Annapurna Circuit via Tilicho Lake Trek in Nepal

Today arrive at the beginning of your adventure at the fabled Himalayan city of Kathmandu. You will arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport where you will be met by your representative of Himalayan Planet Adventures and taken to your hotel to relax from your long flight. In the evening, enjoy a welcome dinner with traditional Nepali food, dance, and music.

Today starts our adventure into the Annapurna Mountains as we take a local bus deep into the mountains. We leave Kathmandu, heading west for the district town of Besishahar for the Lamjung District. It’s an amazing town with a decent hotel where we will put up for the night. It is the entrance to the Annapurna Conservation Area. Rest here for the night.

We have left the paved road and now we are on a jeep trail to the village of Chame, the district “city” of Manang District. It is a rough road, but what incredible views of the mountains along the way!. We’ve entered the Annapurna Mountains. The road follows along the beautiful Marsyangdi River that flows at a rapid pace from its source in the mountains. From here, it becomes a major tributary of the mighty Trisuli River as it makes its way toward the sacred Ganges River in India. We pass several villages before finally coming to rest at Chame. This village has a great view of Mt. Annapurna II. We will spend the night in a local hotel. Please note: There can be problems with this road due to landslides and washouts during a rainy season. Himalayan Planet Adventures will have the latest update on the road conditions before you leave for the Annapurna region.

Today starts the trek. From Chame, pass through apple orchards around Bhartang village. This region is famous for its apples, which are crisp and delicious and highly sought after in Kathmandu and Pokhara. We cross the Marsyangdi River. The trail goes from being casual uphill to a bit a climb as we move our way above the tree-line until we can see Mt. Pisang as well as Mt. Chulu Peak. Below us is the village of Pisang. From the high point, it’s an easy one-hour gradual downhill walk to the village where we will spend the night. This area features Tibetan-style houses and monasteries, along with panoramic views of the Annapurna Mountain Range.

The trial will begin today with a walk through fragrant pine forests. We’ve dropped back below the tree line, but climb upwards until we can look down at one point on the ridge and see the beautiful Gurung village of Manang. The Manang Valley stretches out below us and is lush and green. The high snow-capped peaks surround the valley, making for a most impressive scene. All around us are amazing views of the snowcapped peaks, which include Tilicho, Gangapurna, Annapurna II and III as well as Pisang and Chulu peaks. Braga is a Tibetan style village with a unique Buddhist monastery with statues, thankas, and rare Tibetan religious manuscripts. Today we will enjoy the local hospitality of Braga village.

It’s a good day to start the acclimatization process as we are reaching some high elevations. There are probably few places that are as nice to acclimatize as Braga village. Here we will take a short hike to explore a unique area of the Annapurna’s called the Ice Lakes. We will pack our lunch as there are no teahouses along the way. The total journey will take around six hours as we leisurely explore this unique lake. We return to our tea house for the night.

While we’ve taken a day to acclimatize at Braga, we will take it easy at the wonderful Gurung village of Manang. It’s about an hour journey to the village which features some 500 flat-roof stone houses. These are Buddhist Gurungs, and the region is known for the number of Gurkha Soldiers that have come from Manang. There is an interesting local museum to explore. You can rest, explore, or just stand there and admire the incredible beauty of the land. From Manang, there are amazing views of the snowcapped peaks of the Annapurna Mountains. These stunning views along bring people to Manang each year. We will visit the Himalayan Rescue Association and take in a movie. Manang may be a remote mountain village, but it is amazing at what it can offer. We will spend the night in Manang.

Breakfast comes early in Manang as we will be up early to begin our trek to Tilicho Base Camp. The trek is around 6 – 7 hours and features non-stop views of the various peaks. We reach Khangsar Village, cross the Marsyangdi River and finally arrive at Tilicho Base Camp. There is a tea house here. This is where climbers begin their climb of Mt. Tilicho. We won’t be climbing Mt. Tilicho but will have the opportunity to admire this snowcapped peak.

