Tilicho Lake Trek

17 Days
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Why Book with Us?

  • Nepal Government certified
  • Respect guest time value
  • Voluntary community work
  • Responsible tourism
  • Professional Team building
  • Multi Country Program

  • Trek in the vicinity of the world’s 10th tallest peak and several other mountains in the Annapurna Massif
  • Trek to the mesmerizing waters of Lake Tilicho, the highest lake in the world
  • Cross Thorong-La Pass, one of the highest passes in the world
  • Enjoy panoramic views of Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, Nilgiri and Manaslu
  • One of the most beautiful trekking trails of Nepal
At 4,970 meters of altitude, Lake Tilicho in Manang is the highest lake in the world. Get ready with High Venture Plus to venture to this amazingly beautiful and pristine lake in western Nepal. Lying slightly off from the popular Annapurna Circuit trail, this lake attracts thousands of trekkers each year for the mesmerizing colours of its waters. In fact, Tilicho is one of Nepal’s most beautiful lakes. Aside from a trip to Tilicho, you will trek through the regular Annapurna Circuit passing through several places such as Dharapani, Pisang, Muktinath, and Jomsom. And of course the beautiful valley of Manang! This is an unforgettable trip to Nepal, made more important by the indelible views of Annapurna Massif, a section of Dhaulagiri Range and also a section of Manaslu Mountain Range. This trek is for you if you want to see the spectacular mountain views and reach more beautiful locations than regular trekking routes in Nepal.

Route Map

Tilicho Lake Trek Route Map

Itinerary

  • The program begins from a drive from Kathmandu to Khudi. It’s an eight-hour drive along the scenic but winding hilly road. Once we arrive at Khudi, we’ll have wonderful views of Manaslu Range. Check into a hotel for the overnight stay.
  • Today marks the beginning of our trek. Starting from Khudi, we’ll trek under the beautiful skies and hills. Along the way we’ll encounter waterfalls, rivers, and dense forests. Trek further to village of Taranche and later in the day arrive at the hilly village of Sirung. We’ll be sleeping tonight in a homestay in Sirung.
  • Starting after breakfast, we’ll leave Sirung headed for Jagat. It’s an easy trek today with little ascents and descents. We’ll come to Marshyangdi Khola and follow along its bank through scenic landscapes. Forests, villages, and waterfalls will be visible in this section until we come to Jagat. Check into a lodge at Jagat for tonight.
  • Today we’ll be trekking for around seven hour. After breakfast we will head along the descending trail to arrive at a river. From there we will head north with excellent views of the surrounding hills and valleys until we arrive at Tal. Here, enjoy the majestic views of Annapurna Range and then enter a dense forest. Coming out, we will come to Karte and from there it’s an easy trek to Dharapani. Located inside Manang Valley, this beautiful village is where we’ll stay tonight.
  • Chame is at an altitude of 2,710 meters - suggesting that the dense forests provide a cool shade and a beautiful environment. Starting from Dharapani, we will enter a hilly forest but we’ll have views of the Annapurna Range from several turns in this section. Continue trekking for a couple of hours to reach the beautiful village of Chame for the overnight stay.
  • Starting after breakfast, we’ll continue walking along the river for nearly the entire day. We’ll cross gorges with steep edges and trek through pristine landscapes along the way - basically trekking at the edges of the wide Manang Valley. Later in the day we’ll come to Pisang where we’ll stay tonight.
  • We will begin the day’s trip via one of the two roads - one that goes through high-altitude landscapes and the second one via lower lands. Either way, we will have magnificent views of the landscape and mountain ranges. The prominent views of Annapurna Range will be with us for quite a distance. Trekking through the windy landscapes, we will arrive at Manang. Check into a hotel for the overnight stay.
  • It is here in Manang where we will be acclimatizing today. After breakfast, we will hike to one of the lakes. The waters here are icy blue, in fact this shade of blue is somewhat rare for lakes at this altitude - but it’s beautiful! You will take some pictures and rest with the views ahead. Later we will trek back to Manang for the overnight stay.
  • Starting in the morning from Manang, we will first come to a glacial river. Cross it and continue on the trail at the southern side of the valley through coniferous forests. Arrive at the village of Khangsar and ascend through the trail enjoying superb vistas of Mt. Chulu and other lesser-known peaks. Late in the afternoon, we will arrive at Siri Kharka. See around the village and go to bed early.
  • It’s a strenuous trail from Siri Kharka to Tilicho Base Camp. However, it’s a rewarding trail with utmost scenic beauty. At one point our trail goes through a region of past avalanche, but we’ll take no chances and do a little detour through an alternative rocky terrain. It’ll add an hour to our trek, yet, we’ll reach the pristine Tilicho Base Camp in broad daylight. Set up camp at a suitable location and go to bed early.
  • Start after breakfast along the challenging trail that goes straight up the side of the mountain. Ascending steadily up, we will come to a beautiful icy lake - the waters are so pristine that you’ll want to take a dive - don’t do so. Take a break here and continue along to reach the beautiful Lake Tilicho. It’s an expansive lake at the bottom of Tilicho Peak, the beauty of which deserves to be seen. Words can’t describe correctly - neither the feeling of inspiration nor the appreciation of natural beauty! Spend some time here and return to Tilicho Base Camp for the night.
  • Compared to the uphill climb of yesterday, the trek today is like a stroll. Get up at leisure and have breakfast. Pack your bags and begin the descent. With multiple breaks in between, we will be actually retracing the steps back to Siri Kharka. After about five hours, we’ll reach the hamlet in the afternoon and spend the day here. At night, go to bed early.
  • After a leisurely morning we will leave Siri Kharka headed for Yak-Kharka. Traditionally, a “kharka” in Nepali language means a place where yaks and other domestic animals are kept, often at a  little distance from the village or town. Yak-Kharka is at a distance of around four to five hours from Siri Kharka. First we head up through the declining vegetation and then trek up to a hamlet. A quick break here, and after an hour of walking we will arrive at Yak-Kharka. Enjoy the rest of the day with breathtaking views of the surrounding.
  • Start at a leisurely pace as it’s a short day of trek to Thorang Phedi, the base of the Thorong-La Pass. First, take a steep climb for about an hour so so. When you reach the top, take a break and continue to Ledar and then trek along the bank of Jarang River. With great views, you will see several wild animals such as eagles, blue sheep, horses and even the snow leopard. Next, we will trek to Thorang-Phedi but apply caution as the trail can sometimes slippery. Once at the base, you can either set up camp here, or if you feel like it, you can climb up to Thorong High Camp for the night.
  • Start by crossing the pass early in the day. The Pass of Thorong-La is lined by colorful prayer flags, commanding extraordinary views of the Annapurna, Gangapurna and several other peaks ahead. You will also see some glaciers flowing down in different directions. Take as many photos as you like, before descending along the trail which later opens up to pastures and fields. With several short breaks from here, you will trek to Muktinath where you will sleep with memories of indelible views you gained at the pass day.
  • Early in the morning you can visit Muktinath an ancient temple with a perpetual natural flame. Leaving Muktinath behind, we will trek down to Kagbeni and begin the exciting walk along Kali -Gandaki until we reach the fabled town of Jomsom. The close-up views of the peaks are spellbinding! We will be arriving in Jomsom during the afternoon, and have plenty of time to look around this medieval trading town where business once flourished with Tibet. You can even sample some local cider called “Marpha”, named at the distillery. Later, take a hot shower and call it a day.
  • After a quick breakfast, go to the airport and board a flight to Pokhara. As it gets extremely windy in the afternoon, all flights to Jomsom happen in morning. Once you arrive at Pokhara, spend the rest of the day relaxing or as you please.

