Manaslu Trek Weather: Month by Month Guide

27 May 2026 Chandra Gurung

The Manaslu Circuit crosses six climate zones from 760m to 5,106m. The lower gorge and the upper Nubri Valley behave as two completely different weather environments in every single month. October is the strongest overall window. But the right month for you depends on what kind of weather experience you are actually looking for, not just which month has the best reputation.

The Manaslu Circuit Trek runs from subtropical gorge at 760m to a glacial pass at 5,106m. The lower trail and the upper trail can have completely different weather on the same afternoon. A trekker in Jagat gets rained on while a group in Samagaun walks under open sky. That is geography, not bad luck.

Understanding that split is more useful than any temperature table. This page gives you the full picture month by month, zone by zone, framed around one question: what kind of weather experience does this month actually create for a trekker on the ground?

The Two-Zone Weather in Manaslu Circuit

Zone one: the lower gorge. From Soti Khola at 760m to roughly Namrung at 2,630m, the trail runs through a deep river valley. The Budhi Gandaki gorge collects monsoon moisture from the Bay of Bengal every year between June and September. Humid, dense, heavily affected by seasonal rain. This is also where leeches live, where trails turn muddy, and where afternoon rain is a daily reality in the wet months.

Zone two: the upper Nubri Valley. From Samagaun at 3,530m to Larkya La at 5,106m, the trail enters a rain shadow created by the Tibetan plateau to the north. Monsoon moisture cannot push through from the south with the same force. This zone receives significantly less rain than the lower gorge in every monsoon month. Drier, colder, and more exposed to wind than to rain.

In June, it can rain heavily in Jagat while Samagaun stays dry and windy on the same afternoon. That single example explains why weather advice for this circuit needs to specify which zone you are talking about. You will see this split come up again in every month section below.

Weather Mistakes That Cost Trekkers

These happen every season. You will avoid all of them by the end of this blog.

Booking late May assuming it is still spring. The pre-monsoon window closes faster than most trekkers expect. A late May departure that looked stable in March can face pass closure risk by the time you reach Samdo.

Assuming October guarantees clear mornings. October is the most reliable month. It is not a guaranteed-clear month. Afternoon clouds build above 4,000m even in peak season. Wind on Larkya La in October can surprise trekkers who expected a calm crossing.

Underestimating wind versus temperature. Cold is manageable with the right gear. Wind at 5,106m with a loaded pack and altitude fatigue is what actually breaks trekkers on the pass. Most people who struggle at Larkya La were underprepared for wind, not temperature.

Packing for Kathmandu instead of Dharamsala. The temperature difference between Kathmandu at 1,400m and Dharamsala at 4,460m on the same October evening is roughly 20 degrees. Trekkers who pack lightly for what felt warm in Thamel discover this gap at altitude. By then there is nothing to do about it.

Misunderstanding monsoon impact above Samagaun. The rain shadow is real. Trekkers who write off the entire circuit in July because of monsoon are making a zone-one assumption about a zone-two experience. The upper route in July is quieter, drier, and genuinely special if you can get through the lower gorge to reach it.

Weather by Altitude During Manaslu Circuit Trek

Above Samdo at 3,875m, the terrain opens and exposed. Weather changes faster here than anywhere else on the circuit. A clear morning at Samdo is a good sign. It is not a guarantee of what the pass will look like in two hours. Wind builds from the Tibetan plateau side quickly and without obvious warning from below. This is why the guide checks conditions at Dharamsala the evening before, not the morning of.

Why Almost All Larkya La Crossings Start Before Sunrise

Larkya La sits at 5,106m in an exposed glacial corridor. Wind builds on the pass from approximately 9 to 10am in most months. By midday, gusts can affect footing on the descent toward Bimthang. In months with snowfall, that snow softens as the sun hits it, making the surface less stable on the way down.

The protocol is always same. Leave Dharamsala between 3:30 and 4am. Cross the pass before wind builds. Begin the descent while the surface is still firm and the sky is still calm.

A guide who suggests a 6am or 7am start for Larkya La is working from either inexperience or overconfidence. We leave Dharamsala at 4am. Every group. Every month. In good October conditions a later start might work. In any month with weather variation, it is a risk not worth accepting.

