Hey guys! I’m sharing my Annapurna Circuit Trek with Tilicho Lake experience here in medium. Currently I’m in Manang, acclimatizing! There’s nothing to do here except to check instagram and tiktok. So, I decided to write my experience here to kill the time! Haha!
Let’s start with how I ended up in Annapurna Circuit Trek first. Shall we?
Planning Annapurna Circuit Trek
I was about to fly to India and complete 15 days India tour including Delhi, Rajasthan, and Kashmir with my friend Ugo. The plan was all set up from October 14- November 2.
My brother was about to visit Nepal for festival and do Annapurna Circuit Trek. Since he came from a sea level, he was a bit scared to do this trek in Nepali style.
Hey Guys! Internet didn’t work in Annapurna Circuit. And I got busy with my works and video things. So, I’m continuing writing this blog from 16th November, 2024. Also, I’ve made a video from the trek which is right below.
Ok, continuing my Annapurna Circuit Trek plan.
So, my brother wanted to trek with me because I’m a licensed trekking guide and have some good experience in high-altitude.
Finally, I canceled my India Tour and committed myself for Annapurna and Tilicho.
Gears from Gorkha Athletics
If you’re curious about my cool pullover in the cover image, it’s from Gorkha Athletics, a popular sports wear brand in Nepal.
I was searching for some stylish gears few days before the trek and discovered Gorkha Athletics. I approached them and detailed about my trekking. Happily, they supported my trekking with amazing gears.
They sponsored me some trek gears for this trek. And I must say, they’re great! I happily recommend their products if you want to buy for trekking in Nepal.
The pullover and the trekking pants from them was amazing. I used these stuffs for most of the trek and I must say, they were absolute beast. Even on the freezing moments, they kept me warm. And on every photo, I looked more stylish and cool. Haha!
Also, you’ll get some discount from them upon using my referal.
Annapurna Circuit Trek Itinerary with Tilicho Lake Combined
Here, I’m sharing how I planned the trek itinerary and the places we stayed during the trek. I believe that the details I’ve listed here can be helpful for you.
Day 1: Drive from Kathmandu to Besisahar (6 hours). Drive from Besisahar to Dharapani (4 hours)
We took a micro bus from Kalanki to Besisahar which took around 6 hours. On the drive, we meet with Joost and Julia, who later did the trek together with us till Pokhara.
We stopped at Hotel Gangapurna for lunch. There were many trekkers and groups preparing for Tilicho Lake Trek. Lunch was good.
We looked for a jeep, booked it, and started a four hour drive to Dharapani. Most trekkers start the trek from Koto or Manang. Also, those who trek to Tilicho Lake take a drive till Khangsar and trek for just two days, which is not good for acclimatization.
We wanted to start from low altitude, get proper acclimatization, and complete the trek. Also, we had enough time to do the trek.
We stopped for overnight at Hotel Gurkha Inn in Dharapani. This lodge is where I stay everytime I go to Manang, or Nar Phu Valley Trek, or returning from Manaslu Circuit.
Day 2: Trekked to Koto from Dharapani for 6 hours
Most of the walk we did on this day was on the road with the jeeps. However, the serene walk in Timang and lunch with the view of Manaslu were the highlights.
Started off with the breakfast, we trekked through beautiful hamlets like Bagarchap and Danaque.
We stopped at a point, played some music, and trekked to Timang.
When I was on Nar Phu Trek, I had stayed in Step In Restaurant in Koto. This time, I took my group to the same tea house. Laxmi didi and her hospitality was excellent. The overnight in Koto was fantastic!
Day 3: Trek to Upper Pisang from Koto via Chame and Brathang for 7 hours
Day 3 was among the longest days we walked on entire Annapurna Circuit Trek with Tilicho Lake.
As usual, we started with the breakfast. 30 minutes from Koto was Chame, the headquater of Manang district. From Chame, we passed some villages, trekked along the bank of Marshyandi, and reached Brathang.
