Plan my trek
Plan my trek
3,700 m (Mu Gompa)
10–14 days
Moderate
Machha Khola (return)
Tsum RAP + MCAP
Mar–May, Sep–Nov
The Tsum Valley trek is a 10 to 14 day teahouse and homestay trek into a remote side valley of the Manaslu region in northern Gorkha, right up against the Tibetan border. You leave the main Manaslu trail at Lokpa, climb through a narrow gorge into the valley of the Shiar Khola, and walk up through Chumling, Chhokangparo and Nile to Mu Gompa (about 3,700 m), the valley’s largest monastery. Then you come back down the same way, with side trips to Rachen Gompa, Milarepa’s cave and, if you have the time, Gumba Lungdang and Ganesh Himal Base Camp.
Tsum is a beyul, one of the sacred “hidden valleys” that Tibetan Buddhists believe Guru Rinpoche set aside as places of refuge. The 11th-century saint Milarepa is said to have meditated in its caves. Since 1921 its villages have kept a pledge, known locally as shagya, not to hunt, slaughter or harm animals. The valley was closed to foreigners until 2008, and it still gets only a few thousand trekkers a year. That is the real reason to come: you walk through working villages, chorten-lined paths and monasteries that feel lived in rather than visited.
It is also a gentler trek than its famous neighbour. There is no high pass, and most nights are between 2,000 m and 3,400 m, with Mu Gompa the high point at about 3,700 m. Days are 4 to 7 hours, and the hardest walking is on the steep, landslide-scarred trail of the lower Budhi Gandaki on the way in and out. If you want a big Himalayan pass, read our Manaslu Circuit trek guide instead, or combine the two.
Who it suits: trekkers who care more about culture, monasteries and quiet trails than summit views, people with one or two previous multi-day treks, and anyone who has done Everest or Annapurna and wants somewhere with far fewer people. It is a reasonable first Himalayan trek for fit walkers who are happy with very simple lodges. It is not for anyone who needs hot showers, wifi or a choice of menu every night.
How it compares: Tsum has the Tibetan Buddhist culture of Upper Mustang or the upper Manaslu, but with forests, farmland and green side valleys instead of desert, and at a fraction of the Upper Mustang permit cost. Compared with Langtang, another culture-rich valley close to Kathmandu, Tsum is more remote, has a restricted area permit and needs a licensed guide, and sees far fewer trekkers.
Trail status, 22 October 2026: the 11 October flood washed away the trail and a bridge between Lokpa and Chumling, and the valley stays closed until they are rebuilt. No reopening date has been announced; see the safety section for the details and check with your agency before you book.
This is the full 14-day version from Kathmandu, including the Gumba Lungdang and Ganesh Himal Base Camp detour. A shorter 10 to 11 day trip skips days 9 and 10 and walks straight from Rachen Gompa or Chhokangparo back down to Lokpa. Walking times are typical for a steady group and do not include long stops; altitudes vary by 50 to 100 m between maps.
| Day | Route | Overnight altitude | Walking time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Drive Kathmandu to Machha Khola via Arughat and Soti Khola | about 870–930 m | 8–10 h drive |
| 2 | Machha Khola to Jagat via Khorlabesi and Tatopani | about 1,340–1,410 m | 6–7 h |
| 3 | Jagat to Lokpa via Salleri, Sirdibas and Philim | about 2,040 m | 6–7 h |
| 4 | Lokpa to Chumling, into the Tsum Valley | about 2,390 m | 4–5 h |
| 5 | Chumling to Chhokangparo | about 3,010 m | 5–6 h |
| 6 | Chhokangparo to Nile via Lamagaun and Milarepa’s cave | about 3,360 m | 5–6 h |
| 7 | Nile to Mu Gompa; afternoon at the monastery | about 3,700 m | 3–4 h |
| 8 | Mu Gompa to Rachen Gompa via Dhephyudonma Gompa | about 3,240 m | 5–6 h |
| 9 | Rachen Gompa to Gumba Lungdang via Dumje | about 3,200 m | 6–7 h |
| 10 | Day hike to Ganesh Himal Base Camp and back | about 3,200 m (high point about 4,200 m) | 7–8 h |
| 11 | Gumba Lungdang to Lokpa | about 2,040 m | 6–7 h |
| 12 | Lokpa to Jagat | about 1,340–1,410 m | 5–6 h |
| 13 | Jagat to Machha Khola | about 870–930 m | 5–6 h |
| 14 | Drive Machha Khola to Kathmandu | about 1,400 m | 8–10 h drive |
Because the route in and out is the same lower Budhi Gandaki trail as the Manaslu Circuit, the first three days and the last three days are shared with Manaslu trekkers. Inside Tsum itself you will often have the trail to yourselves.