Month by Month Manaslu Circuit Weather

January: Still, Cold, Empty

Lower gorge: Clear and dry. Daytime runs 8 to 14°C. The gorge is at its quietest. You can walk for three hours without meeting anyone. Cold mornings, but the trail surface is firm and the air is sharp in a way that feels clean.

Upper route: Nights at Dharamsala drop to -15°C or below. The pass carries firm snow. On calm mornings, experienced groups cross without incident. On mornings where wind picks up before dawn, the guide holds at Dharamsala. That decision is made the evening before, not at 4am.

January asks you a direct question: are you actually prepared for this? The trail rewards the prepared. It punishes the underpacked. Go in January knowing the answer before you leave Kathmandu.

February: First Warmth in the Valley

Lower gorge: Temperatures at Soti Khola reach 12 to 16°C by midday. You start to notice the first green returning to the lower valley. Some teahouses that closed in December are reopening. The trail has a beginning-of-season feel.

Upper route: Still genuinely cold above Samagaun. Nights at Dharamsala run -10°C to -14°C. The pass is manageable but wind caution applies. Late February occasionally shows the first clear spring windows on the upper route, which makes it a transitional month in the best sense.

February suits trekkers who want near-winter conditions without January’s full commitment. The margin is slightly better. The solitude is similar.

March: The Lower Gorge Comes Back to Life

Lower gorge: Rhododendrons begin below 2,500m. What was bare forest in January is now filling with colour. Daytime runs 14 to 20°C. The gorge sections smell different in March, wet soil, new growth, the river running fuller as snow starts melting above. Trail surface is firm. Walking conditions are excellent.

Upper route: Samagaun nights still drop to -4°C to -6°C. The pass is improving. Morning crossings in March are reliable for prepared trekkers. The upper valley is clear, cold, and very quiet.

The rhododendron bloom alongside the river sections is one of the most underrated visual experiences on this circuit. March is the month to see it without April’s crowd. Cold tolerance above Samagaun is required.

April: The Guide’s Choice for Spring

Lower gorge: Rhododendrons at peak. Temperatures run 18 to 24°C. No rain, no mud, no heat. The lower trail moves fast and looks spectacular.

Upper route: Warming noticeably. Samagaun nights run 0°C to -3°C. Winds are calmer in April than in any other month before October. The Larkya La crossing in April is the most forgiving spring window of the year. Not easy, but reliable.

April is the guide’s choice for spring. The combination of lower trail beauty, stable mornings, and a reliable pass window does not repeat itself until October. The circuit sees more traffic in April than any other spring month. You will have company on the trail. That is the only trade-off.

May: Watch Which Week You Book

Lower gorge: Getting warm. Daytime at Soti Khola reaches 26 to 30°C. The gorge is humid and the rhododendrons have dropped their flowers. Pre-monsoon instability builds in the second half of the month.

Upper route: Early May is still good. Samagaun daytime runs 10 to 14°C. The pass window is narrowing. Late May crossings require condition monitoring and a guide who knows what to look for. The decision to go or hold at Samdo is made on information, not optimism.

In May, your departure week matters more than your departure month. Early May is strong. Late May Trek is a gamble on pass conditions that not every group wins.

June: Two Zones at Their Most Different

Lower gorge: The monsoon arrives. Afternoon rain on most days between Soti Khola and Namrung. Leeches in forest sections. Trails slippery below 2,000m. The humidity sits on you.

Upper route: This is where the rain shadow becomes real. Samagaun receives a fraction of the rainfall the lower gorge gets in the same week. June mornings in the upper Nubri Valley can be clear and genuinely cold. The pass is open. Wind is the concern, not snow.

June is the month where the two-zone split matters most. The lower trail asks everything of you. The upper trail gives it back. We cover June in full detail on the Manaslu Circuit Trek in June blog, including the early versus late June timing window.

July: Empty Upper Route, Demanding Lower Trail

Lower gorge: Peak monsoon. Heavy rain below Namrung. River crossings run high after overnight rain. Landslide risk on road sections is at its annual peak. The lower gorge in July is the most demanding version of itself.

Upper route: The rain shadow is working. Samagaun in July gets clear mornings more often than the lower trail picture suggests. The upper circuit is walkable with the right team. You are unlikely to share a teahouse dining room above Namrung with anyone.

