Manaslu Circuit Weather by Month: Complete Guide (2026/27)

Ask what the weather is like on the Manaslu Circuit and the honest answer is: which part of it? On the same October afternoon, Machha Khola at 890 m can sit at a shirt-sleeve 20°C while Larkya La at 5,106 m is holding steady around freezing with a wind that makes it feel twenty degrees colder. This trek climbs through six distinct climatic zones — subtropical river gorge to high alpine desert — over just twelve days, and the single biggest planning mistake trekkers make is checking "Nepal weather" once and assuming it applies the whole way up.

This guide breaks down what actually happens, month by month, at every elevation band on the route — temperatures, rainfall and snowfall, trail and pass conditions, visibility, crowds, and what to pack — grounded in our own trip data and cross-checked against the specific microclimates this circuit passes through.

Quick answer

The Manaslu Circuit's best months are April–May and October–November, when trails are stable, Larkya La (5,106 m) is generally passable, and visibility is at its best. October is the single most reliable month. Avoid July–August (peak monsoon: landslide risk on the lower gorge, minimal high-altitude visibility) and be cautious about January–February and late December, when Larkya La is frequently snow-blocked and many high-altitude teahouses close entirely. Temperature swings are extreme by elevation on any given day: expect 15–20°C+ differences between Machha Khola (890 m) and Samagaun (3,530 m), and 25°C+ swings between the lower valley and Larkya La on the same date.

How to read this guide: four elevation zones

Weather on this route doesn't move in one line — it moves in bands. Every month's breakdown below refers to these four zones, matching how the trek's own difficulty and accommodation data are structured:

Low zone (700–2,000 m): Machha Khola, Khorlabeshi, Jagat — subtropical, forested, warmest and wettest
Mid zone (2,000–3,500 m): Deng, Namrung, Lho, Shyala — temperate, cooling fast, first real cold nights
High zone (3,500–4,500 m): Samagaun, Samdo — alpine, sub-zero nights common outside peak season
Pass zone (4,500–5,106 m): Dharmasala/Larkya Phedi, Larkya La itself — high alpine to arctic-adjacent, extreme regardless of season

Seasonal overview

Season	Months	Overall verdict
Spring	March–May	Recommended — stable, warming, rhododendrons lower down
Summer/Monsoon	June–August	Not recommended — wet, landslide risk, poor high-altitude visibility
Autumn	September–November	Recommended — the most reliable window, especially October
Winter	December–February	Experienced trekkers only — clearest skies of the year, but severe cold and real pass-closure risk

Trek the Manaslu Circuit Trek

A remote and off-the-beaten-path Himalayan adventure in Nepal. The trek covers roughly 160 km (100 miles) and involves 5–7 hours of hiking per day through villages, forests, and the Larkya Pass

View Trip

January

Zone	Day temp	Night temp
Low (700–2,000 m)	8–14°C	0–4°C
Mid (2,000–3,500 m)	2–8°C	−8 to −2°C
High (3,500–4,500 m)	−2 to 5°C	−15 to −10°C
Pass zone (4,500–5,106 m)	−10 to −5°C	−25 to −15°C

Rainfall/snowfall: Minimal rain; regular fresh snowfall at and above Samagaun, with Larkya La frequently under deep snow cover.

Trail/pass conditions: The lower gorge trail stays open and clear; Larkya La is often genuinely impassable or requires full winter mountaineering gear and an experienced guide's judgment call on any given day.

Visibility: Exceptional — this is peak clear-sky season, with some of the sharpest mountain definition of the year.

Crowds/teahouses: Very quiet; a meaningful number of high-altitude teahouses (Samdo, Dharmasala) close or run reduced service as owners head to lower villages or Kathmandu for winter.

Pros: Crystal-clear views, complete solitude on the trail. Cons: Genuine risk the pass simply isn't crossable; limited high-altitude accommodation; extreme cold.

Gear: Full expedition-grade down jacket, −20°C-rated sleeping bag, crampons, and cold-weather layers throughout — this is not standard trekking kit.

Best for: Experienced, well-equipped trekkers specifically seeking solitude and clear skies who can accept the real possibility of turning back at the pass.

Difficulty/safety: Highest of the year — treat January as an expedition-style undertaking, not a standard teahouse trek.

February

Broadly similar to January — still the coldest stretch of the year, with Larkya La commonly holding deep snow and closure risk remaining real through most of the month. Late February occasionally shows the first hints of a thaw, but conditions should still be treated as winter-severe. Teahouse availability at Samdo and Dharmasala remains reduced. Best for: The same narrow group as January — experienced, properly equipped trekkers prioritizing clear skies and solitude over certainty of completing the pass. Recommendation: Only with a flexible itinerary and a guide experienced in current-season winter conditions.

