Annapurna Tilicho Lake Trek is one of the most exquisite trekking journeys to the Annapurna region of Nepal. It takes you to the world’s highest lake – Tilicho Lake which lies in the Manang district of Nepal. Many travelers have claimed it to be one of the best trekking experiences with a variety of events in a single endeavor. The trail to Tilicho Lake goes through a large variation in terms of altitude, climate, topography, and geography. From the foothills of Annapurna to alpine forests and from desert-like barren land at Manang to the rocky landscape at Thorong la Pass. From the highest mountain pass at Thorong La (5416m) to the deepest gorge in the world – Kaligandakigorge, Annapurna Tilicho Lake Trek has it all.
Annapurna Tilicho Lake Trek starts with a general exploration of the UNESCO-listed heritage sites in Kathmandu from where you will be driven along a classic countryside landscape to Chamje. From Chamje, you walk through a lush landscape and pass villages like Dharapani and Chame to Pisang and then to Manang Valley. As you open up to the valley, you will be able to see Marsyangdi River on the east side with dry and barren land of the place all around. The arid and rocky landscape of Manang Valley is quite alluring and walking through the dusty road will give you the vibes of the off-beaten track. As you move ahead from Manag, you pass Khangsar to Tilicho Base Camp. From the base camp, you will be blessed with the awesome views of Annapurna Himal, Dhaulagiri Himal, Manaslu Himal, and Tukuche Peak with many other peaks adorned in the backdrop.
A walk ahead from the base camp will bring you to the most heavenly place on the earth! The serene and azure Tilicho Lake is right in front of your eyes in the backdrop of beautiful Himalayas, doesn’t that sound amazing? The live view of this place is even more enriching and astounding. After being a part of this reviving moment, the trail takes you to the Thorong La pass via the meadows of Yak Kharka. You cross the pass and head towards Muktinath which is one of the pious pilgrimage sites in that location. After visiting the temple and relishing the wonderful views of the mountains, you make your way to Pokhara via a walk to Jomsom.
Thus, to sum up, this journey, Annapurna Tilicho Lake Trek is a combination of mountains, glaciers, high mountain passes, and high glacial lakes that are featured with diverse ethnic cultures and lifestyles of people. The vibrant Tibetan Buddhist culture prevalent in the Trans Himalayan region adds to the vividness of this journey. So, are you ready to take the challenge of walking up to Tilicho Lake and crossing Throrong la Pass? if yes, then grab the opportunity of being a part of this journey with World Alpine Treks.
The first day marks your arrival day in Kathmandu. Clear all the visa requirements and customs clearance if any at the arrival section of the airport. As you come out, you will find a representative from World Alpine Treks waiting for you holding a board with your name. You will then be transferred to your hotel in Kathmandu. The representative will shortly inform you about the plans ahead.
In the morning, you will be picked up at your hotel for a drive to the lakeside city of Besisahar. Today, we take a scenic drive along the Prithvi highway for around six to seven hours to Besisahar. We pass through some amazing landscapes throughout the journey. In the first half portion, we will be able to get some stunning views of the Trishuli River along with hills and villages. In the second half, the countryside landscape and the greenery will keep you engaged. At Besisahar, we catch a jeep that will take us to Jagat. Tonight, we stay at a guesthouse in Jagat (Inclusive of breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
From Jagat, we start our walking journey of the trip. Early in the morning, after breakfast, we follow a trail that leads us to Chamje. We come across a long suspension bridge over a river there. We cross the bridge and start ascending up through the lush forests of oak until we open up to a beautiful valley. On the route, we come across the beautiful village of Kodo. A few hours walk uphill from Kodo, we reach Dharapani, another beautiful village in that region. Tonight, at a guesthouse/ lodge in Dharapani. (Inclusive of breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
At the entrance gate of Dharapani, there is a stone-built chorten that reflects the influence of the Tibetan Buddhist religion. Ahead of the gate, get ready to get some insights into the villages with Tibetan Buddhist influence. After a few hours of walking, we come across Bargachaap which is a delightful village with flat-roofed stone houses that resembles Tibetan-style houses. From Bargachaap, the trail ascends up through a rough and rocky trail and extends through the forests to Kopar. From Kopar, we continue ahead until we reach our guesthouse in Chame. Chame is the headquarter of the Manang district. As we reach Chame, we can get some fantastic views of the mountains in the region. Tonight, at a guesthouse/ lodge in Chame. (Inclusive of breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
After breakfast, we continue our journey towards Pisang. With the amazing views of LamjungHimal and Pisang Peak, we follow a trail that goes steep into the dense forests. On the way, we pass a waterfall and cross suspension bridges over the river with amazing views of meadows and mountains on sight. We also get some soaring views of PaungdaDanda rock that begins to appear as we climb up towards Pisang. As you open up to the valley of Pisang, you will be blessed with some close views of Pisang Peak and Mt. Annapurna II. After relishing the amazing views, we stay at a guesthouse/ lodge in Pisang for the night. (Inclusive of breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
Today, we leave Pisang and head towards the upper part of the Manag district which is more dry and arid in nature. The route offers some astounding views of majestic mountain peaks in the Annapurna range. With these views in sight, we take an upper route to Manag that goes through Ghyaru – Ngawal and Munji. As we move up, we can notice the change in climate, landscape, and vegetation. We come to dry places with a harsh environment. Though harsh, the dry and arid landscape looks very compelling with close views of mountains in the backdrop. On the way, we come across a large monastery of the region – Barge Monastery. We visit the monastery and continue our walk until we reach our guesthouse/ lodge in Manang. Tonight, at a guesthouse/ lodge in Manang. (Inclusive of breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
