Everything you need to know about Manaslu 8163M Expedition
Manaslu BC 4800M
Manaslu Expedition is considered a must climb for anyone seeking to climb Everest or other challenging 8000M+ peaks in the world. Crowning itself the eighth highest peak in the world, this mountaineering expedition is suitable for anyone with 6000M - 7000M+ climbing experience. This is a perfect expedition to experience not only the challenges of climbing an extreme altitude peak but also experience the death zone altitude climb. The climbing route is technical and strenuous with fixed rope line support available to reach the summit. We expect all climbers to be extremely fit for any 7000M - 8000M+ expedition.
During climbing days, Sherpa guides leaders from several groups work together to set up the ropes. The climbing route is mostly on ice and snowy surfaces with an exposed section past 6600M+ all the way to the summit. Be ready for long duration of climbing on steep vertical section, crossing through crevasse and jumar/climbing/walking on steep sections for long hours. This is definitely a must climb for any climbers seeking high altitude climbing adventure if you particularly dream to climb Mt.Everest.
*History: Manaslu was first climbed on May 9, 1956 by Toshio Imanishi and Gyalzen Norbu, members of a Japanese expedition.
We have listed 10 useful pieces of information that will help you prepare for your Manaslu 8163M climbing expedition.
1. When is the best time to climb Manaslu?
Manaslu is best suited to climb at the end of Monsoon season in Nepal. (3rd week of August to October)
Note - Manaslu is one of the most popular climbs at 8000M+ level in Nepal after Everest. You can expect several teams to attempt the climb in any given year.
2. How much does the Manaslu expedition cost? What does it include?
With Namas Adventure team, the Manaslu expedition costs $18250 P/P (Heli charter Ktm - Samagaon - Ktm) and $17500 P/P (trek to Samagaon and back via helicopter to Ktm from Samagoan). We provide premium high-quality all-inclusive peak climbing services. Our team’s focus is your safety, successful summit, experiencing the local culture having fun. As a company, we are focused on our core values of being a responsible, ethical, and sustainable mountain adventure brand. Climbers do not have to worry about anything with our team and totally focus on their expedition and fun times ahead.
List of what’s included in your booking.
IMFGA/NMA certified Guide leader
$1000 Individual tip pool. Tip pool will be fairly distributed among all Namas staff members. (Guides, porters, drivers, hotel security, and staff). Guest may personally hand in extra tips to our guides and porters)
Namas Branded merchandise (Down Jacket, Cap, Buff)
🚁 Helicopter charter to Nearest village (Sama Gaon) from Base camp and 🚁 helicopter charter back to Kathmandu after you summit and return to base camp. (clients who choose this option)
1:1 Sherpa/client ratio. ( Additional Sherpa can be arranged, extra charges apply)
Head chef and kitchen helpers ( Helpers increase with the number of climbing team members )
2 X Oxygen cylinder (Additional Cylinder $500 per O2 cylinder)
2 nights before the expedition and 1 day after the expedition. Hotel in Kathmandu. (Should clients return early from their expedition, clients will be responsible for their extra Kathmandu hotel bookings)
All trekking and climbing permits (Khumbu Region Permit and TIMS)
All internal-local transportation to and from the trekking trailhead
Expedition tents (2 or 1-person tents ) Brands Salewa, Mountain Hardwear, Samaya equipment, Kailas
60 kgs personal weight
Meals at higher camps
Chocolate, energy bars, hydration pills, biscuits, canned foods, nuts
Burners and expedition equipment
Walkie-talkie/ Satellite phone/GPS tracking system
Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner on trek and expedition days.
Lodge accommodation during the trek
Porters per guest
Arrival pick-up and departure
Internal flights
Basic First aid kit
Welcome/Farewell leave Dinner
3. What experience do climbers need to climb Manaslu? Are guides necessary to climb Manaslu?
Experiences - Previous high altitude (6000M - 7000M+) alpine/mountaineering climbing experiences are absolutely necessary in order to climb Manaslu. If you have climbed peaks above 6000M+ such as Chulu West 6419M, Lobuche East & Island Peak and 7000er peaks such as Baruntse Peak 7129M, Himlung Himal 7126M,and Mt. Nun 7135M sets you up perfectly for the Manaslu expedition. It necessarily doesn’t have to be in Nepal and can be anywhere else in the world. Climbers need to have good knowledge and experience in hiking/climbing/traversing using crampons on snow, ice, and steep surfaces. Must be comfortable and proficient in using a fixed rope to climb on steep and exposed sections. You should be familiar with the use of climbing gears, and basic rope techniques like tying safety knots, and abseiling when coming down from the mountains and have the mental toughness to climb in cold and windy conditions.