The long drive from Kathmandu ends at Machha Khola, and the next two days follow the Budhi Gandaki river north through a deep, hot gorge of terraced villages, waterfalls and suspension bridges. The trail climbs and drops on stone steps and is cut into the cliff in places. You show your permits at Jagat, the entrance to the Manaslu Conservation Area. Above Philim the trail splits at Ekle Bhatti, and you take the right-hand fork towards Lokpa, the first village of Tsum. This is the section most affected by the October 2026 floods, so expect temporary trails and diversions.
From Lokpa the trail drops to the river and climbs steeply through pine and rhododendron forest into the Shiar Khola valley. Chumling is the first proper Tsum village, with an old gompa and stone houses. The next day crosses to the north bank and climbs through Rainjam and Gho to Chhokangparo, two neighbouring villages on a wide sunny shelf with views back to the Ganesh Himal. This is a natural place for an extra night if anyone feels the altitude.
Between Chhokangparo and Nile, a short detour leads up to Piren Phu, the “pigeon cave”, where Milarepa is believed to have meditated. Two small gompas are built into the cliff, and locals point out what they say are the saint’s footprint and handprints in the rock. Allow about an hour for the visit. Walk clockwise around the shrines and leave a small donation.
Mu Gompa, at about 3,700 m near the Tibetan border, is the largest monastery in the valley. It belongs to the Gelug tradition of Tibetan Buddhism and is generally said to date from the late 19th century. Young monks from nearby villages study here, and if you are lucky you will hear morning or evening prayers. The monastery runs a simple guesthouse; it is cold and windy, so bring a warm layer for the prayer hall. Nearby Dhephyudonma Gompa, on the opposite slope, is one of the oldest in Tsum.
Rachen Gompa, a nunnery founded in the early 20th century, sits on the valley floor near Chhokangparo. Its prayer hall has some of the finest murals in the valley, and the nuns welcome respectful visitors. Some itineraries visit it on the way up instead; either works.
For the best mountain views of the trip, walk down through Dumje and climb to Gumba Lungdang (about 3,200 m), a small nunnery with very basic lodging and an evening puja you are usually welcome to watch. The next day is a long round trip up the valley to the moraines below Ganesh Himal, reaching roughly 4,200 m, with close views of the Ganesh Himal peaks and glaciers. It is the hardest day of the trek and needs good weather; skip it if snow is heavy or anyone is struggling with the altitude.
10–11 days: skip Gumba Lungdang and return from Rachen Gompa to Lokpa in one long day. 18–22 days: visit Tsum first, then continue up the main valley from Lokpa to Deng, Samagaun and over the Larkya La on the Manaslu Circuit. The Tsum days are an excellent acclimatisation lead-in for the pass. Add a rest day at Chhokangparo or Nile if you want time to explore villages or hike above Mu Gompa towards the Bhajyo glacier.
The Tsum Valley trek is moderate. There is no high pass and no technical ground, and the high point at Mu Gompa (about 3,700 m) is well below the 5,000 m-plus passes of the Manaslu and Annapurna circuits or the top of the Everest Base Camp trail. What makes it harder than the numbers suggest is the terrain and the remoteness.