Brathang is popular for apple orchard, largest in South Asia and even in Asia. We toured the apple farm for free as I have over 8k followers in TikTok. Haha!!
But if you want to tour the apple orchard, it costs Rs. 200. And with this, you can eat as many apples you want. But, you can’t bring any apples outside.
They now brew Manang Valley wine, the best wine in Nepal. And they gifted us one wine, thanks to my followers count. Haha!
Past Brathang, we trekked along the road with occasional jeeps passing by. We crossed a suspension bridge, ascended, and trekked to Dhikur Pokhari. Here, we stopped for lunch. On the backdrop sits a humungous stone wall of Swargadwari, the door to the heaven!
After lunch, the walk got easier with the flat trails. We crossed a beautiful wooden bridge and trekked to Upper Pisang. On the backdrop was Annapurna II and the beautiful Lower Pisang.
We stayed in Hotel Manang Marshyangdi, which was okay! If if trek to Annapurna Circuit next time, I’m not accommodating there. Just letting you guys know!
Day 4: Trek from Upper Pisang to Bhraka for 8 hours
We initially had plans of staying in Manang. But due to peak trekking season, all the hotels and lodges in Manang were fully occupied. Thus, we had no options than staying in Bhraka, 30 minutes before Manang. Luckily, we got one lodge with few rooms available in Bhraka. It was a tense situation to find a tea house on this day.
Leaving Upper Pisang, we trekked through the pine forest. There’s a green lake you can visit which we didn’t. But the visit to Green Lake worths the walk.
The difficult part of this day was the climb to Ghyaru. Oh man! One and half hour of complete uphill walk. And tiring a lot. Trust me, the most challenging part of entire trek is the ascend of Ghyaru.
Past Ghyaru, the walk to Ngawal is easy on the off-road. The panoramic mountain sight keeps you motivated for the walk.
Ngawal is the best place to have lunch. There are many lodges you can stop by.
Three hours of slow walk from Ngawal is Bhraka. It’s among the oldest human settlement in Nepal. Thus, it’s quite an amazing place to stay overnight.
Day 5: 30 minutes walk to Manang. Rest day!
Unlike other Nepalese, we were on a proper trek. Thus, we had a plan of acclimatizing in Manang. Thus, we trekked for 30 minutes to Manang and accommodated in Hotel Mountain Lake View, one of the best lodge in Manang.
After leaving our bags in the room, we started our acclimatization hike. We visited Gangapurna Lake, a beautiful glacier lake. From the lake, we climbed for 30 more minutes to the viewpoint. And with that, we returned to the tea house for lunch and a complete day rest.
Day 6: Trek to Tilicho Base Camp from Manang
The worst part of walking from Manang till Khangsar is the dusty road and too much of jeep and motorcycles ride. Till Khangsar, you’ll hate the jeeps and the dusty walk.
However, the walk past Khangsar gets scenic and serene with elegant view of Gangapurna Lake and the landslides.
Also, there’s a beautiful suspension bridge you’ll cross en route to Khangsar.
One and half hour from Khangsar takes you to Sri Kharka. Here, you’ll stop for lunch.
After lunch, you’ll walk for an hour on easy trail before stepping on the landslide zone. For some, the landslide is beautiful. And for most, it’s a nightmare.
The landslide lasts till Tilicho Base Camp and takes almost two hours to cross.
Here’s what happened to us on Tilicho Base Camp!
We had booked the rooms at a lodge three days before reaching the base camp. Double checked, our rooms were confirmed. However, once we reach the tea house in base camp, the owner told us that we had no bookings. And there were no rooms for us. WTF!
We had no choice than sleeping on the dining hall. It was one of the worst experience of Tilicho Lake Trek.
Day 7: Trek to Tilicho Lake. Trek back to the base camp. Trek to Sri Kharka
We started the walk to Tilicho Lake around 4 am. And at 6:30, we were at the Tilicho Lake.
