Tsum Valley Trek Altitude: Highest Point, Elevation Profile and Acclimatization

Tsum Valley Trek altitude tops out at Mu Gompa, 3,700 meters (12,139 feet), and the highest place you sleep is Nile at 3,361 meters (11,027 feet). The standalone route has no major pass. That puts it well below Everest Base Camp, but it is still high enough for altitude sickness to matter: three of the ten nights are spent above 3,000 meters, and the itinerary has no scheduled rest day. This guide gives every sleeping altitude, the nights that climb fastest, and how the 11-day route handles acclimatization.

This guide covers our standalone 11-day Tsum Valley Trek. For the route day by day, read the Tsum Valley trekking itinerary. Altitudes come from the trip page and were last checked on 13 November 2026.Photo: Tsum Valley 

How High Is the Tsum Valley Trek?

The Tsum Valley Trek is a high-altitude trek even though it has no pass. You start walking at Machha Khola, 890 meters (2,920 feet), and climb to Nile at 3,361 meters (11,027 feet), where you sleep two nights. From Nile you walk up to Mu Gompa at 3,700 meters (12,139 feet) and back down the same day.

It would be wrong to call it a low-altitude trek. Sleeping above 3,000 meters on three nights with no scheduled rest day is a real altitude exposure, and the CDC counts sleeping altitudes from 2,450 meters (about 8,000 feet) as a risk zone for altitude illness. What keeps the Tsum Valley lower than the big-name routes is its shape: you walk up one valley and come back down the same trail, with no crossing.

"How high" has four different answers, and they are easy to mix up:

Some Tsum itineraries go higher than this one. Our separate 15-day Tsum Valley with Ganesh Himal Base Camp trek adds Dhephyudonma Gompa, listed at 4,060 meters (13,320 feet), and Ganesh Himal Base Camp, listed at 4,200 meters (13,780 feet). Neither is part of the 11-day trek described here.

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Altitude Profile: Village by Village

The first table lists the places where you sleep, in order. On Days 1 to 10, the day number and the night number are the same. Altitudes are approximate: the trip page gives the figures below, and the operator itineraries we cross-checked agree within about 10 to 30 meters.

Day 11 is a short walk and then the road back to Kathmandu, 1,350 meters (4,429 feet). The altitude chart below plots the same ten overnights, with Mu Gompa shown separately as a day trip. Two places you visit but do not sleep at:

Net change versus total climbing. From Machha Khola to Nile your sleeping altitude rises 2,471 meters over five days, which is the net elevation gain between nights. Mu Gompa adds another 339 meters on Day 7, so your highest point is 2,810 meters above the trailhead. Total climbing is larger than these net figures, because the trail rises and falls along the Budhi Gandaki, crosses landslide sections and climbs a ridge on the way to Chhekampar. The trip page does not publish a cumulative-ascent figure, and we do not estimate one. To judge how hard a day will feel, use the nightly changes in the table rather than the net total.

Coming down. The way out follows the same trail: 975 meters down to Chumling on Day 8, 816 to Philim on Day 9 and 680 to Machha Khola on Day 10. The Day 8 descent is the long one, and it is hard on the knees.

Photo: Tsum Valley Trek offers a glimpse of Tibetean culture in Nepal

What Is the Highest Point of the Tsum Valley Trek?

The highest point is Mu Gompa, at 3,700 meters (12,139 feet), the largest monastery in the Tsum Valley. On the 11-day itinerary you reach it on Day 7, hiking up from Nile through barren alpine terrain and returning to Nile to sleep. By then you will have walked five days from Machha Khola, after a drive on Day 1.

The highest point you reach (3,700 meters) and the highest place you sleep (3,361 meters) differ by 339 meters. That gap is deliberate: you climb to Mu Gompa and come back down to sleep lower.

If the group is strong and the weather is good, your guide may offer a night at a basic guest house near Mu Gompa instead. The trip page gives no separate altitude for that guest house, but it would put your highest overnight close to 3,700 meters, about 339 meters above Nile. That is within the 500-meters-a-day guideline for sleeping gains above 3,000 meters, but it gives up the sleep-low buffer. It is the guide's call on the day, not something to plan around.

