Annapurna Circuit Trek with Tilicho Lake

Upon arrival at the international airport, our waiting support team will meet and greet you at the airport and assist with the transfer to the hotel.

Trekking preparation and permit organization day. Please check your insurance details and have a copy of your travel medical insurance policy with you.

Our trekking guide will come to the hotel in the morning to pick you up with private transport. Then you will leave for Besishahar (173km), which will take us about 6 hours along a scenic route. Along the journey you will witness rather stunning scenery of snow-capped mountains, green hills, rivers, and villages. And again drive from Besisahar to Chame (2,710m). Stay overnight in a guesthouse.

The trail led us along the bank of the Marsyandi River, climbing up through pine forest to the Telekhu (2,840m) and continuing with a long, enjoyable, and mostly level walk through the forest to Brathang. After the trail rounds a bend to the rocky trail, the hissing sound of the river arises, coupled with a mountain view. After a while, we will cross back to the south bank of the Marsyangdi on a suspension bridge beneath Swaga Dwari (Haven Gate). Then we make a long and gentle climb over a ridge through blue pine forests to the Dhukur Pokhari and take the trail through the valley to Pisang.

After breakfast the trail slowly climbs up to through valley with pine and juniper forest to the Tibetan-styled village to Ghyaru (3,670m) Break down steep up ascents by the zigzag trail and walk to Ngawal (3,660m) and catch the mail trail of the Annapurna Circuit at Mungi (3,469m) and walk through the ancient village of Bryaga (3,500m) and finally get to Manang. Here we will see houses stacked one atop the other, each with an open veranda formed by a neighbor’s rooftop and the Gomba (monastery), perched on a high crag overlooking the village. Then we continue through very arid countryside, dominated by weird cliffs of yellow rock, eroded into dramatic pillars alongside the trail to reach today’s destination - the Manang village. Here, shops are unexpectedly well stocked with all sorts of things.

Today is a rest day for acclimation purposes. Please sleep in! After waking up late, we hike up to the tranquil Gangapurna Lake and ascend up to above the Gangapurna icefall, which often falls down as an avalanche in the spring. Take time to observe the wonderful ancient Manang village scene beneath you. It is important to have a relatively restful day today to allow our bodies to acclimate to the higher altitudes and thinning air. It also gives us the possibility to wash some of our clothing and visit the Himalayan Rescue Association of Nepal.

After having breakfast, Manang walked to Tare Gumba/Shiri Kharka (3870m) at the end of the Manang village and before Tanki Manag with the wonderful mountains beneath. Then, she entered the traditional Khangsar village, which is located at an elevation of 3,734 meters. And walk to Shiri Kharka through the bushes and Tare Gumba. Stay overnight at Tea House.

Today marks the second significant day of this trek. We start the trek early in the morning and walk along a loose rock trail that passes through the landslide area. We need to be cautious while crossing this part. After two hours to two and a half hours of walking, get to Tilicho Base Camp. After having a proper lunch, filling up all our water bottles, and ensuring we have warm clothes for the cold, we ascend to the world's highest Tilicho Lake (4,920m), which takes 2 ½ to 3 hours. It is a wonderful view of tranquil Tilicho Lake surrounded by gigantic mountains like Tilicho Peak (7,134m), Nilgiri North (7,061m), Khangshar Kang (7,485m), Tare Kang (7,069m), Gangapurna (7,454m), and many more. After taking pictures and enjoying myself with Mother Nature, I returned to Tilicho Base Camp for an overnight stay.

After a hot breakfast at Tilicho Base Camp, we will walk back the same trail to the Shiri Kharka through the landslide area and the amazing view of mountains. We will pass a few meadows where horses and yaks graze. Nearby Yak Kharka, we will see herds of blue sheep grazing the steep slopes as well. The rest of the day, we will oversee fascinating Himalayan beauty in Yak Kharka. We will stay overnight in a tea house.