Our journey has finally arrived at the highest lake in the world. From the moment the sun starts to rise in the Himalayan skies, the breathtaking scenery never quits. The trail is narrow and rough, but amazing in all ways with the views of the mountains, waterfalls, and fast flowing rivers. It’s a full day of trekking, lasting around 9 – 10 hours as we reach the awe-inspiring Tilicho Lake. We take a lunch with us as there is no place to buy lunch along the way. We return back to Khangsar Village for the night.

These high elevations offer some of the most amazing views of the valleys and snowcapped peaks of the Himalayas. Yak Kharka is a summer grazing area where shepherds go with their sheep, goats, and yaks to allow them to graze on good, green grass in the warmer months of the year. Below is Khangsar village, which stands out magnificently in the valley below. We look above us and see the peaks of the Annapurna, Gangapurna, and Tilicho. Vegetation is limited here to juniper bushes that can survive at this high elevation. We reach Yak Kharka where we will spend the night, enjoying the hospitality of local shepherds.

It’s a little slower today as we make our way upwards to Throng Phedi. We will be following along the east bank of the Jorsang Khola (river) as it quickly cascades down the mountainside. We stop for tea at a little tea shop by a wooden bridge that crosses the Jorsang, savoring its heat in the high elevations. The path will then narrow as we move up the slope until we reach the little village of Throng Phedi for the night.

Today you climb literally to the roof of the world to behold the most stunning view of the Himalayas at Throng La Pass before descending to the holy temple of Muktinath. It is a day filled with adventure and excitement. We begin very early as today will be a long trek. It takes around 3 – 4 hours to make it to the top of the pass. The wind always blows up here, but what an awesome view of these incredible snowcapped peaks. We stop here for a short break to enjoy the view and to take pictures before descending into the Kaligandaki Valley below. Our journey will take us to the famous pilgrimage site of Muktinath where we will spend the night. Total trekking time is 7 – 8 hours.

It’s an early morning as we make the sacred pilgrimage to the famed Muktinath Temple. Here, pilgrims have been coming for hundreds of years to worship at its sacred, ever-burning blue flame. This temple is sacred to both Hindus and Buddhists, who come here for festivals as well as to make the holy journey. We will spend some time here before moving on through incredible landscapes to the village of Kagbeni, and then finally to Jomsom which is where our trekking will end. Here we can relax at a good hotel for the night.

It’s a short, but beautiful flight over the mountains to the wonderful, lakeside city of Pokhara. The flight takes just 20 minutes, but from the air, you will see the Annapurna Mountains in all of their glory before descending over Phewa Lake and to the airport in Pokhara Enjoy exploring the city. You can do some additional walking or simply take a book and read next to the lake, enjoying a cold drink in your hand as you gaze out over the beautiful blue waters. We stay at a nice local hotel in Pokhara near Lakeside, so you can explore on your own this fascinating place.

We return to Nepal’s capital city, traveling by first class bus (a luxury ride), and passing by mighty rivers and through green valleys as the road winds its way upward to Kathmandu. In the evening, enjoy a good hotel and a farewell dinner with your manager and fellow trekkers.

It’s been a great trip and sadly, it’s time to depart. But do you really have to leave Nepal? You have barely begun to discover all this amazing country has to offer. Be sure to talk to your representative at Himalayan Planet Adventures about extending your trip. Why not take a couple of nights and visit Chitwan National Park? A jungle safari is ideal and easy to connect to from Pokhara. There are also other places to visit, and you can even spend a few more nights in Pokhara exploring its caves, box canyons, gorges, museums, underground temples and more. You’re already here in Nepal, so why not explore and discover all that this inspiring land has to offer. There are also opportunities to visit neighboring countries like India, Tibet, Bhutan, and Bangladesh and beyond. Talk to your friends at Himalayan Planet Adventures. They are the region’s specialists when it comes to exploring The Land of the Himalayas.