Which figure is right? Most sources, including our trip page and the operator itineraries we checked, give 3,700 meters. A few print higher numbers, such as 3,710 meters on one page and 3,910 meters on another. A 10-meter difference is within the normal spread between sources. We found nothing to support 3,910 meters, so we use 3,700.

Where does 4,000 meters come from? Wikipedia describes the Tsum Valley as reaching over 4,000 meters. That is a valley-wide figure, not the route of this trek. The standalone trek does not go above 3,700 meters.

Do not confuse these places. The Tsum Valley has several monasteries and viewpoints with similar names and altitudes, so it helps to keep them apart:

Does the Tsum Valley Trek Cross a High Mountain Pass?

No. The standalone trek goes up the Tsum Valley and returns by the same trail. The highest point is a monastery you walk to and back from, not a pass you cross. There are ridge climbs, such as the climb to Chhekampar on Day 5, and landslide-prone sections that your guide takes one at a time, but nothing like a pass crossing.

The Manaslu Circuit Trek is different. Larkya La, at 5,106 meters (16,752 feet), belongs to the Manaslu Circuit and to our 17-day Tsum Valley with Manaslu Circuit trek, not to the standalone Tsum Valley Trek. Do not read Larkya La figures into the Tsum Valley Trek. For the pass itself, see our Larkya La guide.

The difference matters when something goes wrong. On a pass route, the crossing is a long day between two villages that you commit to. On the Tsum Valley Trek, the highest point is a round trip from the bed you slept in, so if you feel unwell on Day 7 you simply do not go up.

Photo: Caravan leaving Tsum Valley for supplies

How Quickly Do You Gain Altitude?

The gains in sleeping altitude, night by night:

Two nights exceed 500 meters: Night 3 and Night 5. The benchmark for that comes from the Wilderness Medical Society (WMS): above 3,000 meters, raise your sleeping altitude by no more than 500 meters a day, and include a rest day, with no gain in sleeping altitude, every 3 to 4 days (WMS 2024 guideline summary). The CDC Yellow Book gives the same 500-meter limit and adds an extra night of acclimatization for every 1,000 meters of sleeping-altitude gain above 3,000 meters. This route gains 361 meters above 3,000 (3,361 − 3,000), well short of that trigger.

• Night 3 (+900 m) is the largest gain on the route, but it ends at 2,240 meters. That is below the 3,000-meter mark where the rule applies, and below the CDC's 2,450-meter line.
• Night 5 (+645 m) is the night to watch. It ends at 3,031 meters, so only 31 meters of the gain is above 3,000 meters and the 500-meter rule is not strictly broken. It is still the biggest step into thin air on the route and the first night clearly above the CDC's 2,450-meter line.
• Night 7 (0 m) counts as a rest night by the WMS definition, because you do not sleep any higher than the night before, even though you spend the day climbing to Mu Gompa.

After Night 5 the profile is gentler: +330 meters to Nile, then a night with no gain. That is a sensible profile on paper, but it is not a guarantee. The CDC's risk table places an ascent of 500 meters a day above 3,000 meters in its low-risk category, and low risk is not no risk. Individual response varies, and altitude sickness can develop on schedules that look conservative.

Altitude and Acclimatization on the Tsum Valley Trek

There is no scheduled acclimatization day in the 11-day itinerary. Days 2 to 10 are all walking days. Day 7 is the closest thing to a rest: you climb to Mu Gompa and return to sleep at Nile, a "climb high, sleep low" day.

How the plan manages altitude:

• A slow start. Jagat (1,340 m), Lokpa (2,240 m) and Chumling (2,386 m) come before the first night above 3,000 meters.
• One flat night at the top. You sleep at Nile on Nights 6 and 7, so the day at Mu Gompa does not raise your sleeping altitude.
• A fast way down. From Nile you drop 975 meters to Chumling in a single day.

What the lack of a rest day means in practice: there is little slack. A slow day, bad weather or a landslide delay uses up what slack the schedule has, and the only flexibility is your guide's judgment on the day. If you feel unwell at Chhekampar or Nile, the right move is to stay put or go down, not to push on to keep to the plan. Our fixed departures run the 11 days as published. If you want a built-in buffer, ask us about a private, customized trip with an extra day at Chhekampar or Nile.

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Into the Hidden Valley of Tsum and Around Manaslu.

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Is Altitude Sickness a Risk on the Tsum Valley Trek?

