Overview
The Annapurna Circuit with Tilicho Lake trek is a thirteen-day teahouse trek from Kathmandu that pairs the classic circuit with a detour to one of the highest lakes in the world. From the capital a jeep carries you up to Dharapani, then you walk in through the pine forests of Chame and Pisang to Tibetan-influenced Manang, acclimatise, and climb via Shree Kharka to Tilicho Base Camp for the demanding side trip to the turquoise Tilicho Lake at 4,919 metres. Back on the main trail you cross the high Thorong La at 5,416 metres to the sacred temples of Muktinath, then drop through the deep Kali Gandaki gorge for the drive to Pokhara and on to Kathmandu. It is a strenuous but hugely varied route on well-worn trails with comfortable lodges each night, and unlike the Poon Hill version it keeps the focus firmly on Tilicho and the pass.
The itinerary
- Long scenic drive along the Trishuli and Marsyangdi rivers via Besisahar
- Switch to a shared jeep for the rough, dramatic mountain road beyond Besisahar
- Overnight at Dharapani (1,860 m), the trailhead village where the circuit begins
- Ascend through Bagarchap and Danaque, where Tibetan-influenced culture appears
- Dense pine and fir forest, suspension bridges and steep gorges
- Reach Chame (2,670 m), the district headquarters, with first views of Annapurna II and Lamjung Himal
- Fragrant pine forest and the apple orchards of Bhratang
- Striking narrow gorge beneath the sweeping curved rock face of Paungda Danda
- Overnight at Pisang (3,300 m) as the valley opens to Annapurna views
- Take the upper route via Ghyaru and Ngawal for uninterrupted panoramas of Annapurna II, III and IV, Gangapurna and Tilicho Peak
- Pass traditional Manangi villages shaped by centuries of Himalayan trade
- Descend gently into Manang (3,540 m)
- Essential rest day with a short acclimatisation hike to Gangapurna Lake and its viewpoint, or higher towards Ice Lake
- Explore Manang's bakeries, cafes and the small gompa above the village
- Overnight back in Manang (3,540 m)
- Leave the main circuit and follow the Marsyangdi valley through Khangsar, the last permanent village on the Tilicho route
- Climb steadily into a barren, high landscape
- Overnight at Shree Kharka (about 4,050 m)
- Traverse rugged, exposed and landslide-prone slopes on the way to base camp
- Dry, dramatic high terrain beneath towering peaks
- Overnight at Tilicho Base Camp (4,150 m)
- Early start for the steep, demanding climb to Tilicho Lake
- Vast turquoise lake beneath Tilicho Peak and the Great Barrier at 4,919 m
- Descend back to Tilicho Base Camp for the night
- Retrace towards Shree Kharka and rejoin the main circuit trail
- Sparse dry alpine terrain with grazing yaks and blue sheep
- Overnight at Yak Kharka (about 4,050 m)
- Short but important day with gradual ascents and steep, exposed sections above Ledar
- Reach Thorong Phedi (4,450 m), the base for the pass, with the option to push on to High Camp (about 4,850 m)
- Afternoon rest, hydration and a pass briefing
- Pre-dawn start for the steady climb to Thorong La at 5,416 m, the high point of the trek
- Panoramic Annapurna and Dhaulagiri views from the pass
- Long descent into Mustang to the sacred temple complex of Muktinath (3,760 m)
- Descend through medieval Kagbeni and windy Jomsom by jeep
- Follow the deep Kali Gandaki gorge between Dhaulagiri and Annapurna, past Marpha and Tatopani
- Arrive in lakeside Pokhara and relax by the lake
- Scenic drive back to Kathmandu along the Trishuli River
- Drop at your accommodation on arrival
- The trek concludes in Kathmandu
Things to carry
- Layered clothing with a warm down jacket for the cold at Thorong La and Tilicho Base Camp
- Broken-in trekking boots and warm socks
- A warm sleeping bag or liner, insulated hat, gloves and a buff for the pass
- Sunglasses, sun hat, high-factor sunscreen and lip balm
- A refillable water bottle with purification, a daypack and a power bank
Good to know
Complete guide
This is the Annapurna Circuit built around its two greatest high-altitude prizes: the remote Tilicho Lake detour on the way up and the classic Thorong La crossing in the middle. Unlike the longer version that finishes at Poon Hill, this route keeps the focus on the lake and the pass, then drives you out through the Kali Gandaki, and doing it from Kathmandu means the transfers at both ends are built in. Here is how the trek works and what to know.
What the Annapurna Circuit with Tilicho Lake trek from Kathmandu covers
The route runs Kathmandu to Dharapani by road and jeep, then on foot up through Chame, Pisang and Manang, out via Shree Kharka to Tilicho Lake at 4,919 metres, and back to the main trail to cross Thorong La at 5,416 metres to Muktinath. From there a jeep carries you down the Kali Gandaki gorge to Pokhara before the drive back to the capital. The two ends are travel days; the heart of the trip is around nine days of teahouse walking. If you would rather start the loop from the other side, the Annapurna Circuit trek from Pokhara covers the classic crossing without the Kathmandu transfers, while the standalone Tilicho Lake trek from Kathmandu focuses on the lake alone if the full circuit is more than you want.
How hard it is and how the altitude feels
This is a strenuous trek. The days are long, the total ascent is large, and there are two serious high points: the steep climb to Tilicho Lake and the pre-dawn crossing of a 5,416 metre pass where the air holds around half the oxygen of sea level. The profile is built to acclimatise you, with a rest day at Manang and the Tilicho side trip adding useful height beforehand, so serious altitude sickness is uncommon when you take it slowly. Walk at an easy pace, hydrate well, and treat any headache seriously. Weeks of hill walking before you come make the biggest difference to how much you enjoy it.
Tilicho Lake and the Thorong La
The Tilicho detour is what sets this trip apart. From Manang you leave the circuit for Khangsar and Shree Kharka, then traverse exposed, landslide-prone slopes to base camp before the steep dawn climb to the lake at 4,919 metres. It is walked only in settled weather and at a careful pace. Back on the main trail, Thorong La is the crux: a long, cold ascent rewarded with Annapurna and Dhaulagiri panoramas and a steep drop into the temple town of Muktinath, one of the most sacred sites for both Hindus and Buddhists in the Himalaya.
Permits, guides and teahouses
You need the Annapurna Conservation Area permit and a trekkers' information card, and since April 2023 a licensed guide is mandatory in the region; we arrange all of this. Nights are spent in teahouses, family-run lodges with simple twin rooms and a warm dining room, so you carry only a daypack. Bring a warm sleeping bag or liner, a power bank and small cash for charging, Wi-Fi and hot showers, which grow scarcer and pricier as you near the pass.
