This circuit around the world's 8th-highest peak, Manaslu (8,163m), traverses a Restricted Area that was only opened to foreign trekkers in 1991. Starting from Soti Khola or Machha Khola, it crosses the 5,106m Larkya La pass before descending into the Annapurna region, typically taking 14-18 days. In the upper Nubri and Tsum valleys near the Tibetan border, Tibetan Buddhist culture survives intact, with gompas and mani walls lining the trail.
