The Manaslu ascent begins at Base Camp (4,850m), positioned on a glacial moraine, where climbers start traversing rugged glacier terrain toward Camp 1 (5,700m). The route from Base Camp to Camp 1 involves crevasse navigation and moderate snow slopes, requiring careful ice and snow crossing before the ascent steepens. Above 5,500m, the trail follows a consistent but moderately challenging incline toward Camp 1, which sits along a plateau, offering a stable site for staging the next climb.
From Camp 1, the ascent toward Camp 2 (6,400m) grows technical, featuring steep snowfields and short vertical ice sections. Fixed lines support sections with avalanche risk, especially as the slope tightens toward the ice wall leading to Camp 3. Camp 3 (6,800m) to Camp 4 (7,400m) involves traversing mixed rock and ice before the final, more exposed segment. Above Camp 4, climbers face the exposed ridge toward the summit (8,163m), a mix of firm snow and wind-packed ridges requiring precision and stamina, especially in thin air conditions.