What's Included?

  • For accommodation in Kathmandu, the Hotel will be a 3 star Hotel and the room will be on twin sharing basis which includes breakfast. The package for Kathmandu’s hotel is for 2 nights.
  • Similarly, for accommodation in Pokhara, the Hotel will be a 3 star Hotel where the room will be on twin sharing basis, 2 nights.
  • Permit to Conservation Area / national park
  • Trekkers’ Information Management Systems (TIMS) card.
  • We further make arrangements of the best teahouses or lodge as far as possible in twin sharing basis throughout the trek journey.
  • Regarding the guide, we provide you with a professional very helpful and friendly trekking guide who can speak fluently in English.
  • The other assistant will also be provided if you are going in a group of two or more where the package will include their food, dally payment, transportation, and accommodation, along with covering up their insurance.
  • A down jacket, duffle bag and a sleeping bag will also be provided during the trek.
  • For transportation, we have roadways where we arrange tourist bus for solo travellers and private vehicle for group.
  • A T-shirt, trekking map and a certificate of achievement after completion of the trek will also be provided.
  • We also provide you with first aid kit.
  • The package also includes all the official and governmental charges

What's not Included?

  • Visa arrangements and charges to Nepal (Obtain airport 15 days $25 – 30 days $ 40 -90 days $ 100 )
  • Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner and seasonal fruit will be provided during the trekking. ( About 250- 300 $ entire trekking )
  • All kinds of soft and hard drinks.
  • National and International plane fares.
  • Luggage charges (especially if they go excessive)
  • Travel insurance ( 30 $)
  • For extra accommodation in Kathmandu (if it exceeds more days than mentioned in the itinerary) whatever the cause might be early arrival, late departure or early return from the trek.
  • Along with accommodation, the same condition applies for food as well. You need to pay on your own for Breakfast, lunch and dinner for extra days even if it will be after returning back from the trek earlier than the mentioned date.
  • Personal expenses like phone recharge, laundry, hot shower, bottled water, extra porters, extra snacks, etc.Tips for guides and porters are also excluded as it is not a compulsion but it is expected that you tip them.

