Annapurna Circuit Trek with Tilicho Lake

You are welcomed by a team member of Access Nepal on your arrival in Kathmandu and escorted to your hotel. In the evening, we meet you at your hotel and discuss your trek and the day city tour over a meeting. Overnight in Kathmandu.

The sightseeing tour of the historic capital city starts in the morning after breakfast. We visit four world heritage sites recognized by UNESCO within the valley, viz. Pashupatinath, Baudhanath, Kathmandu Durbar Square, and Swayambhunath. A private vehicle is arranged for you as you proceed to the first cultural site along with your tour guide.

At Pashupatinath, you can see exceptionally carved statues and idols of Hindu deities. The main temple built in the native pagoda-styled with a golden pinnacle is the highlight. A long row of Shiva Lings, a series of small temples are some instances of the artwork that you can witness. Funeral rituals along the Bagmati River is an integral part of this sacred site. Up next, Baudhanath sits peacefully amidst a square just adjacent to a busy road. It is a large dome-shaped stupa with colorful prayer flags fluttering from the golden pinnacle to the base surrounded by interesting cafes and souvenir stores.

We continue to Kathmandu Durbar Square. The exemplary wooden and stone craftsmanship alongside the stone-paved streets and pagoda-styled religious monuments devoted to Hindu deities are the cultural delights that date back to ancient and medieval Nepal. Later we visit the stupa of Swayambhunath. It translates to self-created. Flanked by other temples and monuments, this hilltop heritage site is a sheer delight. To add to the attraction, a major portion of the city can be viewed from up here. After completion of the tour, we drive back to the hotel and check our trekking gear and equipment. You may explore the jovial Thamel market if you have time.

After breakfast, we start our journey to the starting point of the Annapurna Circuit trek. We drive along the Kathmandu-Pokhara Highway through towns, and paddy fields and over numerous short and long bridges to reach Dumre. We then follow the road above the Marsyangdi River and arrive at Besishahar about 7 hours later. Later in the afternoon, we explore the town of Besishahar. Dinner and overnight at Besishahar.

The drive along the Annapurna Circuit starts in the morning after breakfast. A motorable road has virtually replaced the trekking trail but the scenic beauty still remains as beautiful.

We drive along the serpentine country road through paddy fields and villages with the view of Himalchuli and Ngadi Chuli gracing us. Thereafter, we cross streams and drive past cascading waterfalls aplenty. As we traverse the pine and fir forests near the village of Bagarchhap, we can savour our first view of the Annapurna. Up ahead, the landscape starts to change noticeably, as pine and fir forests replace the lush vegetation and sparse houses supersede dense villages. The trail now climbs up the Manang Valley to Danakyu offering glimpses of Lamjung Himal, Annapurna II, and Manalsu. It is followed ahead by a series of ups and downs past buckwheat fields, apple orchards, and forests before we arrive at Chame to stop for the night. If you’re up for it, we have the option of enjoying a hot spring pool.

Without further ado, we start the Annapurna Circuit trek by crossing a suspension bridge over the Marsyangdi River. The trail passes a pine forest and apple orchard with a few ups and downs before we arrive at Bhratang village. Later, the trek continues along a leveled trail, followed by a suspension bridge and then a steep climb through the pine forest to Dhukur Pokhari. Here, we are welcomed by views of Pisang Peak and Mt. Chulu along the trail to Upper Pisang. We take the higher trail which leads to Upper Pisang. Almost an hour later we reach our stop for the night. In the afternoon we may explore the traditional houses along with monasteries. The panoramic view of the Annapurna range is a delight.

At the start of the day’s trek, we pass through a ‘Kani’ gate and then navigate a serpentine path against the side of a mountain up ahead. A densely forested trail is also part of the trek before we arrive at a suspension bridge. On the other side, the trail climbs up before we arrive at the picturesque village of Ghyaru. Walking along the narrow stone-paved alley, through clustered stone houses with thatched roofs makes the walk intriguing. The trail ahead mostly levels out with a gradual climb in some sections. A welcome gate marks the arrival of Ngawal where we stop for the night with spectacular views.

