Nepal 2025 - Day 6: Rest Day - Side Trip to Manaslu Basecamp
Manaslu Basecamp
Today was our first significant elevation gain to the basecamp of Manaslu. Again, only carrying daypacks with basic essentials was definitely going to help with our speed and getting acclimatized. We woke up to fairly clear skies which revealed the beautiful mountains surrounding Samagaon. After a hefty portion of muesli with apple, I was charged up for the day. Niranjan took the rest day from the group.
We left around 6.30 and were one of the first people on the trail. Along the way, you could also visit Birendra lake which is abeautiful alpine lake just about an hour from Samagaon. We decided to skip that for the time being and head for the basecamp trail. The trail towards the bascamp from the village is fairly flat for the first 20 mins with gorgeous mountains leading the way. Manaslu peaked every now and then from behind the clouds.
We gained a little elevation going through the treeline and saw glimpses of Birendra Lake towards our left. We came across a shepherd's shelter and I marked that place in my map as the route towards the lake on our way back. I informed Jangbu about it as well as I didn't want any scenarios like the day before. Eventually, crossing the treeline revealed the beautiful lake below.
The trail became progressively difficult with steep ascents across multiple switchbacks. As we gained height, Manaslu revealed itself along with it's glacier, one of it's section flowing into the lake. We could hear the sound of rockfall and landslides which echoed like thunder in that valley. We carried on ascending further before we came across a small breakpoint which was previously a small shop. You could see the name and the remnants of the shop still scattered around. We took a snack break here for a few mins and admired the massif of Manaslu. Then we witnessed a mini avalanche which sounded like a bomb initially. It made you realise how nature can change it's course in a second.
During our climb, we were teased with views of Ganesh 1 along with the stunning glacier. We spotted some Himalayan Tahr easily making their way above us across the steep slopes. Watching them glide across was also a fascinating sight. The weather started to change drastically once we reached 4200m. There were a lot of trekkers who passed us as we were very slow and we saw them hurrying up the slope in order to avoid the inclement weather. Thejas was struggling with the climb as it got windy and cold. It was a good lesson for him about the importance of layering in the mountains. Jangbu was helping him the best he could. We tried to motivate him to continue as we were just about an hour or so away from the basecamp. He had some trouble breathing and after taking multiple breaks, he decided that he could not continue and offered to go back while we carried on. Jangbu wasn't keen on letting him go on his own and asked for everyone to get back together. I asked Jangbu if I could carry on as a couple of us still wanted to make it to the top. He did not agree as the weather was getting worse and the descent would have been tricky if it started to rain. Additionally, he mentioned that if he let the group go on their own, some guide could complain about it to the officials which could jeopardise his license. Of course, I really didn't want that to happen, however, I wasn't really happy about turning back. The slowness of our group along with multiple long breaks eventually marred one of the days I was most looking forward to. We wasted so much time making this decision that even if we wanted to go ahead, we couldn't because we almost got caught in a whiteout.
I informed Jangbu that I would go down at my own pace as I wanted to head to the lake and at least enjoy there for some time. I informed him that I would wait for the group at the Shepherd's shelter we discussed in the morning as there were a couple of trails which lead to the lake. I went at my own pace and barely looked behind at the team. It was just a way for me to vent some steam.
I eventually reached the meetup point and waited for the group. I waited for over 40 mins and no one showed up. I wore my shoes, finished my snack and was about to head to the lake when Jangbu showed up from the slope below. He told me that he took another route, however, he couldn't inform me. I was fuming from inside and also felt sad for him that he had to again, lookout for me. I could have directly gone to the lake and just rested there. Eventually both of us made to the lake while the group joined. I was just too annoyed at how the day had gone so barely spoke to anyone while we had our lunch. A delicious PBJ sandwich! The food tasted even better because of the stunning landscape of the lake. It's crystal blue, frigidly cold water and just the sound of it's tides made it one of the best spots I had encountered on the circuit. The sun breaking out was just perfect.
In the evening, we browsed around Samagaon, checking out the infamous Snooker club.
We then decided to check out the local monastery (Nubri Pema Decho Ling) which was 300/person, however, they let us in for free. It was located at the edge of the village in a very quaint part. The monastery was closed, however, Jangbu spoke to the local monk who opened it's door for us. He did a little prayer for us as well and gave us a souvenir to keep for the circuit too. It was overall a very pleasant experience and I got to witness a Buddhist prayer ceremony.
Sonam and I discussed leaving early for Samdo in the morning so that we can hike Samdo Ri and gain some height before the pass day. The weather forecast was decent but we had to start early in the day. We informed Jangbu about it and also informed him that we don't need a guide for it as it was just a standard climb for which I had the route for. Looking at our mood, he reluctantly agreed.
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