The eighth-highest mountain in the world, Manaslu (8,163m), also famous as Kuang, is one of the most challenging eight-thousanders (due to the presence of deep pitches and knife-edged ridges) in the world to climb. Beautifully located in the west-central part of Nepal in the Gorkha massif, Manaslu is also the highest peak in the Lamjung district of Nepal. This “Mountain of Spirit” as per the Sanskrit word ‘Manasa’ (the name Manaslu is derived from this word), was first climbed by the members of the Japanese Expedition: Toshio Imanishi and Gyalzen Norbu on May 9, 1956.
The Manaslu Expedition: is a 40-day expedition, with 20 days set aside for climbing. The journey from Kathmandu to Soti Khola begins with a drive. The elevation gradually rises to 4,750m in just a few days (the Manaslu base camp). The trekking route begins in the village of Soti Khola and continues through beautiful villages, terrace farms, narrow gorges, rhododendron forests, and local pastures before entering the Tibetan-influenced higher alpine country.