Those who started the walk from Khangsar had no proper acclimatization. Thus, most were struggling to find a pace and ascend to the lake. A sad reality.
The lake view was okay! Didn’t find it an awe. But the walk was beautiful with sunsrise.
We took some photographs and videos of the lake and returned to the base camp for lunch.
Past lunch, we trekked the same route back to Sri Kharka. Here we had our rooms booked for the overnight. It was super crowdy.
Day 8: Trekked from Sri Kharka to Ledar via Yak Kharka
Started the walk after breakfast at the tea house in Sri Kharka.
The route to Yak Kharka was beautiful with the bushes ornate with autumn colors. On the right were the elegant Annapurna mountains.
We trekked to Upper Khangsar, climbed to a viewpoint, descended to a river, crossed a suspension bridge, and trekked to Yak Kharka. But before reaching Yak Kharka, we stopped for some snacks at a local tea shop.
With dal bhat at a lodge in Yak Kharka, we trekked for an hour to Ledar. Surprisingly, the tea house was almost empty even on the peak season.
Suggestion: Trek to Ledar if you’re doing Annapurna Circuit Trek in October/November season. Yak Kharka gets fully occupied.
Day 9: Trek to Thorong Low Camp from Ledar
This was the shortest day on entire Annapurna Circuit Trek. We trekked for three slow hours to Thorong Phedi (base camp). And for the entire day, we played cards and played some music on guitar.
Why we stayed on Thorong Phedi?
Like Yak Kharka, Thorong High Camp remains fully occupied during the season. Also, trekking to Thorong High Camp can cause altitude sickness. Thus, staying at low camp provides adequate rest and also gets you a bed for overnight.
Day 10: Trek to Muktinath via Thorong La Pass for 6 hours
Trust me! You won’t do this in six hours. But we did! Haha. You can if you’re fit.
We started the walk exactly at 3 am. It took us an hour to reach Thorong High Camp. Past high camp, the route got less steeper and also it was quite easy.
The gradual climb for two more hours took us to the Thorong La Pass, among the highest mountain pass in the world.
It was crowded and cold. We took some photos and trekked down to Phedi. The route from Thorong La to Phedi is a complete downhill.
Past Phedi, you’ll trek 30 more minutes to Muktinath, a holy pilgrimage site for Hindus.
My brother and his friend took the 108 cold water spout bath at the Muktinath.
While they were busy bathing, I looked for a jeep to Pokahra. And got one!
We drove to Pokhara for 6 hours and reached at 6:30 pm.
We took hot shower and went for the feast. We had grilled pork, beer, and visit to the local pubs. It was an amazing post trek celebration for us.
Places we stayed during the trek
Finding the best tea house on a trek can get challenging if you’re doing the trek by yourself. Thus, to guide you, here’s a list of all the tea house we stayed during the 10 days Annapurna Circuit Trek with Tilicho Lake.
- Dharapani- Hotel Gurkha Inn
- Koto- Step In Hotel and Restaurant
- Upper Pisang- Hotel Manang Marshyangdi (Not Recommended. There are better ones)
- Bhraka — Himalayan Lodge
- Manang- Hotel Mountain Lake View (Best one in Manang)
- Tilicho Base Camp- Hotel New Tilicho (Best one despite not getting rooms)
- Sri Kharka- Hotel New Tilicho (Same owner)
- Ledar- Trekkers Lodge and Restaurant (Best one, big, neat, and peaceful)
- Thorong Phedi- New Phedi Lodge (Owned by Hotel Mountain Lake View of Manang and Trekkers Lodge in Ledar)
- Pokhara- Any (If you manage to reach Pokhara on this day)
Why Annapurna Circuit Trek with Tilicho Lake?
You should be well aware of things that makes Annapurna Circuit Trek with Tilicho Lake the best. Here, I’m sharing some of the best things from the trek that made me admire the elegance of this trek.
But, if you want a detailed guide, you can read my blog, Why Annapurna Circuit Trek in 2025.
Thorong La Pass at 5,416 meters
Thorong La Pass sits at 5,416 meters, on the lap of Damodar Himal. It’s the highest point you’ll reach on Annapurna Circuit Trek. Trekkers cross this pass anticlockwise, from Thorong Phedi or Thorong High Camp to Muktinath. Doing anticlockwise, trekkers experience less strenuous walk backed by the proper acclimatization. However, some adventurous souls even start from Muktinath, cross the pass, and trek to Besisahar, in clockwise.
Tilicho Lake: Second Highest Lake in Nepal
Annapurna Circuit Trek gets incomplete without trekking to Tilicho Lake. The trek to this beautiful lake spices up the adventure and gives you an opportunity to explore more in the region.
It’s a second highest glacial lake in Nepal, at 4,919 meters. The lake shines with turquoise blue water and is surrounded by the mighty Annapurna and Gangapurna.
You’ll trek to Tilicho from Manang via Khangsar, Sri Kharka, and Tilicho Base Camp. Past Sri Kharka till Tilicho Base Camp, you’ll cross a lanslide zone, elegant and daunting.
After visiting the lake, you’ll return to Sri Kharka and take a route to Yak Kharka and Thorong La Pass.
Apple Orchards: In Manang and Marpha, Mustang
Manang and Mustang are two popular places for apples in Nepal. And Annapurna Circuit Trek runs in these two arid yet alluring districts.
The largest apple orchard in Asia is in Brathang, Manang. Trekking for 3 hours from Chame takes you to this humungous apple orchard. It’s now popular for premium Nepali wine with a label, Manang Valley. Here, you can take a farm tour at Rs. 200. Also, they serve apple pies, doughnuts, dried apples, fresh apple juice, and more.
After trekking to Muktinath and Jomsom, you’ll stop at Marpha, the apple valley in Nepal. Like in Brathang, you can take a apple farm tour in Marpha as well. Moreover, you can pluck the apples, weigh them, and buy on the spot. Like Manang Valley wine, in Marpha, you’ll get locally made brandy called Marphali Brandy.
Poon Hill: For elegant sunrise and sunset
After completing Annapurna Circuit Trek, you’ll take a drive from Jomsom to Tatopani Hot Spring. And next day, you’ll trek to Poon Hill in Annapurna Sanctaury.
The hike to Poon Hill is less strenuous and more elegant. And from the vantage point, you’ll get an amazing sight of Annapurna mountains including Annapurna I and Dhaulagiri, the 10th and 7th highest mountains.
The sunrise and sunset viewing from Poon Hill surely elevates your trek experience.
Annapurna Circuit Trek Difficulty: Is it difficult to trek?
Based on my personal experience, Annapurna Circuit Trek isn’t a difficult trek. Thus, this trek is doable for the novice trekkers as well. There were few trekkers in my group who were new to high-altitude trekking yet completed the trek in ease.
If you’re a beginner trekker and want to trek to Annapurna Circuit, plan it. Work on your fitness. Hire a trek guide and porter. And you’ll complete the trek.
The primary reason for this trek being moderate is less steeper section. The few steeper sections includes ascend of Ghyaru, Tilicho Lake, and Thorong La Pass. However, rest of the trail winds up gradually with slow altitude gain.
Note: Each day on this trek sees you trek for 6–7 hours. Thus, your legs must be sturdy to endure the all day walk on Annapurna Circuit.
Altitude Sickness: How prone is it?
We started the trek from Dharapani which is around 2000 meters altitude. And upon starting from Dharapani and a day of rest in Manang, we all crossed Thorong La Pass and no one got altitude sickness.
Thus, if you don’t want to get altitude sickness, start the trek from lower regions like Jagat or Dharapani. Also, include a day of rest for acclimatization in Manang.
If you get altitude sickness at higher elevations in Annpurna Circuit, you’ll need a emergency helicopter resuce which costs USD 4000 and more.
