Manasluमाछाखोला
A riverside village of lodges at the mouth of a side stream, the first night's stop for most Manaslu Circuit trekkers.
This is Machha Khola village in Dharche Rural Municipality, Gorkha, the first overnight stop on the Manaslu Circuit; not any of the several streams called Machha Khola ('fish river') elsewhere in Nepal.
Higher seasonal exposure: landslides (Jun-Sep), road blockages (Jun-Sep), river crossings (Jun-Sep).
Machha Khola is a small village on a terrace above the Budhi Gandaki, where a side stream of the same name, meaning 'fish river', joins the main river. Within the Manaslu destination it is the end of the first walking day from Soti Khola, and in good road conditions jeeps now reach it too, so some trekkers start here.
The village is low, warm and green, with banana and papaya trees around the lodges and a sandy riverbank below. From here the valley narrows into a deep gorge: the next day's walk passes Khorlabesi and the small natural hot spring at Tatopani, crosses the river on suspension bridges and climbs to Jagat, where the restricted area begins. Lodges are comfortable by circuit standards, and many trekkers find it a pleasant first night.
The lower Budhi Gandaki villages are home mainly to Gurung and other hill communities, who farm rice, maize and millet on the terraces and keep goats and buffalo. Machha Khola lies in Dharche Rural Municipality. The old trade route up the river has been widened into a trail and then a road over recent decades, changing village life as lodges and shops replace porter stops.
Walk to Tatopani hot spring
On the next stage, stop at the small hot spring spouts at Tatopani, roughly 1-2 hours beyond Machha Khola.
Rest by the river
Relax on the riverbank in the afternoon; do not swim, as the Budhi Gandaki is fast and cold.
Forecast for 900 m. Conditions change fast in the mountains.
Weather data: MET Norway, licensed CC BY 4.0. A forecast, not a guarantee.
Mar-May, Oct-Nov
Several family lodges with simple rooms and dining halls.
No partner stays are listed here yet. List a property.
Walk from Soti Khola in about 6-7 hours, or drive all the way from Kathmandu by jeep when the road is open.
Nearest hub: Kathmandu
Nearest hub: Kathmandu. Times are typical ranges, not schedules, and vary with roadworks, weather and the season.
By busfrom KathmanduLocal buses
Public buses run from Kathmandu as far as Arughat or Soti Khola; the last rough stretch up the valley is normally a shared jeep, so a through bus band would be misleading.
When to set off: morning departures from Kathmandu, by about 07:00
By car or jeepfrom Kathmanduabout 8-10 h
A hired jeep is the usual way in: sealed road as far as Dhading Besi or Gorkha, then an unpaved hill road through Arughat to Soti Khola, and on up the valley to Machha Khola when the track allows.
Road: Sealed to Dhading Besi or Gorkha, then a largely unpaved hill road through Arughat; a jeep or 4WD is normally needed and the upper sections are monsoon-affected.
When to set off: leave Kathmandu by about 06:00 to reach the roadhead in daylight
By motorbikefrom Kathmanduabout 9-12 hExperienced riders only
Riders do reach the Manaslu roadhead, but the stretch beyond Arughat is rough, dusty and exposed, with river crossings and loose surfaces, so it suits experienced off-road riders only.
Road: Highway to Dhading Besi, then an unpaved hill road with loose gravel, steep pitches and stream crossings beyond Arughat.
When to set off: start early; the unpaved section beyond Arughat is slow going
On footfrom Soti Kholaabout 6-7 h6-7 h from Soti Khola, up and down beside the river with a net gain of only about 150-200 m
Most trekkers who drive straight to Machha Khola skip this stage; walked, it is a gentle but long first day.
None needed
Machha Khola lies below the restricted area, so no special permit is needed for the village itself; trekkers continuing up the circuit need the Manaslu restricted area permit and conservation area permits arranged through an agency.
Verify before travel: permit rules and fees change. Checked 2026-10-06 against Department of Immigration: Trekking route and permit fee.
On the Manaslu Circuit, Tsum Valley Trek.
What this place is typically exposed to, and when. These are seasonal patterns, not a report on conditions now.
Landslideshigh in a typical yearJun-Sep
The Budhi Gandaki gorge is one of the more landslide-prone trekking corridors in Nepal and the monsoon months of June to September are generally avoided because of rain-slicked trails and slope failures.
Road blockageshigh in a typical yearJun-Sep
The largely unpaved road beyond Arughat is prone to landslide blockages and washouts during the June to September monsoon, when most of Nepal's annual rain falls.
River crossingshigh in a typical yearJun-Sep
The route crosses the Budhi Gandaki repeatedly on suspension bridges, and near Yaru a cantilever walkway carries the trail along the gorge wall. These are the most exposed sections when the river runs high in the monsoon.
Floodingmoderate in a typical yearJul-Sep
Riverside settlements and trail sections beside the Budhi Gandaki sit close to the water, and monsoon rain raises the river and its side streams quickly.
Othermoderate in a typical yearJun-Aug
Leeches are common on the forested lower trail through the monsoon, which is one reason most trekkers avoid these months.
Heatmoderate in a typical yearApr-May
At about 900 m the gorge is hot and close in April and May, before the monsoon breaks.
Check current conditions before you travel
Roads, trails, passes and flights change with the weather and with roadworks, and nothing on this page describes conditions today. Before you set off, check the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology for weather and flood warnings, the Nepal Disaster Risk Reduction Portal for incidents, and the local authority, police or your licensed operator for road, trail and flight status.
A restricted-area teahouse trek around Manaslu (8,163 m), up the Budhi Gandaki gorge through Gurung and Nubri villages, over the Larkya La (about 5,106 m) and down to Dharapani on the Annapurna Circuit.
A restricted-area trek from the Budhi Gandaki into the Buddhist Tsum Valley in northern Gorkha, through Chumling, Chhokang Paro and Nile to Mu Gompa (about 3,700 m) near the Tibetan border. Often combined with the Manaslu Circuit.
About 6-7 hours along the Budhi Gandaki, with frequent short ups and downs.
Often yes, by jeep from Kathmandu via Arughat in roughly 8-10 hours, but the road depends on season and landslides.
Not for the village itself, but the Manaslu Circuit beyond Jagat requires a restricted area permit arranged through an agency.
Valley or region
A restricted Buddhist side valley of the Manaslu region, with monasteries, Milarepa's cave and villages near the Tibetan border.
Trek stop · 3,590 m
A meadow settlement below the Larkya La, the first stop after the crossing.
Trek stop · 1,860 m
A small village at the head of the lower gorge on the Manaslu Circuit.
Trek stop · 4,460 m
The seasonal stop at the foot of the Larkya La, used the night before the crossing.
Trek stop · 1,340 m
A stone-paved village in the Budhi Gandaki gorge where the Manaslu restricted area begins.
Mountain pass · 5,106 m
The high pass of the Manaslu Circuit, a long glacial crossing from the Budhi Gandaki to the Marsyangdi side.
Trek stop · 2,630 m
The first village of Nubri on the Manaslu Circuit, among barley fields and forest.
Trek stop · 1,570 m
A large Gurung village on the lower Manaslu Circuit, near the turn-off for the Tsum Valley.