Trek Info

Here are some of the Trekking accessories that you require for the easy and convenient journey-

In general you will need four sleeping bags (we could provide you one for the trek), a duffel or a trekking bag of 70-80 liters (we can provide one), down jacket (this too we can provide one if needed for the trek) and a normal travel bag of 25-30 liters.

For clothing, you will require the following-

Upper body- For this-shirts, waterproof jacket, fleece jacket or pullover, water proof jacketare needed. Wind proof jacket are optional but preferred. For T-shirts, baggy cotton T-shirts are the best especially for warm days in lower altitudes. Moreover, we recommend synthetic T-shirts as they quickly absorb the moisture. Then, for the waterproof jacket, we recommend you to have nylon which is light.

Lower body- For this, you need hiking shorts, trekking pants, soft shell and hard shell pants, cotton pants or jeans. For hiking shorts, buy the fabric which dries quickly. For trekking pants, go for the ones which have zipper in the middle of the knees so that you can take off the bottom part when necessary. Forsoft shell pants, buy a synthetic fiber. Then, for hard shell, buy a waterproof one. Full zipper from top to bottom is preferred for both soft and hard shell pants. For extra wearable, have a pair of jeans or cotton pants.

Inner wears- Regarding inner wears, you need lightweight underwear which is preferably made up of synthetic. For women, own synthetic sports bras. You could also have swimsuit if you would like to.

Footwear- For this, you need a trekking boot, gaiters and sandals. For Trekking boots, get a hard sole lug-cleated boots for good performance for every kind of landscape. We then recommend you to have a pair as it helps keep your feet dry quickly and keeping dust, rocks and snow out of your shoes. We also suggest you to have a pair of sandals as it helps while you are in the lodge. Then, for socks, you require 4 pairs of synthetic and 3 pairs of woolen socks.

Hand wears- The hand essentials are gloves, mittens and hand warmers. For warm weather, buy synthetic or thin woolen gloves. For cold weather, buy a woolen or fleece gloves. While for mittens, Gore-Tex mittens are the best. Regarding hand warmers, it’s completely your choice whether you want to have or not.

Face protection- For protecting the face against the snowfalls, heavy wind, direct sun, etc. we recommend you to have a cap or a hat, a synthetic woolen hat, a lightweightedbalaclava, glacier glasses having 100% UV protected lens with side shields and hard-sided storage, headlamp, ear muffs, neck warmer, etc. Ear muffs and neck warmers are not necessary but are up to your choice.

First Aid Kit- Though the trekking guides will be carrying a first aid kit box, we suggest you to have one as well. So, for this, you will need to have basic emergency equipment. You can discuss with us regarding what all to take along with you.

Personal care- The personal care products that you will require while trekking are tooth brush, tooth paste (biodegradable is preferred), towel, soap, hand wash, sanitizers, wet wipes, deodorants, crèmes, etc. along with your other needs.

Miscellaneous but important- These include valid passport, passport size photos, airline ticket (and its copy), luggage locks, thick garbage bags, water bottle, small bag for travel documents, passport, wallet/purse, etc., pocket knife, sunscreen lotion (SPF 40 recommended) and lip balm of at least SPF 20.

Extras- The extras include trekking poles, snacks, books, games, chargers, binoculars, batteries, camera, guide book, extra glasses (if you wear), notebook/pen, sleeping bag liner, hydration bladder with drinking tube, pee bottle for men and pee funnel for women, thermos, etc.

Note- Tight fitting clothes especially made out of fabrics like lycra, especially to women can be offensive to the local villagers. So, make sure that you pack something to wear on top of them if you want to pack them.

