Manaslu Circuit Trek Cost: Full Budget Breakdown for 2026 and 2027

24 Apr 2026 Chandra Gurung

Every trekker who writes to us asks the same thing first. “How much is this actually going to cost?”

I get it. I’ve been guiding on the Manaslu Circuit for over ten years. And I see the same confusion every season. Trekkers search online and come back with a range so wide it is basically useless. One site says $900. Another says $2,500. No one explains what cost changes by season, what is actually inside the price, or what is going to hit you on the trail that you did not plan for.

So I am going to tell you what the Manaslu Circuit Trek cost really looks like. Not estimates. Not averages. The real numbers from someone who walks this trail with clients every single year.

If you want a breakdown built around your group size and dates before you commit to anything, talk to our team today and we will get it sorted.

Manaslu Circuit Trek Cost 2026 / 2027

The standard package covers a full 13-day trek: permits, a licensed guide, teahouse rooms, three meals a day on the trail, and public transport from Kathmandu to the trailhead and back.

The deluxe option adds a porter, private transport, and more flexibility on where you stay. Full details and exact inclusions are on our main Manaslu Circuit Trek page and our Manaslu Circuit Deluxe Trek page.

On top of whichever package you pick, plan for $50 to $80 per day in personal spending. That is wifi, hot showers, charging your camera, snacks, and tips. More on all of that later.

Manaslu Permit Costs for Permits

Permits are where trekkers get surprised the most. And trust me, I have seen it happen more times than I can count. Someone budgets $100 for permits and then finds out they owe almost double that. So let me be clear.

You need three permits for the Manaslu Circuit. All three are mandatory. None of them can be arranged on your own. They have to go through a registered trekking agency, no matter what.

Manaslu Restricted Area Permit (RAP)

This is the one that catches people off guard.

From September to November, the peak season, the RAP costs $100 for the first seven days. After that, it is $15 for every extra day. A standard 13-day trek in October works out like this: $100 for the first week, then $90 for the remaining six days. That is $190 per person. Not $100.

From December to August, the rate drops. The first week is $75 and each extra day is $10. So a 13-day trek in December costs $75 plus $60. That is $135 total.

This is the most common budget mistake I see. Plan for $190 in high season, not $100.

Manaslu Conservation Area Permit (MCAP)

Fixed at NPR 3,000, which is around $22. Does not change by season. Not a big number but you still need it.

Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP)

Most Manaslu Circuit itineraries exit through Dharapani, which crosses into the Annapurna region. If yours does, you need the ACAP too. Another NPR 3,000, another $22.

No TIMS Card Required

This is something most trekkers do not know going in. You do not need a TIMS card on the Manaslu Circuit. TIMS is required on the Annapurna Circuit and some other routes, but here the restricted area permit covers it. Saves you time at the permit office in Kathmandu and cuts one item off your list.

Here is how the permit costs add up by season:

Both our standard and deluxe packages include all permit costs. If you are comparing Manaslu Circuit Trek cost figures across agencies, always check whether the permit fee is inside the price or sitting on top of it.

Guide and Porter Costs on the Manaslu Circuit

Let me be upfront about something here. A lot of websites treat the guide as just another line item. I have spent ten years on this trail. I do not see it that way.

The Manaslu is remote in a way that the Everest and Annapurna trails are not. There are stretches with no phone signal. The altitude hits fast above Namrung. And if something goes wrong at Dharmasala at 4,400 meters before the pass, the person who gets you out safely is your guide.

Licensed Guide Cost

Since March 2023, Nepal officially requires a licensed guide for the Manaslu Circuit Trek. What most people do not know is that the 2023 regulation also changed the group size rule. Previously, you needed at least two trekkers to qualify for the restricted area permit. Now, a single trekker with one licensed guide is enough. So if you are going solo, that door is now open.

A licensed guide costs $25 to $35 per day. That rate covers their salary, food, and accommodation throughout the trek when you book through a registered agency. But more than the daily rate, think about what you actually get. The guide knows which teahouses fill up in October and calls ahead. He knows the Larkya La weather window and when to hold an extra day. He has walked this route dozens of times in every condition.

Our guides walk this trail more than 100 times each year. Every client we send out has someone beside them who has already solved whatever the mountain is about to throw at them.

Porter Cost

A porter costs $20 to $25 per day. One porter typically carries for two trekkers, up to 20 kilograms. You do not legally need one. Some trekkers carry their own pack the full 13 days.

But here is what I tell people when they ask whether to hire one. On day eight, when you are at 4,200 meters and your legs feel like they are carrying an extra person, you will know the answer. The trekkers with porters are always walking better and thinking clearer in the upper section. It is your decision. From experience, it is usually the right one.

Transportation Costs: Kathmandu to Machha Khola

The trek starts at Machha Khola, roughly 160 kilometres from Kathmandu. No flights. You drive. How you get there matters more than most people expect.

Public Bus

The public bus costs NPR 1,500 to 2,000, about $12 one way. The ride takes 9 to 10 hours. The road gets rough after Arughat. You arrive tired and a little shaken up. That is just the honest truth about the bus option. It works if your budget is tight and you know what you are signing up for.