July Manaslu Trek is for trekkers who want the upper route experience with nobody else around and are genuinely prepared for what the lower approach involves. The guide on the lower gorge section in July is not optional.

August: The Monsoon Starts Letting Go

Lower gorge: Similar to July in early August. By late August, the intensity eases. Rain is still regular but the relentless quality of July softens. Trails are drying slowly, noticeably.

Upper route: Good throughout the month. Samagaun in August gets clear mornings regularly. The acclimatisation hike to Birendra Lake at 3,691m in August is a vivid green glacial basin with no other trekkers and the sound of the glacier working above the water. It is one of those trail moments that does not appear in marketing but stays with you.

August suits experienced trekkers who want the upper route at minimal cost and minimal crowd and are patient with the lower approach.

September: Post-Monsoon Week by Week

Lower gorge (early September): Still monsoon conditions below Namrung. Wet, muddy, leeches in forest sections. Improving measurably from mid-September.

Lower gorge (late September): Drying fast. By September 20 in most years, trails are firm and walkable. The gorge is vivid green from months of rain. Waterfalls on every cliff face. The lower trail in late September looks nothing like it does in October.

Upper route: Good throughout September. Post-monsoon clarity arrives at altitude before it reaches lower elevations. Samagaun in mid-September has the same quality of sky you see in October, with a fraction of the people.

Late September is the best-value window on this circuit. We cover this in full on the Manaslu Circuit Trek in September blog.

October: The Whole Circuit Performing

Lower gorge: Dry, firm, moving fast. No leeches, no mud. The gorge sections feel easy in October after what they ask of you in the wet months. Early October brings Dashain festival energy to the lower villages. Dal bhat during Dashain is better than any other month.

Upper route: Post-monsoon clarity at its peak. Larkya La is at its most reliable window of the year. Wind is calm in the early morning. The crossing is cold but clean. From Samagaun on a clear mid-October morning, Manaslu’s north face looks exactly like the photos. It earns its reputation.

Mid-October is peak visibility and peak trail traffic. Samagaun fills in the evenings. Book the upper section teahouses in advance. Late October brings quieter trails and the first cold-front risk from around October 22.

We cover October week by week on the Manaslu Circuit Trek in October blog.

November: Wind Becomes the Variable

Lower gorge: Cooling fast. Daytime runs 14 to 18°C. Dry and firm. The October crowd has thinned. The lower trail in November has a quieter, more settled feel than the previous month.

Upper route: Cold nights above Samagaun, dropping to -6°C to -10°C. Early November crossings are reliable with a proper morning start. By late November, fresh snow on Larkya La becomes a real planning variable. Wind is stronger than October. The guide checks conditions the evening before every late-November crossing without exception.

November Manaslu Circuit suits trekkers who want the upper route at near-October quality with fewer groups on the lower trail. Temperature is manageable. Wind requires respect.

December: Winter Begins

Lower gorge: Daytime runs 10 to 14°C. Cold mornings. Some teahouses begin closing mid-month. The trail is dry and quiet. The gorge in December has a stripped-back quality. Nothing extra. Just the trail and the river.

Upper route: Winter conditions above Samagaun. Nights at Dharamsala drop to -12°C or below. The pass requires proper cold-weather equipment and a guide who has crossed it in winter before. Snow depth is increasing. Early December is more forgiving than late December but both months are serious.

The views of snow-covered peaks on a clear December morning are exceptional. That is the reward. The preparation it requires is the cost.

Best Month by Priority During Manaslu Trek

What Kind of Weather Experience Do You Actually Want in Manaslu?

If you want stable logistics and predictable days, October is your month. The trail performs across both zones. The teahouses are staffed. The pass is reliable. You share it with more people than any other month. That is the only trade-off.

If you want empty teahouses and do not mind the lower gorge in wet season, early June gives you the upper route almost entirely to yourself. The lower approach asks more of you. The upper route gives it back.

If you want cold, clear, and completely solitary, late November or early December delivers that on both zones. The trail gives you something genuinely different from any other season. Bring the gear for it.

If you want spring scenery without the April crowd, March gives you rhododendrons and quiet. Upper trail is cold. Lower trail is vivid and alive.

