841920870. Moreover, you can also go through our package and make the booking on the available dates. If the date you are looking for is not available, we can make a customized Manaslu Expedition Itinerary. Lastly, after you book the trip with us, we take 20% as an advance payment for the confirmation. You can make the payment directly from our payment gateway on the website or do a bank transfer.
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