Overview
The Annapurna Circuit trek with Tilicho Lake is a fifteen-day teahouse trek that packs the region's greatest hits into one long loop: the high Thorong La at 5,416 metres, the turquoise lake of Tilicho at 4,919 metres, and the famous Poon Hill sunrise to finish. From Kathmandu the road climbs to Tal, then you walk up through Chame, Pisang and Tibetan-influenced Manang, detour to Tilicho, and acclimatise before crossing the pass to sacred Muktinath. The trail then drops through Marpha and the deep Kali Gandaki gorge, past the Tatopani hot springs, and climbs a last time to Ghorepani for dawn over Annapurna and Dhaulagiri. It is a demanding but hugely varied circuit on well-worn trails with comfortable lodges each night, and this version includes the Kathmandu road transfers at both ends.
The itinerary
- Long scenic drive along the Trishuli and Marsyangdi rivers via Besisahar
- Rough, dramatic road beyond Besisahar into the mountains
- Overnight at Tal (1,700 m), a village beside a wide river bed with waterfalls
- Ascend through Dharapani and Bagarchap, where Tibetan-influenced culture appears
- Dense pine and fir forest, suspension bridges and steep gorges
- Reach Chame (2,670 m) with first views of Annapurna II and Lamjung Himal
- Fragrant pine forest and the apple orchards of Bhratang
- Striking narrow gorge with towering rock walls
- 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 short hikes to Gangapurna Lake, viewpoints or Praken Gompa
- Explore Manang's bakeries, cafes and shops
- Overnight in Manang (about 3,800 m on the acclimatisation hikes)
- Leave the main circuit and walk the Marsyangdi valley through Khangsar
- Rugged, exposed and landslide-prone terrain in a barren high landscape
- Overnight at Tilicho Base Camp (4,150 m) beneath towering peaks
- 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 to the main trail and continue towards Yak Kharka
- Sparse dry alpine terrain with grazing yaks and blue sheep
- Overnight at Yak Kharka (4,050 m)
- Short but important day with gradual ascents and steep sections
- Reach Thorong Phedi, the base camp for the pass
- Afternoon rest, hydration and a pass briefing at Thorong Phedi (4,540 m)
- 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
- Steep descent into Mustang to sacred Muktinath
- Descend through medieval Kagbeni into the Kali Gandaki valley
- Follow the windy valley floor past Jomsom
- Overnight at Marpha (2,670 m), a Thakali village famous for apple orchards
- Long descent through the deepest section of the Kali Gandaki gorge
- Pass Ghasa and Kalopani as the landscape turns green again
- Relax in the natural hot springs at Tatopani (1,190 m)
- Steep, continuous climb through terraced fields and rhododendron forest
- Greener, more vibrant surroundings with every step
- Overnight at Ghorepani (2,860 m), poised for the Poon Hill sunrise
- Pre-dawn hike to Poon Hill (3,210 m) for sunrise over Dhaulagiri, Annapurna South and Machhapuchhre
- Descend to Banthanti, then drive to Pokhara
- Relax by the lakeside on arrival
- Scenic drive back to Kathmandu along the Trishuli River
- Drop at your accommodation on arrival (1,400 m)
- The trek concludes in Kathmandu
What the price covers
Things to carry
- Layered clothing with a warm down jacket for the cold at Thorong La and the high camps
- 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 with everything added: the remote Tilicho Lake detour on the way up, the classic Thorong La crossing in the middle, and the Poon Hill sunrise to send you home. It is the fullest way to experience the region in a single trip, and doing it from Kathmandu means the road transfers at both ends are built in. Here is how the trek works and what to know.
What the Annapurna Circuit trek with Tilicho Lake covers
The route runs Kathmandu to Tal by road, then on foot up through Chame, Pisang and Manang, out to Tilicho Lake at 4,919 metres, and over Thorong La at 5,416 metres to Muktinath. From there it descends through Marpha and the Kali Gandaki gorge, past the Tatopani hot springs, and climbs to Ghorepani for the Poon Hill sunrise before the drive back through Pokhara. The two ends are travel days; the heart of the trip is around twelve days of teahouse walking. If you would rather warm up with something shorter first, many trekkers start on the budget Annapurna Base Camp trek before taking on a full circuit like this.
How hard it is and how the altitude feels
This is a strenuous trek, and one of the longer ones in the region. The days are long, the total ascent is large, and the crux is a pre-dawn climb to 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.
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 as you near the pass.
A gentler alternative
If fifteen days and a Tilicho detour feel like a lot for a first trek, the same region has an easier introduction that still delivers the famous dawn. The Ghorepani Poon Hill trek reaches the same sunrise viewpoint over Annapurna and Dhaulagiri in a few days, on shorter walking hours and lower altitudes, and makes a natural stepping stone towards the full circuit later.
