The Manaslu Circuit Trek has a trek route of extreme opposites, with lush terraced landscape around the lower hills and dry or bleak country in the high Himalayas. This is a genuine and remote adventure around the 8th-highest mountain in the world that’ll have you feeling it can’t be done today! But while it’s very tempting to ditch all technology, a few select electronics can make you much safer and more comfortable while also letting you document your memories in stunning detail. A lot of thought has to be put into what to take when it comes to trekking in Manaslu – weight, battery, and charging options are almost as important (read on and you will understand why) as your choices of clothes. In this article, you should be able to discover the perfect balance between being prepared for the Manaslu Circuit Trekking and travelling light.
Smartphone as Trail Multitool
After all, your smartphone is one of the most feature-full electronic devices you’ll bring with you. It is not just a communication tool. It’s also a camera, GPS device, music player, and e-reader. For a talking point, you may get yourself a localized SIM (Nepal Telecom or Ncell) that runs throughout various lower and mid-altitude villages from a kiosk in Kathmandu. But that does not mean: great coverage for the whole Manaslu Circuit Trek. For navigating your way back, a phone with a GPS chip and no-connection-required map applications like Maps.me.Mee or Gaia GPS as a supplement to your guide. Be sure to download the complete Manaslu Circuit Trek itinerary and map prior to beginning your journey out there in Kathmandu. Entertainment, from a few e-books to a downloaded music playlist, can be a sanity-saver for long evenings at teahouses. To save your smartphone’s battery, you’ll want to try to keep it on airplane mode for as much time as possible in order to prolong its battery life.
Power Banks and Charging Solutions
And this is where things start to get real. Power is a precious and rare resource on the Manaslu Trek. Sure, there’s likely to be electricity in teahouses at the lower elevations, but accessibility and reliability are highly diminished as you ascend. Most places will charge you to plug in any device, and the higher elevation villages, such as Samdo, Dharamsala, can cost more. Manaslu Circuit Trek Cost: Charging the phone may cost you a few hundred rupees. You obviously need a huge-capacity power bank. A 20,000 mAh power bank will suffice for the whole trek to charge your phone and a few other small gadgets, provided you are not wasting battery. As a safety net to help reduce your footprint, you may want to take along a small solar charger; these are even useful on hot sunny days, but don’t rely solely on this as your main power source.
Framing the Ima: The Camera and Photography
A photographer’s dreamland, Manaslu Circuit, Nepal, consists of an amazing trail to photograph along with beautiful landscapes, ancient monasteries, and scenic local lives. Your smartphone’s camera is perfectly fine, but it can’t quite match the power of a dedicated camera. The choice of camera, DSLR, mirrorless, or compact point-and-shoot — also comes down to how much you want the images to look good (clunky cameras take better photos) versus light and right. A Mirrorless Camera often offers a very nice compromise between each of these. Whatever you do, find yourself a couple of accessories. Battery spares are an absolute necessity, as the cold seems to eat them up in near record times. You can store them in an inside pocket, closer to the body, so that they do not run out of juice. You will absolutely, without a DOUBT, want to have a dry bag, or at the very least another type of weather-sealed camera bag that is completely enclosed to protect your gear from the dust, water spray, and possibly even rain or snow as discussed above. A small microfiber cloth is going to be a must for cleaning your lenses.
The Headlamp: A Non-Electronic Essential
A headlamp isn’t an intricate, fancy electronic device, but it is a piece of equipment that adds to our well-being and convenience. You will need it to start in the early morning (and definitely for that day of crossing the Larke La Pass) to be able to make your way through teahouses at night or if you don’t reach a village until late. A headlamp with a strong beam that can transition to red light (more on the red light part below) is strongly advised. Carry extra batteries, you don’t find them so easily on the trail, and they go really quickly when it’s super cold.
GPS Devices and Satellite Phones
Extra piece of safety – Consider bringing a dedicated GPS unit or satellite phone, particularly if you are trekking solo or with a modest-sized group. A Satellite Phone is an expensive item in the Manaslu Trek price sheet, but it should be taken along with you for emergency support, especially when network facilities are totally down. Your guide will have his own communication devices, but it’s good to have a backup in case they need one. A handheld GPS, though good for navigation, does not belong on the list of must-have items for most trekkers traveling solo with a guide and offline maps on their phones.
The Value of Simplicity and Deliberate, Admirable Advancing Properties
The mountains are a place to go to get away from it all — and just be. Electronics are convenient — but they’re also a bit of a distraction. Get the highest value from these platforms by using them intentionally. So save your usage for the few times you really do need to use it, whether that’s shooting a glorious sunrise or locating yourself. Instead of being glued to a screen all the time, bring along a physical journal and write about your experiences and chat with other trekkers and friendly locals at teahouses. The beauty, nature, and challenge are the whole point of the Manaslu Base Camp Trek, and sometimes calling home and checking social media can be left aside.
Packing Light and Smart
When you’re on the trail, every gram matters (unless of course you have a porter doing the carrying for you). A heavy backpack can take a toll on your body. And as you decide what to pack, weigh necessity against weight — especially with electronics. And do you really need a tablet, or can your phone handle the job? Is there any advantage to carting one of these monstrous super-telephoto lenses around? There’s also a lesson in that for packing smart: Make sure to take care of your electronic items as well. That’s where ziplock bags, dry bags, or padded cases will keep the dust and moisture of the trail off your devices.
A bit of modern and mountain living HOUSE CALL
The Manaslu Trekking is the ultimate escape back in time, as you feel in touch with the world. The right electronics can make a great many other things about the open road far more pleasurable, however, adding security, entertainment, and breathtaking perspective right to your front seat. But the magic of this odyssey is that life really can be as simple on the trail. If you’re discerning a glickener of gadgets as I am, here’s where one can find the sweet spot, conscientiously attending to gadgets. The things you take back home from the trail will be the most valuable part of any trek; all those fancy electronics are merely tools to facilitate this.
