Trip Facts

• Country / Location: Nepal/Manaslu Region/Lamjung District
• Transportation / Airport / Departure From Car, Jeep, Minibus / Kathmandu (KTM)
• Highest access / Climbing route: 8,163m (26,763ft) /  Northeast ridge
• Coordinates / First Ascent: 28°32'58''N, 84°33'43''E / Toshio Imanishi and Gyalzen Norbu (Japan), May 9, 1956
• Major Activity / Grade: Trekking / Climbing / Low technical difficulty
• Climbing Ratio: 1+1 (1 Member 1 Climbing Sherpa Guide)
• Himalayan Sights: Buddha Himal, Annapurna, Ganesh Himal,
• Accommodation / Meals: 3* to 5* BB in Kathmandu & B, L, D during the Driving and climbing period
• Mode of Travel / Culture: Tea House/Camping / Tamang, Sherpa
• Duration: 20 to 33 Days (Approximately) depending upon the program and scheduled itinerary. 
• Group Size: 02-15.max per Group.
• Best season: Autumn (Sept, October, November)

Trip Highlights

• Summit of Mt. Manaslu: Conquer the eighth-highest mountain in the world, a peak renowned for its technical climbing routes and spectacular views of the surrounding Himalayan giants.
• Exhilarating Ski Descent: Experience the adrenaline rush of skiing down from the summit of Mt. Manaslu, navigating steep slopes, glacial terrain, and ever-changing snow conditions, making this descent one of the most memorable skiing experiences on Earth.
• Cultural and Scenic Immersion: Trek through the culturally rich Manaslu region, a place steeped in Tibetan Buddhist heritage, and witness the breathtaking landscapes, from subtropical forests to alpine meadows, leading up to the icy expanses of the mountain.
• Remote and Unspoiled Wilderness: Explore one of Nepal’s most isolated and pristine areas, offering an adventurous trek to the base camp and a rare opportunity to witness the lifestyle of the local communities, particularly the Tibetan-influenced inhabitants of the upper Buri Gandaki Valley.

Manaslu Northeast Col Route Camps: The Manaslu expedition involves a series of high-altitude camps strategically placed to facilitate a successful ascent. Here are the key camp details:

Base Camp (4,800m / 15,748ft):

• Located at the foot of Manaslu, the Base Camp serves as the primary hub for the expedition.
• It is equipped with tents for sleeping, dining, and medical facilities.
• Climbers spend several days here acclimatizing and preparing for higher altitudes.

Base Camp: Located on a rocky moraine with amazing views of the Himalayas. Xtreme Climbers base camp will be set up for almost 30-35 days. On an 8000m expedition climbers spend most of their time at base camp. We establish our camp between meeting points with different groups and strategic viewing positions of the Manaslu massif just about walking distance. We also provide each member their own personal high-quality VE-25 North Face private Tent. The dining tent will be a common area for members as well as a shower and toilet tent. By the day and time of your arrival at base camp, it will already be fully established by our Base Camp Staff and Climbing Sherpa Team with the required facilities of warm welcome HOT Juice, Soup, Popcorn, and other snacks available immediately after the welcome greetings.  We will have a Puja ceremony at the base camp for good luck before the climbing period which represents safe climbing passage for everyone involved in the expedition.

Camp I (5,500m / 18,044ft):

• Situated on a glacial plateau, Camp I is reached after navigating through crevasses and seracs.
• This camp is critical for further acclimatization.
• Climbers establish ropes and ladders to secure the route to Camp II.

Camp 1 is divided into two sections, lower camp 1 and upper camp 1, the distance between the two is 100m/328ft. After the basic and advanced training by your climbing Sherpa guide, you will be ready for your attempt to climb to camp 1 which is at a height of 18,700ft/5800m. During this section of the climb, you will encounter mixed terrain including a few crevasses and short ice sections on the first section of the glacier. Prior to the first section of the glacier, you will encounter grassy slopes, rock slabs, and moraine. For average climbers, it takes about 4-5 hours. The first section of climbing on the moraine takes about an hour, then you reach the crampons point at the mouth of the glacier, the glacier portion takes about 3-4 hours.

Camp II (6,300m / 20,669ft):

• Located on a steep and exposed ridge, Camp II offers breathtaking views.
• It serves as an acclimatization stop and a staging point for pushing higher.
• The route from Camp I to Camp II involves steep snow and ice climbing.

Camp 2 is situated above the icefall on a snowy terrace. Climbing from Camp 1 to Camp 2 is the most technical section on Mt. Manaslu. During this climbing section, you encounter the heart of the icefall. The first section is just slogging over snow for about an hour, and then you encounter several steep sections of ice, 2 ladder crossings, and steep snow climbing. Expect that this section will take you about 5-6 hours. Expect that you will encounter several steep sections of ice that are 100m at a slope of 65º. For most people, this is the crux of the route. 

Camp III (6,800m / 22,310ft):

• Perched on the slopes of Manaslu, Camp III is the highest point where climbers acclimatize before making their summit push.
• The ascent to Camp III includes navigating ice walls and crevasses.
• Climbers spend minimal time here due to the high altitude and harsh conditions.

