Annapurna Circuit Trek with Tilicho Lake

After you land at the Tribhuwan International Airport, look out for your name on the placard held by our friendly representative, who will greet you and escort you to the Hotel Arts Kathmandu or similar. After you settle down at the hotel and rest, please feel free to visit our office. In the evening, we will host a welcome dinner in your honor. Experience authentic Nepalese cuisine, which would be an excellent introduction to Nepalese food culture.

Included meals: B

Wake up to a brand new day to experience Kathmandu City. After breakfast, a guided tour of Kathmandu city awaits. You will visit some of the UNESCO Heritage sites, which are also the important landmarks of Nepal. The Durbar square houses ancient temples, the old palace and the kumari ghar or the house of the living goddess. Next you will witness the famous Monkey Temple or Swayambhunath temple, which sits atop a hill offering a stunning view of the city below. The sacred Hindu temple of Pashupatinath is one of the most revered spot for Hindu devotees; meet the famous holy men while you are there. Finally the last ride takes you to Boudhanath, one of the largest Buddhist stupas in the world. In the afternoon, meet up with the trek leaders and team members for a brief discussion on the trek and raise questions and get insights on the adventure. Overnight in Kathmandu.

Included meals: B

Starting the day early for the trek would be a good idea; you will travel by road from Kathmandu to Chamje village which will take about 6-7 hours, and it will be the starting point of the trek. Chamje is a small village in the Annapurna Region at an elevation of 1430m. There is a waterfall that is an attraction to both locals and tourists alike. The beautiful greenery all around will fuel you for the trek ahead. Overnight in Chamje.

Included meals: BLD

The trek commences in the early morning today, after prep and a hearty breakfast. The trail takes you through various vegetable plantations, waterfalls and mixed communities that are believed to have migrated from Tibet.  After crossing the suspension bridge below Chamje and climbing two steep sections of the trail to reach the village of Tal, populated with ethnic Gurungs and migrated Tibetan settlers, from Tal you enter the Manang district. The Kodo village is next after the trail rises, falls and cuts across the mountain side to one of the biggest village in the Manang district, Dharapani.  Overnight in Dharapani.

Included meals: BLD

The trail cuts through a few steep inclines, mostly forested ridges along with several landslides, however you will be rewarded by the stunning views of the Lamjung peak, Annapurna II and Annapurna IV (7525m) as you look up. You will also encounter small hot springs along the way which could be a sweet respite from the tiring trek. Chame is the headquarters of Manang District in the Gandaki Zone of northern Nepal. Overnight in Chame.

Included meals: BLD

Today the trail continues up and down, passing several rivers and sparsely populated settlements. After about forty-five minutes of following the river, you will cross a bridge and then ascend to the floor of the Manang valley and lower Pisang. The view of the Paungda Danda, a spectacular rock wall rising 1500m from the river, will mesmerize you; here onwards you also have excellent views of the Annapurna II to the south and Pisang Peak to the north east. As you enter Manang valley you will also notice a real change in the landscape and the atmosphere is more arid. Overnight in Pisang.

Included meals: BLD

By now, we are sure that you would be thoroughly enjoying the trek. From Pisang you have a choice of two routes to Manang. It is best to choose the one which passes through Upper Pisang via Geru, as it guarantees outstanding views of Mt. Annapurna, Pisang Peak, and others. As you near Manang, you will be encountering the windy and dry atmosphere of the area; detour for a short visit to one of the biggest monasteries in the Manang district, the Barge Monastery, offers a break on the trek. Overnight in Manang.

Included meals: BLD

By reaching Manang, we will have gained a lot of elevation, and our body needs time to adjust to high altitudes, so we will stop at Manang for a day. 

We will use this day to explore Manang.  In the early morning, we hike up to Gangapurna Lake / Ice Lake, and during the day, we will enjoy the outstanding views of Annapurna III, Tilicho, Pisang, and Chulu Peaks. Of course, you can also explore the Manang village. Most trekkers visit the Himalayan Rescue Association in Vraga village to learn about Acute Mountain Sickness, its symptoms, and ways to prevent it. 

The trek from Manang to Siri Kharka 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 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 and Mt.Chulu.