Yes. Acute mountain sickness (AMS) is a risk on this trek, mainly from Night 5 onward.

Where the risk sits (CDC). The CDC says any unacclimatized traveler going to a sleeping altitude of 2,450 meters (about 8,000 feet) or more, and sometimes lower, is at risk for altitude illness. On this route, Chhekampar (3,031 m), Nile (3,361 m, two nights) and the Mu Gompa day trip (3,700 m) are above that line. Chumling, at 2,386 meters, sits just under it on the way up and again on the way down.

Symptoms (CDC). Headache is the main symptom of AMS, usually with at least one of: loss of appetite, dizziness, fatigue, nausea or, sometimes, vomiting. It feels like a hangover. AMS generally resolves within 12 to 48 hours if you do not go higher.

What to do (CDC and WMS guidance).

• Tell your guide as soon as symptoms start.
• Do not go higher while you have symptoms. The WMS says further ascent should never be undertaken if symptoms are ongoing.
• Descend if symptoms get worse despite rest at the same altitude (CDC). The WMS adds that descent should start for any suspected high-altitude cerebral edema, or if AMS is worsening despite treatment, and suggests descending at least 1,000 meters or until symptoms resolve. From Nile, one day's walk to Chumling is a drop of 975 meters.
• Treat confusion, drowsiness, loss of coordination, breathlessness at rest or a persistent cough as an emergency. These are signs of high-altitude cerebral edema or pulmonary edema. Descend and arrange evacuation.

Our advice. Tell your guide the same day about a headache, nausea, dizziness, unusual tiredness or poor sleep. Do not hide a symptom to keep to the schedule: on this trek, the cost of going up with symptoms is far higher than the cost of a slow day.

Getting help. There is no road in the valley, and the trip page says a helicopter is the realistic evacuation route, which is why travel insurance is mandatory. Check that your policy covers trekking to at least 4,000 meters with helicopter evacuation. For trail conditions, see Is the Tsum Valley open for trekking?. For symptoms and prevention across Nepal's treks, see our altitude sickness guide, and for the new national standard, see Nepal's altitude sickness standard.

This article is not a diagnosis, and we do not give medication or dosage advice. Whether to carry preventive medication is a decision for you and your doctor before you travel.

Photo: A village on the way to Tsum Valley

Is the Tsum Valley Trek Lower Than Everest Base Camp and the Annapurna Circuit?

Yes. The Tsum Valley Trek's high point is far lower than the high points of the trekking routes people usually compare it with:

How to read the table: A village or monastery is not the same as a pass. Mu Gompa is a place you walk to and return from, then sleep lower. Thorong La, Larkya La and Kang La sit between two valleys, so the day you cross them is a long one at the top of the route. The Tsum Valley Trek has no day like that. Highest point is not highest bed. On the Tsum Valley Trek the two differ by339 meters. On the Manaslu Circuit, the highest bed, at Larkya Phedi (Dharamsala), is above 4,400 meters, more than 1,000 meters higher than Nile. Our Manaslu Circuit altitude guide has the full profile. Lower is not low. The CDC's risk line is a sleeping altitude of 2,450 meters, and the Tsum Valley Trek sleeps above 3,000 meters on three nights. The lower ceiling reduces the exposure. It does not remove the risk. For the other routes, see our guides to Everest Base Camp elevation, Annapurna Circuit elevation and the Nar Phu Valley itinerary and Kang La Pass. Is the Tsum Valley Trek Suitable for People Worried About Altitude? It can be, with a clear view of both sides. In its favor The ceiling is lower than the major pass routes: 3,700 meters, against 5,100 to 5,500 meters. There is no pass-crossing day. The route is built around sleeping lower than you climb: Day 7 goes up to Mu Gompa and back down to Nile. It is an out-and-back, so the way down is the trail you already walked. Against it It is remote. There is no road in the valley, and from Nile it is three walking days (Days 8 to 10) back to the trailhead at Machha Khola. The trip page says a helicopter is the realistic evacuation route. There is no scheduled rest day. Three nights are above 3,000 meters, in simple lodges with unheated bedrooms. Walking days are 5 to 8 hours on rocky trail. Tiredness builds across days, and tired trekkers read symptoms less clearly. Landslide-prone sections can change after rain and slow a descent. Our view. The Tsum Valley Trek is a reasonable first trek above 3,000 meters if you are fit and healthy, willing to walk slowly and willing to speak up at the first symptom. It is not a good fit if you need certainty that you will not get altitude sickness, because no trek that sleeps above 2,450 meters can offer that. If you have a heart, lung or other health condition, or have had altitude sickness before, speak to your doctor before booking and tell us when you inquire. Send us your dates, hiking background and any past altitude experience, and we will tell you which itinerary suits you. Trek the Everest Base Camp Heli Tour with Breakfast at Hotel Everest View The Everest Helicopter Tour offers stunning aerial views of Mount Everest and the surrounding Himalayan ranges in a single unforgettable flight. View Trip How Does Altitude Affect the Daily Trekking Experience? Days 2 to 4 (890 m to 2,386 m). These days are about terrain and effort: 5 to 7 hours on rocky trail, steep stairs and suspension bridges. Day 3 is the +900-meter day. Days 5 and 6 (3,031 m and 3,361 m). These are the first nights above 3,000 meters. Walking is 5 to 7 hours, including a landslide area and a ridge climb on Day 5. Nights are colder, and the bedrooms are unheated. Loss of appetite is a listed AMS symptom (CDC), and poor sleep is worth mentioning to your guide too. Day 7 (Mu Gompa, 3,700 m). This is the highest and most exposed day, through barren alpine terrain. The trip page does not publish a walking time for Day 7, so your guide sets the schedule on the day. Go up at your own pace, and do not go up if you are unwell. Days 8 to 10 (descent). The effort shifts from lungs to knees. Day 8 drops 975 meters, and every night after it is lower than the one before. Nights and communications. Lodges at Nile are very simple, with shared bathrooms and a cold night. Wi-Fi and phone signal are limited. For how the seasons change the cold, see our guide to the best time for the Tsum Valley trek. Practical Tips for Managing Altitude on the Tsum Valley Trek These tips are general trekking advice. Where a tip rests on medical guidance, the source is named. Walk slowly, especially on Days 5, 6 and 7. If you cannot speak a full sentence while climbing, slow down. Drink steadily through the day. Our usual guidance is 3 to 4 liters a day. It keeps you comfortable and makes a headache easier to interpret, but it does not prevent altitude sickness. Eat, even when your appetite fades. Loss of appetite is one of the listed AMS symptoms (CDC), so mention it to your guide. Tell your guide about symptoms the same day. Headache, nausea, dizziness, unusual tiredness and poor sleep all count. Do not go higher while you have symptoms. If you are unwell at Nile on Day 7, skip Mu Gompa. This matches the WMS guidance on never ascending with ongoing symptoms. Stick to the planned overnight stops. Do not push on to a higher village to bank time on Days 5 and 6. Skip alcohol at Chhekampar and Nile. It adds nothing to a cold night at 3,000 meters and can blur how you read your own symptoms. Sleep warm. Bedrooms are unheated. A warm sleeping bag and dry layers make the nights at 3,000 meters and above easier. Check your insurance. The policy should cover trekking to at least 4,000 meters with helicopter evacuation. Tell us your altitude history when you inquire, and see your doctor before you travel. Questions