If you want the best value window that still performs well across both zones, late September is the answer we give most experienced trekkers who ask directly. Near-October conditions above Samagaun, lower prices throughout, and almost no competition for teahouse rooms.

Common Weather Myths in Manaslu

Myth: the monsoon affects the whole Manaslu Circuit equally. It does not. The lower gorge gets hit hard. The Nubri Valley above Samagaun stays comparatively dry. The two zones are not comparable in monsoon rainfall.

Myth: October is automatically perfect every day. October is reliable. Not guaranteed. Afternoon clouds, pass wind, and late-month cold fronts are real variables even in peak season.

Myth: snowfall is the main cold-weather risk on this route. Cold is the bigger issue, not snow. The wind chill at the pass and the overnight temperatures at Dharamsala are what test trekkers. Manageable snow with calm air is far less demanding than clear sky with strong wind at 5,000m.

Packing for Two Completely Different Climates in Manaslu

The packing mistake almost every trekker makes on this circuit is packing for one environment.

The lower gorge in June and the upper Nubri Valley in the same week require completely different gear. Trekkers who pack for what Kathmandu felt like on departure day often hit Dharamsala underprepared. The temperature difference between the two is roughly 20 degrees on the same October evening. That gap shows up in your sleeping bag performance and your motivation at 3:30am.

The strategy that works: down jacket and thermal layers at the bottom of your bag, untouched until above Namrung. Everything for the lower gorge goes on top. When the trail changes, your bag adapts.

Wind exposure at Larkya La is the single most underestimated cold factor on this circuit. Trekkers who pack for temperature but not for wind find the pass crossing harder than expected even in October. A windproof outer layer over your down jacket is not optional above Samdo.

Frequently Asked Questions about Manaslu Weather

Q: What is the best month for the Manaslu Circuit Trek?

A: Mid-October is the strongest single window across both zones of the trail. Post-monsoon clarity, dry lower gorge, reliable Larkya La conditions, comfortable temperatures throughout. Late September is the best-value alternative. April is the best spring window.

Q: Which month has the clearest mountain views on the Manaslu Circuit?

A: Late October and early November give the clearest high-altitude visibility of the year. Post-monsoon air, decreasing crowds on the upper route, and stable mornings. April offers good clarity on the upper route in spring.

Q: How much rain falls on the Manaslu Circuit in monsoon?

A: In the lower gorge around Jagat and Philim, June to August brings 200 to 350mm of rainfall per month. The upper Nubri Valley around Samagaun receives a fraction of that in the same months due to the Tibetan plateau rain shadow. The two zones are not comparable in monsoon rainfall.

Q: Is the Manaslu Circuit doable in winter?

A: Yes, for prepared trekkers with the right guide. January and February bring Dharamsala nights to -15°C or below. The pass is crossable with an early start and proper equipment. Most teahouses above Namrung are closed or running reduced service in January. This is a serious winter route, not a first Himalayan circuit.

Q: What is the weather like on Larkya La Pass?

A: Daytime in October runs -2°C to 4°C. Wind builds from 9 to 10am in most months and is the primary risk. Snow is possible from October through March. The standard crossing protocol is departure from Dharamsala between 3:30 and 4am to pass the summit before wind builds.

Q: When is Larkya La most dangerous?

A: Late monsoon crossings in July and early August carry the highest combined risk from residual snow, unpredictable wind, and approach conditions. Late November and December carry increasing snow depth and wind exposure. The most dangerous scenario in any month is a crossing that starts late in the morning when weather is already building.

Q: Does the Manaslu Circuit get snow in October?

A: Light snow is possible on Larkya La from mid-October onward, particularly after cold fronts from the Tibetan plateau. Trail snow below 4,500m is rare in October. Manageable with the right gear and a properly timed crossing. Not the norm, but not unusual either.

Final Say about Weather in Manaslu

The Manaslu Circuit does not have one weather character. It has two zones, twelve months, and a pass that behaves differently from everything below it.

October is the right answer for most trekkers. But the right answer for you depends on what you are willing to trade. Crowd for solitude. Comfort for cost. Safety margin for adventure.

If you want help matching your specific dates, risk tolerance, and experience level to the right window on this circuit, get in touch. We have guided this route in every month and we will tell you honestly which one fits your situation.