- TRIP DURATION
- 12 Days
- MAX. ALTITUDE
- 4,919m
- TRIP GRADE
- Moderate
- LODGING
- Tea House
- BEST SEASON
- August and Spring
- MEALS
- Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
- COMMUNICATION
- WiFi and Local Sim
- PER DAY WALK
- 7- 8 hours
Tilicho Lake Trek
Tilicho Lake Trek Overview
What could match the thrill of standing before the world’s highest altitude lake? Tilicho Lake, at almost 5,000 meters above sea level, is a pristine glacier lake with the backdrop of the Himalayas range. The Tilicho Lake Trek is a Journey to the foothills of the world’s 10th highest mountain, i.e. Annapurna.
Every step you take from Kathmandu brings you to the proximity of the Himalayas, and that’s the most beautiful feeling in the world. The trek is not just about the Himalayas and the Lake. It is also about the swift-flowing rivers and cascading waterfalls on the trail.
The occasionally opening portions of terraced farmlands close to the classic Manang village are a thrill. Once you walk outside the forest, you witness very distinct alpine vegetation.
Tilicho Lake Trek Highlights
- Experience remote trekking to the world’s highest altitude lake, Tilicho Lake, at 4,949 meters
- The thrill of walking in the classic Annapurna Circuit Route and living in the proximity of the Himalayas
- Views of towering peaks like Mt.Dhaulagiri, Mt.Annapurna Ist, Mt.Manaslu, Gangapurna, Tilicho Peak and more
- Witness the rich Tibetan Buddhist culture of the locals and their unique lifestyle with many gompas and monasteries to visit
- Rich sub-tropical forest with over 100 times of tress in the Annapurna Conservation area
- You might encounter snow leopard, musk deer, langur monkey, red panda, spotted deer, and hundreds of birds and butterflies.
Where Does Tilicho Trek Start?
As per this Tilicho Trek Itinerary designed by the experts, we follow the same route as the Annapurna Circuit trek until Manang. We drive from Kathmandu to Jagat and start trekking to Dharapani. Then, you get to stroll past the forest of fern, bamboo, and oak.
During the months of spring, the entire path is covered with beautiful flowers, including Rhododendron, Orchids, and other vibrant wildflowers. With many such wonders, we reach Manang village on the 5th day. We visit this beautiful village before heading towards Tilicho Lake.
One can witness the mules grazing or carrying goods along the way up. From Tilicho Base Camp, we climb to Tilicho Lake at 4,900 meters above sea level. After a beautiful time in Tilicho Lake, we trek back to Siri Kharka and follow the exact same route to Kathmandu.
Check Rara Lake Trek
ITINERAY
Day 01: Kathmandu to Besisahar to Jagat (1,100m)
From Kathmandu, we drive on the west along east -the east-west highway for about 3.5 hours and then join the Prithvi Highway. In about 6 hours, we reach Besisahar, the headquarters of Lamjung district. Then, we drive on a slippery path full of terrace farms towards the village of Jagat.
Meal : Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
Accomodation : Tea House
Walking / Driving : 9 hours
Day 02: Trek to Dharapani (1,960m)
Altitude: 1,860m / 6,200ft
On the first day of the Tilicho Lake trek, we walked on an uneven path along the Marsyangdi River. In the morning, we hike towards Tal, where you can see beautiful waterfalls. As we entered the Manang district, we walked further up to Khotro (1,860m) village. Then, we went via the Karte and Nache villages to reach our final destination, Dharapani. Dharapan is among Manang’s largest settlements.
Meal : Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
Accomodation : Tea House
Walking / Driving : 5 hrs (15km / 9.3miles)
Day 03: Trek to Chame (2,710m)
Altitude: 2,610m / 8,890ft
Firstly, we made a formal entry into the office of Annapurna Conservation Area and then hiked to the village called Bagarchhap (2,160m). Walking further on the south bank of the river, we reach Danaque (2210m) village, which is mostly known for beautiful apple orchards. Further, walking through the village of oak and maple trees, we enter the Chame village, the headquarters of the Manang district.
