DENG, WE MADE IT!: Arriving at Nepal's Manaslu Circuit

OCTOBER 14, 2026

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DENG, NEPAL — “Oh, shit!”

A fork had fallen from a plate onto the wooden floor of the guesthouse.

The utensil rattles against the grain. The combination of phrase and sound becomes the key unlocking a core memory.

It immediately takes us back to when we first met Smile at Everest Base Camp. It was his first trek learning the ways of guiding under the wing of his brother-in-law, Raj.

Whenever something small happened, like someone slipping on a rock or dropping a utensil (nothing serious), you were sure to hear the phrase “Oh shit” uttered the only way Smile can, followed by a hearty laugh, almost a giggle.

Fast forward two years and here we all are, reunited with our Himalaya Journey trekking team around the communal dinner table of a guesthouse in a remote mountain village in Nepal.

Oh shit is right!

We successfully made it to the village of Deng, what would have been the third overnight stop of our original Manaslu Circuit Trek. The recent flash flood washed out bridges along the lower route, blocking access to the trailhead.

The only way here was via helicopter, an opportunity providing some of the most dramatic and awe-inspiring views I have ever seen.

We fly low through the valley bordered by steep mountainsides towering around us. We fly so close you can see the distinct pine needles of the trees and easily make out the intricate patterns of the rocky terrain.

We get especially close as the helicopter makes a sharp U-turn and suddenly we are flying back down the valley toward a narrow flat speck of green on a cliff’s edge.

Welcome to Deng.

Carefully we climb out, sure to keep

our heads low, and make our way to the rest of our team who are there to greet us. We take care to watch our step as we have conveniently landed in a field of stinging nettles the locals use for soup and tea.

No need to start off unnecessarily itchy. We later learned our fellow trekker Tom wasn’t so lucky.

We are led up a small earthen path through a cabbage patch. Baby goats bleat from within their pen as we walk past. The pathway changes to stone steps leading between wooden buildings to a courtyard. We continue until we arrive at our home for the night: Namgyal Guesthouse.

The room smells just like a log cabin back home, enveloping us in the sweet smell of fresh pine. It’s clean and has a view to die for, best seen from the comforts of the in-suite Western toilet.

If our stomachs go sour, at least our eyes will be treated to an escape from the agony.

Today’s mission is rest. Tomorrow our trek truly begins as we embark on a 9.4-mile stretch to Ghap.

Deng, I can’t believe we finally made it.