Manaslu Circuit Trek is one of most beautiful trails that Nepal has to offer. It surrounds the eighth highest mountain in the world - Manaslu (8163 m.) The trail to the Manaslu is relatively less crowded than classic trekking paths like: the Annapurna Base Camp trek and Annapurna Circuit Trek or Everest Base Camp area. The Manaslu Circuit Trek involves around 177 kilometers of walking. This distance is usually covered in 12-15 days; you travel 13 to 15 kilometers each day. Guide and special permits are required. Elevation ranges from 930 to 5213 meters at the highest point at the Larkya La Pass. Tibetan influences are visible here more then anywhere else since, the old Trans Himalaya Salt Trade Route runs close to the border of Nepal and Tibet. Native Tibetan had been migrating here for some 400 years or more, known as the Bhot people left their strong footprint in Tibetan-style villages and the local lifestyle. Old Buddhist monasteries and villages on route (Namrung, Lho, and Sama-Gaon) preserve the Tibetan tradition and make the route even more exciting. Among the remarkable fauna are the elusive snow leopard and critically endangered red panda and the bright Danphe pheasant.