Meal : Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
Accomodation : Tea House
Walking / Driving : 6 hrs (15.5km / 9.6miles)
Day 04: Trek to Pisang (3,300m)
After an awesome view from the Chame, we start the Tilicho Lake by an uphill walk to Dhukuri Pokhari for about an hour. Then, we walk over the river to hike into another dense forest towards Pisang village. We stopped at the upper Pisang village, which has some beautiful tea houses and an awesome view of the mountains.
This is the same route as the famous Annapurna Circuit Trek.
Meal : Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
Accomodation : Tea House
Walking / Driving : 5-6 hrs (13.2km / 8.2miles)
Day 05: Trek to Manang (3,500m)
Covering more distance from the Tilicho Lake trek journey, we hike all the way up to Manang. Today’s hike is about 22km and a long one. The trail on the north goes via the village of Ghyaru, while the route on the south is a bit easier. The route met at Mungji and then went to Bryanga. Then, the final hike takes us to the Manang Valley.
Meal : Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
Accomodation : Tea House
Walking / Driving : 5-6 hours (17km / 10.6miles)
Day 06: Acclimatization Day at Manang
On the sixth day of the Tilicho Lake trek, we have a rest and acclimatisation day. There are several large villages with shops and restaurants where you can have a relaxing day with awesome views of the mountains. You can visit the local schools and Museum of Manang or hike to the nearby hill for the views of the mountain. This is the day to relax before you start the hike to the higher mountain region.
Meal : Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
Accomodation : Tea House
Day 07: Trek to Siri Kharka
From Manang, we take a hike on an upward route to the river. Hiking via the coniferous forests, we first reach the village of Khangsar. If you are tired, you can also rest here, but the plan is to hike up to Siri Kharka. Now, you can see the views of The trek from Manang to Siri Kharka, which is an easier one. We take the upper route that leads down to a river, which we will cross, and then continue on a path that takes us through the coniferous forests. After walking for about three hours, we reach the Tibetan settlement Khangsar, but we will continue our journey forward to reach Shiri Kharka. On the trails, we will get to see gorgeous views of Gungang Himal as well.
Meal : Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
Accomodation : Tea House
Walking / Driving : 4-5 hrs (12km / 7. 4miles)
Day 08: Trek to Tilicho Base Camp (4140m)
From Siri Kharka, we start the hike early in the morning and trek towards Tilicho Base Camp. The trail to Tilicho goes via the landslide-prone areas. Although rock formations are good, it might be very risky to walk via the Tilicho Base Camp. Follow your guide well, and then walk slowly. You will reach the base of Tilicho Lake quite early.
Meal : Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
Accomodation : Tea House
Walking / Driving : 5 hrs (8km / 4.9 miles)
Day 09: Trek to Tilicho Lake and back to Siri Kharka (4,949m)
It’s an exciting day in the mountains that takes you near to the Tilicho Lake itself. Now, visiting one of the highest-altitude lakes in the world is very exciting after a few Horus in this Great Ice Lake and taking some beautiful peaks of the Tilicho Himal and the Annapurna Range. Then, we get back to the Tilicho Base Camp and walk down via Siri Kharka in the same landslide-prone zone.
Meal : Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
Accomodation : Tea House
Walking / Driving : 5-6 hrs (11 km / 6.8miles)
Day 10: Trek to Manang(3,500m)
From Siri Kharkha, we follow the same trail back to Manang village. First, we hike via the Marsyangdi Valley to the village of Goths. Then, we walked through the forest of Khangsar village and finally got to Manang village. At this point, you can opt to join the famous Annapurna Circuit trek by crossing the village of Yak Kharka and the famous Throng la Pass.
Meal : Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
Accomodation : Tea House
Walking / Driving : 7 hrs
Day 11: Trek to Jagat(1,100m)
Now, we continue to walk down to the village of Pisang. You will cross many other villages, including the Chame village. Since this is the route you have taken previously, you will have an idea about the difficulty. By evening, we reach the village of Jagat.
Meal : Breakfast/ Lunch/ Dinner
Accomodation : Tea House
Walking / Driving : 7 hrs
Day 12: Drive to Kathmandu (1400 meters)
From Jagat, you can get a Jeep to Besisahar. The drive on the off-road for a few hours will be fun. Then, you will get to Kathmandu in about 6 hours. As the trip ends, you can give yourself a treat with a sweet spa or do some souvenir shopping around Kathmandu Valley.
