Manaslu Circuit Trek is a remote trek in the pristine Himalayan landscapes. This spectacular adventure of a lifetime will pass through the serene natural diversities of the region. This incredible tour takes you through the naturally diverse terrains that require you to have a basic fitness level.
You will have to go through numerous tricky trails before arriving at your destination. You will pass through high-altitude trails during this stunning trekking journey, including mountain passes, meadows, rivers, etc. The views of the snow-clad mountains and other natural landmarks are pretty enticing for all travelers.
Since there are numerous challenges you need to traverse through, it would help if you prepared in advance. The packing list is one critical aspect or factor you need to consider before going on this adventure. The Manaslu Circuit Trek packing list contains clothing, gear, trekking equipment, first aid kits, and other essential items.
Headwear, footwear, toiletries, and important documents, are some of the other essential items. Moreover, the packing list should highly depend on the seasons of the trek. If you decide to walk in the peak season of Autumn and Spring, you can pack lightly. However, in the off-season treks, you should prepare with dense packing with warm and waterproof clothes.
This article provides complete details about the Manaslu Circuit trek packing list. Read further about what to pack for the trek and related information.
Check our another blog: hiring a guide for Manaslu trek, Manaslu trek cost and Itinerary
Manaslu Circuit Trek Packing List
Clothing
Clothing is an integral part of the packing list. Since you will be traveling through high-altitude conditions, you will experience extreme cold conditions and temperatures. Hence, it would help to pack warm clothes for the trek irrespective of the trekking season.
Cotton and wool clothes that can absorb moisture are ideal for the trek. The trekkers should also pack light clothes to wear in layers and add or remove them quickly if necessary. The packing list should highly depend on the season of the trek.
Inner layer
The inner layers of the clothing should be of quick-drying and breathable materials. Numerous lists of inner wear are required for this trek in the remote region. The Manaslu Circuit Trek required you to have comfortable inner-wear. The female trekkers should wear and carry sports bras for comfort.
The inner wears as are necessary for the Manaslu Circuit Trek are:
Underwear briefs
Thermals
Inner vest
Sports bra (for ladies)
Lower body layer
The lower body layer should also include quick-drying, comfortable clothing material. These clothes must be waterproof and sweatproof. The trekkers can either trek in shorts or full trousers. Moreover, wool or fleece trousers are ideal for the tour. There are also requirements for these various items:
Lightweight hiking pants
Hiking shorts/trousers
Thermal trousers
Waterproof shell pants
Fleece or wool trousers
Leggings
Upper body layer
The light synthetic materials are ideal for the upper layer of clothing. A quick wash and dry clothes are more popular for the trek. Your shirts should be lightweight, thin, and sweatproof. This will protect you from sunburns, harsh winds, and rain. The upper body layer required for the trek are:
Fleece Windstopper jacket
Waterproof jacket
Waterproof pants
Polypropylene shirts (half sleeves and long sleeves)
Half/Full sleeves shirt
Breathable fabric jacket
A down jacket
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Footwear
Footwears are essential for the trek as the Manaslu Circuit Trek’s remote and rugged landscapes. The beautiful trails need to traverse through the Himalayan foothills; therefore, quality footwear is essential. The hiking boots are necessary for the rugged landscape of the terrain.
The rocky terrains pass through the various natural diversities of the region, including the forested trails, glacial paths, water streams, etc. You can carry sandals/flip-flops in the teahouses after and before the trekking adventure. These slippers are also ideal for toilets, bathrooms, and teahouses.
Another essential item on the packing list includes gaiters. These are waterproof protective footwear. They cover from ankle to calf and will protect you along the trail from external things like water, stones, snow, dust, mud, and others.
It would help if you got thermal socks to help tackle blisters along the trail. Socks are essential in winters, but you must ensure they are sweat-observing breathable socks. The list of footwear for the Manaslu Circuit Trek is:
Lightweight inner socks
Hiking boots with spare laces
Heavy poly or wool socks
Thin woolen lightweight socks
Heavy woolen socks
Lightweight hiking boots (broken-in and water-resistant)
Sandals
Sneakers or trainers
Head and Hand Coverings
Headwears are essential for the trek as they will save you from all the external elements. These include rainwater, harsh winds, and harsh sun rays. These headgears include headbands, hats, sunglasses, beanies, etc. Good quality sunglasses are essential to protect you from the bright Himalayan sun reflected from the silver mountains.