Today's trail is easy and lets us acclimate before we reach the trek's highest point. This elevation is possibly the highest point you have been to in your life. From Yak Kharka, we will continue to climb along the east bank of Jarang Khola to Thorung Phedi, a rock-strewn meadow surrounded by upright cliffs at 4,420 meters. You can occasionally spot blue sheep and even snow leopards in this area. If you are up for it, we can continue our trek to the high camp another hour after lunch.

This is an adventurous and long day of trekking. Very early in the morning we take our breakfast and pack food. We will start the journey before sunrise. After 9 or 10 o’clock, strong wind starts blowing in the high Himalayas, so it is better to leave around 5 in the morning to avoid the wind. We need to wear warm clothes for the freezing morning. The trail goes on a steep ascent to the High Camp through the treeless, rocky desert and continues on some ice-frozen, slippery trails, offering tremendous mountain panoramas changing colors during the sunrise. At the Thorung La pass (5,416m), we will enjoy outstanding views of Annapurna, Gangapurna, and Khatung Kang, which is a heavily glaciated peak, along with its traditional prayer flags and stone cairn. Amazingly, there is a teashop here on top of the pass at 5,416 meters. From this point, we will begin our descent of approximately 1,600 meters into another valley that offers outstanding views of the Dhaulagiri Mountains, which stand alone in the distance across the Mustang Valley near Muktinath. This valley is truly a place of nirvana and home to Hindu temples as well as several Buddhist monasteries. Lord Vishnu is the focus of the Hindu temple, which boasts 108 waterspouts surrounding it that emit holy water. Additionally, there is the Jwala Mai Temple with an eternal flame fed by natural underground gas.

After breakfast we walk down to the ancient Jharkot village and then continue to the Khinga village, whose culture and livelihoods are similar to Tibetan people. We are still in a high alpine area with desert rocky hills and the wide, windy Kaligandaki Valley. Here we can find the “Saligram” fossil, an incarnation of God Vishnu. After a 3- to 4-hour downhill walk, we will get to the village of Kagbeni, whose inhabitants are a mix of Tibetans and Gurungs. This gets us to the rusticated Upper Mustang Trekking.

Today is an easy day. The trail goes along the Valley of Kaligandaki River. It is much better to leave early morning to avoid the strong wind after every 10/11 am. The trail leads us continuously through the Kali Gandaki Valley to Jomsom, the headquarters of the Mustang district, whose inhabitants are the traditional salt traders, the Thakali people. You can visit the Marpha Thakali village, an hour and forty-five minutes' walk away. Marpha is home to many apple orchards as well as all the various food products made from the fruit. Apple brandy is a local specialty that you may be lucky enough to taste en route.

Early in the morning, fly to Pokhara by small aircraft and watch the majestic mountains above the world’s deepest gorge zoom by. Relax for the whole day at the Pokhara hotel. Alternatively, wander around the lakeside with its fascinating mountain panorama view and charming nature.

We should be ready by 6:00 in the morning in the hotel lobby in order to have breakfast or seek advice from your trekking guide. We will drive back to Kathmandu on the main road, passing terraces, streams, rivers, local settlements, and high hills. It takes about 7 hours (conditional) to reach your hotel in Kathmandu. If you are interested in flying from Pokhara to Kathmandu (bear in mind the extra cost of the plane tickets), please request Nepal Mother House Trekking to book your flight ticket in advance. It takes about 30 minutes of flying time with spectacular views of the Himalayas, high hills, terraces, local settlements, and forests. Those sights can indeed make it worth flying.

On this pleasant day, you may have a full day at leisure, either relaxing at the hotel or exploring the surrounding Thamel. Today is the day of ending your journey, so we would like to offer you a farewell dinner in a typical Nepali restaurant and hand over your trip certificate, trekking permit, and TIMS card as a memory of your Nepal trip. Today is free for last-minute shopping for souvenirs or gifts for your family, friends, or relatives until your departure flight/drive. Our assistance will be transferred to the International Airport for your departure flight to your onward destination, taking with you the memory of a lifetime.