Trekking The Manaslu Circuit

Photo: Shyala monastery with Manaslu (right). Cathy Casey

Just north of Kathmandu and nestled to the east of the busy Annapurna Circuit, this 110 mile trek around the worlds eighth highest mountain skirts the border with Tibet, taking you across the 5100m Larkye La - the longest pass in the Himalayas.

Described as a journey through Tibet, India and Nepal, the trek is a realm of rushing river valleys, glaciers and soaring peaks; a cultural delight winding through traditional farming villages, past mani walls, monasteries and chortens. Starting from Macchakhola at 869m you get to walk through a wide range of ecology from bamboo forests, sal and deodar wooded slopes to high alpine tundra before crossing the glacial moraines of the high mountains. Once across, the descending valley is much steeper with less human habitation. Quite literally another world.

Our Director Cathy travelled with her oldest friend Peri, stepping off the Insta path of Nepal’s more famous areas to experience a realm of mythical hidden valleys. Having climbed in the Himalayas together in their youth, they figured trekking across the pass would be a doddle. It turned out to be more of a challenge than they thought……

“Our trek was with Community Action Treks, the retail arm of Community Action Nepal - a charity set up by mountaineer Doug Scott to give back to the people of the mountains he loved. I have always wanted to visit Nepal and became aware that Community Action Treks (CAT) could offer me a trip to a quieter region and provide the opportunity to see some of the CAN projects firsthand. Knowing the profits from my trip would not only fund the Guiding and Porter team in Nepal but also the vital health, land use, porter shelters and school projects CAN provide, meant my impact as a visitor to Nepal would have a fantastically positive effect on the country I was visiting. 

CAT provided us with a 16 day itinerary during which we visited 6 health posts and a school. Seeing first hand the incredible impact the nurses and teachers have on their patients, students and the community as a whole was inspirational and humbling. Our experienced guide, Pasang helped to keep our days fluid so we could combine spending time with the people we met with some very long walking days. Ideally, 20 days would have worked better to allow for more visits to CAN projects, monasteries, additional rest days etc. but for us, work and family commitments dictated otherwise.

Spring is the quieter trekking season in Nepal and while dry and dusty it meant the rhododendrons were in full bloom and we saw a proliferation of butterflies, flowers and wildlife including Himalayan Griffon, Monal, Langur Monkeys, Marmots and Bharal or Himalayan Blue Sheep.

As we got higher the temperature in the evenings dropped and while it didn’t venture much below freezing it snowed and felt very cold compared the hot Spring sunshine of the day. This meant we often chose to snuggle into our sleeping bags ridiculously early and fell naturally into going to bed when it got dark and rising with the light. 

I have been to high altitude multiple times and understand that it is a lottery how our bodies react to the reduced oxygen in the air, however, the itinerary CAT had arranged ticked every box when it came to acclimatisation. Our bodies, though, had other ideas. For Peri, a gnarly head cold aggravated her asthma, making breathing difficult on the long trek over the pass. For me, an HRT medication glitch meant I got a migraine two days before crossing that meant I could stomach little food. Annoyingly, this meant I was low on “fuel” culminating in an all too familiar dose of altitude sickness. It was definitely a type 2 adventure sort of day but my goodness, the views and the tears of elation at the summit of the pass, knowing that despite everything we had achieved our goal together after 35 years of friendship and sharing in the joy of our Guide Pasang and our Porter Karpa at our collective accomplishment (we couldn’t have done it without them) was truly a memory that will stay with me forever. “

Photos: Cathy Casey and Peri Thomas

Let’s talk kit…..

Obviously, this is a subject very close to my heart and over the years I have honed my clothing and equipment to a collection I know works well for me. I also spent a lot of time training for this trip and made sure that I wore everything to test it out for fit and function. This meant I knew my pack was the correct length for my back, I instinctively knew where all the pockets were on my jackets, I knew a scarf worked better for me than a baseball cap in the sun, I knew my boots wouldn’t rub and which lacing configuration worked best (trust me this is actually rocket science. I know this because the article about “How To Lace Your boots” on our shop blog is consistently the most popular!)