Meal : Breakfast/ Lunch
Accomodation : Hotel
Walking / Driving : 8 hours
useful info
Which month is best to visit Tilicho Lake?
Autumn (September, October, and November) and Spring (April, March, and May) are the best times to visit the Tilicho lake. Since the trekking trail is difficult, you should not trek in Summer and winter when the route is difficult.
How difficult is Tilicho Lake?
The route to Tilicho Lake is quite difficult. At such a higher altitude, i.e. almost 5000m, it is very difficult to walk normally. Despite the altitude, this region above Manaslu has many landslide-prone areas where you should be very careful when walking. However, with the right guidance, beginners can easily hike to Tilicho without much difficulty.
How do you go to Pokhara from Tilicho Lake?
From Pokhara, you can find a bus to Jeep to Besisahar. From here, one can get a Jagat and then start the hike. One can also drive to Manang and then hike for two days to reach Tilicho.
Can you drive to Tilicho Lake?
No, you can drive directly to the Tilicho trek. The farthest one can go is from Kathmandu to Besisahar and then to the Khangsar Village. From here, you need to hike for 7 to 8 hours to reach the Tilicho base camp and then 2-3 hours to Tilicho Lake. This drive on the off-road is only possible in a high-power motorcycle or jeep.
Can you swim in Tilicho Lake?
Tilicho Lake remains frozen from November to March. For the remaining six months, the visitors can swim in Tilicho Lake. Swimming in Tilicho is said to be holy.
How difficult is Tilicho Lake?
The Tilicho Lake Trek is a bit of a difficult journey among treks in Nepal. Other than the higher altitude, the slippery trail on the landscape-prone zone and the steep ascends on the rough trails make the overall journey quite challenging.
What is the shortest trek to Tilicho Lake?
The shortest trek to Tilicho Lake is to get a Jeep to Khangsar Village and then hike for 9-10 hours. For this, you need to stop one night at Khangsar Village and another night at Tilicho Base Camp. However, you might not find a jeep to Khangsar frequently and might have to travel to Manang and then hike for one more day to reach the Khangsar.
What is special about Tilicho Lake?
Tilicho Lake is the highest altitude lake in the world at a height of 4,949m from sea level. Also, the minion of Tilicho Lake as the Kak Bhusundi Lake in Ramayana makes it an interesting journey.
What is the pass near Tilicho Lake?
The popular pass near Tilicho Lakes is the Mesokanto pass, which is quite a beaten track. Thorang La Phedi is another popular pass that goes from Manang to Mustang Valley.
How far is the walk from Manang to Tilicho?
The area distance between Manang and Tilicho Lake is about 15.7km, and the road distance is about 19 km, which takes about 2 days to complete.
How to reach Tilicho Lake by car?
No, the car can only go up to the Manang village. From there, you need to hike for two days to reach Tilicho Lake. There is an off-road to the Khangsar village, but you can only take jeeps there.
Check the Helicopter tour to Annapurna Base Camp.
How hard is the Tilicho pass?
Tilicho Pass is a quite challenging trek with a landslide prone area. However, you do not need climbing kills or any gear, and with the right guidance, this trek is quite possible.
How high is the base camp in Tilicho?
The base camp is at the altitude of 4160m, which is about 800m below the Tilicho lake itself.
FAQs
Why do you need the Tilicho Lake Trek package by Himalayan Masters?
While many trekkers head for Tilicho Lake Trek without a package, experts recommend booking a travel package. There are many permits and documents you need for trekking in the Manang village. With the limited number of guest houses in the way, it’s hard to get proper accommodation during Tilicho Take.
Our experienced team of guides, porters, and travel planners is committed to making your journey comfortable and luxurious. We book the best hotels, arrange your permits, and help you in emergencies. The journey will be full of good memories when you book the Tilicho Lake Trek package by Himalayan Masters.
You can book our package by sending us a mail here.
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Based on your preferences, location, timeframe, and budget, our team can design your dream trek based on our extensive knowledge and experience of the Himalayas. Get in touch with us for detailed information and assistance planning your dream trek. With our 97% success rate on trekking and climbing trips in 2022 and 2023 spring season, we will answer any questions you may have and guide you for an unforgettable experience.