On most major expeditions in Nepal for the majority of the time, climbers will have to rely on their jumaring skill and strength (ascending) and rappeling/abseiling skills to safely descend down the mountains. Your strength and endurance to continue for a long duration are very key for any climbers to complete this expedition.
Local Guides - By Nepalese law, when issuing permits for high altitude peaks above 6000M+ guides are a must. To issue a permit for Manaslu Expedition, you will have to go through a registered local company. For intermediate-level or even professional experience-level climbers, we highly suggest climbing the peak with guides. The standard climbing route does have several objective dangers/challenges and there are chances of avalanche, there for local knowledge and guidance is super key on any major expeditions.
If you are one of the experienced climbers with tons of climbing routes under your belt then there can be several routes that even local guides may not be able to climb. So even if you want to explore new routes then taking a guide as a backup option would be a wise choice.
4. What is the best-acclimated itinerary for the climbing Manaslu expedition?
On high-altitude climbing trips it’s imperative that climbers acclimatize properly so that the body is well-rested, adapted, and stronger to climb even higher. When we want to commit to climbing adventure at high altitude, slow and steady is the right way. Our itineraries have been refined and designed by our guides with years of climbing and guiding experiences.
On the Manaslu expedition, we have strategized our itinerary with 4 high camps and several rotations between camps 1, 2, and 3 so that climbers are well acclimatized, recovered, and stronger to complete the expedition successfully.
More details are on our Manaslu climbing strategy.
5. What training is required/experience for Manaslu climb? Can you suggest to me a training plan?
Manaslu climbing is by no means an easy climb and we require interested climbers to have a previous high altitude of at least 6000M - 7000M+ climbing anywhere in the world. Mountains are graded based on their technical and physical difficulties. For your training, it is very hard to mimic walking on ladders like the ones you will come across when crossing the crevasse in the mountains. We highly recommend focusing on endurance, core, and strength training. Any type of aerobic exercise, like long-distance running (10-20km) 3 to 4 times a week, cycling (1 hour - 2 hours), hiking gaining elevation with 15-20kgs weights on are some of the suggested training. Kettle bell strength + endurance training twice or three times a week are also recommended to build muscular endurance. We advise you to schedule your training at least 5-6 months before your climbing departure. More on our training mountain expedition blog.
6. How hard is Manaslu climbing expedition?
Manaslu expedition is graded at 4E in difficulty. (Alpine grading link).
We cannot stress enough but it’s very important climbers are mountain fit and strong before starting the expedition. In total, we will have 35 days of alpine climbing days with contingency days in case of bad weather. The climb will demand every ounce of your fitness and awareness. Breathing will be challenging but with proper acclimatization done ahead of time and by staying well hydrated and consuming enough nutrition, you should be able to cope with the altitude.
When we depart from the base camp the real alpine challenge begins, mostly climbing on steep ice and snow surfaces. Once staged up and set up at base camp the climbers prepare here for the next 35 days of climbing and summiting Manaslu. Once setting off from camps to camps Manaslu has some of the longest and uphill steep climbs. Climbing route is in a very exposed area and there are significant dangers of crevasses opening and avalanches. Ladders are set up by guide members from several expedition team and it is best to always follow the instructions of your guide when climbing.
All your previous training of endurance and strength training should have prepared your body to face those challenges.
7. What are the clothing and gears - boots required for Manaslu climb (trekking and mountaineering)? Can I rent gears for Manaslu expedition climb?
Choosing the right gear is very important. We advise climbers not to make compromises on the quality of gears and clothing, and to pay attention to layer up comfortably as well. You will depend highly on your clothes to keep you warm enough for the dropping temperatures at nighttime which can go down to -20c /-30c. Please check our equipment blog for recommended clothing and gear.
Renting your gears in Nepal? The simple answer is NO. This is one of the most frequently asked questions mainly by beginner climbers. We have tested and tried several gears in Nepal and frankly, we do not recommend hiring here. We know it might seem like a huge amount of expenses to buy all the gears, but they are well worth it. You can even hire from the city you live in. Make sure they are the original products from well-known adventure gear companies. (North face, Mountain hardware, Kailas, etc.)