Feet (THE most important piece of kit! - if you’re feet are unhappy you are not going to enjoy your trip)

I opted for Scarpa Women’s Mescalito Trek Gore-Tex boots as these fitted my feet the best out of all the ones I tried on. They offer excellent support and a tough sole unit to protect against sharp rocks underfoot. I was a little late to the game when it came to supportive insoles but now I don’t venture out walking or running without them. I fitted my boots with Sidas 3feet outdoor high Insoles which I know work well for my high instep and relieve ligament and muscle tiredness in my feet. These I combined with two pairs of socks. I used Injnji Liner socks (which protect against blisters appearing between my toes) along with either a pair of Bridgedale Women’s Hike socks or Darn Tough Women’s Mountaineering socks for the cooler days. I have been using the Bridgedales for years as they are made in the UK, have a really comfortable ankle and (most importantly) fit perfectly over the top of my boots at night to make sure nothing with more legs than me climbs into them! On this trip I used the Darn Tough socks with Merino wool for the first time and they were amazing. There were a couple of evenings where it was too cold to wash anything so they got a really good test!! Although both Peri and I carried a huge blister kit, we didn’t need it. Peri was wearing La Sportiva Womens Aequilibrium boots which are also capable of taking a walking crampon for use in winter. On this trip, we only had a few snow fields to cross, however, walking spikes would be very handy if the weather decided to get a little wintry.

Personal Health (Second most important kit items)

Since the early 90’s, I have never travelled without some form of water filter - not just to protect my stomach but also to clean wounds etc. On longer, more remote trips I use an MSR Mini Works which has kept me bug free for over twenty years. Just a quick service when you get back from each trip, a thorough drying and it can live in a box happily until the next adventure. On this trip, however, I opted for something super lightweight and compact; a Katadyn BeFree. Just fill with water from the tap, shake and you’re ready to drink. We used hardly any single use plastic bottles of water on a three week trip and had zero stomach problems. Result!

This trip I also tried a new product we are stocking called Pits n Bits which turned out to be brilliant! They make small, mint sized compacted wipes made from plant fibre that when hydrated (either with water or their own anti-bacterial body wash) turn into a good sized wipe that is completely bio-degradable. We were in shared rooms at high camp so I could have a complete clean up inside my sleeping bag which not only made life better for everyone around me but also helped eliminate chafing.

Don’t forget your eyes! I used Julbo Monetrosa’s with a category three lens; ideal for glare and on the snowier sections I could re-attach the small side visors for added protection.

Clothing

My all time favourite piece of trekking clothing is my Rab Women’s Vapour-rise jacket. It’s quick drying, windproof, light and when you turn it inside out makes an idea pillow cover if the one offered is not quite the colour you were expecting! I use it on every trip, regardless what I am doing. I also had a couple of wicking t-shirts with me including an excellent ME Tempi Tee but while I was walking I used a long sleeve baselayer to protect me from the sun and wind. Baselayer-wise I had three different ones with me to try. A Rab Women’s Synchrino top which worked really well. I usually find completely synthetic fabrics get smelly after a day’s use but with a little bit of merino added to this made a big difference. Paired with matching bottoms this made the ideal cold weather sleep wear too. I am a huge fan of Artilect baselayer. It is, hands down, the base base layer I have ever used ( and that’s saying something after 30 years in the outdoor trade!) The cut is superb, the panelling is all flat seamed and doesn’t rub and the Merino Nuyarn performs fantastically so you can use it for multiple days. Finally, I had a thicker womens Loomi merino baselayer which I used when it was really cold. Loomi is a very small company based in Scotland owned and run by a technical outdoor clothing engineer specialising in merino products. I was really impressed with how this top performed, however, when new it doesn’t feel as soft to the touch as some other merino products.

Up high my Rab Women’s Latok Alpine Gore-Tex jacket was a brilliant barrier against wind and snow. For warmth, I carried an active insulation piece as well as a sumptuous, toasty Rab Mythic down jacket for the hours we weren’t walking. This turned out to be a godsend as I didn’t acclimatise well and spent the best part of a day laying flat on my back trying not to throw up!

