Annapurna Circuit via Tilicho Lake Trek

Welcome to the Himalayas! You will arrive in Kathmandu. We will meet and greet and take you to your hotel.

Today is free and rest day in Kathmandu, or you can wander around the city to get familiar with the surrounding. There are varieties of shops and fun places where you can hang out and enjoy the time.

We wake up early, our driving adventure starts in the morning from Kathmandu to Besisahar by local minivan then by jeep to Pisang.

You will drive through the scenic foothills and ridge-line views of the Trishul River. From Munglin, follow the Pokhara Highway to Durme, then turn north to Besisahar along the Marshyangdi River, enjoying the mountains views, the terraces and the green hills.

Today, the route generally parallels the main trail to the north but on the other side of the valley between Pisang and Manang. We continue through the drier upper part of Manang, cut off from the full effect of the monsoon by the Annapurna range.

People of this area herd the yaks and raise crops for a part of the year. Leaving Pisang, we have routes to the north and south of the Marshyangdi River, which meets again at Mungji.

The highlights of this side trip are getting away from the crowds, a chance to see more traditional Nepalese life in the small villages and great views.

We come across a beautiful village clinging to the side of a cliff where the houses appear to be stacked on top of each other. Bragha village is dominated by the region’s oldest monastery, which is more than 500 years old. The rest of the day can be spent walking around the village after reaching Manang and visiting the monastery and enjoying the view from the lodge and acclimatizing.

We spend a day acclimatizing in Manang. It is recommended to stay active and take a short walk to higher altitude to get acclimatized. We spend the entire day doing some fine day walks and seeing the wonderful sights around the village.

The next two days will be a very demanding and tiring trek for us with a fast gain in altitude. We should never be too confident at altitude, and we should be very watchful. Bodzo Gompa or Gangapurna Lake is worth a visit from the acclimatization point of view.

Manang village houses Himalayan Rescue Association. During the trekking seasons, volunteer Western doctors work here to educate trekkers and researchers.

Today’s trek takes you on a relatively easy way through pine forests to the Tibetan village of Khangsar.

Today, the mountains that accompany you are mainly Gungang Himal and Mt Chulu. A short walk on and you will reach Siri Kharka.

From Tilicho Base Camp, the view of Tilicho Peak and the other mountains are absolutely incredible! Today the trail leads you through areas prone to landslides, so extra care needs to be taken.

Visit Tilicho Lake (4,920m) then back to Siri Kharka 5 – 6 hrs.

Get up early this morning to avoid the wind in the afternoon. The first part of the trail is a steady climb up to Lake Tilicho. This icy cold lake glimmering in the sun lies below the North Face of Tilicho Peak. Relax and enjoy a picnic lunch around the lake before heading to Siri Kharka.

Today the walk passed through the old Khangsar village, which is now empty of inhabitants. Also pass Buddhist Tare Monastery, which is said to be 1000 years old. Descending in the Thorong Khola Valley, cross the river then trek to a plateau. The Annapurna range is stunning against the blue sky on the way.

Blue is also the color of the sheep you can see. Well, they’re called Blue Sheep, although perhaps they are not really blue in color!

Today is a gentle hike enjoying the stunning views as we ascend to Throng Phedi. After about an hour of walking, we arrive to cross the bridge at Ledar and a great view of the Chulu Mountains. We can witness herds of Himalayan blue sheeps grazing in the slopes and we may also see herds of yaks too.

The trail climbs steadily through Ledar, then descends to cross the Jarsang Khola. After a steep climb and a scree slope, we arrive at Thorong Phedi, a small, busy settlement catering to the needs of tired hikers and climbers.

There will be an acclimatizing walk in the afternoon up the trail to the high camp; adhering to one of the golden rules of “climb high and sleep low” altitude. Sometimes, depending on the weather, we may walk up to the Thorong High Camp to make the next day easier

Today is a long trek starting before sunrise at 4 am to reach the pass by 9-10am otherwise weather conditions (strong winds) will seriously affect the trek, especially at the Thorong La Pass (5,416m). We climb steeply on a regular route, which is easy to follow.

However, due to altitude and snow, some problems may arise. It often causes terrible problems to cross the pass if it’s covered by heavy snow. Approximately four hours of climbing up to the pass marked by the chortens and the prayer flags will reward you with magical views from the top of the pass.

The view that awaits us is a fantastic 360-degree view. There are splendid views of Dhaulagiri (8167m), Tukuche (6920m) and Nilgiri North (7069m) as we approach Muktinath.

Today is the last day of our trek on these amazing mountains, we will go through the new route Lubra is the last Bon village (pre-Buddhist practice). The place is full of legend and history.

Also, the scenery is gorgeous as we first pass the pasture to the ridge closer to the Dhaulagiri range.

We will trek along Kali Gandaki River to reach Jomsom. Jomsom is a windy town. You can get fascinating memorable views of Tilicho Mountain and beautiful wet hills.

Today, we fly to Pokhara the lake city in the earliest possible. After checking-in at our hotel, we may take a rest or visit the Lakeside area in the vicinity of the Fewa Lake. Here, we can indulge in buying some souvenirs or sampling some local delicacies

Today, we drive back to Kathmandu. It will take about 6 hours, overland journey by tourist coach. And the gentle light brings us on our way back to the bustle of Nepal’s capital.

In the evening, we will have a farewell dinner in a typical Nepalese restaurant with culture show.

Today is rest and relax throughout the day or say goodbye to Nepal. Enjoy your final moments in Kathmandu with a city stroll or souvenir shopping.

Our representative will meet you at your hotel and drive you to the airport for your return flight home.