Manaslu Trekking: Ganesh Himal & Manaslu Region

The Manaslu and Ganesh Himal areas lie in the north of Nepal adjacent to the Tibetan Border and to the east of the Annapurna Region; the main town and access point to the district is Gorkha.

Manaslu is the world’s seventh highest mountain and has a worthy neighbour in the form of the greater Annapurna range. The area is relatively unknown to trekkers; it was only in 1950 that Tilman first visited the area and as such was one of the early Europeans to see Manaslu and its neighbouring peaks.

Manaslu and Ganesh Himal appear from a distance as a giant barrier of jagged shimmering mountains hanging above the ground and only attached to the earth by thin slivers of mist. The foothills and lower valleys support 'paddy' terraces while water buffalo still play their part in pulling the plough, providing milk and meat. The local homes dotted all around the hillsides are thatched and painted in the traditional manner. Bananas are abundant and cicadas gather in the trees during the blossoming season, bringing another dimension to the landscape.

Many regions now provide the traveller with a relatively comfortable and well- serviced experience and the trekker in turn provids Nepal with a much needed income.

However, the trek to Manaslu through the Budi Gangdaki gorge is still a switch-back of continuous and demanding ascents and descents, many of which might pose a few problems to the inexperienced mountain trekker; in fact, by some they could be intimidating. However, the views and the apparent close proximity to some of the big Himalayan walls keeps the mind focused. This area still provides a ‘real’ adventure to the hardened Himalayan trekker.