Head protection included my favourite Mountain Equipment knitted hat for warmth and a scarf for lower down as not only did it protect my head, ears and neck from sun but also saved my fingers when I was handed a scalding cup of tea. I also carried three pairs of gloves; a lightweight Rab Flux liner which squash down super small and dry really quickly if they get wet, a powerstretch pair for warmth and Rab Xenon Mitts for windproof insulation. In the end, it didn’t get cold enough but I knew I could double these up if needed and they are all gloves I use for different activities at home.

Underwear

After spending years using M & S cheapies (and not being particularly comfortable) I decided on this trip to treat myself (well, it was a big birthday!) That meant a pretty hefty investment in both pants and bras but my goodness - what a gamechanger!!!! No chafing, no hot spots, no bruising, no peeling my bra out of my shoulder at the end of the day and no having to look over my shoulder to check the coast is clear to hoik my pants out of uncomfortable places. The Artilect ladies pants were worth every penny! The large waist band was really comfy and stopped sweat trickling down my back into parts it shouldn’t reach and the cut fitted me really well. I couldn’t feel them on, which while potentially concerning, is always the sign of a great piece of kit. Bra’s are always a tricky one as whatever you buy needs to handle a lot of handwashing so boneless is preferable. Living near Penrith is a bonus as there is a fantastic small independent shop called Sassy Nix that are the masters of bra fitting. To be fair, they don’t get a lot of customers where practical washability is a priority but after a few false starts involving leopard print and pink glitter they found and fitted me with an Anita Active bra which was sooooo comfortable, I couldn’t recommend it highly enough.

Sleeping Bag

After continually waking cold, I invested in a women’s specific down bag about 6 years ago and never looked back. On this particular trek all accommodation was in cabins or in the top hostel which made a big difference to keeping warm. I sleep like an ice cube, but I was very comfortable in a well fitting -9 rated Rab Women’s Ascent 700 bag and slept like a log. When it comes to sleeping bags it is really important they fit your body shape so if you are investing in one specifically for your trek then make sure you can try it on before you buy.

Pack

I have been testing a Rab Women’s Muon 40l pack for over a year now and the back system is unbelievably comfy. I think it may be the lightest women’s pack of its size at the moment and offers handy pockets on the chest for snacks, a phone/camera etc. I use a selection of coloured dry bags inside mine as a sort of filing system as packs are rarely waterproof.

Poles

My trusty Leki Makalu’s were once again packed for this trip. The ladies ones fit my grip really well and the only thing I forgot was the little rubber ferules to stop the constant “click click” on rock. Poles are key because not only do they save a huge amount of impact through your knees, they also keep you upright allowing you to take in more oxygen which aids muscle recovery. They are also handy for rigging up an impromptu toilet screen with a scarf (although you’ll need some extra hands to hold it) and I’ve also used mine in self-defence against an over amorous policeman. (not this trip) Jolly handy things all round! 

Tech

Having no idea if/when we would be able to charge phones, torches and powerbanks I decided to take a solar panel with me. The world of electrical items can be a murky one to enter as a buyer. Go cheap and you could end up with something unregulated that at best runs hot or worse, can dangerously overheat. We have opted to stock the Goal Zero Nomad range which a tough, ridiculously simple to use and in full sun, can charge a small Goal Zero Powerbank in as little as an hour. My one was a size 10 which fit happily inside an Exped Padded Table Sleeve.

If you are planning a trip, then make time to test the kit you already have before you buy anything new. Recommendations are a really helpful place to start but the best piece of kit for you is the item that fits your shape and your needs.

We have a whole host of buyers guides and podcasts available to help you decide which you can access through our Joe Brown Outdoor Academy website for free.

Don’t forget you can support the fantastic work Community Action Nepal do by purchasing prayer flags, cards and unique signed photographic prints that are for sale in our Ambleside shop.

Community Action Treks offer the opportunity to explore the Himalaya ethically and sustainably while supporting local communities. Just click on the image below to discover more: