In 2025, a total of 15,000 foreign tourists visited Nepal’s Manaslu region, according to records from the Manaslu Conservation Area Project (MCAP). Despite unseasonal floods, landslides, heavy snowfall, and the ongoing Janji movement, the number of visitors to the area has continued to rise.
In comparison, 12,800 foreign tourists visited the region in 2024. MCAP data shows that 14,980 tourists entered the Manaslu area in Gorkha district last year. Of these, 14,738 were foreign visitors, 344 were from SAARC countries, and 240 were domestic tourists.
MCAP Chief Santosh Sherchan stated that 14,721 tourists obtained online permits to enter Manaslu, while 17 others acquired entry permits at MCAP check-posts in Jagat and Sama Gaun.
Tourism-related entry fees collected in 2025 amounted to NRs 38,586,000. Among this, SAARC tourists contributed NRs 344,000 and Nepali visitors NRs 48,000. According to MCAP regulations, SAARC tourists pay NRs 1,000 per person, other international tourists pay NRs 3,000, and Nepali visitors pay NRs 100 per person. Visitors are required to pay these fees at counters in Bhaktapur, Kathmandu, and Dam Side, Pokhara. Those who fail to do so must pay double fees at the Jagat and Sama Gaun check-posts.
MCAP began recording domestic tourist data in 2025, whereas previously only foreign visitor information was collected.
Sherchan noted that the number of tourists visiting Manaslu has steadily increased over the years. “With proper resource management and tourism planning, Manaslu has the potential to become one of Nepal’s most popular tourist destinations,” he said. Historical data shows a significant rise in tourist numbers: in FY 2078/79, only 2,284 visitors were recorded, which increased to 7,705 in 2079/80, 9,782 in 2080/81, and reached over 15,000 by 2025. The region’s lowest visitor count was 194 in 2077/78.