The trek starts along a pleasant trail through fields and past a few monasteries as we exit Ngawal. We are accompanied by the beautiful Annapurna on the left. The trail drops gradually to the Julu River and we continue the descent all the way to reach the beautiful village of Braga. More impressive desert scenery highlights the trail ahead while the gigantic Annapurnas soar above. We pass mani walls, chortens, and streams with grind mills to reach Manang, half an hour later. A brief exploration before our overnight at Manang.

After continuous days of trek and with the altitude gain significant, we enjoy our day of acclimatization in the stunning ambience of Manang. The town of Manang is placed on a plateau as the majestic Annapurna and Gangapurna mountains soar above. The scenic glacial lake view of Gangapurna is our perk for the morning hike. It is a two-hour walk (both ways) below the town. We can enjoy spectacular views of Gangapurna, Annapurna III, Annapurna II, Pisang, and other peaks in the western part of Manang Valley from around the lake and the Chongkor viewpoint. We head back to Manang, enjoy lunch and further explore the fascinating medieval town of Manang with traditional houses and narrow alleys. The remaining time may be spent in rest and relaxation. We may also indulge in shopping at the well-stocked stores and eateries in the town before we call it a night.

As we resume our trek, the trail splits into two from a mani structure. The path to Tilicho branches off to the left. Up ahead, crossing the suspension bridge over the Khangsar River allows us to switch to the southern mountainside trail. We arrive at Khangsar about two hours later. The trail now inclines steeply. The red structures of the Thare Gompa lie alongside the trail. About half an hour’s climb later, we reach Shree Kharka. The section of the trail ahead is a gradual climb but involves carefully traversing a major portion of a mountain slope, quite prone to rockslides. As we get around the ridge, the mystical Khangsar Kang appears just around the corner and Tilicho Peak can be seen on the horizon. The trail drops gently along the mountainside and leads across the stream to Tilicho Base Camp.

At daybreak, we start the hike to Tilicho Lake. It is going to be a good 4 to 5 hours adventure, so we carry some food with us. At 4919 m, it is among the most spectacular glacial lakes in the world measuring 4 km in length and 1.4 km in width.

We slowly cover the long ascent to avoid altitude illness and also to soak in the visual delights as we trudge along. Khangsar Kang (7485m), Tarke Kang (7193m) are some prominent peaks. The major part of the trek is along the mountain ridge trail. The latter portion is mostly along a gentle slope with broad pathways. As we approach Tilicho, the view gets grander. The spectacular view almost feels unreal! On a clear sunny day, the reflection of the beautiful blue sky appears even more dazzling on the lake. We spend some time by the lake and experience the glacial wilderness. We have some refreshments at the teahouse and prepare for our return descent to Tilicho Base Camp. From here, we follow the same trail all the way to Shree Kharka where we stop for the night.

The trek resumes as usual after breakfast. We follow the trail that goes past Old Khangsar. The trail climbs gradually onto a ridge that opens up to a view of the Manang Valley down below. The section of the trail ahead has a possibility of Himalayan blue sheep (naur) sightings and yaks can be seen grazing in the pasture. We cross a suspension bridge over the Thorung Khola to reach Karche on the other side. The trail climbs gently and meets the main circuit trail from Manang. Almost two hours later, we reach the village of Yak Kharka (meaning Yak pastures) with large herds of yaks grazing on the pastures, which gives the village its name. The ascent resumes with a gradual climb for about an hour to reach Ledar (Letdar) Village.

The trail ahead continues to climb before it takes a descent lasting about an hour to a narrow wooden bridge over the Jorsang Khola (River). On the other side, after a brief climb, we walk a narrow trail that cuts through a steep slope. The walk continues for an hour and we make the final short ascent to arrive at Thorang Phedi. We push the ascent a bit further to reach Thorung High Camp to stop for the night.

After a wholesome breakfast, we prepare for the toughest section of the Annapurna Circuit Trek. Crossing the Thorung La pass averages about four hours. Before we set off, the current weather needs to be taken into serious consideration. The climb resumes alongside moraines before a cluster of prayer flags signal the nearing of the pass. On reaching the highest point of the trek at 5416m (17769ft), we are treated to magnificent views while the congratulatory sign adds to the excitement. The Annapurna massif, Gangapurna, and Khatung Kang peaks along with the Kaligandaki Valley (to the west) and the arid Manang Valley (to the east) make up the southern view, and the Yakwakang peak can be seen in the north.