about preventive medication belong in that conversation, not on the trail. None of these guarantees you will avoid altitude sickness. They improve the odds that you notice it early and act on it. Standalone Tsum Valley Trek vs Manaslu Circuit and Tsum Valley The standalone 11-day trek and the 17-day combination share the road to Machha Khola and the lower Budhi Gandaki trail, but their altitude profiles are different. Do not read the numbers of one into the other. Tsum Valley Trek (11 days) Tsum Valley with Manaslu Circuit (17 days) Highest point Mu Gompa, 3,700 m / 12,139 ft Larkya La, 5,106 m / 16,752 ft Highest sleeping altitude Nile, 3,361 m / 11,027 ft Larkya Phedi (Dharamsala), above 4,400 m High pass None Larkya La Tsum section Chhekampar, then Nile for two nights, with Mu Gompa as a day trip Chumling to Rachen Gompa (3,240 m, overnight), then Nile and Mu Gompa, then back to Chumling Scheduled acclimatization day None Yes, at Samagaun on the Manaslu section Where altitude matters most Chhekampar, Nile and Mu Gompa day Larkya Phedi and the Larkya La crossing, as well as the upper Tsum Valley Our Manaslu Circuit vs Manaslu with Tsum Valley guide compares the two routes in detail, and our Manaslu Circuit altitude guide covers the higher profile. Tsum Valley Trek Altitude FAQs What is the highest point of the Tsum Valley Trek? Mu Gompa, at 3,700 meters (12,139 feet), reached as a day trip from Nile on Day 7 of our 11-day itinerary. Longer Tsum itineraries can go higher: our 15-day trip adds Dhephyudonma Gompa and Ganesh Himal Base Camp. What is the altitude of Mu Gompa? Mu Gompa is at about 3,700 meters (12,139 feet). Most sources agree on that figure, though a few print slightly higher numbers. How high is Nile in the Tsum Valley? Nile is at 3,361 meters (11,027 feet). It is the highest place you sleep on the 11-day trek, and you spend two nights there. Does the Tsum Valley Trek go above 4,000 meters? Not on the standalone 11-day trek, whose highest point is 3,700 meters. The 15-day trip with Ganesh Himal Base Camp lists points above 4,000 meters (Dhephyudonma Gompa at 4,060 meters and Ganesh Himal Base Camp at 4,200 meters). Does the Tsum Valley Trek have a high pass? No. The standalone trek goes up the valley and returns by the same trail. Larkya La (5,106 meters) belongs to the Manaslu Circuit and to the 17-day combination with Tsum Valley. Is altitude sickness a risk on the Tsum Valley Trek? Yes. The CDC counts sleeping altitudes from 2,450 meters as a risk for altitude illness, and this trek sleeps above 3,000 meters on three nights. Tell your guide about symptoms the same day, do not go higher while you have them, and descend if they worsen. How many days does it take to reach Mu Gompa? On our 11-day itinerary you reach Mu Gompa on Day 7: a drive on Day 1, five walking days to Nile (Days 2 to 6), then the day trip up to the monastery. Is there an acclimatization day on the Tsum Valley Trek? No scheduled one. Day 7 works as a climb-high, sleep-low day, because you go up to Mu Gompa and return to sleep at Nile, so your sleeping altitude does not rise that night. Ask us about a private trip if you want a buffer day. Is the Tsum Valley Trek lower than Everest Base Camp? Yes. Mu Gompa (3,700 meters) is 1,664 meters below Everest Base Camp (5,364 meters) and 1,716 meters below Thorong La (5,416 meters) on the Annapurna Circuit. Is the Tsum Valley Trek suitable for a first high-altitude trek? It can be, if you are fit and healthy, walk slowly and report symptoms early. The ceiling is lower than the pass routes, but the trek is remote and sleeps above 3,000 meters on three nights, so it is not risk-free. Tell us your altitude history and we will advise. What is the difference between the standalone Tsum Valley Trek and Manaslu Circuit with Tsum Valley? The standalone trek is 11 days and peaks at Mu Gompa (3,700 meters). The combination is 17 days and adds the Manaslu Circuit with the Larkya La crossing at 5,106 meters and a higher sleeping altitude above 4,400 meters. What is the highest sleeping altitude on the Tsum Valley Trek? Nile, at 3,361 meters (11,027 feet), on Nights 6 and 7. If your guide offers a night at a guest house near Mu Gompa, your highest overnight would be close to 3,700 meters instead. Plan Your Tsum Valley Trek You can join a fixed departure or book a private, customized trip for your own group. Dates, current pricing and what the package covers are on the Tsum Valley Trek page, and the Tsum Valley trek cost guide explains permits and extras. Tell us your hiking background and any past altitude experience, and we will recommend the itinerary that fits. Sources and Further Reading Medical guidance in this article comes from the sources below. Trekking advice is ours. CDC Yellow Book: High-Altitude Travel and Altitude Illness (updated 23 April 2025) Wilderness Medical Society: Summary of the 2024 Practice Guidelines for Acute Altitude Illness Luks AM, et al. Wilderness Medical Society Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Acute Altitude Illness: 2019 Update. Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, 2019. Places Nepal: Tsum Valley Trek, Tsum Valley with Manaslu Circuit and Tsum Valley with Ganesh Himal Base Camp trip pages (altitudes, last checked 13 November 2026)