Jagat grew on the old trade route that carried salt and wool down from Tibet and grain back up. The broad flagstones of the main lane were laid to take pack animals in all weathers, and they still carry mule trains loaded with rice, kerosene and gas cylinders for the lodges higher up. Walk the length of the village slowly and you pass shops, houses with carved wooden windows and small shrines.
The people of Jagat are mainly Gurung, with mixed Hindu and Buddhist practice, and the village sits at the cultural edge of the valley. A few kilometres north the first Tibetan Buddhist mani walls appear. Ask your guide about the old salt trade and how the arrival of the jeep road is changing life here.
The walk needs no special kit, but the stones are slippery when wet and uneven in the dark, so carry a headtorch. Go before dinner, when the light is soft on the terraces and the evening smoke from kitchens drifts across the village.
Good for
- Families
- Seniors
- Couples
- Photographers
Questions travellers ask
Why are Jagat's streets paved with stone?
Jagat lies on the old trade route between Tibet and the middle hills, and the flagstones were laid to carry pack animals through the monsoon without turning the lanes to mud. Mule trains still use them today to bring supplies up the valley to lodges and villages beyond the road.
Is there anything to see in Jagat itself?
Jagat is small, but the stone lanes, old houses with carved windows, village shrines and views down the Budhi Gandaki make a pleasant hour's walk. It is also the place where your Manaslu permits are first checked. Most trekkers spend one night and move on to Deng or Namrung.
Is Jagat safe for solo women trekkers?
Yes. Jagat is a quiet farming village used to trekkers, and on the Manaslu Circuit every trekker is with a licensed guide by law. Dress modestly in the village, as local women do, and lock your room at night. Lodges are family run and generally very welcoming.
