Tilicho Lake Trek: 16 Days

Our representative will extend a warm greeting upon your arrival at Tribhuwan International Airport in Kathmandu and escort to the hotel. Following your check-in and some refreshments, you will be greeted by our senior sherpa guide, who will also give you an overview of the Tilicho Lake Trek. After that, you can eat dinner and head to bed after taking a stroll down the street to familiarize yourself with the area.

After traveling to Dumre via the Kathmandu-Pokhara Highway, you take the paved, small road beside the Marshyangdi River to Beshisahar, which is the district headquarters of Lamjung district. 
From here, one can observe a number of well-known mountain summits, the valley's surrounding lush natural surroundings, and the everyday activities of the contented locals. The everyday necessities that are delivered to the many villages and cities are sourced from this headquarters.

Following breakfast, we ride a native jeep from Besishar to Chame. Along the way, we travel through verdant jungles and terraced fields that line the lovely Marsyangdi River. We will pass through the peaceful Jagat Bazaar on route, and we will stop briefly at Dharapani (1860m), the main Annapurna Trek entry point, to check our hiking permit. We'll keep driving our jeep after that until we reach Chame.

In addition to having a bustling bazaar, Chame provides the ideal setting for relaxing next to the revitalizing hot springs that line the banks of the Marsyangdi River. Gazing back, we can see the magnificent Manaslu (8,154m) and Peak 29 (7,833m). In front of us are the mesmerizing vistas of Annapurna II (7,937m) and Lamjung Himal (6,932m).

Spend the night in a local teahouse in Chame.

You depart for Pisang with Lamjung Himal (6893m) glistening in the morning light. Following the opposite bank, which becomes an impossible cliff, you continue through a forest of fir and pine, climbing to a high, rocky location. From here on, the valley becomes steeper dramatically as you follow the path leading to Bhratang (2950m.).

Now that you are walking through a pine forest, the valley opens up before you in a magnificent vista, with the forest ending in a beautiful U-shaped valley. To the northeast lies Pisang Peak (6091 meters), which offers views of both Annapurna II's east peak and itself. Continuing farther, you reach the lower town of Pisang and a lengthy Mani wall along a bridge. 

Spend the night at a lodge.

The trail continues up a rocky ridge beyond Pisang, providing excellent views of the Tilicho mountain (7145 m) and the Manang valley. After passing Manang's airport at Hungde (3320 meters), you descend to a flat stop from which Annapurna III's northeast face towers spectacularly over you.

Additionally visible from the broad plains of the Sabje Khola Valley is Annapurna IV (7525m). Just before this, you cross a wooden bridge to reach the small village of Mungji over the greatly reduced flow of the Marshyangdi Khola. You arrive in Manang, a fairly big village for this isolated mountain area, after a brief, sharp ascent.

Spend the night at a resort.

We will spend one more day in Manang taking in the breathtaking scenery of lush meadows, glistening mountains, chortens, and monasteries. We may also explore the distinctive way of life and culture of the locals. 

Overnight, we spend the night at our lodge.

We are going to head to Khangsar after spending an amazing day at Manang. We'll pass by a route that parallels the Khangsar River. Reaching Khangsar village will require crossing a river. This village, commonly referred to as Nepal's "olden type villages," has Tibetan influences and is quite traditional in appearance. 

Stay the night at a lodge or guesthouse.

We proceed down a wide path from a western pass, passing a Gompa (monastery). The trail ahead was built lately and climbs to a high ridge. The older route, which follows a steep screed, is far more challenging. Follow the new trail until it reaches a high crest, then follow the switchbacks cut into the sandstone slopes to a side valley that separates it from the main valley. There's a creek at the bottom. At 4,200 meters above sea level, a structure known as the Tilicho Base Camp is located on the other side of it. 

You can spend the night at a guesthouse.

The first day of our trek is today. We intend to hike towards Tilicho Lake. We will hike to Tilicho Lake first thing in the morning after breakfast because the wind can stop us if we wait. Nestled at the highest altitude in the world, Tilicho Lake is a chilly destination. We will make our way down to the Tilicho base camp after enjoying a few happy minutes at Tilicho Lake. 

We spend the night at our guesthouse by this beautiful lake.

From base camp, we gradually descend down a track that climbs for almost 500 meters to reach Yak Kharka. We leave the Marsyangdi Valley and ascend slowly via Tenki Manang. After traveling farther through the Jarsang Khola Valley, we arrive at Yak Kharka at 4,000 meters. As we go past, we notice that the yak herds and surrounding vegetation seem to be getting smaller.

Spend the night at our guesthouse.

After leaving Yak Kharka, you make your way progressively up a ridge, then descend to the Marshyangdi's sources and pass over on a covered wooden bridge. Following a brief climb up the mountain path on the right bank, you drop to Thorong Phedi by following a narrow track across a slippery rocky slope.

Spend the night at the lodge.

On this 8-hour trek, we will start early to reach Thorang La pass, a sacred pilgrimage site for Hindus and Buddhists. The steep climb will be challenging, but with a positive attitude and snow conditions, it's worth it. After 4 hours, we'll reach Muktinath, a holy site with 108 waterspouts and a natural spring. The journey is expected to be challenging but rewarding.

Spend the night at a guesthouse.

This is the final day of our walk over these stunning mountains; to get to Jomsom, we'll take the Kagbeni or Lupra trail. We will hike to Jomsom today along the Kali Gandaki River. Jomsom is a small, blustery village in a chilly valley. You can enjoy breathtaking views of the damp hills and Tilicho Mountain.

Spend the night at the lodge.

This stays overnight at our Pokhara hotel and takes approximately 25 minutes. There are flights available in the morning. The afternoon flight is prevented from landing and taking off due to the high breeze and frequent weather changes. The sky appears particularly clear during the morning flights, allowing you to take in the breathtaking vistas of many mountain peaks.

Spend the night in the lodging.

On the way from Pokhara to Kathmandu, we pass through Damauli, Dumre, Mugling, and Kurintar. From there, we go to Manakamana Temple, where the majority of Nepalese go to have their wishes fulfilled before moving away from home or getting married. This is Nepal's first cable car operation. We ascend from Naubise to Thankot, the entryway to Kathmandu, and at last arrive at our hotel and a cozy, warm bed.

Our car and escorts will be ready to take you to the international airport three hours prior to our scheduled flight back home after breakfast on our final day in Kathmandu. We shall remember the amazing times we shared and hope for a safe return for you. Cheers to your voyage! We look forward to seeing you again soon.