Mountaineering Boots for Manaslu Expedition
With better technologies, climbing shoes have improved every year. We highly recommend double-layered boots like Kailas Everest 8000M, La Sportiva Olympus Mons Cube, Scarpa 8000 phantom, Millet Everest summit GTX. It is wise to spend on good mountaineering boots, as so with all the gears that we have mentioned in this post above.
More 8000M boots link here (other media article)
8. What types of foods are available during Manaslu Expedition? Is clean water available and how much water intake is recommended? Hydration and nutrition
We suggest all our clients drink 4-6 l of water every day. Staying hydrated will also help you with acclimatizing properly. It’s best to take hydration tablets or filtration bottles with you.
Most of the foods are prepared in the Base camp and during your climbing days foods are carried up by our Sherpa teams. You do not need to worry about food as our chef will prepare energy-dense delicacies in our base camp kitchen and all you have to do is enjoy your meal, recover and get stronger. In the high altitudes, although the weather is extremely cold, your body will naturally want to reject food or avoid using energy on anything, which includes eating too. You might have to force yourself with the first few couple of bites and then eventually your body will start accepting the food. We also provide packed dried meals, so that clients have other options should they not want to eat what’s being cooked in the tents.
Remember to avoid smoking and any alcohol intake. You might see our guiding leaders smoking or drinking but remember they are professionals and they have adapted very well to these environments compared to the climbers who go there just for adventure holidays.
9. What trip insurance will I need for Manaslu Expedition? Do I need helicopter evacuation to be included in my insurance cover?
No matter how prepared you are, you never know when or how things might go wrong. You might be sick suddenly or not that we wish but there might be some incident, you might suffer from altitude sickness or anything we can’t imagine yet. So, for these reasons, it is always good to have insurance cover. Our recommended Insurance companies (link)
Helicopter evacuation is our final emergency option and we do recommend you have one in your insurance, as it is the only means of transport in the Manaslu region. Our guides will assess your condition and examine if it is a major issue. If not, they will use their experience to motivate and push you through your trip. However, in case of emergency, helicopter evacuation will be called upon.
There is a procedure to follow when calling for emergency evacuation. We will call the insurance company hotline, get approval with your insurance, and only then helicopters are sent to the distress call location. You will have to pay for the evacuation in Nepal from your own pocket but once you are back home you can claim your money back. Make sure you collect helicopter evacuation receipts and a certified doctor’s approval letter. The insurance company will ask for this evidence to back up your claim.
There was a huge helicopter scam in Nepal in 2018, so insurance companies are taking extra measures to stop this from happening. Our guides and staff members in Kathmandu will also remind you of this process during briefings.
10. Next climbing goals after Manaslu Expedition climbing
If you want to extend your trip and combine other 6000 M peaks along with Mera peak, then we would like to recommend the following two other itineraries.
1. Ama Dablam 6819M and Island Peak 6189M climbing expedition - Click here
Technically difficult and climbing goal for many mountaineers. Ama Dablam is well renowned as one of the most beautiful and exposed Himalayan mountain in the Everest region. It is one of the most sought mountains to climb by mountaineering enthusiasts. Whether you plan to do it before or after your bigger expedition like Everest, Ama Dablam climb in itself is a mountaineering challenge on its own. Ama Dablam is considered "a must-do" for alpinist and mountaineers.
2. Mt. Everest 8848M Expedition, Nepal
Climbing Khumbu Ice Fall, Everest Expedition
3. Makalu 8463M, Nepal
Manaslu Expedition is one of the exciting 8000M mountain climbing expedition in Nepal. We hope the information we have provided above will help you decide/prepare in the best way before you embark on your Manaslu climbing journey. If you are looking for a great climbing trip and have an amazing time in Nepal then we would love to have you onboard for our Manaslu Expedition. You can be assured that you are provided quality services with our fun-loving yet professional guides who have 5 - 10+ years of taking clients on such peak climbing trips. After all we do aim to be the best adventure specialist in the world and you having a great time, being safe and summiting will always be our priority.
If you do have any more questions, please ask us below in the comment section or you can email us at bookings@namasadventure.com and our team will get back to you as soon as they can. Stay well.
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