The hiking trails around mighty Manaslu (8,156m), the world’s eighth-highest mountain, have it all. Trekking in Manaslu takes you through steamy lowland valleys and fields of rice which give way to ice-coated passes stalked by leopards.

When people ask me for my most recommended trek, my usual answer is the Manaslu Circuit. It's arguably one of – if not the – best trek in the country; competing with Annapurna and Everest for the crown of amazing scenery and epic hiking but with a fraction of the crowds. There are trekking lodges all along the standard routes in Manaslu but for now, they are a lot more primitive than those on the Everest and Annapurna treks. Getting to the trailheads in this area is easy and cheap with frequent public transport from Kathmandu and Pokhara.

I've hiked through mystical valleys rich in Tibetan culture and seen monasteries stuffed with treasures. There's some exhilarating walking with relatively few other trekkers and exciting day-long side trips to glaciers, base camps and hidden gompas. The Manaslu trekking region didn’t open up to foreign trekkers until the early 1990s ( the neighbouring Tsum Valley opened even later), but it was an instant hit with those wanting a challenging and less developed trekking area. Anyone who has walked in the shadow of Manaslu will probably tell you that overall, this is one of the most rewarding Nepal trekking areas.