You can wear a full covering hat that shields your head and face to protect yourself from the harsh UV rays. They will also cover you from the fierce winds that frequently blow in the high-altitude region. Bandanas, beanies, masks, and scarves protect your face and nose in high-altitude areas.
Gloves are another essential hand gear as they keep your hands warm and protect them from cold water, wind, and frostbite. Lightweight poly-liners, fleece, mittens, and wool gloves are ideal for the trek. The essential headwears and headgears list for the Manaslu Circuit Trek are:
Sunglasses with UV protection
Wool or synthetic hat
Headlamp with extra batteries and bulbs
Prescription sunglasses
Bandana or headscarf
Wide straw hat
Beanie
Poly liner gloves
Lightweight woolen gloves
Mittens
First Aid
First-Aid is another essential item you should not miss during the Manaslu Circuit Trek. There are various challenges that you will need to traverse through the region to arrive at your destination. These landscapes can lead to multiple challenges, including injuries, accidents, etc.
There are other factors like altitude sickness in this high altitude challenging trek. Trekkers taking this trek can be prone to various small or big injuries along the trail, including cramps, muscle sprains, blisters, etc.
Since you will be traveling at a high altitude with highly frigid conditions, you are prone to the common cold and others. Therefore, a first aid kit containing all the Diamox tablets, Paracetamol tablets, etc., is necessary for the Manaslu Circuit Trek. Since there are no proper medical facilities, you should carry this first aid kit.
The items required for the trek are:
Medicines
Diamox tablets will prevent any altitude sickness symptoms in the high altitude region. You will remain protected from symptoms like nausea, headache, appetite loss of sleep, etc. The trekkers should also carry colds and cough medicines as you will be traveling in the high-altitude region. The Manaslu region lies at a high altitude. Hence, you should take these medicines as well.
Painkillers are another option to take on the high-altitude trekking journey for quick pain relief. You will likely face muscle cramps, strains, and pains in these demanding terrains. These conditions require the immediate help of painkillers. Alternatively, you can also carry pain-relieving ointments and sprays. Paracetamol is also good to have medicine for your first aid kid.
The trekkers can also take any regular medicines that they consume daily. You can also consult the doctors or your physicians for the medication to take on the trek. The food and water quality can not be guaranteed in the region. Hence, anti-diarrhea and anti-dysentery pills are necessary along the trail. To keep you dehydrated along the route, you should also carry oral rehydration salts, glucose powders, etc.
The antiseptic solution, bandages, and blister plasters
Blister plasters will help you to cover and heal painful blisters. These painful blisters along the trail are pretty standard as you will pass through rugged terrains that move uphill and downhill. You can use them in minor wounds and injuries. Other antiseptic solutions like Dettol are essential to healing minor open cuts and injuries or damages. These are important to stop the infections from spreading around the wound area.
Water Purification Tablets
Water purification tablets are essential as they will purify the water. Since you will generally get water from the teahouses, this water hygiene and quality are not trustworthy. Therefore, you should carry water purification tablets or chlorine solutions. You can also boil the water or use these purification tablets to save you from water-borne diseases in the remote Manaslu region.
Female hygiene products
Female hygiene products like sanitary pads or tampons are essential if you are a female trekker. The female hygiene products in the first aid kit must include sanitary pads, menstrual cups, tampons, and others.
Toiletries
The list of day to day list toiletries required for the Manaslu Circuit Trek is as follows:
Toothpaste
Soap
Toothbrush
Shampoo
Anti-bacterial handwash
Toilet paper
Nail clippers
Medium-sized towel
Wet wipes
Deodorants
Trekking Gear and Equipment
The list of day-to-day trekking gear and equipment required for the Manaslu Circuit Trek must include the following items. An extensive hiking backpack is essential with waterproofing and must carry all your trekking gear and clothing.
Moreover, a small bag is ideal for backpackers. Some essential first aid, documents, toiletries, etc., can get carried in these backpacks. The backpack should have a capacity of 50-70 liters with waterproofing covers. Trekking poles will help you traverse through steep, harsh terrains.
Trekkers can trek with ease and reduce stress on their knees and legs. A headlamp is quite a help you to traverse through these terrains, especially in the early morning trails. Raincoats and rain covers for your backpacks will protect you and your stuff in an occasional downpour.
