Annapurna Circuit Trek or Manaslu Circuit Trek
Snowcat
Prima Facie both of these treks have a lot of "similarities" and unless you've trekked both the Manaslu Circuit Trek and the Annapurna Circuit Trek, choosing which trek to undertake yourself can present quite the challenge.
The Similarities
1. The profiles for both the Manaslu Circuit Trek and Annapurna Circuit Trek are much the same. They both start off at relatively low altitude and then gradually gain height over several days.
2. Both are tough and physically demanding.
3. Both involve a high pass crossing. For the Annapurna Circuit it's the 5416m Thorung La. For the Manaslu Circuit it's the 5135m Larkya La. Respectively theses passes are the crux of each respective trek. To get to the end of the trek you have to cross these passes, no if's and no but's.
4. From crossing the high passes, both then lose height rapidly.
5. Both have been affected by the encroachment of jeep roads.
6. You can take a little "off the beaten track" detour on both treks too. For the Annapurna Circuit Trek you can leave the main trail and head up to Tilicho Lake from Manang and then rejoin the main trail further along the route. On the Manaslu Circuit the lesser trekked Tsum Valley can be explored before rejoining the main trail.
7. The scenery on both the Manaslu Circuit Trek and Annapurna Circuit Trek is spectacular.
The Differences
We're going to add a caveat right from the start here in so much as we are expressing an opinion. It doesn't make us right, nor does it make us wrong. It is simply our opinion based upon 40 years of Himalayan trekking and that during this time things have changed.
1. The effect of the jeep roads on both the Manaslu Circuit Trek and Annapurna Circuit Trek are much more detrimental to the Annapurna Circuit Trek.
For more as to the impact of roads on the Annapurna Circuit Trek see our separate article The problem with the Annapurna Circuit Trek.
There have always been some more subtle differences between these two treks and our experiences of both (we enjoy Himalayan trekking too) have always led us to conclude that one of these circuit treks was always better than the other.
You could say that nowadays, because things have changed over the years, our opinion is even more steadfast!
If you haven't guessed already, then the winner of the Snow Cat Travel Manaslu Circuit Trek vs Annapurna Circuit is......
MANASLU CIRCUIT
Yes, that's the Snow Cat Travel opinion...the Manaslu Circuit is better than the Annapurna Circuit!
Why? Because we think it "feels" much more like you're on an authentic Himalayan trek basically. The Annapurna Circuit has long been also known as the "Apple Pie Trail" and that's a direct result of it being a very busy trek.
But, also we feel that the presence of jeep roads on what is nowadays the bulk of the Annapurna Circuit rather despoils the dynamics and the trekking experience over all.
The Manaslu Circuit has always been much less busy than the Annapurna Circuit. That's still the case today.
That's certainly down to the fact that the Manaslu Circuit was and still is a restricted area and a special permit is required. This permit you can only get through a licensed trekking agency and remains "in person'.
Up until recently anyone could trek the Annapurna Circuit independently and countless thousands did just that each year. Getting an Annapurna permit is still easy. Various guidebooks, especially those aimed at independent travellers, naturally promoted the Annapurna Circuit as "the one to do". Thus the Annapurna Circuit became an established "bucket list" tick box trek.
Good for businesses though. Ourselves included.
Because you couldn't (and still can't) trek the Manaslu Circuit independently and because it is nothing like as busy as the Annapurna Circuit....well... the often negative effects tourism has are not as prevalent on this trek.
Consequently the Manaslu region as a whole remains much more "traditional" in comparison.
The tiny villages higher up on the route still feel very Tibetan influenced and real. Much more atmospheric.
In fact it's maybe only in the last 10+ years or so that it's been possible to trek the Manaslu Circuit and stay in trekking lodges every night. Although, even now there are nothing like the number of lodges along the way as the Annapurna Circuit has. Indeed many villages on the Annapurna Circuit seem to be just a collection of trekking lodges instead of a living village.
Also (and this is a biggie too) once you set off on the Manaslu Circuit, you're leaving roads behind until you end the trek at Dharapani.
That's not to say that roads haven't had an effect on the Manaslu Circuit. Directly and indirectly.
As a continuous "roadless" trek the Manaslu Circuit is now several days shorter than it original was.
The road to the start of the trek has taken away a few days of the trek up the Burhi Ghandaki Valley. This road may indeed be heading further up the valley. How far? Who knows?
Two years ago the road head was at Seti Khola and from there it was a days walk to Machha Khola. However, at the time of writing Machha Khola is the "current" road head.
The end of the Manaslu Circuit trek nowadays is at Dharapani, which is reached after two long days descending from the highest point of the trek, the Larkya La.
Dharapani is where the Manaslu Circuit actually meets the Annapurna Circuit. Thus, originally it used to be that the exit route for the Manaslu Circuit was trekking down the Annapurna Circuit and ending where the Annapurna Circuit used to start at a place called Besisahar. This section of the Annapurna Circuit is now of course all road, hence the Manaslu Circuit trek ends at Dharapani.
Expressed numerically there are around 10 days (considerably more if you add Tsum Valley) of trekking on the Manaslu Circuit without the presence of a road. On the Annapurna Circuit it's now just 3 days at the most where there is no road.
Oh....and Manaslu is actually higher than Annapurna 1.
And.....you get to see more of the peak that the trek is named after. In fact for those on the Annapurna Circuit it's not really until well into the second half of the full length circuit that they get to see Annapurna 1 and then not the whole peak either. As most now end the Annapurna Circuit (an abridged version) at Jomsom, they don't get to see Annapurna 1 at all except on the flight back to Pokhara.
Imagine that.....all that huffing and puffing and you don't get to see an 8,000+m peak in all its glory.
On the Manaslu Circuit Trek...you do indeed get to see an 8,000+m peak in all it's glory and then some.
So, let's now summarise why we think the Manaslu Circuit is better than the Annapurna Circuit...
1. Three times as many days trekking where roads aren't present.
2. Much less busy trails
3. Spankingly good views of an 8,000+m peak
4. Less touristy and feels more like an authentic Himalayan trek
FIND OUT MORE: MANASLU CIRCUIT TREK
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