Manaslu Expedition

Mt. Manaslu (8,163m), also known as Kutang, is the eighth highest mountain in the world, and is located in the Mansiri Himal, part of the Himalayas, in the west-central part of Nepal. Its name, which means “Mountain of the Spirit”, comes from the Sanskrit word Manasa, meaning “intellect” or “soul”. Manaslu was first climbed on May 9, 1956 by Toshio Imanishi and Gyalzen Norbu, members of a Japanese expedition. It is said, “Just as the British consider Everest their mountain, Manaslu has always been a Japanese mountain”.

Mt. Manaslu is 8,163m (26,781 ft.) above sea level. It is the highest peak in the Lamjung district and is located about forty miles east of Annapurna. The mountain’s long ridges and valley glaciers offer feasible approaches from all directions, and culminate in a peak that towers steeply above its surrounding landscape, and is a dominant feature when viewed from afar.
The Manaslu region offers a variety of trekking options. The popular Manaslu Circuit trekking route of 177 kilometers skirts the Manaslu massif over the pass down to Annapurna. The Nepalese Government only permitted trekking of this circuit in 1991. The trekking trail follows an ancient salt-trading route along the Budhi Gandaki river. 10 peaks over 6,500 meters (21,300 ft.) are visible, including a few over 7,000 meters (23,000 ft.). The highest point reached along the trek route is the Larkya la pass at an elevation of 5,106 meters (16,752 ft.).

Manaslu Conservation Area has been established with the primary objective of achieving conservation and sustainable management of the delimited area, which includes Mt. Manaslu.