Annapurna Circuit Trek with Tilicho Lake

Our representative meets you at Tribhuvan International Airport and transfers you to your hotel. After check-in, our pre-trek briefing covers route conditions, weather forecasts, and gear distribution.

We collect copies of your passport and travel insurance for official records, and settle any remaining balance. The remainder of the day is free to rest in Kathmandu.

Our private vehicle departs Kathmandu toward Besisahar, where the road transitions to a rough jeep track along the Marsyangdi River. The drive passes through terraced farmland and river gorges before reaching Dharapani.

Dharapani marks our official trailhead for the Annapurna Circuit trek. We settle into our guesthouse for the night.

Our trail climbs through dense oak, pine, and fir forests past Bagarchhap and Danaque, before opening near Timang to our first full panorama of Manaslu, Annapurna II, and Lamjung Himal.

The forest gives way to open alpine terrain as we descend into Chame, the administrative centre of Manang District, framed directly by Annapurna II.

The valley narrows through pine forest before opening dramatically at Bhratang, known for extensive apple orchards. Crossing a long suspension bridge, the glacial valley widens and reveals Pisang Peak.

We climb to Upper Pisang, perched on the hillside above the river, offering wide sightlines of the surrounding peaks and the historic Pisang Monastery.

We follow the higher trail toward Manang, climbing gradually through Deurali Danda with open views of Annapurna II and Annapurna III. The path leads to Gyaru, a traditional village featuring stone houses and prayer flags.

After Gyaru, we walk past yak grazing areas and open fields, eventually reaching Ngawal in the Nyeshyang region.

Leaving Ngawal, our trail descends gradually toward the main Manang valley, passing small settlements like Julu and Humde. We walk past mani walls and chortens as the landscape becomes increasingly dry.

We pass Braga, home to a historic monastery, before making the short walk into Manang at 3,519 m, surrounded by views of Annapurna and Gangapurna.

We observe a mandatory rest and acclimatisation day in Manang. Our team leads optional hikes to Gangapurna Lake or nearby viewpoints to follow the climb-high, sleep-low principle.

We attend the afternoon altitude awareness lecture run by the Himalayan Rescue Association to review acute mountain sickness symptoms and prevention strategies.

We leave the main Annapurna Circuit route and climb onto the Tilicho Lake side trail. Dry, open alpine slopes replace the valley floor, with Gangapurna and Tilicho Peak framing our skyline.

We pass Khangsar village, which retains a traditional Tibetan character, before continuing to Siri Kharka for our overnight stay.

Today's route crosses exposed traverses on loose scree and landslide-prone slopes where careful footing is required. Vegetation disappears entirely, leaving raw rock and snow-covered ridgelines.

We arrive at Tilicho Base Camp for a night of rest ahead of our early morning departure for the lake.

We start before dawn to beat the morning winds, climbing steadily over steep, icy trails toward Tilicho Lake at 4,920 m. Surrounded by high glacial peaks, we spend time at the shoreline before retracing our steps.

We descend carefully along the exposed traverse path, returning down the valley to spend the night back at Siri Kharka.

We rejoin the main Annapurna Circuit trail, climbing past ancient stone herder huts and crossing high grazing pastures used by local yak herders.

The path contours along the hillside above the Jarsang Khola, bringing us to Yak Kharka where we rest and prepare for the final approach to the pass.

A short, steady climb brings us across a suspension bridge and up toward Thorong Phedi, the base camp at the foot of Thorong La Pass.

We rest early in the afternoon, keeping our gear organised and checking weather reports with our lead guide for the pre-dawn pass crossing tomorrow.

We depart before daylight in sub-zero temperatures, climbing steadily on a well-trodden snow path toward the summit of Thorong La Pass at 5,416 m.

After reaching the prayer-flag-draped pass, we begin a long, steep descent down stone steps and scree slopes into the Mustang region, finishing at the pilgrimage site of Muktinath.

We descend through the arid Kali Gandaki Valley, passing traditional Thakali villages like Ekle Bhatti and Jomsom, surrounded by dramatic rock cliffs.

We arrive in Marpha, a village renowned for its whitewashed houses, paved alleys, and local apple orchards and distilleries.

We board a private jeep or local bus for the long, bumpy drive south along the Kali Gandaki River, wedged between the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri mountain ranges.

Upon reaching Pokhara, we check into our lakeside hotel and enjoy an evening celebrating the completion of our trek.

Our morning transport takes us back along the Prithvi Highway, following the Trishuli and Marsyangdi rivers through terraced hills and roadside settlements.

We arrive in Kathmandu by late afternoon, transferring you to your hotel to conclude our services.