We now have ahead of us a steep descent (over 1600m / 5249ft) all the way to Muktinath. The initial part of the descent requires careful navigation as the melting snow renders the trail slippery. Eventually, the descent gets pleasant as we continue downwards and start to walk past green meadows and vegetation. On arriving at Muktinath about four hours later, we leave the detailed exploration for the next day and head to our lodge to get dinner and a good night’s rest.

After breakfast, we head to the sacred area of Muktinath in the early morning. Monuments to explore on the premises of Muktinath include the popular 108 brass waterspouts, the Shiva and Vishnu temples flanked by other shrines, the Gompa Sambha monastery, and the Jwalamai temple (with a burning flame of natural gas) among others.

Next off, we are up for a drive of about 70 km along the country road. The first section of the drive up to Kagbeni is quite interesting as you pass through medieval fortified towns like Jharkot and Khingar where the traditional stone houses and monasteries are quite a sight. The drive continues to Eklebhatti via Kagbeni. From here onwards, the drive is along the Kaligandaki River all the way to Tatopani. To our sheer delight, the scenery includes plenty of desert landscapes with oases of apple orchards and paddy fields. Moreover, Tukuche Peak, Mt. Annapurna I, Nilgiri, and the Dhaulagiri range may also be witnessed on the way. At Tatopani, you may treat your sore muscles to a well-deserved relaxation at the natural hot water springs down towards the river. Overnight at Tatopani.

We start with a brief descent to cross the Kaligandaki River before chasing the trail to Ghorepani on the other side of the suspension bridge over Ghara Khola. Then, we take the steep uphill trail that leads to the village of Shikha. This section of the Annapurna Circuit trail is quite interesting and leads to the more frequented region of the Annapurna.

An early morning hike to the Poon Hill viewpoint offers a beautiful sunrise view over the panorama of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges. Annapurna I (8091m), Dhaulagiri I (8167m), Nilgiri (6940m), and Tukuche (6920m) can be witnessed from here. After a return hike to Ghorepani, we have breakfast at the teahouse and prepare for our hike down to Ulleri. The hike to Ulleri begins along a gradual trail and then drops steeply after Nangethanti. Eventually, we find ourselves walking through a dense oak and rhododendron forest. It is a beautiful walk, particularly during the Spring season with the wildflowers in full bloom. We arrive at Banthanti shortly and then make our way down to Ulleri. We then navigate the winding country road to Birethanti before joining the highway that leads to Pokhara, marking the end of our Annapurna Circuit trek.

Next, we continue our walk through the rhododendron forest for almost three hours before reaching the village of Ghorepani. The Gurung village is worth an exploration trip before we end the day with dinner and some rest.

An early morning hike to the Poon Hill viewpoint offers a beautiful sunrise view over the panorama of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges. Annapurna I (8091m), Dhaulagiri I (8167m), Nilgiri (6940m), and Tukuche (6920m) can be witnessed from here. After a return hike to Ghorepani, we have breakfast at the teahouse and prepare for our hike down to Ulleri. The hike to Ulleri begins along a gradual trail and then drops steeply after Nangethanti. Eventually, we find ourselves walking through a dense oak and rhododendron forest. It is a beautiful walk, particularly during the Spring season with the wildflowers in full bloom. We arrive at Banthanti shortly and then make our way down to Ulleri. We then navigate the winding country road to Birethanti before joining the highway that leads to Pokhara, marking the end of our Annapurna Circuit trek.

After breakfast, we board the tourist bus back to Kathmandu. The drive is along the Prithvi Highway along the hilly road that goes over numerous bridges, towns, and sub-urban fields. On reaching Kathmandu, you are escorted to your hotel. In the evening, a farewell dinner is organized with the team as we revel in the beautiful memories during the trek.

The Annapurna Circuit trek has ended, and for a change, you do not have to attend a wake-up call to be ready for the day’s trek. You may choose to spend the last day in Kathmandu as you prefer. We would be happy to recommend you more places of interest for exploration or outdoor activities like rafting, climbing, cooking local cuisine, and leisurely or spiritual sightseeing. A private vehicle for your airport drop-off is arranged. Hope to see you again!