Private Jeep

A private jeep runs $150 to $200 per vehicle one way. Split across four trekkers, that is $40 to $50 each. The drive takes 7 to 8 hours instead of 10, the seats are better, and you have luggage space. For groups, the per-person cost difference is smaller than most people think. And you start day one of the trek without a 10-hour bus ride already in your legs.

Return from Dharapani

The trek ends at Dharapani. From there, you drive back to Kathmandu or first go to Pokhara. The Pokhara route is often cheaper and the road is in better condition. From Pokhara you can fly to Kathmandu or take a tourist bus. We handle all of this for our clients as part of the package.

Food Costs on the Manaslu Circuit Trek

I have eaten hundreds of meals in the manaslu teahouses. There is one thing I always order when I sit down at the end of a long walking day. Dal bhat. Rice, lentil soup, seasonal vegetables, a bit of pickle on the side. It costs $5 to $7 and the teahouse refills it as many times as you want. Every single teahouse on this trail serves it.

By day four, when your legs are heavy and you come off the trail into the smell of it cooking on the back stove, you will understand why I always order it. There is something about that smell at altitude that just works.

In lower villages like Machha Khola and Jagat, meals run $3 to $6. As you gain altitude, the price goes up because everything gets carried in. In Samagaun and Samdo, a meal costs $6 to $10. Your daily food spend across three meals runs $15 to $25 depending on the village and how hungry the altitude makes you.

One thing I always tell clients: eat where you sleep. The teahouse sets the room price low because they expect you to take your meals there. If you walk next door for dinner, the host notices. It is not just a money thing. It is how this trail runs.

Accommodation Costs Along the Trail

From Machha Khola to Dharapani, the trail is fully covered by teahouses. Every stop has a room with two beds, a blanket, a shared bathroom, and a dining hall with a wood stove. You will not sleep outside.

Rooms cost $3 to $5 per night in the lower villages. Above 3,500 meters, the rate goes up to $7 to $10. The reason is simple. Everything that runs a teahouse at that altitude, from food to fuel, has to come up the mountain on someone’s back.

For a full village-by-village list of teahouses and what to expect at each stop, our Manaslu Circuit Trek accommodation page covers it all.

The Extra Costs Most Trekkers Miss

This is the section I wish every trekker read before packing their bag. I have watched people run completely out of cash by Samdo. And here is the thing about that: there are no ATMs after Soti Khola. Whatever cash you bring from Kathmandu is what you have for the rest of the trek.

The evacuation insurance is the one I feel strongly about. A helicopter rescue above 5,000 meters costs $3,000 to $5,000 without coverage. A proper Nepal high-altitude policy costs $100 to $200. There is no version of this trek where skipping that makes sense.

Bring NPR 25,000 to 30,000 in cash from Kathmandu to cover your extras comfortably.

Manaslu Circuit Trek Cost by Budget Type

Here is what the full picture looks like when you put it all together.

Standard Package ($755 to $1,150 per person)

This is the most popular way our clients do this trek. It covers all permits, a licensed guide, teahouse accommodation, three meals per day on the trail, and shared transport from Kathmandu. The price drops as the group gets bigger. A solo trekker pays $1,150. A group of two to four pays $860 each.

What you give up compared to the deluxe option: private transport on the drive in, a porter, and upgraded room choices at specific stops. What you keep: a fully supported trek with a certified guide who knows this route well.

Manaslu Circuit Deluxe Package ($1,355 to $2,000 per person)

The Manaslu Circuit deluxe package adds a private jeep, a dedicated porter for the full 13 days, and better room options where they are available. It is the right choice for trekkers who want more comfort, those with specific physical needs, or anyone who simply does not want shared transport after a long flight.

The porter is what clients talk about most after the deluxe trek. On day eight at 4,200 meters, not carrying a 15-kilogram pack changes the experience in a way that is hard to describe until you feel it.

Details on both packages are on our Manaslu Circuit Deluxe Trek page.

Money-Saving Tips for the Manaslu Circuit Trek

Over ten years of doing this, I have seen what actually saves people money and what just sounds like it does. Here is the things you should follow for budget manaslu circuit trek.

• Trek in low season. December through February brings the restricted area permit down by $55 per person compared to autumn. The trail is quieter, teahouses have space, and on clear days the views up toward Manaslu’s north face are as good as any I have seen. Yes, the nights are cold. But October nights are cold too.
• Go with a group of four or more. The jeep splits more ways. The guide cost spreads across more people. The biggest savings in trekking always come from not going alone.
• Stock up on snacks in Kathmandu. Nuts, dried fruit, chocolate, instant coffee sachets. After Deng, these cost two to three times more at the teahouses. Spend NPR 2,000 to 3,000 in Thamel before you leave.
• Use water purification tablets. At two litres per day over 13 days, you could spend close to $50 on bottled water. A purification tablet set costs $5 in Kathmandu. It also means less plastic waste on the trail.
• Rent gear in Thamel. A sleeping bag rental runs $1 to $2 per day. For 13 days that is $13 to $26 compared to $200 to $400 for a quality bag you buy new. Same logic applies for trekking poles.
• Book early for October and November. We sometimes offer better rates for groups that book three to six months ahead. The trail fills up fast in peak season and the good teahouses book out too.

What People Ask about Manaslu Circuit Trek Cost

I have helped hundreds of trekkers plan and complete this route since 2015. Talk to our team today and get a full breakdown built around your exact dates, group size, and budget.