Manaslu Base Camp Trek

Somewhere in north-central Nepal, the Budhi Gandaki River cuts a gorge so deep that the sun disappears by early afternoon. The trail follows it for days, past waterfalls that vanish into mist above you, through stone villages where prayer flags snap in a constant wind, and across suspension bridges strung impossibly high over churning water. And at the end of all that walking, across moraine and glacier rubble, there it is: Manaslu, the world's eighth-highest mountain, so close it feels almost rude to stare.

Before anything else

This is a restricted area. You must travel with a licensed guide and arrange permits in Kathmandu before the trek starts. Checkpoints along the trail verify everything. Solo, unguided trekking is not permitted.