Nepal Pyramids: Movement in the mountains, calm in the head, perfect organization!
Nepal Pyramids: Movement in the mountains, calm in the head, perfect organization!
My first sentence reads exactly like an advertising message:-) but is authentic and straight from the heart. The Manaslu Circuit Trek is a trip that both sets in motion and slows down.
In twelve days we walked 187 kilometers through the Himalayas -from the warm lowlands at 700m altitude to the high mountains of the Larke Pass at 5,100 meters. You hear no car, no traffic, just the sound of your own footsteps, of water flowing, of wind playing between the prayer flags.
We traveled with Nepal Pyramids, perfectly organized by Sunil. He took care of every detail: permits, transport, equipment, hotels – even when we adjusted our program along the way, everything was right back on track. Sunil is the quiet engine behind the scenes: reliable, easily accessible and proud of the quality of his organization.
The trip itself we did with Gyan, our guide, and Keisan, our porter. Gyan has walked the Manaslu more than forty times – and you can feel it. He knows the mountain like the back of his hand, knows where to pause, when to drink and where the view literally makes you quiet. He leads calmly yet thoughtfully.
Keisan, our porter, was the power of simplicity: always smiling, caring and committed.
The days follow the rhythm of the mountains: getting up early, backpacking, stepping, tea on the way, eating, laughing, sweating and watching. In the evening dal bhat and tea, exchange stories with other hikers from Australia, Spain, the Czech Republic, Poland, Portugal, the Netherlands, Germany or ... Belgium . And fall asleep tired but satisfied around 20:00.
Slowly the routines from home disappear (also hardly internet). What remains is simplicity: eating, moving, sleeping, watching, singing and ... time to think.
Highlights?
Not one peak moment, but a succession of small, pure experiences. The first morning when the Manaslu shows itself in the sunlight: the mountain peaks that are given a golden color by the first rays of the sun. The silence on Birendra Lake at the glacier . The last meters over the Larke Pass overlooking a sea of white mountain peaks. The smile of Keisan, the confidence of Gyan, the feeling that you are part of something bigger than yourself.
On one of those mornings, October 11, the trip got an extra layer: my birthday. Two golden balloons dangled from my backpack, a fun idea that grew into something symbolic along the way. Everywhere along the way, trekkers from Australia, the Czech Republic, Portugal, America or Nepal came to congratulate me... while I couldn’t receive wishes from the home front without Wi-Fi. In the evening, Gyan appeared with a homemade chocolate cake — at 3,500 meters high, in a wooden oven, with a pride that said it all. No wifi, no candles, but a room full of people who only knew each other for a few days and still felt connected. It was not a big party, but a moment of pure happiness: small, unexpected and unforgettable, like the Manaslu itself.
What sets Nepal Pyramids apart is care in every detail. You get decent equipment – down jackets, sleeping bags, ponchos, clams for the snow – and everything works. No improvisation, but experience. Attention is paid to safety, hygiene, pace and comfort, without ever compromising the authenticity of the adventure.
The Manaslu Trek is for those who love movement with meaning. For those who want to push their limits, but also want to feel what simplicity does. For those who realize that real progress sometimes means slowing down. Nepal Pyramids, Sunil, Gyan and Keisan do not make this trip an achievement, but an experience that stays with us. They make you just walk — and watch. The rest will follow.
Thank you for this magical experience.
