A 12-day trek from Pokhara up the Marsyangdi valley to Manang, west to Tilicho Lake at 4,919 m below Tilicho Peak, then over Thorong La (5,416 m) to Muktinath and out by air from Jomsom.
A 12-day trek from Pokhara up the Marsyangdi valley to Manang, west to Tilicho Lake at 4,919 m below Tilicho Peak, then over Thorong La (5,416 m) to Muktinath and out by air from Jomsom.
Tilicho Lake sits at 4,919 m on the west side of the Manang valley, a long blue-grey lake held in by the ice walls of Tilicho Peak and the ridge locals call the Grande Barrière. It is one of the highest lakes of its size in the world, and the walk to it is a branch off the Annapurna Circuit that most trekkers on the circuit never take.
We start from Pokhara and drive to Besisahar, then go on by jeep to Chame, which saves the road-walking that now covers the lower Marsyangdi. From Chame we walk to Upper Pisang and take the high trail through Ghyaru and Ngawal to Manang, where we spend a full day acclimatising. From Manang we turn west to Khangsar and Shree Kharka, cross the landslide slope to Tilicho Base Camp, and climb to the lake the next morning.
Instead of returning the same way, we cut across from Shree Kharka to Yak Kharka on the old trail past Thare Gompa and rejoin the circuit. That puts you on the approach to Thorong La already well acclimatised: the lake day takes you to almost 4,900 m three days before the pass. We cross Thorong La at 5,416 m to Muktinath, walk down through Kagbeni to Jomsom, and fly back to Pokhara.
The pacing keeps sleeping-height gains modest above 3,500 m, with the acclimatisation day in Manang and short days to Shree Kharka and Thorong Phedi. The two demanding days are the scree climb to the lake and the pass crossing, both with pre-dawn starts. Lodges along the whole route are simple but comfortable, including at Tilicho Base Camp, so no camping is needed.
Expect dry, rocky, high-desert country once you are past Pisang, cold nights above 4,000 m and strong afternoon winds in the Manang and Kali Gandaki valleys. The trail between Shree Kharka and Tilicho Base Camp crosses an active landslide zone; your guide times the crossing for the early morning and will change the plan if conditions are poor.
This trek suits fit walkers with some previous multi-day hiking experience. There are two hard days: the 800 m climb on loose scree from Tilicho Base Camp to the lake, followed by the descent back to Shree Kharka; and the Thorong La crossing, with about 950 m of ascent and 1,600 m of descent at over 4,400 m. You do not need any climbing skills, but you must be comfortable on narrow, exposed paths across scree, especially on the landslide section below Tilicho Base Camp. We recommend training for at least two months beforehand: regular hill walks of five to seven hours with a loaded daypack, stair or step work for the long descents, and some back-to-back walking days. Anyone with heart or lung conditions should check with a doctor before booking, because you will spend eight nights above 3,500 m.
We leave Pokhara early and drive east along the Prithvi Highway to Dumre, then north up the Marsyangdi valley to Besisahar. Here we switch to a four-wheel-drive jeep for the rough mountain road through Jagat, Tal and Dharapani, where the valley swings west into Manang district. It is a long, bumpy day of eight to ten hours on the road, ending in Chame, the district headquarters, with Annapurna II and Lamjung Himal above the village.
The trail follows the Marsyangdi through pine and fir forest past Bhratang and the great curved rock face of the Paungda Danda, then climbs gently to Dhukur Pokhari. We cross to the north bank and climb to Upper Pisang, a stone village of flat-roofed houses and a gompa looking straight across at Annapurna II.
We take the upper route rather than the valley road: a steep zigzag climb to Ghyaru at 3,730 m, then a long balcony traverse to Ngawal with Annapurna II, Annapurna IV and Annapurna III in view all morning. The path drops back into the wide, dry Manang valley past Braga and its old monastery to Manang itself. This high route is harder than the road, but it is the best acclimatisation we can give you before Tilicho.
We stay a second night in Manang so your body can adjust before going above 4,000 m. In the morning your guide leads a climb to the Chongkor viewpoint above Gangapurna Lake, about 3,800 m, for views of Gangapurna's icefall and the Annapurna range, then back down to sleep low. In the afternoon you can attend the Himalayan Rescue Association's altitude talk (held daily in season), look round the village or rest.
We leave the main circuit and head west, crossing the Marsyangdi and walking up the Khangsar Khola to Khangsar, the last old village in the valley, at about 3,750 m. From here the trail climbs past chortens and prayer walls to the lodges of Shree Kharka on a grassy shelf at 4,050 m. It is a short day on purpose, giving you an afternoon to rest at altitude.
Only about 6 km, but this is the most exposed walking of the trek. The path crosses a long landslide zone of loose scree on a narrow cut above the Khangsar Khola, and we set off early to pass it before mid-morning, when wind and sun start to loosen rocks. Your guide sets the pace and tells you where not to stop. Tilicho Base Camp is a cluster of large lodges at 4,150 m under the north face of the Grande Barrière.
We start before dawn for the steep zigzag climb of about 800 m on scree, two to three hours up, followed by a gentler walk to the shore. Tilicho Lake lies at 4,919 m below the ice walls of Tilicho Peak (7,134 m) and is often partly frozen into spring. After time at the lake we come down the same trail to base camp for lunch and retrace yesterday's route across the landslide section to Shree Kharka. It is a long day of six to eight hours.
Rather than returning to Manang, we drop to Khangsar and take the old trail up past Upper Khangsar and the small Thare Gompa, then traverse round the hillside into the Jarsang Khola valley to rejoin the Thorong La route at Yak Kharka. The country here is open yak pasture, and blue sheep are often seen on the slopes above.
A short day to keep the height gain sensible. We pass the lodges of Ledar, cross the river on a suspension bridge and follow a narrow path along a scree slope to Thorong Phedi at 4,450 m. Most groups sleep here rather than at High Camp, and we spend the afternoon resting, eating well and preparing for an early start.
We leave by torchlight around 4 am and climb steeply to High Camp, then follow a long series of false summits to the prayer flags of Thorong La at 5,416 m, aiming to be there before the wind picks up in late morning. The descent is about 1,600 m down a steep, loose trail into the Muktinath valley, with Dhaulagiri in view ahead. At Muktinath we stay near the temple, sacred to both Hindus and Buddhists. This is the hardest day of the trek, seven to nine hours on foot.
We walk down through Jharkot, with its old fort and monastery, to Kagbeni, a medieval village of mud-brick houses at the gateway to Upper Mustang. From there we follow the wide, windy bed of the Kali Gandaki south to Jomsom, the headquarters of Mustang district, with Nilgiri rising above the town. Try to reach Jomsom before the strong afternoon wind funnels up the valley.
Flights leave Jomsom in the early morning, before the valley wind rises, and take about 20 minutes, threading between Dhaulagiri and the Annapurnas down the Kali Gandaki gorge. We transfer you to your hotel in Pokhara, where the trek ends. If weather cancels the flight, we drive you back by jeep instead, which takes most of the day.
Permits we arrange: Annapurna Conservation Area (ACAP)
You sleep above 3,500 m for eight nights and reach 4,919 m at Tilicho Lake and 5,416 m on Thorong La. The itinerary includes a rest day in Manang, short days to Shree Kharka and Thorong Phedi, and the lake visit three days before the pass, which helps your body adjust. Your guide checks your oxygen saturation and symptoms each evening. Mild headache and poor sleep are common; worsening headache, vomiting, confusion or breathlessness at rest mean we descend. Drink three to four litres of water a day and avoid alcohol until after the pass.
Between Shree Kharka and Tilicho Base Camp the trail crosses a long, active landslide slope on a narrow path cut into loose scree. Rockfall is more likely in the afternoon as the sun and wind loosen the slope, so we cross early in the morning in both directions and do not stop in the marked sections. In late autumn and spring the climb from base camp to the lake can be icy; your guide will advise if microspikes are needed. If the path is closed or unsafe, we change the plan rather than take the risk.
The whole route lies in the Annapurna Conservation Area, so every trekker needs an Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP). The current fee is NPR 3,000 for foreign nationals and NPR 1,000 for SAARC nationals; children under 10 do not need one. We arrange the permit in Pokhara before the trek and need a scan of your passport and a passport photo. The permit is checked at ACAP checkpoints along the route, so your guide carries it with your passport details. No restricted-area permit is needed for this route.
The flight from Jomsom to Pokhara takes about 20 minutes and only operates in the early morning, because strong winds build in the Kali Gandaki valley by late morning. Flights are cancelled in cloud or high wind, most often in spring. If that happens, we drive you back to Pokhara by jeep the same day; the road journey takes most of the day. Domestic flights have a strict baggage limit, usually around 15 kg including hand luggage, so pack light.
Bring enough Nepali rupees from Pokhara for the whole trek. There are ATMs in Manang and Jomsom, but they often run out of cash or fail, and lodges above Manang take cash only. Charging and hot showers cost extra at most lodges above Chame and prices rise with altitude. Mobile signal and lodge Wi-Fi are available in the main villages but are patchy at Shree Kharka, Tilicho Base Camp and Thorong Phedi.
October and November bring the most settled weather, clear mornings and cold nights, with frost and occasional snow at the lake and on the pass. March to May is the second season, with warmer days but more afternoon cloud. In winter Tilicho Lake freezes over, the lodges at Tilicho Base Camp may close and Thorong La is often blocked by snow. During the monsoon from June to September the landslide section is at its most dangerous and we do not run this trek.
Your travel insurance must cover trekking up to 5,500 m and helicopter evacuation from the mountains. Helicopter rescue from Manang, Tilicho Base Camp or Thorong Phedi is possible in good weather, and we need your policy details before the trek starts so we can act quickly if needed.
Everything is yours to bring, except items marked “We provide” or “Rent locally”.
Thermal base layers, top and bottom
Two sets
Fleece or light insulated jacket
Down jacketWe provide
On loan; bring your own if you prefer
Waterproof and windproof shell jacket
Essential for the wind on Thorong La and in the Kali Gandaki
Trekking trousers and waterproof overtrousers
Quick-dry trekking shirts
Two or three
Warm hat and sun hat
Liner gloves and insulated outer gloves
The pass crossing starts well below freezing
Buff or neck gaiter
Keeps dust and cold air out
Broken-in waterproof trekking boots with ankle support
Needed on the scree to Tilicho
Trekking socks
Four or five pairs
Camp shoes or sandals
MicrospikesRent locally
Your guide will say if they are needed for the lake climb or the pass
Sleeping bag rated to about -15 °CWe provide
On loan
Trekking polesRent locally
Strongly advised for the descents from Tilicho and Thorong La
Daypack of 25 to 35 litres
Head torch with spare batteries
For the pre-dawn starts
Two one-litre water bottles or a bottle and bladder
Bottles freeze less than bladder tubes on the pass
Category 3 or 4 sunglasses
Glare off snow and the lake is intense
Power bank
Batteries drain fast in the cold
Sunscreen SPF 50 and lip balm
Water purification tablets or filter
Personal first-aid kit and blister care
Include any prescription medicine and altitude medication your doctor advises
Passport with Nepal visa and two passport photos
Photos and a passport scan are needed for the permit
Travel insurance policy details
Nepali rupees in cash for the whole trek
The lake surface is at 4,919 m. You will see figures up to 4,949 m on signs and maps, but 4,919 m is the most widely used figure. The highest point on this trek is Thorong La at 5,416 m, crossed three days after the lake.
The path between Shree Kharka and Tilicho Base Camp crosses an active landslide slope and is the most exposed part of the trek. It is walked by many trekkers every season, and the risk is managed by crossing early in the morning, keeping moving through the marked sections and following your guide's instructions. If the trail is damaged or conditions are poor, we change the plan.
Yes. We can run the trek as a return trip from Manang, walking back from Shree Kharka to Manang and driving down to Besisahar and Pokhara. That shortens the trip by about two days and keeps the maximum altitude at the lake (4,919 m). Ask us when you book and we will adjust the itinerary.
There are several large lodges at Tilicho Base Camp with twin rooms, a heated dining room and simple meals. Rooms are basic and unheated, and in the busiest weeks of October rooms fill up. No camping is needed on this route.
No, and we ask you not to try. The water is glacial, often partly frozen, and the altitude makes cold shock far more dangerous. There have been deaths from swimming in the lake.
This trek is fully guided by a licensed guide from Himalayan Trek Quest. The Tilicho route has an exposed landslide section and the Thorong La crossing, both of which are far safer with someone who knows the trail and can judge conditions and altitude symptoms.
Jomsom flights leave only in the early morning and are cancelled in cloud or wind. If yours is cancelled, we drive you back to Pokhara by jeep along the Kali Gandaki road the same day, which takes most of the day. If you have an international flight to catch, leave at least one spare day after the trek.
October and November are the best months, with clear skies and stable weather. March to May is also good, though mornings are hazier and afternoon cloud is more common. In winter the lake freezes, Thorong La is often snowbound and some lodges close. We do not run the trek in the monsoon because of landslide risk.
A road now runs up the Marsyangdi valley as far as Manang, so the lower stages of the old circuit are mostly road. Driving to Chame skips that section and lets us spend the walking days where the trail is best and where the acclimatisation matters: above Pisang and around Manang and Tilicho.
Tilicho Lake Trek
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