March

Zone	Day temp	Night temp
Low (700–2,000 m)	10–18°C	4–6°C
Mid (2,000–3,500 m)	6–12°C	−4 to 2°C
High (3,500–4,500 m)	0–5°C	−10 to −5°C
Pass zone (4,500–5,106 m)	5–6°C (morning)	−10 to −8°C

Rainfall/snowfall: Occasional light rain lower down; snow cover at the pass begins slowly retreating but can remain deep well into the month.

Trail/pass conditions: Lower and mid-zone trail in good shape; Larkya La is transitional — some years it's genuinely open by mid-March, others it holds deep snow into early April, so this is very much a check-current-conditions month rather than a guaranteed-clear one.

Visibility: Good and improving as winter haze clears, though not yet at peak autumn sharpness.

Crowds/teahouses: Building steadily as spring season opens; teahouses reopening at higher elevations.

Pros: The first genuinely comfortable month of the year at lower elevations, without peak-season crowding yet. Cons: Pass conditions are the least predictable of the spring window — this is the one spring month where "recommended" comes with a real asterisk.

Gear: Full winter layering still required for the pass approach; lighter layers increasingly workable lower down.

Best for: Trekkers comfortable with some pass-timing uncertainty in exchange for quieter trails than peak April.

Trek the Manaslu Circuit Trek

A remote and off-the-beaten-path Himalayan adventure in Nepal. The trek covers roughly 160 km (100 miles) and involves 5–7 hours of hiking per day through villages, forests, and the Larkya Pass

View Trip

April

Zone	Day temp	Night temp
Low (700–2,000 m)	18–22°C	8–12°C
Mid (2,000–3,500 m)	12–18°C	2–6°C
High (3,500–4,500 m)	5–10°C	−8 to −3°C
Pass zone (4,500–5,106 m)	~15°C in direct sun; −12°C at dawn	—

Rainfall/snowfall: Light, occasional showers, mostly at lower elevations; minimal fresh snow at the pass by this point in most years.

Trail/pass conditions: Generally stable and open; this is one of the two most dependable months for a clean Larkya La crossing.

Visibility: Very good, with strong, high-definition mountain views most days.

Crowds/teahouses: Genuinely busy — this is peak spring season, and booking ahead at popular stops (Samagaun, Samdo) matters.

Pros: Rhododendron forests in full bloom on the lower and mid sections, reliable pass conditions, warm enough lower down to trek comfortably in standard layers. Cons: The busiest spring month — expect company at every teahouse.

Gear: Standard three-season trekking layers lower down, full down/winter kit for the pass push specifically.

Best for: First-time Manaslu trekkers wanting the most dependable spring conditions and don't mind sharing the trail.

May

Zone	Day temp	Night temp
Low (700–2,000 m)	18–22°C	10–14°C
Mid (2,000–3,500 m)	14–18°C	4–8°C
High (3,500–4,500 m)	6–10°C	−10 to −5°C
Pass zone (4,500–5,106 m)	0–5°C	−12 to −8°C

Rainfall/snowfall: Increasing cloud build-up as the pre-monsoon approaches; occasional afternoon showers lower down.

Trail/pass conditions: Still a genuinely good, often the single best, month to actually cross Larkya La — cold-season snow has cleared but the monsoon hasn't arrived.

Visibility: More variable than April — cloud tends to build through the day, particularly in the second half of the month, which can obscure peak views even when the trail itself is in good shape.

Crowds/teahouses: Noticeably quieter than September–October, and even than April, since May sits at the tail end of spring season.

Pros: A genuine sweet spot for pass conditions with meaningfully fewer people than autumn's peak. Cons: Reduced visibility odds compared to April, particularly for photography-focused trekkers.

Gear: Lighter overall than April lower down; still full winter kit needed at the pass.

Best for: Trekkers who prioritize a quiet, comfortable trail and dependable pass conditions over guaranteed clear mountain photography.

June

The monsoon's arrival marks a real shift.

Rainfall: Increasing steadily through the month, heaviest in the low zone, with the Budhi Gandaki gorge trail (Machha Khola to Jagat) becoming muddy and landslide-prone.

Trail/pass conditions: Lower gorge sections carry real landslide and trail-washout risk; Larkya La itself sees increasing snowfall and reduced visibility, though it generally remains technically passable early in the month.

Visibility: Declining, with cloud cover a near-daily feature by mid-month.

Crowds: Very light — this is genuinely off-season.

Recommendation: Not recommended for most trekkers; only worth considering with a flexible schedule, realistic expectations about views, and full awareness of landslide risk on the lower trail.

July

The heart of monsoon. Rainfall: Heaviest of the year in the low and mid zones — daily rain is the norm, not the exception.

Trail/pass conditions: Landslide risk on the Budhi Gandaki gorge trail is at its highest; this is also frequently cited as the point where Manaslu's position partly in the Himalayan rain shadow gives the upper valley (Samagaun and beyond) noticeably drier, sometimes clearer conditions than the sodden lower gorge — a genuinely useful nuance, though it doesn't fix the access problem of getting through the wet lower trail to reach it.

Visibility: Poor most days lower down; occasionally better in the upper valley on a good afternoon.

Crowds: Minimal.

Recommendation: Not recommended. If you have zero flexibility on dates and July is your only option, go in with eyes open about mud, leeches on the lower forest sections, and landslide-related trail rerouting.

August

Similar to July for the first half; by the second half, early signs of the monsoon beginning to ease appear, though this varies year to year.

Rainfall: Still heavy, especially lower down; a gradual, inconsistent easing toward month's end.

Trail/pass conditions: Lower gorge remains the primary risk zone; upper valley conditions slowly begin stabilizing late in the month in most years.

Visibility: Still generally poor, with brief clearer windows becoming slightly more frequent by the final week.

Crowds: Minimal.

Recommendation: Not recommended, though late August is measurably better than July if a trek in this window is unavoidable.

September

Zone	Day temp	Night temp
Low (700–2,000 m)	16–20°C	10–14°C
Mid (2,000–3,500 m)	12–16°C	4–8°C
High (3,500–4,500 m)	4–8°C	−6 to −2°C
Pass zone (4,500–5,106 m)	0–5°C	−10 to −6°C

Rainfall/snowfall: The monsoon visibly winds down through the month, especially in its second half; still meaningfully rainy and cloudy in the first two weeks, particularly at lower elevation.

Trail/pass conditions: Improving steadily; by late September the lower gorge trail has generally dried out and stabilized, and the pass becomes increasingly reliable.

Visibility: Poor early in the month, improving markedly by the final week as the air clears post-monsoon.

Crowds/teahouses: Light early, building toward the end of the month as the autumn season opens.

Pros: Landscapes at their greenest and lushest — waterfalls still running full from the monsoon, forests vivid. Cons: Genuinely a two-tier month — early September is still risky, late September is excellent, and the difference matters for planning.

Gear: Rain protection essential in the first half; standard autumn layering by the back half.

Best for: Trekkers with flexible dates who can aim specifically for the back half of the month.

Trek the Manaslu Circuit Trek

A remote and off-the-beaten-path Himalayan adventure in Nepal. The trek covers roughly 160 km (100 miles) and involves 5–7 hours of hiking per day through villages, forests, and the Larkya Pass

View Trip

October

Zone	Day temp	Night temp
Low (700–2,000 m)	16–20°C	8–12°C
Mid (2,000–3,500 m)	10–16°C	2–6°C
High (3,500–4,500 m)	2–8°C	−8 to −4°C
Pass zone (4,500–5,106 m)	−2 to 3°C	−12 to −8°C

Rainfall/snowfall: Minimal; this is the driest, most stable stretch of the year.

Trail/pass conditions: At their most dependable — Larkya La is generally clean and clear, with the lowest closure risk of any month.

Visibility: The best of the year, consistently — sharp air, minimal cloud, the mountain definition trekkers come for.

Crowds/teahouses: The busiest month on the circuit; book ahead, particularly for Samagaun and Samdo.

Pros: The single most reliable combination of clear skies, stable trail conditions, and dependable pass crossing available in any month. Cons: Crowds and correspondingly tighter teahouse availability at popular stops.

Gear: Standard three-season trekking layers throughout, full winter kit specifically for the pass crossing.

Best for: Anyone prioritizing certainty — first-timers, trekkers on a fixed schedule who can't afford a pass delay, photographers.

Difficulty/safety: The lowest weather-related risk profile of the year.

November

Zone	Day temp	Night temp
Low (700–2,000 m)	12–18°C	4–8°C
Mid (2,000–3,500 m)	8–12°C	−2 to 2°C
High (3,500–4,500 m)	0–4°C	−10 to −6°C
Pass zone (4,500–5,106 m)	−4 to 0°C	−15 to −10°C

Rainfall/snowfall: Very low; dry conditions continue, with the first meaningful fresh snow possible at the pass by late in the month in some years.

