Manaslu
Manaslu, at 8,163 meters (26,781 ft), is the eighth-highest mountain in the world, situated in the Mansiri Himal of west-central Nepal. Known as the 'Mountain of the Spirit', its long ridges and valley glaciers offer dramatic topography culminating in a delicate, exposed knife-edge summit crest.
Mountain Safety & Conditions Disclaimer: High-altitude climbing, glacial travel, and technical ascents entail severe objective risks including avalanches, serac collapses, rapid weather collapse, and altitude illness. Historical route descriptions and summit claims on Mountanity reflect documented archival sources and must not be used as live operational safety assessments. Local regulations, permits, and physical glacial topography change continuously.
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Geographical Setting & Topography
Mansiri Himal section of the Nepalese Himalayas, roughly 64 km east of Annapurna in Gorkha District.
Historic First Ascent
Date: May 9, 1956
Ascent Team: Toshio Imanishi and Gyalzen Norbu (Japanese Expedition led by Aritsune Maki)
Key Statistics & Topographic Figures
- Official Elevation
- 8,163 m (26,781 ft)
Topographic Survey
- Topographic Prominence
- 3,092 m
Relief Metric
- First Ascent
- May 9, 1956
Toshio Imanishi and Gyalzen Norbu (Japanese Expedition led by Aritsune Maki)
- Territory Codes
- NP
Sovereignty
Archival Primary Source Quotations
“The mountains are calling, and we must honor their grandeur with truth and historical precision.”
Defined Alpine Terminology & Concepts
- Topographic Prominence
- The vertical elevation difference between a mountain summit and the lowest contour line encircling it that contains no higher summit.
- Death Zone
- The high-altitude region above 8,000m where atmospheric oxygen pressure is insufficient to sustain human life long-term.
Manaslu Mountain Weather Forecast
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Target Elevation: 8,163 mSafe summit ridge climbing requires gusts below 40 km/h.
Evaluating thermal loss...
Tracking glacial freezing boundary...
Assessing whiteout and cloud immersion hazards...
High-altitude snow glare requires Category 4 glacier glasses to prevent snow blindness.
Evaluating oxygen partial pressure...
Detailed 14-Day Summit Window & Weather Timeline
Explore day-by-day summit push safety windows, wind shear analysis, and extended multi-day forecasts for Manaslu.
Explore Manaslu (8,163 m) in Interactive 3D
Inspect steep glacial walls, hanging seracs, ridge approaches, and elevation relief with 360° rotation and terrain tilt in WebGL.
Documented Climbing Routes (1)
Manaslu Northeast Face (Normal Route)
The Northeast Face is the standard route on Manaslu, first forged in 1956 by a Japanese expedition. Ascending from the Manaslu Glacier above the village of Samagaon, the route climbs through an active, heavily crevassed icefall between Camps 1 and 2, traverses wide snow plateaus up to Camp 4, and culminates in a delicate, exposed knife-edge snow arête leading to the true summit pin.
Historical Expeditions (5)
1956 Japanese Manaslu Expedition
Led by Aritsune Maki, this historic Japanese Alpine Club expedition made the first ascent of Manaslu (8,163m) on May 9, 1956, when Toshio Imanishi and Sherpa Sirdar Gyalzen Norbu conquered the Mountain of the Spirit, followed two days later by Kiichiro Kato and Minoru Higeta.
1984 Polish Manaslu First Winter Ascent Without Oxygen
On January 12, 1984, Polish mountaineers Maciej Berbeka and Ryszard Gajewski achieved the historic first winter ascent of Manaslu (8,163m), completing the world's first winter conquest of an eight-thousander without supplemental oxygen.
Project Possible 14/7: The 189-Day 14-Peak Odyssey
Led by former British Gurkha and Special Boat Service (SBS) operator Nirmal 'Nimsdai' Purja MBE, Project Possible 14/7 shattered the world speed record by summiting all fourteen 8,000-meter peaks in 6 months and 6 days (189 days), smashing the prior record of nearly eight years.
2019 Nirmal Purja Manaslu Expedition
Nirmal Purja reached the summit of Manaslu (8,163m) via the Northeast Face on September 27, 2019, just four days after Cho Oyu, conquering his thirteenth 8,000-meter giant.
2023 Alex Txikon Manaslu Winter Expedition
On January 6, 2023, Basque mountaineer Alex Txikon and a team of six Sherpa climbers conquered Manaslu (8,163m) in astronomical winter without supplemental bottled oxygen, climbing from Base Camp to the true summit in an astonishing sixty hours.
Summit Chronicles & Stories (6)
Without Oxygen in the Death Zone: The 1984 Polish Winter Ascent of Manaslu
On January 12, 1984, Polish mountaineers Maciej Berbeka and Ryszard Gajewski completed the first winter ascent of Manaslu (8,163m), achieving the world's first winter summit of an 8,000er without bottled oxygen.
The Winter Express: Alex Txikon Conquers Manaslu in 60 Hours
On January 6, 2023, Basque winter specialist Alex Txikon and six Sherpa companions conquered Manaslu in astronomical winter without oxygen, executing a blistering 60-hour sprint.
The Son of the Mountain: Sajid Ali Sadpara's Oxygen-Free Alpine Triumphs Across K2 and the 8,000ers
Carrying the torch of his legendary father Muhammad Ali Sadpara, Pakistani alpinist Sajid Ali Sadpara has redefined modern high-altitude climbing by conquering K2, Nanga Parbat, Manaslu, and Annapurna without bottled oxygen.
Manaslu 1956: The Japanese Triumph on the Mountain of the Spirit
On May 9, 1956, Toshio Imanishi and Sherpa Sirdar Gyalzen Norbu stood atop Manaslu (8,163m), overcoming years of cultural standoff and extreme high-altitude terrain to claim Japan's first eight-thousander.
Manaslu: Four Days After Cho Oyu, Thirteenth Giant Won
Nirmal Purja races back to Nepal to summit Manaslu just four days after Cho Oyu, claiming peak number thirteen.
Project Possible 14/7: The 189-Day Himalayan Odyssey
How Nirmal 'Nimsdai' Purja and his Nepali team climbed all fourteen 8,000-meter peaks in 189 days, redefining the boundaries of human endurance.
Frequently Asked Questions: Manaslu
What is the verified elevation of Manaslu?
Manaslu has an official elevation of 8,163 meters (26,781 feet) above sea level.
When was Manaslu first climbed?
Manaslu was first summited on May 9, 1956 by Toshio Imanishi and Gyalzen Norbu (Japanese Expedition led by Aritsune Maki).
What mountain range and territories encompass Manaslu?
Manaslu is situated in Gorkha District, Gandaki Province across territory codes NP.
Documented Sources & Archival Citations
- Manaslu: 1954-1956(Japanese Alpine Club / Mainichi Shimbun)
Supporting claim: Account of the 1956 Japanese first ascent
Accessed/Documented: 1958 - Himalayan Database(Elizabeth Hawley Archive)
Supporting claim: Verified elevation 8,163m and summit topography
Accessed/Documented: 2026