Fitness: you should be able to walk 15 to 20 km with a daypack over hilly ground, two days in a row, without feeling wrecked. Start training eight to twelve weeks out with long hill walks, stair climbing and some leg strength work; our guide on how to get in shape for trekking has a simple plan. If this is your first trek, read our tips for first-time trekkers too.
Acclimatisation: keep to the standard pace of no more than 300 to 500 m of sleeping height gain a day above 3,000 m, drink plenty, and tell your guide early if you have symptoms. Our guide to altitude sickness explains the warning signs and when to descend.
Tsum is a restricted area, so the rules are stricter than on the Everest or Annapurna trails. Your agency handles the paperwork, but it is worth knowing what you are paying for.
| Permit or cost | Fee | Approx. in GBP | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tsum Valley Restricted Area Permit (RAP) | US$40 for the first 7 days (September–November) or US$30 (December–August), then about US$7 a day | about £30 or £22, then about £5 a day | Issued only through a registered agency; some agencies say the autumn daily rate is US$10 |
| Manaslu Conservation Area Permit (MCAP) | NPR 3,000 | about £15 | Checked at Jagat; one entry |
| Manaslu RAP and ACAP | Only if you continue onto the Manaslu Circuit | see our Manaslu guide | Manaslu RAP US$100 (autumn) or US$75 for the first week; ACAP NPR 3,000 |
| Licensed guide | about US$30–40 a day | about £22–30 a day | Required by law in restricted areas |
| Porter (optional) | about US$20–30 a day | about £15–22 a day | Carries about 20–25 kg, often shared by two trekkers |
The Tsum and Manaslu permit areas overlap on the walk between Jagat and Lokpa, and agencies do not all file the same combination for a Tsum-only trek. Ask your agency exactly which permits are included in the price.
Packages from Kathmandu for a 12 to 15 day Tsum Valley trek with permits, guide, porter, lodges, meals and transport typically cost US$1,300 to US$1,800 per person (roughly £1,000 to £1,350), depending on group size, season and how the transport is arranged. Solo trekkers pay towards the top of that range or above it. International flights, your Nepal visa, insurance, tips and drinks are extra.
If you prefer to pay locally as you go with an agency providing just the permits and guide, budget about NPR 4,000 to 6,000 a day (about £20 to £30) per person for a bed and three meals, plus the guide’s wages and costs. The biggest variables are a private jeep instead of the bus (much faster, much more expensive), the extra days for Ganesh Himal Base Camp, and the season, as the permit costs more in autumn.
The best months are late September to November and March to May. Autumn gives the clearest views of Ganesh Himal and the peaks around Mu Gompa, while spring is warmer and brings the rhododendron forests of the lower valley into flower. Because Tsum has no high pass, it is also one of the more realistic winter treks in the Manaslu region, as long as you are prepared for very cold nights and some closed lodges.
| Season | Weather | Trail and lodges | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Late September–November | Clear, stable and dry; cold nights above 3,000 m | Everything open; the best mountain views | Busiest, but still quiet by Nepal standards |
| December–February | Clear but very cold; snow possible in the upper valley | Some lodges at Mu Gompa and Nile may close; Ganesh Himal Base Camp often snowed in | Very few trekkers |
| March–May | Warming up; rhododendrons flower in the lower forests; haze builds in May | All open; good conditions | Moderate |
| June–early September | Monsoon in the lower valley; the upper valley is drier as it lies partly in a rain shadow | Landslides and leeches on the Budhi Gandaki trail; road disruption likely | Very few trekkers |
Festival dates follow the Tibetan lunar calendar and shift every year. For the bigger picture of Nepal’s seasons, see our guide to the best season to travel in Nepal.
The people of Tsum, the Tsumba, are Tibetan Buddhists who speak their own Tibetan dialect and have closer historic ties to Tibet than to the rest of Nepal. For centuries the valley was a trade route over the border, and its villages farm barley, buckwheat, maize and potatoes and keep yaks and sheep on the high pastures. Fraternal polyandry, where brothers share a wife so that family land is not divided, still exists in some households, though it is becoming rarer.
