Tsum Valley
OSM hiking route Tsum Valley, Nepal (38.11 km line). out-and-back; one-way 38.11 km, round-trip 76.21 km in prose. Permits are the headline (official NTB/NTNC 2026-09-21). Vertical figures from the Wave N GLO-30 resample.
Byline
- The Hiking World editorial · author
Desk byline for seed records. Named surveying editors replace this once a trail is verified.
Figures marked provisional are seed data and still need verification. Source and last-checked date sit under each cited value.
Altitude weather delta
High 3,869 m minus low 1,624 m is 2,245 m of relief on this record. A standard tropospheric lapse of 6.5 °C per 1,000 m implies about 14.6 °C cooler at the high point than the valley, all else equal.
That is a model (International Standard Atmosphere environmental lapse), not a forecast and not a trail-closure. Wind, snow, and storms stay in Hazards.
derived:lapse-rate · 2026-09-10 · provisionalISA 6.5 °C / 1,000 m · wikipedia.org · 2026-09-10
Editorial v1 · Provisional catalog
Challenging (OSM mountain_hiking, OSM trail_visibility intermediate)
- SAC T3
- Demanding mountain hiking. Exposed sections possible; hands may be needed for balance.
- YDS Class 2
- Class 2. Simple scrambling, occasional use of hands.
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Ingested from OpenStreetMap relation 11074323 (ODbL). The mapped line is that geometry. Distance, ascent, descent, and high/low points are the Wave N evidence-sheet figures (adjudicated 2026-09-21). Permits are official-sourced; geometry stays OSM-provisional. Water was not mapped to named WaterSource points.
OSM 2D length is 38.11 km (OSM line, ODbL, relation 11074323, lastVerified 2026-09-21). Provisional — OSM line, no official kilometre. Out-and-back: the published DataPoint is the one-way 38.11 km; round-trip is about 76.21 km in prose only. ⚠ secondary: operator itineraries cite about 130 km. Cited km is not this DataPoint. Out-and-back: publish one-way. Often combined with manaslu-circuit — relate-not-merge.
typicalDays 12 is the published typical window (operator, secondary), not a DataPoint and not implied by the OSM kilometre.
High 3,869 m is Copernicus GLO-30 (lastVerified 2026-09-21), verified on the walked OSM line. Low 1,624 m is the same DEM resample, verified. Ascent 6,980 m / descent 4,802 m remain provisional DEM. Landmark Mu Gompa ~3,700 m (Wikipedia; DEM high 3,869 m is the walked line).
Tsum Valley restricted area. NTB trekking-permit table (https://ntb.gov.np/en/plan-your-trip/before-you-come/trekking-permit, checked 2026-09-21): September–November USD 40 per person / week then USD 7 per person / day beyond one week; December–August USD 30 / week. Restricted area: Department of Immigration RAP is issued through a registered agency, not self-issued; minimum two trekkers, solo prohibited (https://ntb.gov.np/en/plan-your-trip/before-you-come/trekking-permit, checked 2026-09-21). MCAP NPR 3,000 foreign / NPR 1,000 SAARC (https://epermit.ntnc.org.np/, checked 2026-09-21). Do not merge with manaslu-circuit (different RAP band).
Water
No water sources recorded.
Permits & fees
- Permit
- Restricted Area Permit (Tsum Valley) + MCAP
Log in to view cost, booking, and issuer
Getting there
Sourced legs to the Machha Khola approaches base start station — where this trail record begins. This is not a route planner: durations are approximate and marked provisional until an official transport page confirms them.
Road · Kathmandu (KTM) → Machha Khola / Arughat
Road via Gorkha toward the published Machha Khola / Arughat starts, then the Tsum side valley. RAP is agency-issued in Kathmandu (https://ntb.gov.np/en/plan-your-trip/before-you-come/trekking-permit, checked 2026-09-21). Relate-not-merge with manaslu-circuit.
ntb.gov.np · 2026-09-21 · official · provisional
Restricted area: registered agency, minimum two trekkers. Tsum RAP band is not the Manaslu RAP band.
Plan from your location
Type a city, then pick a match. These links open external search tools — they do not fetch fares or timetables.
Trailheads
- OSM line start car-free: unknown
- OSM line end car-free: unknown
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Hazards
- Altitude / AMS: GLO-30 high 3,869 m on this line (Mu Gompa ~3,700 m (Wikipedia; DEM high 3,869 m is the walked line)). This is a high-altitude trek, not a casual hike.
- Restricted-area RAP is agency-issued, not self-issued (https://ntb.gov.np/en/plan-your-trip/before-you-come/trekking-permit, checked 2026-09-21). Minimum two trekkers; solo prohibited.
- Related records manaslu-circuit share geography — relate-not-merge.
Questions
Do I need a permit for Tsum Valley?
A permit is required for Tsum Valley: Restricted Area Permit (Tsum Valley) + MCAP. Cost, booking, and issuer stay behind the login gate on this page.
When is the best time to hike Tsum Valley?
On this record the best season is: Mar–May and Sep–Nov (NTB / NTNC walking season, checked 2026-09-21).
How difficult is Tsum Valley?
Tsum Valley is graded OSM sac_scale: mountain_hiking · SAC T3 · YDS 2. A sourced hazard on this record: Altitude / AMS: GLO-30 high 3,869 m on this line (Mu Gompa ~3,700 m (Wikipedia; DEM high 3,869 m is the walked line)). This is a high-altitude trek, not a casual hike.
How long is Tsum Valley?
The length on this record is 38.11 km (provisional). Published figures may differ. See /guides/how-long-is-the-trail
How do I get to Tsum Valley?
The record’s base start is Machha Khola approaches. A primary gateway on the record is Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM). Trailhead transit notes are not included in this public FAQ.
Related trails
- Annapurna Base Camp · Nepal
- Annapurna Circuit · Nepal
- Dudh Pokhari Lake · Nepal
- Everest Base Camp · Nepal
- Everest Three Passes · Nepal
- GosainKunda Trek · Nepal
Featured in
Related links
- OfficialNepal Tourism Board — trekking permitsntb.gov.np · 2026-09-21 · official
- OfficialNepal Tourism Board — park entry feesntb.gov.np · 2026-09-21 · official
- OfficialNepal Tourism Board — TIMS cardntb.gov.np · 2026-09-21 · official
- OfficialNTNC e-permitepermit.ntnc.org.np · 2026-09-21 · official