Thoche/ Thonje

Thoche lies towards the north of Dharapani and used to be a pretty important place. It can be reached after crossing the mighty Marshyangdi on a suspension bridge. At the confluence of Marshyangdi and Dudh Khola, Thoche used to be the junction point for Nepal-Tibet salt trade many years back and it used to have an importance of its own. But with the rival trade route nearby (through the Kali Gandaki valley) and the closure of the Tibetan border by the Chinese in 1959, off-farm activities in the field of trade received a major blow. Now that the trail is not used anymore for the salt trade, Thoche's importance has vanished and Dharapani has emerged as an important village to cater the needs of the travelers. But nonetheless, Thoche still is a great side trip. If you were to do the Manaslu Circuit then your exit point would be Thoche and then down to Dharapani. Thoche is also considered a very good spot to witness Gorals which are mostly spotted during the mating seasons. And they also have a gompa of their own which should be worth a visit. Just like the side trip from Karte to Nachai this side trip to Thoche is mostly done to experience the village and have the bragging right of having visited one more village in the Circuit. No need for a lunch pack as it is a short side trip and even if you do get hungry, there will be some lodges offering you food. Altitude: 1940 m/ 6364 ft Lunch pack: not required