Larkya Peak Climbing - 18 Days

The drive follows the Prithvi Highway before cutting north toward Machhakhola. From there, the road gets rougher, so we switch to a private jeep for the stretch up to Jagat, which is where the actual walking begins.

The first walking day follows the Budi Gandaki River, crossing several suspension bridges and passing through dense subtropical forest as the valley narrows toward Deng.

The trail climbs steadily through forest and small settlements, entering the more strictly restricted section of the Manaslu Conservation Area, with the first glimpses of snow peaks appearing above the valley walls near Namrung.

Passing through Lho village, with its striking views of Manaslu directly ahead, the trail continues through pine and rhododendron forest to Shyala, a small settlement close to the high alpine terrain that follows.

A short walking day reaches Samagaon, the largest village on the route, with the afternoon left free for an optional side hike to Pungyen Gompa, an old monastery with striking glacier views.

A rest day built around genuine altitude gain, the optional hike toward Manaslu Base Camp climbs to around 4,800 m and back, doubling as one of the most important acclimatization outings on the entire itinerary.

The trail follows the Budi Gandaki past numerous mani walls, with the valley widening as the route approaches Samdo, a village close enough to the Tibetan border that trade with Tibet remains part of local life.

One of the best days of the trip. It starts early with a climb across moraine and glacier terrain up to Larkya La,(5,160m) and the views from the top are some of the biggest of the whole expedition. From there it's a long descent down into Bimthang, a quiet alpine valley that feels like a different world from the climb you just did.

A short but demanding walk across rough, windy, rocky terrain brings the team to Larke Peak Base Camp, where tented accommodation and the HEN climbing crew are already set up, with the mountain rising directly above camp.

The route climbs across moraine and onto the lower reaches of the Larkya Glacier, gaining height steadily to reach Advanced Base Camp, where the team spends the night before the final push toward High Camp.

A further climb onto glacier terrain reaches High Camp, positioned close to the base of the final summit slopes, where the team rests, checks equipment, and prepares for an early departure the following morning.

Departing High Camp in the dark, the route climbs roughly 1,200 metres of fixed rope on steady snow slopes to the true summit of Thulo Larkya, with sweeping views of Manaslu, Himlung Himal, and the Annapurna range. After summit photos, we descends directly back to Base Camp the same day.

One of the longest days of the trip, the route climbs early morning through moraine and glacier terrain to cross Larkya La, with panoramic views of Manaslu and the Syacha Glacier, before descending a long way to Bimthang.

The trail descends steadily alongside the Dudh Khola, passing through dense rhododendron, pine, and bamboo forest as the landscape shifts noticeably toward the greener Annapurna side of the pass.

A shorter final trekking day reaches Dharapani, where the route joins the Annapurna Circuit trail briefly, before the group switches to jeep transport for the drive down to Besisahar.

A full day on the road returns the team to Kathmandu, with a farewell dinner in the evening to celebrate the completion of the expedition.

Depending on your flight schedule, a representative will accompany you to Tribhuvan International Airport for your departure, marking the official end of your Larke Peak expedition.