Trail/pass conditions: Still very reliable through most of the month, though early-winter snow risk at Larkya La increases as November progresses.

Visibility: Excellent — dry, crisp air continues from October, arguably even sharper on the clearest days.

Crowds/teahouses: Noticeably thinning compared to October, especially after mid-month.

Pros: Autumn-quality visibility with meaningfully fewer people than October, plus a genuine sense of the season turning. Cons: Nights get seriously cold at altitude by late in the month — this is where winter-grade gear starts becoming necessary, not just nice to have.

Gear: Solid three-season kit early in the month, shifting toward heavier winter layers for the pass by late November.

Best for: Trekkers who've done a Himalayan trek before and want October's reliability with a quieter trail, provided they gear up properly for the cold.

Trek the Manaslu and Annapurna Circuit Trek

Two Legendary Trails. One Epic Himalayan Journey. Nepal's Most Complete High-Altitude Trekking Experience

View Trip

December

Zone	Day temp	Night temp
Low (700–2,000 m)	8–14°C	0–4°C
Mid (2,000–3,500 m)	4–8°C	−6 to −2°C
High (3,500–4,500 m)	−2 to 2°C	−12 to −8°C
Pass zone (4,500–5,106 m)	−8 to −4°C	−20 to −15°C

Rainfall/snowfall: Minimal rain; increasing snow probability at the pass as the month progresses, particularly from mid-December.

Trail/pass conditions: Early December is often genuinely workable with the right gear; conditions deteriorate through the month as winter sets in properly, and by late December, pass closure risk is real.

Visibility: Very good — clear, cold-season skies.

Crowds/teahouses: Quiet, thinning fast; some high-altitude teahouses begin closing for the season as local families relocate to lower villages or Kathmandu.

Pros: Early-month trekkers get genuinely excellent visibility with far fewer people than autumn. Cons: A narrowing window — what's comfortable in the first week can be a real winter undertaking by the last.

Gear: Winter-grade layering and a −15°C to −20°C sleeping bag from the outset.

Best for: Experienced trekkers specifically targeting the first half of the month for a clear-sky, low-crowd window before full winter conditions arrive.

Trek the Manaslu Circuit Trek

A remote and off-the-beaten-path Himalayan adventure in Nepal. The trek covers roughly 160 km (100 miles) and involves 5–7 hours of hiking per day through villages, forests, and the Larkya Pass

View Trip

Larkya La Pass: the weather that actually decides your trip

Every other elevation on this route is, in weather terms, manageable — the pass is different. At 5,106 m, Larkya La sits in genuinely high-altitude terrain where temperature, wind, and snow cover can shift within hours regardless of what the forecast said that morning. A few things worth understanding specifically about this single crossing:

It's the only way out of the upper valley. Unlike an out-and-back trek where a bad-weather day means simply turning around and returning the way you came, Larkya La is the sole route connecting the Nubri valley to Bhimthang and the western side of the circuit. A closed pass doesn't mean "try tomorrow" in the casual sense — it can mean a genuine multi-day wait at altitude.
Wind chill matters more than the thermometer. A day reading −5°C at the pass with exposed-ridge wind can feel dramatically colder — this is why the 3:00 AM departure and disciplined pacing described on our own itinerary exist, not as tradition but as direct weather management.
Snow cover changes the technical character of the crossing entirely. Crampons are standard-issue gear on our departures specifically because snow and ice on the upper approach are common outside the driest months, and even in good-condition months, a fresh overnight snowfall can change the pass from a straightforward walk to a genuinely technical crossing overnight.
Your guide's real-time call matters more than any seasonal chart. Every month-by-month figure in this guide describes typical conditions — the actual decision on any given crossing day is made by an experienced guide reading that specific morning's conditions, and turning back when advised is the correct call, not a failure.

Why elevation matters more than the calendar

The single most useful mental model for this trek's weather: you're not trekking through one season, you're trekking through six climate zones in twelve days. A "good weather month" at Machha Khola (890 m) tells you almost nothing reliable about conditions at Samagaun (3,530 m) the same week, and even less about the pass. This is why our itinerary treats weather zone-by-zone rather than as a single trip-wide forecast — the Manaslu Circuit itinerary and difficulty guide both reflect this same elevation-banded structure, since it's genuinely how the trek is planned and experienced day to day.

