Few foreign visitors stay overnight at Manakamana, which is exactly why it is worth considering. When the last cable car goes down in the late afternoon, the temple square empties and the ridge becomes a quiet village again. Small lodges around the square offer simple rooms and vegetarian dal bhat. In the evening, lamps are lit at the shrine and local families gather for prayers. It is a very different atmosphere from the busy daytime temple.
Wake before dawn for the morning worship at the temple, when the queue is short and the atmosphere unhurried. Then walk a few minutes to the viewpoint behind the temple. From October to February, the sky usually clears at first light to show Manaslu (8,163 m), Himalchuli and Baudha Himal to the north, with the Annapurna range to the north-west, while the valleys of the Trishuli and Marsyangdi lie in cloud below.
By 9 am the first cable cars bring the day's pilgrims and the square fills again. Have breakfast, then ride down to Kurintar to continue to Gorkha, Bandipur, Pokhara or Chitwan. Lodges on the ridge are basic, with shared or simple attached bathrooms, so this suits pilgrims and travellers who value the experience over comfort. Bring a torch, a warm layer for the early morning and cash for the lodge, since cards are rarely accepted. Rooms around the square fill on Friday nights before the Saturday crowds, so book ahead if your visit falls then.
Good for
- Pilgrims
- Photographers
- Solo
- Couples
Questions travellers ask
Can you stay overnight at Manakamana temple?
Yes. A number of small hotels and pilgrim lodges stand around the temple square, offering simple rooms and vegetarian meals. Standards are basic. Staying lets you attend the quiet morning worship and see sunrise before the cable car brings the crowds. Book ahead for Saturdays and the Dashain festival period.
Which mountains can you see from Manakamana?
On a clear morning from October to February you see Manaslu (8,163 m), Himalchuli and Baudha Himal directly north, with the Annapurna range and sometimes Lamjung Himal further west. Views are best at sunrise and usually cloud over by late morning. From June to September the peaks are rarely visible.
Is food at Manakamana vegetarian?
Restaurants around the temple serve mainly vegetarian food, including dal bhat, puri tarkari and sweets, though some also serve meat outside the temple area because animal sacrifice is part of local worship. Pilgrims who want strictly vegetarian or Jain meals should ask, or eat at their hotel.
