Manaslu Circuit Trek Difficulty Factors
Altitude sickness
Altitude sickness is a challenging problem in the higher altitude region. The Manaslu Circuit trail passes through high elevations. There are various challenges that we need to face during this trek. These beautiful terrains provide you with an outstanding adventure and bring altitude sickness symptoms.
Symptoms of acute mountain sickness include nausea, headache, insomnia, a lack of appetite, etc. The 4000m and above trails are challenging, even if you have trekked this trail before. Acclimatization is essential while trekking, along with hydrating regularly. It includes adapting to the changing conditions by various measures.
There is less oxygen and air pressure in the atmosphere of the high altitude region above 3000m. It would help avoid alcoholic beverages and caffeine while trekking, as it is the primary cause of dehydration.
.jpg)
Remote and rugged landscapes
The Manaslu Circuit Trek is a remote region trek that takes you to the foothills of the Himalayas. The trails of this stunning journey are pretty challenging. The difficulty increases significantly as untraversed, off-the-beaten landscapes along the route.
The various natural trains will pass including narrow cliffs, crossing the rivers, and other rugged terrains. Travelers must be flexible and have strength and endurance of the highest level. These high-altitude trekking adventures require you to have incredible stamina and fitness. Therefore, training in advance with all the required activities is essential for the Manaslu Circuit Trek.
Meals and accommodation
The tea house trek provides you with the basic facilities of staying and walking along the trail. Since you might not have stayed in such a condition, you will have to compromise and adapt to the situation.
You will get a limited variety of food that mainly consists of “Dal Bhaat”. The meal also includes various hot beverages like tea, coffee, and others. Carry your snacks like chocolate bars, and protein shakes to satisfy your hunger.
These tea houses provide rooms with beds, mattresses, and pillows. You can observe the beautiful snow-clad mountains from your room. However, it would be best if you carried sleeping bags. Blankets in these teahouses might not be enough for frigid conditions in the higher altitude region.
Long duration and distance journey
Manaslu circuit trek is a long-duration trek that requires numerous hours of trekking to arrive at the destination. The trail also provides you with the immense challenges that need to get taken to arrive at your destination. The distance covered on each trek is around 8-12 km, which takes about 6 to 7 hours.
The trek is generally approximately 18 to 21 days long, so you will have to travel for around three weeks. The difficulty level and the demanding terrains of this region make the trek challenging. There are scarce water and toilet facilities in the area. You will have to manage these on your own. You also have to bring your toiletries along with the trail.
Heavy Backpacks
There are heavy backpacks that you need to carry along the trail. The beautiful course provides you with a fantastic adventure. However, trekking through challenging terrains while carrying a heavy backpack is tricky. You can also hire porters along the trail to reduce the difficulty. They will take around 25-30 kgs of luggage, making it easier for the trekkers.
Unpredictable weather
Weather in the higher altitude region is quite unpredictable. It fluctuates swiftly from sunny and bright skies to dark overcast conditions in hours. There are other various challenges due to the weather conditions. You will experience challenging weather conditions at a higher altitude.
Frequent rainfalls can be challenging for the trekkers as it leads to muddy and slippery trails. Besides that also leads to landslides and avalanches, snowstorms, and others. These are the multiple challenges and difficulty factors you can face during the high-altitude Manaslu Circuit Trek.
Manaslu Circuit Trek Difficulty in Different Seasons
Autumn (September to November)
Autumn is a perfect time for trekking and travel in the region. There are various challenges that you might have to face this season too. But these challenges are lesser than what you will have to face in the other off-seasons. The beautiful trails offer you a great experience in autumn.
There are stable weather conditions and suitable temperatures for daytime trekking. These scenic travel opportunities are an outstanding adventure. The clear blue skies and moderate temperatures add to the beauty of the adventure. You will not experience weather-related challenges such as landslides, avalanches, and others in this season.
Spring (March to May)
The spring season is another ideal time for the Manaslu Circuit trek. There is a mix of beauty and adventure along the trail. Spring provides you with an experience of a lifetime through the natural terrains. You will get moderate temperatures and stable weather in the region.
There are snowy mountain views and gorgeous landscapes that you can observe along the trail. The tea houses and lodges can get packed in this peak season. Therefore, you need to book your meals and accommodations in advance.