FAQs

The ideal time to trek in Nepal whether it is either in Autumn- from September to November or in Spring- from March to May. These two seasons are considered to be the best time due to good weather and moderate temperate suitable for trekking.
In regard to the difficulty of trekking in Nepal, it depends upon the mountain range. Not all the trekking routes are that difficult to climb but there are places where you can find trekking most challenging as well.
In order to be fit for trekking, you need to start walking more and possibly go for hiking or even short distance trekking before you trek for long distance like this. You can go for hiking in your own place nearby before coming to Nepal as well.
The documents that you will require for trekking in Nepal will be your passport which should be valid at least till next 6 months, a copy of your insurance, 2 or more passport sized photographs, flight tickets of course along with emergency contact number in case of any emergency.
Yes, travel insurance is necessary and while getting the insurance, make sure that the company covers the altitude that you are trekking at. And the other thing, it is even better if you get the insurance from your own country.
For altitude sickness, as it is quite common problems in higher altitude, we provide you with some of the guideline regarding what you can do at your own level if it is not much. But if the sickness continues to get worse then you should immediately get down to lower region. In case of emergency, our guides will take care of it as they are well trained with using first aid and have basic knowledge of physical injuries or some other problems. But if the injury, altitude sickness or any other problem arises then the rescue team will be contacted. For this reason, you insurance helps a lot.
Yes, you need to have a trekking guide if you are a new trekker as you may not know about so many things like mountaineering or altitude sickness or even about the topography, weather, etc. And most importantly you will be able to know about the place that you are travelling; the exact location and can also have a company. But if you have travelled and especially trekked a lot of places in Nepal trekked earlier as well for many times and think you don’t need a guide then you may proceed. But for this also, make sure that you have the permission from the local and government authorities as trekking guide is mostly compulsory in many parts of the Himalayan region.
This however is not a compulsion in many of the trekking routes but it is better if you take a porter along with you as you can enjoy your travelling experience without having to carry a lot of loads- your backpack. And the other reason the local people will get a work to earn for their daily requirements and as the people in High Himalayas don’t have riches and live a simple normal life, it will perhaps be a great help.
The permits that you need for the trek will be done by our company and need not worry about it. But however, for your information, you will need to have a TIMS (Trekkers’ Information Management System) card- this is a basic permit for trekking in Nepal along with the necessary permits of where exactly you are trekking if needed. You can also have FIT (Free Individual Trekker) if you are a solo trekker. But this is not valid for the restricted areas where you cannot go forward for solo trekking. The other necessities will be Valid passport with at least six month remaining before it expire, a valid Nepal visa, e-copy of passport sized photo. The other necessities will be done by the company itself.
Yes, you can solo trek or travel in Nepal. However, for trekking in higher altitudes where the regions are known as Restricted Areas, there you are not allowed to go alone as you will have to buy at least two permits. But the interesting thing is that in most of the areas you also need to carry a guide along with you. So, if you can manage to trek with your guide paying for his permit and being with him throughout the trek, then you possibly might be able to trek in that way. Otherwise, you can get along with someone who also wants to trek solo and go together instead.
The foods are usually served in the teahouses which will be plain but good and hygienic as they cook the vegetables nicely. They even soak iodine in water before cooking the vegetables so that you can get good and healthy food. Whereas if you are camping then you can get local foods that you can cook it. Since in higher altitudes, you won’t find refrigerators and frequent power cut; you will have to be vegetarian during the trek even if you are not. Then, regarding water facilities, bottled water is available up to the most of the Base Camp itself which will cost around US$1-4. But however, you should not drink water from the tap or streams.
For souvenirs, you can get good hand knitted woolen goods, hats, cashmere shawls, pashminas, Buddhist memorabilia, carved masks, puppets, wood carvings, jewelry, etc. as these are the things which are frequently bought by the tourists. You can get the souvenirs mostly at Thamel area when you are in Kathmandu. So, for all of the extra expenses including souvenirs, food and drinks other than what the Hotel/ Teahouse provides you, or perhaps some clothing or equipment for yourself then we recommend you to have around US$200-350 along with you. Besides that, you can withdraw money from ATMs while in Kathmandu as well.
Yes, you can buy trekking equipment in Kathmandu and it may even cost a little less amount but the quality of the product can’t be guaranteed. So, for this reason, we recommend you to bring the very necessary equipment like the trekking shoes along with you. But for other additional needs, you can buy it in Kathmandu itself.
You need to carry warm as well as cool clothing as there might be hotter in some of the places along the way or even in Kathmandu during summer season. Then, you have to have a sleeping bag as you might need it at times if the teahouses are unavailable or so in some places. The other things we recommend are small portion of snacks like chocolate bars, water proof wearable, cap, lotion, sunglasses, hand sanitizers, water bottle, first aid kit, etc. along with your daily necessities.
We don’t think you will need Ice axe or Crampons during trekking even in the Himalayas as the trails are marked nicely until and unless you go to trekking in the winter. Then, you will need them as there will be much more snowfall and will also be easy for you while trekking. In other season, instead of Crampons, we recommend you to have Micro spikes as they are not heavy and you can carry it easily. Plus, Micro spikes are comparatively less expensive as well. And regarding the Ice axe, we will provide you with one if it is really necessary though it’s not that necessary, as we will know more about the size and shape along with light weighted one.

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Our Team

Rupa Khanal Tiwari
Rupa Khanal Tiwari
Pramod Khanal
Pramod Khanal
Franziska Thiel
Franziska Thiel
Maksim Titarev
Maksim Titarev
Valeriia Trifilceva
Valeriia Trifilceva
Dr.Mohamed Hasan Abdulla
Dr.Mohamed Hasan Abdulla
Ceprem
Ceprem
Rasik Khanal
Rasik Khanal