Amenities at the tea houses (WiFi, Recharge, Shower, etc)
Surprisingly, most of these amenities were extremely less expensive. My personal experience, I used to pay a lot for these in Everest but in Annapurna Circuit Trek, they aren’t expensive.
Most tea houses provide free wifi and battery charge. However, for hot drinking water and hot shower, they ask Rs. 150–300 and 400–700. Considering the price of these in Everest region, it’s a lot cheaper in Annapurna.
Transportation
We took a micro bus ride from Kathmandu to Besisahar at Rs. 800. The micro bus leaves from Gongabu Buspark, adjacent to Lhtose Mall.
From Besisahar, we took a shared jeep ride to Dharapani. The cost for us (Nepali) was/is Rs. 1000. However, for foreigners, the jeep ride costs Rs. 1500–2000.
From Muktinath or Jomsom to Pokhara, you’ll have options of public bus, shared jeeps, and private jeeps.
My recommendation: Take a private jeep if you have a group of 5–6 pax. The private jeep offers non stop drive to Pokhara.
Annapurna Circuit Trek: Start from Lower Elevation
My suggestion: Start the trek from lower elevation like Dharapani or Chame. It’s better to start the trek from low elevation as it offers adequate acclimatization and builds up the physical strength for higher elevations.
We started this trek from Dharapani, from where the most trekkers start their adventure to Annapurna Circuit Trek and Tilicho Lake. Some even start from Taal Village and Jagat which are further lower than Dharapani.
Rest day in Manang: Is it a must?
A day of rest in Manang is a must if you’re doing Annapurna Circuit Trek and Tilicho Lake Trek combined. A day of rest in Manang provides adequate acclimatization and also lets your body to refuel.
Those who don’t rest in Manang often get altitude sickness and return back to Kathmandu. You don’t want to be that one, do you?
On the rest day in Manang, you can visit to Gangapurna Lake and the viewpoint nearby. And during the day, you can take a nice hot shower, drink warm teas, and rehydrate enough.
You’ll feel lot better with a day of rest and acclimatization in Manang.
Best time for Annapurna Circuit Trek with Tilicho Lake
I did this trek in October which is a peak trekking season with loads of trekkers. Why? Because it’s the best time in a year for Annapurna Circuit Trek. Trekkers flock in from mid-September till end of December. However, mid-October to late November are the best times for Annapurna Circuit Trek.
For Nepali, October is a festive time with vacation to trek. Hence, Annapurna Circuit Trek with Tilicho Lake is perfect in Dashai Tihar holiday.
If you can’t embark on this trek in Autumn, Spring is another wholesome time. March, April, and May are absolute best months to trek to Annapurna Circuit. Particularly, Tilicho Lake Trek in April can get exciting. The snow blankets the landscape around Tilicho lake, making the lake’s turquoise color crisp contrast with the snow. This sight elevates the viewing pleasure.
Moreover, Thorong La Pass with snow gets fun while crossing in March and April.
If you’re considering Poon Hill visit after Annapurna Circuit Trek, April is the best month. It’s because of the rhododendron bloosom in Ghorepani. The entire hills around Ghorepani ornate with vibrant rhododendron bloosom.
Trek with a trekking agency
Annapurna Circuit Trek Solo is doable. However, at times, solo trekking can get challenging as you’ll experience troubles navigating through things throughout the trek. A trek accompanied by a licensed trekking guide is lot easier than doing solo. Plus, crossing Thorong La at 5,416 meters can be challenging with altitude sickness and other weather conditions.
Thus, it’s highly recommended to trek to Annapurna Circuit with a trekking agency based in Kathmandu. I run a NepTrek Adventures, a trekking agency based in Kathmandu. I’ll help you organize Annapurna Circuit Trek with Tilicho Lake at the best rates.
We house some of the finest trekking guides with ample experience of guiding in Annapurna region.
Feel free to write to me on WhatsApp +9779818553880 or email at dahalsaroj151@gmail.com to learn more about this trekking. We have exciting departures lined up for 2025 season.
