- Length
- 11 days
- Highest point
- 4,919 m
- Difficulty
- Strenuous
- Best months
- Mar–May, Sep–Nov
- Starts
- Besisahar (drive from Pokhara/Kathmandu)
- Group size
- 2–10 People
- Sleeping
- Tea House / Camp
A focused 11-day trek to Tilicho Lake (4,919 m), one of the highest large lakes on earth, through Manang and back — no Thorong La crossing.
- Stand on the shore of Tilicho Lake at 4,919 m, one of the highest large lakes on earth
- Skip the high Thorong La pass — a shorter, lower-risk route to the region's single greatest highlight
- Explore the medieval Tibetan-influenced village of Manang beneath the Gangapurna glacier
- Take the high Ghyaru–Ngawal route for sweeping Annapurna and Gangapurna panoramas
- Proper built-in acclimatisation with a full rest day in Manang
- Cross the dramatic, remote high-mountain trail to Tilicho Base Camp
- Tea-house trekking with a tented or basic-lodge night at high camp
- Relax in lakeside Pokhara at the end of the trek
The climb, day by day
Day 1Drive Pokhara/Kathmandu to Besisahar to Chame (2,670 m)2,670 m
Scenic drive from Pokhara or Kathmandu to Besisahar (760 m), then transfer to a 4WD jeep up the rough Marsyangdi road through Dharapani to Chame, the headquarters of Manang district. Overnight in a tea house beside hot springs.
- Distance
- –
- Walking
- –
- Meals
- Dinner
- Night
- Tea House
Day 2Chame to Pisang (3,115 m)3,115 m
The trek begins on foot. Walk through dense pine forest past the dramatic curved rock face of Paungda Danda to reach the upper Marsyangdi valley and the village of Pisang, with first views of Annapurna II.
- Distance
- approx. 14 km
- Walking
- 5–6 hrs
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 3Pisang to Manang (3,519 m)3,519 m
Take the higher, more scenic route via Ghyaru and Ngawal for superb panoramas of the Annapurna massif, then descend to the large Tibetan-style village of Manang in its broad, dry valley below the Gangapurna glacier.
- Distance
- approx. 17 km
- Walking
- 6–7 hrs
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 4Acclimatisation day in Manang (3,519 m)3,519 m
An essential rest and acclimatisation day. Take a day hike to Gangapurna Lake and viewpoint, the Ice Lake, or Milarepa Cave to aid altitude adjustment, then return to Manang to rest. Climb high, sleep low.
- Distance
- –
- Walking
- 3–4 hrs
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 5Manang to Shree Kharka (4,050 m)4,050 m
Leave the main Annapurna Circuit and turn off toward Khangsar, the last permanent village before Tilicho. Continue to Shree Kharka, a small herders settlement, gaining height steadily through arid high country.
- Distance
- approx. 10 km
- Walking
- 4–5 hrs
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 6Shree Kharka to Tilicho Base Camp (4,150 m)4,150 m
A short but serious day crossing the notorious landslide-prone scree slopes on the trail to Tilicho Base Camp. Walk carefully under your guide's direction; the lodges here sit in a stark high-mountain bowl.
- Distance
- approx. 6 km
- Walking
- 4–5 hrs
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 7Tilicho Lake (4,919 m) and return to Shree Kharka (4,050 m)4,919 m
A pre-dawn start for the steep climb to Tilicho Lake at 4,919 m, one of the highest large lakes on earth, ringed by ice and rock. Savour the turquoise water and Tilicho Peak views, then descend back past Base Camp to Shree Kharka for the night.
- Distance
- approx. 14 km
- Walking
- 7–8 hrs
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 8Shree Kharka to Manang (3,519 m)3,519 m
Retrace your steps off the Tilicho spur and rejoin the main valley, descending through Khangsar back to the comforts of Manang, where the thicker air feels luxurious after the high camp.
- Distance
- approx. 16 km
- Walking
- 5–6 hrs
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 9Manang to Chame (2,670 m)2,670 m
A long, mostly downhill day back down the Marsyangdi valley through Pisang and the pine forests to Chame, with the high peaks gradually giving way to greener, warmer country.
- Distance
- approx. 31 km
- Walking
- 6–7 hrs
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 10Chame to Besisahar, drive to Pokhara (820 m)820 m
Transfer by jeep down the rough road from Chame to Besisahar, then continue by vehicle to Pokhara. Relax on the shore of Phewa Lake and celebrate the completion of your trek.
- Distance
- –
- Walking
- 5–6 hrs drive
- Meals
- Breakfast
Day 11Pokhara to Kathmandu / departure1,400 m
Drive or fly back to Kathmandu (or onward from Pokhara) for your departure. End of services.
- Distance
- –
- Walking
- –
- Meals
- Breakfast
The price includes
- All ground transport: Pokhara/Kathmandu–Besisahar and Besisahar–Chame 4WD jeep transfers
- Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) and TIMS card
- Experienced government-licensed English-speaking trekking guide
- Strong, insured porter (one per two trekkers)
- Guide and porter wages, meals, insurance and equipment
- All standard tea-house accommodation on trek (twin share)
- Three meals a day on the trek (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
- Two nights accommodation in Pokhara with breakfast
- First-aid kit and pulse oximeter for altitude monitoring
- All government taxes and service charges
You pay separately
- International airfare to and from Nepal
- Nepal entry visa fee
- Travel and high-altitude rescue insurance (mandatory)
- Lunches and dinners in Pokhara and Kathmandu
- Hot showers, charging, Wi-Fi and bottled/boiled water on trek
- Personal trekking gear and equipment
- Alcoholic and bottled drinks
- Tips for guide and porter
- Any cost arising from delays beyond our control (weather, landslides, road closures)
The Tilicho Lake Trek is a focused, out-and-back Himalayan adventure to one of the highest large lakes in the world. Cradled in a vast glacial amphitheatre beneath the Tilicho Peak and the Grande Barrier, Tilicho Lake sits at a breathtaking 4,919 metres, its turquoise meltwater framed by ice walls and bare rock. Rather than committing to the full multi-week Annapurna Circuit, this 11-day itinerary follows the classic approach up the Marsyangdi valley to Manang, builds in proper acclimatisation, then makes the dramatic side trip to Tilicho Base Camp and the lake before returning the same way.
From Besisahar a jeep road carries you to Chame, where the trek proper begins. You will walk through pine and apple-orchard country to Pisang, then on to the medieval Tibetan-influenced village of Manang with the Annapurnas and Gangapurna filling the skyline. A full rest day in Manang is essential to adjust to the thinning air before the demanding push along the notorious landslide-prone trail to Tilicho Base Camp and the pre-dawn climb to the lake.
Why this trek instead of the full circuit
This is the ideal choice for trekkers who want the single most spectacular highlight of the Annapurna region — Tilicho Lake — without the time, expense and high-pass risk of crossing Thorong La. It is shorter, the logistics are simpler, and you still earn the high-altitude tea-house culture, the dramatic Manang valley and that unforgettable frozen-blue lake. It pairs naturally with a Pokhara stay at either end.
What to expect on the trail
Expect long days, real altitude and exposed, rocky sections on the approach to the lake — this is a strenuous trek best attempted in spring or autumn. Nights are spent in simple tea houses, with a tented or basic-lodge night at Tilicho Base Camp. With our experienced government-licensed guides, careful acclimatisation and a steady pace, fit trekkers with some hill-walking background will find it deeply rewarding.