Off-Season treks
The off-season trail takes you through the challenging terrain. The off-season in the region is the winters and the summer-monsoon. The winter season (December-February) provides a frigid climate and extreme weather conditions. Heavy snowfall in the area covers the trail making it difficult for trekking.
The Summer (June to August) season provides the monsoon climate, bringing heavy rainfall to the region. It leads to landslides, avalanches, and other challenges. There are leech-infested trails which makes their journey quite challenging. You will get hot and humid conditions with temperatures in the higher region in the daytime.
The trails can get slippery, and you can get injured frequently during these conditions. Hence you need to be careful while trekking to these terrains. Trekkers need to carry waterproof gear and equipment with warm clothes. There are various gears and equipment, live trekking poles, trekking gear, waterproof pants, boots, pants, etc. For these reasons, off-season trekking at a high altitude is quite challenging.
How to Tackle Altitude Sickness Along the Trail?
Trek at a gentle pace
The trekkers taking this extraordinary adventure should trek at a gentle pace. You should not walk fast but rather at a gradual pace. The beautiful trail is more fun when you stroll gently, as you can observe the scenic vista.
This aspect of the trek is quite essential as it will keep you safe from acute mountain sickness. You should not hike more than 500 m and rest at a lower altitude after completing the trek.
Diamox tablets
"Diamox" tablets are another incredible aspect of the high-altitude landscape. The atmosphere has less oxygen and air pressure in the Himalayan region. The Diamox tablet is an anti-nausea medication that will help you tackle the symptoms of acute mountain sickness. Hence, they are an essential part of the Manaslu Circuit Trek.
Nutritious meal
Another essential aspect of tackling altitude symptoms is a nutritious meal. The beautiful path requires you to tackle challenging terrains. Therefore, you must have tremendous energy for the trek from a balanced diet.
There are various meals that you can have along the trail. However, the Nepalese staple dish of Dal Bhat is essential for the trek. They will provide you with enough nutrition along the route. The high-calorie count is important as the calories get burned faster in the high altitude region. Overall, a rich and balanced diet filled with fiber, protein, and carbohydrates is necessary for the trek.
Regular Hydration
Another essential aspect of tackling altitude sickness on the trail is hydrating regularly. You should drink at least 3-4 liters of water daily while trekking at a high altitude. Avoid any dehydration-causing substances like alcohol and caffeine. Dehydration is the primary cause of acute mountain sickness. Hence, you can take these steps to reduce or tackle altitude sickness along the trail.
Essential Tips for Minimizing the Manaslu Circuit Trek Difficulty.
Acclimatization and proper hydration
The essential aspect of trekking at a higher altitude is acclimatization. It is a process where you adapt to the changing height and conditions by various measures. It includes exploring the area without gaining much altitude so that you will get adjusted.
The acclimatization process will also help you in quickly trekking the beautiful trains. You can reduce the symptoms of altitude sickness and the overall difficulty of the trek significantly through these methods. The professional guides will help you with acclimatizing to breathe well in the low Oxygen and air pressure conditions.
You will remain more flexible and can tackle multiple symptoms of altitude sickness, including headaches, nausea, insomnia, lack of appetite, etc. It would help if you also drank lots of water every day while trekking.
Another professional tip is to sleep at a lower altitude than what you gained on the day. This makes you comfortable and safe from sickness. It would help if you also trekked at a slow pace and did not reach your destination in a hurry. Various measures like these will reduce altitude sickness and overall Manaslu Circuit Trek difficulty.
Hiring professional guides and porters
Another essential aspect of the beautiful terrains is hiring a professional guide to help you reach your destination safely and comfortably. These professional guides will provide you with basic first aid facilities and help you evacuate in an emergency.
It will also help you in case of any altitude sickness. Since they are locals of the region, they will know the region's route on the back of their hand. They can guide you with expertise, and you will have no chance of getting lost. Another attractive aspect of hiring a guide is that you will get to explore the cultural part of the region.
You will get an opportunity to interact with the locals and celebrate the local festivities. Besides that, you can also have porters that will help you reduce weight on your back by carrying your luggage. They will hold around 20 to 25 kgs of weight hence taking the burden off your back to trek without any discomfort. Another type of guide available is porter-guides, and they carry the luggage and guide you along the trail.