Overnight stay at Siri Kharka
Included standard meals (Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner)

On our eighth day, we will leave Siri Kharka in the morning and trek towards Tilicho Base Camp. The path should be easy, but it passes through landslide-prone areas. From the trails, we get to enjoy the impressive rock formations along with magnificent snow peaks – including Tilicho Peak.

Overnight stay at a Lodge
Included standard meals (Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner)

This is one of the special days of the trek as we will be viewing Tilicho Lake itself. But we start our day early in the morning at Tilicho Base Camp to avoid afternoon wind. The path is quite steep, and after laboring for two to three hours, we will reach Tilicho Lake – one of the highest lakes in the world. A well-known French expedition team referred to Tilicho Lake as The Great Ice Lake. Tilicho lake sits surrounded by the majestic peaks – Tilicho Himal, Annapurna Range, and Nilgiri Himal. After enjoying the views of Tilicho Lake, we retrace our path back to Siri Kharka, where we will be spending our night.

Overnight stay in Siri Kharka
Included standard meals (Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner)

From Siri Kharka, we descend to the uninhabited Khangsar Village. On the way, we pass Tare Gumba, a thousand-year-old monastery, but our journey continues following a rock wall that takes us out of Khangsar and leads us to Thorong Khola Valley and finally to Yak Kharka. From Yak Kharka, you can get glorious views of the Annapurna mountain ranges. If you are lucky, you may also get sight of blue sheep or even a snow leopard.

Overnight stay at Hotel Gangapurna
Included standard meals (Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner)

After breakfast, you can start the trek as the trail climbs from the Eastern banks of the Jarsang River. Eventually, it descends and you can cross a wooden bridge. On this part of the trail you can encounter some exclusive Himalayan wildlife. You can even spot the Himalayan Blue sheep. The shy snow leopard is an elusive individual, while the crow-like choughs with red beaks called Himalayan Griffons hover overhead.  The word Phedi in Nepalese is referred to as the foot of a mountain. Overnight in Thorong Phedi.

Included meals: BLD

As you make the early morning climb from the “Phedi” to the upper Thorong-la pass, you might feel intimidated due to the steep elevation; however, crossing the pass is once-in-a-lifetime experience. The initial climb up the steep elevation is best made early in the morning with packed lunch. The trail takes you to the final elevation at 5416m, through snow and ice. The trek up to Thorong-la may be hard, but the rewards are equally appealing, as the views of the majestic Himalayan Peaks ahead extending Northwards onto Tibet will leave you breathless. The main peaks Annapurna are behind you. Trudge ahead and you will reach Muktinath by sunset, which is an ideal example of religious harmony in Nepal as it an important pilgrimage site for Hindus and Buddhist. Overnight in Muktinath.

Included meals: BLD

Muktinath, an ultimate destination for Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims, is a beautiful place. Visit the Muktinath Temple before you embark on the trek ahead. There are water spouts where fresh water pours out channeled from the streams above the temple. There is also the “Narsingh” Buddhist Monastery nearby, as the trail extends you can enjoy the magnificent views of the “Dhaulagiri” peak. You can even buy a fossilized mollusk, called a “Shaligram” as a memento. Move ahead among meadows, cross streams and hills over to Kagbeni, a village laden with Chortens (memorial stupas) and a small monastery. Continue the trek after a lunch break at Kagbeni and over to Jomsom on the Kali Gandaki Valley as the trail cuts through windy areas. Overnight in Jomsom.

Included meals: BLD

After breakfast, a 30 min flight will take you Pokhara. The flight itself is spectacular; you fly while looking at views of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri and over the deepest gorge in the world. The warmer climate at Pokhara will definitely make you feel better. Wander around the “Phewa” lake with the reflection of the Fishtail Mountain on its waters, or visit the Davis falls and see the World Peace Pagoda. You can also take a boat ride in the serene waters of the lake. Stroll around the lakeside area in the evening. It is a popular tourist spot or just relax at your hotel room. Overnight in Pokhara.

Included meals: B

Another short flight takes you back to Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. Take a break and explore the city, you will be amazed at the possibilities of what you may find. In the evening, there will be a farewell dinner hosted by Everest Expeditions Nepal to celebrate the successful completion of your journey. Overnight in Kathmandu.

Included meals: BD

Our representative will escort you to the Tribhuwan International Airport for your connecting flight home approximately 3 hours earlier than scheduled time. Have a safe flight back home!

Included meals: B