Manang

A Tibetan village at 3,540 m on the Annapurna Circuit with Ice Lake, Tilicho Lake and ancient monasteries — the trekkers' acclimatization stop.

Manang, in Manang district of Nepal's Gandaki Province, is a Tibetan village at about 3,540 m midway along the Annapurna Circuit trek. The upper Marsyangdi valley it sits in lies in the rain shadow north of the Annapurna massif, so it is dry, with landscapes that resemble Tibet. The village is surrounded by Annapurna II, III and IV and Gangapurna, and lies within the Annapurna Conservation Area; you need an ACAP permit and a TIMS card.

Things to do: almost every Circuit trekker spends two nights in Manang to acclimatize. On rest days you can walk to Gangapurna glacial lake, Ice Lake or Milarepa's Cave, visit Braga Monastery, and attend the altitude sickness talk given by the Himalayan Rescue Association (HRA). Between Pisang and Manang you can take the more scenic upper route via Ghyaru and Ngawal, passing the huge rock face of Paungda Danda along the way. From Manang, a round trip west via Khangsar to Tilicho Lake takes 3–4 days; heading north via Yak Kharka and Thorong Phedi, you cross the 5,416 m Thorong La pass and descend to Muktinath (see the Mustang & Jomsom destination).

Getting there: from Kathmandu or Pokhara, drive to Besisahar, then switch to a jeep along the dirt road to Chame or Manang — about 1–2 days in total, with frequent landslides in the monsoon. Alternatively, trek from Besisahar to Manang in about 6–8 days. Humde has a small airstrip, but flights are highly unreliable.

Seasons and tips: the weather is most stable in March–May and October–November, with the best visibility in autumn. June–September is the monsoon, though Manang gets relatively little rain; winters are bitterly cold and the pass is often closed. Altitude sickness is the biggest risk — ideally, don't raise your sleeping altitude by more than 500 m per day. There are no ATMs, so bring enough cash.

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