Selecting the best time for the trek
You can also select the best time for the trek to get favorable weather conditions. There are two ideal seasons for the trek: spring and autumn. Spring comes after the winter season, making it perfect and favorable as the weather is beautiful with wildlife coming out of their hibernation.
Vegetation blooms in the hills with wildflowers like rhododendrons painting them red. The Autumn season has its charm, including the beautiful weather that remains stable and moderate temperatures in the daytime. There are cultural festivities in the region as well.
There are also clear obstructed views of the snow-clad mountains. Besides that, there are no weather-related challenges, like avalanches, landslides, floods, soil erosion, etc. There will be no heavy rainfall or snowfall like in the off-season.
You will not experience extreme frigid conditions like winters or hot and humid summers. Overall, selecting the ideal time will significantly reduce and minimize the Manaslu Circuit Trek difficulty.
Getting a good training before the trek
Manaslu circuit trek is the most challenging adventure through rugged and remote landscapes. The trekkers must have various proper measures to complete this incredible adventure. There are different strength-building and physical exercises that are essential for the trek. This includes activities in the gym and the activities you can perform on your own.
Different cardiovascular activities will help you remain flexible along the trail. They will also keep you injury-free. Mental planning and preparation are also a necessary part of this training. They will help you give you an idea of the trek in advance and the stuff you will tackle during the trek.
Exercises of various forms are essential before the start of the trek. You will also need to keep a positive attitude and remain motivated to arrive at your destination. Hence mental training is essential to achieve this stunning Manaslu circuit Trek adventure in a beautiful remote region.
Customize the itinerary according to your needs
Since we provide a customizable itinerary, you will get to travel in your conditions. You can pass through the rugged terrain in multiple ways and itineraries. If you cannot complete the trek or get altitude sickness, you can rest before continuing your journey.
You can also descend the trek to subside altitude sickness symptoms. Hence, you can customize your itinerary according to your demands and requirements. Therefore, the trekking difficulty reduces quite a significant amount due to the customizing facility.
How to Train for the Trek?
As mentioned above, the training regime is essential for the trek. The Manaslu Circuit Trek journey with challenging terrains requires trekkers to be in the best physical condition. Therefore, trekkers should train well ahead of the tour for these reasons. These training regimes contain various physical and mental exercises. Strength-building endurance, cardiovascular (aerobics), and mental activities are also essential for the trek.
Physical training
The first type of training that you must undergo is physical. This training will put you through rigorous activities that will help you traverse the high-altitude terrain. You will build your strength and endurance to tackle the rough paths of the region. You will also gain overall fitness and muscles in your body's various parts. Furthermore, these exercises will make you more comfortable trekking the path ahead.
Another great way to train for this trek is to go for a practice hike in and around nearby Hills with your backpack. You will get an idea about that trek. Overall this physical fitness is an essential part of your trekking requirements. That will improve your overall physicality and make you perfect for your trekking adventure.
Cardiovascular exercises
Cardiovascular activities, also known as aerobic exercises, are essential for the trek. They will build your flexibility and breathing ability. These exercises will keep you fit for the low Oxygen and air pressure conditions of the higher altitude where you will pass through. These exercises are essential for the trek, including hiking, jogging, swimming, cycling, etc. You will also be able to tackle various challenging conditions through the help of his exercises.
Mental preparation
One overlooked aspect of any trekking is the preparation for the trek mentally. Mentally secure and stable trekkers will be able to tackle these terrains. These activities will brief you about the tour and give you an idea about the trek and the challenges you will need to face.
Motivation and a positive attitude along the trail are also important. These aspects will help you gain the significant mental strength required for the trek. Overall, this will help you to reduce the overall trekking difficulty.
Final Say
Manaslu Circuit Trek is a beautiful trekking journey through the remote foothills of the Himalayas in Western Nepal. This incredible trekking journey is moderate to challenging in levels of difficulty. You must have proper physical fitness and mental ability for the trek.
We hope you learned about various difficulty factors of the trek, how to train, and how to reduce the difficulty factor. Contact us for more information about the walk and book your trip in advance. Happy traveling.