We spend an extra day in Manang as a part of our requirement for proper acclimatization. And, there are so many places around Manang to explore. Manang in itself is an interesting village that offers some fantastic views of mountains and rocky terrain. Today, we explore the villages around and hike up to visit Gangapurna Lake. We can even visit a monastery and mountaineering school on the way. In the evening, we return back to our guesthouse/ house in Manang. (Inclusive of breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
We leave Manang through the western gate and continue through the trail that descends down to a river. We cross the river and follow a path along the river that leads us to a coniferous forest of oak and juniper. We continue through the trail until we reach the village of Khangsar. From the village, we walk up to Siri Kharka. On the way, we pass an old monastery. Though the route is tiring, the astonishing views of Mt. Chulu and GungangHimal will keep you going. Tonight, we stay at a guesthouse/ lodge in Siri Kharka. (Inclusive of breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
Today, we ascend up to the Tilicho Base Camp. Though the path is not so steep and strenuous, the walk might exhaust you as you will have to walk up and down via a narrow path. We come across some landslide-prone areas in between. We pass those risky areas with beautiful views of the rock formation on the trail. We continue with our walk until we reach the Tilicho Base Camp. Tonight, we stay at a guesthouse/ lodge in Tilicho Base Camp. (Inclusive of breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
Today will be one of the most memorable days of your trekking journey as you will confront the heart-whelming beauty of the azure Tilicho Lake. Untouched by any kind of modernization, you will be able to relish the serenity and tranquility within the deepness of the lake. From Siri Kharka, you climb up steep and pass some yak grazing areas to Ttilicho Lake. Tilicho Lake is perfectly placed in the lap of Tilicho peak. This place is a perfect combo of quietness, serenity, mountain lakes, and mountain beauty at its best. After spending some quality time in the lake, we descend down to Siri Kharka. Tonight, we stay at a guesthouse/ lodge in Siri Kharka. (Inclusive of breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
Today, we leave Siri Kharka and descend down toward the village of Khangsar. On the way, we stop at Tare gumba and visit the monastery. We walk through the meadows where we can see some yaks grazing along with the yak herders busy with their own stuff. We then cross a wooden bridge over a river and pass some ancient mani walls before we arrive at the village of Yak Kharka. The village is actually the summer settlement of the yak herders. Tonight, at a guesthouse/ lodge in Yak Kharka. (Inclusive of breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
We leave Yak Kharka and head towards Thorong La Phedi. Thorong La Phedi is a small settlement in the high altitudinal region that caters to the food and accommodation need of the trekkers visiting the Thorong La pass. it is actually a stopping point to cross the Thorong La pass tomorrow. Thorong La pass is the highest pass in the world. It is challenging to cross the path. Its rocky and slippery terrain with ever-changing weather conditions makes it one of the toughest parts of the journey. Today, we stop at Thorong la Phedi for an early walk through the pass tomorrow. (Inclusive of breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
The pass is prone to strong and harsh winds after the afternoon. Hence, we wake up early to cross the pass. We walk along the rocky ridges of the past with outstanding views of mountains and glaciers in the Annapurna region. From the pass, we will be able to get 360-degree panoramic views of mountains that extend to Tibetan plateaus in the north. After crossing the path, we descend down to Muktinath which is a very popular spiritual hub of the Annapurna region. The place holds a high value amongst Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims. Many Hindu pilgrims visit this place early with high dedication and devotion. Tonight, we stay at a guesthouse/ lodge in Muktinath. (Inclusive of breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
Early in the morning, we walk to Muktinath for amazing views of the mountains in the Annapurna range. Fater appreciating the glories of the mountains, we descend down to Jomsom and complete our circuit walk around the Annapurna. Hence, we accomplish our walking journey of Annapurna Tilicho Lake Trek. Tonight, enjoy your time in Jomsom with the warm hospitality of the local people. (Inclusive of breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
Today, we take an early flight to Pokhara. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to the hotel. Enjoy your time at the hotel in Pokhara. In the evening, you can walk to the lakeside and enjoy the serenity in the environment. (Inclusive of breakfast).
Concluding our trip, we drive back via the same route along the Prithvi Highway to Kathmandu. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel in Kathmandu. Tonight, we stay at a hotel in Kathmandu. (Inclusive of breakfast and lunch).
Before a few hours of your scheduled flight, you will be transferred to the international terminal of Tribhuwan International Airport. (Inclusive of Breakfast).
ABC Sanctuary Trek
I recently embarked on the ABC Sanctuary Trek with the World Alpine Trek and had the privilege of being guided by Deepak. I can confidently say that it was an extraordinary experience that exceeded all expectations.
It's so important for me to feel relaxed and relieved not only during the trek but before and after that.
He is very faithful and suave, which gave me such feelings perfectly.
Needless to say, the 2 treks he organized were awesome.
Moreover, I'm glad to know there is a woman who works for this company. I'm hopeful for his company's growth.
I believe a new era has come to this fascinating country and this company will lead that.
Good luck, Shubha Kamana.