Important Documents
The necessary documents to carry along the trail include a passport, travel insurance, and trekking permits. There are various points in the trek where you need to show your passport as identification. Besides that, there is the necessity of travel insurance on the terrains.
You will take these terrains that provide tough challenges through rough terrain. These come in handy if you get some injuries, accidents, or any medical emergency. The travel insurance must cover altitudes above 4000m and any necessary evacuations. Trekking permits for the Manaslu Circuit trek are also essential as they provide you with entry permits to the remote region.
Gadgets in the Manaslu Circuit Trek Packing List
Some of the electronic gadgets you should pack are:
Camera
A power bank
External battery charger
Headphones
Mobile phone with a Nepali SIM card
All charger cords and adapters
Snacks List for the Manaslu Circuit Trek Packing List
Snacks are also a part of the trekking journey. Although you will eat in the teahouses twice a day, you will require nutritious snacks to keep you going in the rough terrain. These snacks provide you with all the necessary protein and satisfy your hunger along the trail.
Protein bars will provide you with the high protein content and energy required for the trek. They will keep you going in the region, especially if you cannot get your meal there. Besides that, granola bars and chocolate bars are high in sugar content, providing you with instant energy for the trek.
Other snack varieties can include an instant coffee mix or tea bags. You can get your hot beverage for the trek whenever you like it. These dry fruits like almonds, cashews, walnuts, and provide you with the necessary vitamins, potassium, iron, magnesium, etc.
Other Miscellaneous Items
Journal
Oximeters
Books
Maps
Neck rest
Pillowcase
Sleeping bags
Insect Repellent
Travel knife
Packing Tips for the Manaslu Circuit Trek
For the trip, always carry a large backpack
Always pack and prepare for the journey based on the season
Pack your clothes in layers so that you can add or remove clothes based on your convenience
For the trip, only pack these necessary items
Since there are no facilities, female trekkers must carry their hygiene products for the trip
Break-in in your trekking shoes before the trek
The trekking gear and clothing should be of Quick-dry and absorbing material
Rent trekking gears and sleeping bags if you plan to use them only once
Return your waste products to yourself
Things to Consider Before Packing for the Manaslu Circuit Trek
Trekking Season
The Manaslu Circuit Trek packing is dependent on the trekking season. There are peak seasons for the trek in the Autumn and Spring season. In these seasons, you should pack lightly with only those necessary items. Since there is stable weather and no weather-related challenges, you can pack lightly.
Furthermore, you will need to properly pack waterproof and windproof clothes in the off-seasons. Warm clothes, a down jacket, and a sleeping bag are also required for the trek. The weather remains challenging in the monsoons with heavy rainfall. At the same time, the winters bring frigid extreme weather conditions. Hence, it would be best if you were careful in packing your items for trekking in these seasons.
High Quality Trekking gears
Quality assurance of the trekking gear and equipment is essential for the Manaslu Circuit trek. Since, there are numerous trekking shops around the country, and there is a high chance that you will get sold sub par materials. Various shops sell knock-off brands as well. Hence, you should be careful when selecting the right trekking gear for your journey.
If you do not plan to use these trekking gears and equipment in the future, you can also hire them. There are various shops in the Thamel area of the capital city where you can rent these trekking gear. The average cost of renting these gears ranges from $1 to $10. You can get all your trekking gears for $500 to $1000. However, you need to ensure that the quality is of a high standard before renting or buying these gears.
Luggage Weight
The luggage weight is an essential factor that demands consideration before trekking on the serene Manaslu Circuit trails. There are porters in the region that you can hire to carry your luggage. During the Manaslu Circuit trek, they will carry around 15-20 kgs on their back. Yaks, and other animals are also generally used for transportation purposes. Hence, it would help to consider this aspect before making your way into the region.
Conclusion
The Manaslu Circuit Trek is a beautiful trekking journey in the remote Himalayan region. This incredible trek takes you through the rugged and remote landscapes of the area. Before the tour, you must prepare a proper trek packing list. These packing lists should contain various trekking gear, clothes, and equipment.
Besides, toiletries, first aid, important documents, gadgets, snacks, and other miscellaneous items are also important. The season, trekking gear quality, and luggage weight are other factors you should consider for the packing list. This article provides you with a complete list of the Manaslu Circuit trek items you need for the trek. We hope it helps you with the Manaslu Circuit Trek packing list and other related aspects. Happy Traveling!