Tsum is regarded as a beyul, a sacred hidden valley said to have been blessed by Guru Rinpoche in the 8th century as a refuge in troubled times. Milarepa, the 11th-century Tibetan poet and yogi, is believed to have meditated here, and Piren Phu is the best known of several caves linked to him. The valley’s long chortens, mani walls carved with prayers and Kani gateways mark the path, and many houses keep a family shrine room.
In 1921 the valley’s leaders and lamas agreed a pledge, called shagya, that bans hunting, fishing, slaughtering animals and selling animals for slaughter. It is still respected today, and a board at the valley entrance sets out the rules. In practice this means there is no meat on lodge menus in Tsum, and you should not bring meat or ask for it. It has also helped wildlife: blue sheep and Himalayan tahr are often seen near Mu Gompa, and the valley is home to snow leopards, though you are very unlikely to see one.
For a wider introduction, see our guide to culture in Nepal.
You can trek the whole valley without a tent. Accommodation is a mix of small family lodges, homestays and monastery guesthouses, and it is simpler than on the Manaslu Circuit, let alone Everest or Annapurna.
The October 2026 flood damaged some lodges and micro-hydro schemes in the lower valley, so expect fewer beds and more improvisation in the 2026–27 seasons.
Trail status, 22 October 2026: on 11 October a flash flood came down the Budhi Gandaki valley. It started on the Tsum side, in the Ungilung Khola between Lokpa and Chumling, where it washed away the trail and the cantilever bridge that carries it. Local reports say residents of Chumling, Chhokangparo, Chhule, Nile, Lokpa and Philim are rebuilding the trail with the rural municipality, but no reopening date has been announced. The lower valley road and trail are also being repaired: buses were reported running to Machha Khola again from 16 October, and the Nepal Army put a Bailey bridge in at Arughat on 19 October. Treat the Tsum Valley as closed until your agency confirms in writing that the Lokpa to Chumling section is open, and expect it to reopen later than the main Manaslu Circuit.
For more general advice, read our safety tips for trekking in Nepal.
The trek starts and ends at the roadhead in the Budhi Gandaki valley, usually Machha Khola (sometimes Soti Khola), about 140 to 160 km from Kathmandu. There are no flights.
| Option | Time from Kathmandu | Approx. cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local bus | 9–11 hours | about NPR 1,500–2,000 (about £7.50–10) per person | Leaves early morning from Kathmandu’s Gongabu or Machhapokhari area; slow and crowded on the dirt section |
| Shared or private jeep | 7–9 hours | about NPR 30,000–45,000 (about £150–225) per jeep | Faster and more comfortable; usually arranged by your agency; shared seats sometimes available |
The route goes west on the Prithvi Highway to Dhading Besi or Malekhu, then north on a slow, partly unpaved road via Arughat and Soti Khola. Roads in this valley are regularly cut by landslides in the monsoon. After the October 2026 flood, buses were reported running to Machha Khola again from 16 October, and a temporary Bailey bridge opened at Arughat on 19 October, but expect delays and check with your agency the week before you travel.
The return is the same road in reverse. If you continue over the Larkya La on the Manaslu Circuit, you finish at Dharapani on the Annapurna side instead and drive out via Besisahar to Kathmandu or Pokhara.
Pack as you would for any teahouse trek, with extra warmth for Mu Gompa and fewer creature comforts. Our free Himalayan trek packing checklist has the full list; these are the items that matter most in Tsum.
Down jackets and sleeping bags can be hired cheaply in Kathmandu’s Thamel. For more ideas, see our list of essential items for trekking.
Tsum sits at the heart of some of Nepal’s best restricted-area trekking, so it is easy to make it part of a bigger trip.
