What will you experience?

Mount Manaslu (8163m) was first climbed by a Japanese expedition in 1956. The name of the mountain comes from the Sanskrit word “manasa” meaning “intellect” or “soul”. The name of the sacred lake Manasarovar near Mount Kailash in Tibet also has the same root. Just as the British lay claim to Mount Everest, so the Japanese, who were the first to conquer Manaslu, consider this peak as their own. During a trek back in 1950 H. W. Tillman and Jimmy Roberts were the first to photograph Manaslu. However, the first serious exploration was conducted by the Japanese during an expedition in 1952. The Japanese made their first serious attempt to summit the mountain in 1953, approaching from the Buri Gandaki valley.

In 1954, villagers from Sama Gaon prevented the second Japanese team from attempting an ascent, accusing the previous team of causing an avalanche that destroyed a monastery. Instead of Manaslu, the expedition headed for Ganesh Himalayan. Despite a substantial donation for the reconstruction of the monastery, subsequent Japanese expeditions – including the one in 1956 that reached the summit – were met with hostility and distrust. The next successful ascent by the Japanese was in 1971. An attempt was made the same year by a South Korean team. In 1972 an attempt by a Tyrolean expedition ended tragically with the death of two team members. At the same time, a South Korean expedition was attempting the northeast face, but an avalanche killed four Koreans, one Japanese and ten Sherpa’s. Manaslu is a beautiful and very popular mountain that climbers approach with a lot of enthusiasm and curiosity.