Camp 3 (6800m/22,310ft)-02-03 hrs: It's the shortest distance between Camp 2 to Camp 3. The main ropes are fixed by climbing Sherpa’s team and it does not require any ladder crossings, There are a few crevasses that are roughly a half meter that need to be jumped. This section for most climbers feels easier, but still, it is not to be taken lightly, the climbing is still on sustained slopes and there is exposure to cold and wind. Although in spring there have been reports of direct sun hitting this section making it feel very warm

Camp IV (7,400m / 24,278ft):

• Also known as the High Camp, Camp IV is the final staging point for the summit attempt.
• Located on a snow plateau, it offers little protection from the elements.
• Climbers rest here briefly before making their final push to the summit.

Camp 4 (7500m/24,606ft): Now you are nearing the death zone.  As all climbers are aware the oxygen levels are very low at this altitude so it is expected that any effort no matter how minimum or trivial will feel arduous. Climbing from camp 3 to camp 4 feels like a very long day, the distance of a short nut. In this section, you have to climb for 3-4 hours on steep snow that is on a 50-55º slope. This section is dangerous because the snow slope covers a layer of ice which makes the ethos section avalanche-prone. Compared with other sections of the route, this portion is extremely physical with sustained steep snow sections at extreme altitudes in avalanche terrain.

Summit (8,163m / 26,781ft):

• The final ascent from Camp IV to the summit involves steep snow slopes and ridge climbing.
• Climbers aim to reach the summit in the early morning hours to avoid afternoon storms.
• After reaching the summit, climbers descend back to Camp IV or lower to ensure safety.

Summit (8156m/26,759ft)-16-17 hrs: The climbing is not technical in the early part as you ascend through several basins with short snow headwalls. Most climbers begin their summit bid at around 12 to 1:00 am.  Summit day, is the main goal during the climbing period. if all goes well people reach the summit between 6-09 am. Below the main summit is a false summit, the main summit is reached via an exposed ridge. It takes about 4 hours to return to Camp 4 from the summit and another 2 hours to get to Camp 3 for an overnight stay. The climb passes the false summit and finishes on an exposed ridge to the true summit for a spectacular view of the mighty Himalayas. Our Sherpa guides will fix ropes, break trails and make every effort to assist the group to reach the summit of the 8th highest mountain in the world.

B.C Service (In Base Camp): In the Base Camp: Xtreme Climbers provides very professional, supportive, and friendly mountaineering logistic services. The approach from Kathmandu to the Sama Gaun village takes roughly 10 days. From Sama Gaun you climb up to Manaslu Base camp. Throughout your approach and climbing period, Xtreme Climbers provides a high-quality, supportive, safe, friendly, stress-free, and comprehensive service to maximize your summit opportunity.

We provide a comprehensive service organizing all necessary permits, climbing documentation, traveling logistics (including airfares), ground transportation, porters, and other individual services required by mountaineers. On the trek to the ABC, we organize all required accommodation and food.

In the Base camp, our cooks and helpers will prepare and serve three delicious freshly cooked meals a day. We also ensure that hot and cold drinks as well as healthy snacks are available 24 hours a day. In the Base Camp, we provide spacious and durable 4 season personal tents for all of our clients. This comes with full board or base camp services only. In the base camp, we also provide a dining tent, kitchen tent, toilet facilities, and portable shower facilities as well as tent accommodation for our staff. In the Base Camp, we provide access to communication including a satellite telephone, internet access, and solar panels to charge your batteries.

• Climbing any mountain especially 8000m above is tough but highly rewarding as well. So, do prepare yourself Psychologically and Physically to withstand all possible hazards that may come across your path during the mountaineering journey.
• The expedition is EXTREMELY Challenging but worth it.  Before the summit push, we will have enough time at the Base Camp where our supremely talented climbing Sherpa guide will train you very well to be in the Himalayas by providing you with all technical know-how and techniques.
• The summit lies at a higher altitude and can cause altitude sickness to anyone attempting the summit push. But proper acclimatization, enough Oxygen which will be carried and reserved at higher camps for emergency use, and support/assistance by our high altitude climbing Sherpa Guide will help you go through to reach the summit of your dream mountain. Above the higher camps, we will always have extra bottles of oxygen in case of emergencies. This is why one must go on an expedition to any of the 7 thousand before heading to any 8000m. This will not only help you gain experience in the high altitude but also familiarize you with all the gears and equipment while handling extremely cold temperatures, gaining great crampon skills on and on the rock, snow, ice, rappelling with a pack on, and using ascenders and jumars on a fixed-line. Along with tolerance at a high altitude, you need strength, endurance, and strong cardiovascular conditioning.

NOTE: Prioritize your training efforts with the following techniques assuming you are in good health and injury-free;

1. Climbing Conditioning: Uphill climbing with a backpack, walking, and staircase climbing
2. Strength training for lower body and core
3. Cardiovascular Training: Include both aerobic and anaerobic workouts with and without pack-weight
4. Flexibility Training: Include stretches for overall body

General Notes:

• The expedition requires meticulous planning, acclimatization, and preparation at each camp.
• Weather conditions and individual climber acclimatization can affect the number of days spent at each camp.
• Safety measures include setting fixed ropes, using supplemental oxygen, and having contingency plans for emergencies.

The Manaslu expedition is a challenging and rewarding adventure, requiring climbers to be well-prepared for the demands of high-altitude mountaineering.

Required Experience:

Experience in mountaineering (6000 m. / 7000 m.) is recommended and required to sign up for this expedition.