How weather affects permits and logistics

Manaslu's permit structure (MRAP, MCAP, and ACAP, all covered in our Manaslu Circuit permits guide) is issued for specific date ranges tied to your booked itinerary, which means a weather-driven delay — particularly a pass-closure hold near Samdo or Dharmasala — can have real knock-on effects on your permit validity and your return flight timing from Kathmandu. This is a genuine reason to build buffer days into any Manaslu itinerary, especially outside the core October–November and April window, and to avoid booking a tight international departure immediately after your planned return date.

Trek the Tsum Valley with Manaslu Circuit Trek

Into the Hidden Valley of Tsum and Around Manaslu.

View Trip

Best and worst months, at a glance

Rank	Months	Why
Best	October	Most reliable trail and pass conditions, best visibility, accept the crowds
Excellent	April, November	Stable conditions, slightly different trade-offs (crowds vs. cold)
Good	March, May, late September	Solid but with a specific caveat each (pass timing, visibility, monsoon tail)
Caution	December, February	Doable with real cold-weather experience and gear; pass risk increases through the month
Avoid	June, July, August, January	Monsoon risk (Jun–Aug) or peak winter pass-closure risk (Jan)

What to pack, by season

Spring/autumn (Mar–May, Sep–Nov): Standard three-season trekking layers for the low and mid zones, with a genuine down jacket, insulated gloves, and a −15°C-rated sleeping bag reserved specifically for Samagaun upward and the pass crossing.
Winter (Dec–Feb): Full expedition-grade layering throughout the high and pass zones — a −20°C sleeping bag, serious insulated boots, and crampons treated as mandatory rather than optional.
Monsoon (Jun–Aug), if attempting: Genuine waterproof shell and pack cover, quick-dry layers, and leech socks for the lower forested gorge sections, alongside standard cold-weather gear for the still-cold upper valley and pass.

Our full Manaslu Circuit packing list covers the complete gear breakdown item by item.

Trek the Manaslu Circuit Trek

A remote and off-the-beaten-path Himalayan adventure in Nepal. The trek covers roughly 160 km (100 miles) and involves 5–7 hours of hiking per day through villages, forests, and the Larkya Pass

View Trip

Frequently asked questions

What is the best month to trek the Manaslu Circuit? October offers the most reliable combination of stable trail and pass conditions, clear skies, and dependable weather of any month on the circuit.

Can you trek the Manaslu Circuit in winter? Yes, but only for experienced, well-equipped trekkers. Larkya La is frequently snow-blocked or genuinely closed in January and February, many high-altitude teahouses reduce service or close, and full expedition-grade gear is necessary throughout the high and pass zones.

Is the Manaslu Circuit trek possible during monsoon season? It's not recommended. The lower Budhi Gandaki gorge trail carries real landslide risk from June to August, and visibility at higher elevations is poor for most of that window, though the upper valley occasionally sees drier conditions than the sodden lower trail.

How cold does it get at Larkya La Pass? Even in the best months (April, October), pre-dawn temperatures at the pass commonly range from −8°C to −15°C, with wind chill making it feel colder still. In winter, pass temperatures can drop to −20°C or lower.

Does weather affect the Larkya La crossing specifically? Yes, significantly — snow cover changes the technical difficulty of the crossing, and because it's the only route out of the upper valley, a closed pass can mean a genuine multi-day delay rather than simply an easy detour.

What's the temperature difference between the start and the highest point of the trek? On a typical October day, Machha Khola (890 m) might see a daytime high near 18–20°C while Larkya La sits well below freezing before dawn — a swing that can exceed 25–30°C across the route on the same date.

Is April or October better for the Manaslu Circuit? Both are excellent. October generally offers the driest, clearest conditions of the year; April adds blooming rhododendrons on the lower and mid sections. October is busier; April is a close second for crowd levels behind May.

When does the monsoon typically end on the Manaslu Circuit? Conditions generally begin improving from mid-to-late September, with the trail and pass reaching autumn-reliable conditions by early-to-mid October in most years.

Do I need crampons for the Manaslu Circuit? Yes, on any departure that crosses Larkya La — snow and ice on the upper approach are common enough outside the very driest weeks that crampons are treated as standard, non-optional gear on our departures regardless of season.

How does weather affect Manaslu Circuit permits? Permits are issued for specific dated itineraries, so a weather-related delay — particularly a pass-closure hold — can affect your permit validity and onward travel plans, which is why buffer days are worth building into any booking, especially outside peak spring and autumn windows.

Weather is the single biggest variable on this trek, and understanding it zone by zone — not month by month in the abstract — is what actually helps you plan well. If you're weighing which month fits your dates and risk tolerance, our team is glad to talk through current conditions and recent pass reports before you book. You can see the full itinerary, elevation profile, and preparation guidance on our Manaslu Circuit Trek page.