The obvious combination. After Tsum, walk up the main valley from Lokpa to Samagaun and over the Larkya La (5,106 m) to the Annapurna side, for an 18 to 22 day trip. Read our Manaslu Circuit trek guide.
Keep going from Dharapani up the Marsyangdi to Manang and over Thorong La. Tsum, Manaslu and the Annapurna Circuit together make one of the great long Himalayan journeys.
Another culture-rich valley close to Kathmandu, with no restricted area permit and more lodges. A good choice if Tsum is closed or you have less time. See our Langtang guide.
If Tsum’s Tibetan culture is what draws you, Upper Mustang offers the same in a high desert setting, with walled Lo Manthang and cave monasteries. See our Mustang guide.
For big-mountain scenery with better lodges, our small-group Everest Base Camp Trek and Annapurna Base Camp Trek are the classic choices.
Short on time after a long trek? The Poon Hill trek gives you a sunrise over Dhaulagiri and Annapurna in four or five days from Pokhara.
Compare every major route in our trekking in Nepal guide, or read our Nepal travel guide for the bigger picture. When you are ready, tell us your dates, experience and how much time you have, and we will help you plan a Tsum Valley trek with a licensed guide and a current route plan: plan your trip with Get Lost Forever.
Related guides to read next.
The Himalayan Trek Packing Checklist
Every item you need for a teahouse trek, plus weight limits and what to rent in Kathmandu. Free and printable.
The Tsum Valley is in northern Gorkha district in west-central Nepal, in the Manaslu Conservation Area, on the border with Tibet. It branches north-east off the Budhi Gandaki valley at Lokpa, a day’s walk above Jagat on the Manaslu trail, and runs up the Shiar Khola to Mu Gompa.
Allow 10 to 14 days from Kathmandu. Ten or eleven days covers the main valley to Mu Gompa and back; 13 or 14 days adds Gumba Lungdang and Ganesh Himal Base Camp. Combined with the Manaslu Circuit, it takes 18 to 22 days.
It is moderate. There is no high pass, the high point is about 3,700 m at Mu Gompa, and most days are 4 to 7 hours. The hardest parts are the steep, landslide-prone trail of the lower Budhi Gandaki and the optional day hike to Ganesh Himal Base Camp at about 4,200 m.
The Tsum Valley Restricted Area Permit costs US$40 for the first seven days from September to November and US$30 from December to August, then about US$7 a day. You also need the Manaslu Conservation Area Permit at NPR 3,000. If you continue onto the Manaslu Circuit, you need the Manaslu RAP and ACAP as well.
No. Tsum is a restricted area, so you must book through a registered Nepali agency and trek with a licensed guide. Since March 2026 solo trekkers can get the permit as long as a guide is assigned, but you still cannot walk independently.
Not at the time of writing (22 October 2026). The 11 October flood washed away the trail and a bridge between Lokpa and Chumling. Local people are rebuilding it, but no reopening date has been announced. Ask your agency for written confirmation that the route is open before you book flights.
Yes, and it is one of the best long treks in Nepal. Do Tsum first, then rejoin the main trail at Lokpa and continue to Samagaun and over the Larkya La. Allow 18 to 22 days and budget for both restricted area permits plus MCAP and ACAP. See our Manaslu Circuit trek guide.
Yes. There are simple lodges, homestays and monastery guesthouses all the way to Mu Gompa, so you do not need a tent. They are more basic than on the Manaslu Circuit, food is vegetarian, and showers, wifi and charging are limited.
Since 1921 the villages of Tsum have kept a pledge, called shagya, not to hunt, slaughter or sell animals for slaughter. Lodges serve vegetarian food, and visitors are asked not to bring meat into the valley.
The Tsum Valley was opened to foreign trekkers in 2008. Before that it was closed to outsiders, which is one reason its villages and monasteries have kept such a strong traditional character.
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By Govind Rai · Updated 22 October 2026The tick-box kit list for Everest Base Camp, Annapurna and every teahouse trek in Nepal.
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