Tilicho Lake Trek With Thorong La Pass – 19 Days

The first day of the Tilicho Lake Trek with Thorong La Pass – 19 Days requires arriving at Kathmandu. Flying over the hills of Nepal, you will get to enjoy scenes of the white grand peaks in the north. But clouds can be a real show stopper most of the time. After you reach the airport, you have to get your tourist visa if you have not already. To successfully obtain your tourist visa, you will need to fill out a visa application form at the immigration booth, a valid passport, two passport-sized photos, proof of accommodation, proof of return flight, and a bank receipt for the visa fee payment. You can pay your visa fees at a nearby bank counter. They accept Mastercards, VISA cards, and more, but sometimes international payments can fall behind a little and not work as intended. So, we always recommend our trekkers to have some cash with them to be able to pay up if cards do not work. After all that, your tourist visa will be approved within minutes since this is a visa-on-arrival system designed to simplify the process of getting a tourist visa in Nepal. You can also apply for a tourist visa via the official immigration website of Nepal. This process comes in handy during peak trek season when airports receive a plethora of visitors at once, and it becomes crowded. After you get your tourist visa, our representative will find you at the terminal and take you to your 3-star accommodation for the night. Activity: Drive for 30 minutes Max. Altitude: 1,324m/4,344ft. Kathmandu Meal: Breakfast Accommodation: 3 Star Hotel

The drive to Syange is slightly over 190 km, and the journey is full of countryside scenes with hills and rivers accompanying us throughout. It will take us about 9 hours to get to Syange, so we will get on the road right after breakfast. Driving about 26 km away from the city center, we will reach Naubise, the exit point of Kathmandu Valley. This part of the ride drives over the Tribhuvan Highway and leads us to Prithvi Highway, which connects Pokhara and Kathmandu. We will pass Thankot to get out of Kathmandu. From there, our first stop of the day will be at Mugling (about 60 km away from Naubise). This is the Prithvi Highway built on the slopes of hills, which is why it’s only a two-lane road. This has affected the flow of traffic for ages, and chances are you will experience a congested traffic line at some point during the journey. We will have lunch in Mugling before continuing the ride to Syange. Our next stop will be at Dumre, the meeting point of the Trishuli and Marsyangdi rivers. It is also a major commercial hub of central Nepal. From Dumre, we will travel over 40 km to reach Besisahar, a Gurung village in the Lamjung district of Nepal, known for being the gateway to many trekking destinations in the region, mainly the Annapurna Circuit Trek. Besisahar is the last town on the road, and your last stop to buy things for your week-long trek in the Himalayas. From there, Syange is about 22 km away, and the road condition just gets worse from that point; good thing we have a 4WD Jeep to handle the rugged gravel road. Activity: Drive for 9 hours Max. Altitude: 1,080m/3,543ft. Syange Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: Guest House

Today is your first day of trekking on the Tilicho Lake Trek with Thorong La Pass – 19 Days. Since it is the first day, we will keep it short and simple. The trail is almost 14 km long, but it is pretty simple to trek without sharp ascents or descents. By the end of the day, we will have trekked for about 5 hours to reach Syange, gaining 581 meters of altitude in the process. Sitting at an elevation of 1119 meters, we will start the trek from Syange Village accompanied by the rushing sounds of the Marsyangdi River water. Following the course of the river upstream, we will trek through lush hillsides and terrace-farmed slopes where local farmers seem to spend most of their days. As we move deeper into the valley, agriculture becomes the main profession of the locals, as there is no other prospect of business. Sure, trek tourism sounds like a great investment, but farmers do not exactly have the finances and the knowledge of the tourism business. The simple tea houses and eateries you see on the way are simple efforts made by the locals to get in on the tourism action. By visiting them, you are directly supporting the fragile economy of these remote villages. After about one hour of trek, we will reach Shrichaur village, where we will stop for a couple of minutes to rest and drink water. There are a lot of traditional Nepalese houses built from clay and wood. From there, the path winds up the hill slopes to take us to Jagat, another Gurung village of the region. This village sits at 1300 meters of elevation and is the first checkpoint of the Tilicho Lake Trek with Thorong La Pass – 19 Days. The narrow streets of the village are paved with stone slats, and the iconic traditional houses make it a treat to visit. We will stop there for lunch and have a little photo session while we are there. Leaving Jagat, the path drops down to a suspension bridge over the Marsyangdi River before ascending to a lush forested area with a bunch of aesthetic waterfalls. After crossing the forest, we will get to Chamje, reaching 1410 meters of elevation. From there, the track continues ascending and leads us to a long suspension bridge, crossing the Marsyangdi River once again. This is the last section that takes us to Tal village, sitting at 1700 meters of altitude. The village sits on the edge of the Marsyangdi River and has a bunch of guest houses, hotels, and a high school. A waterfall nearby is the main attraction of the village, which we will visit after getting our bags at the accommodation. Activity: Trekking for 5 hours Max. Altitude: 1,857m/6,093ft. Tal Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: Guest House

Day 4 of the Tilicho Lake Trek with Thorong La Pass – 19 Days takes us to Danakyu, which is about 11 km from Tal. This village sits at an altitude of 2190 meters above sea level and is a popular night stop. Gaining almost 500 meters of altitude, we will trek for about 5 hours to reach today’s destination. Leaving the village of Tal, the path is very flat and wide alongside the river basin with the company of terraced farmlands and gentle flowing water. After about an hour of trek, we reach a set of stone steps that take us to Dharapani village (1860 m). From there, we will traverse a lush pine forest with occasional glimpses of white peaks in the distance. This track leads us to a number of suspension bridges and many ascents and descents to get us to Bagarchhap. The village of Bagarchhap is influenced by Tibetan Buddhism as much as traditional Nepalese culture. You can find many houses there that are indicative of Tibetan influence. It’s a great place to rest, and we will have a hearty lunch there before moving on to an ascending trail with views of the Annapurna Himalayan range, including Manaslu. This is the final leg of today’s trek, and it involves a mild ascent to Danakyu (2190 meters). Activity: Trekking for 5 hours Max. Altitude: 2,300m/7,546ft. Danakyu Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: Guest House

Starting off the 5th day of the Tilicho Lake Trek with Thorong La Pass – 19 Days, we will go over a steep ascent that calls for an exhausting climb and proper hydration. Follow the pace of our trek guide and do not rush the section. Keeping up with the track, we will reach Timang village in just 2 hours of trek. This tiny village is a great place to rest and offers a great view of the valley basin with Mt. Manaslu. From Timang, the path goes downhill for a while before turning flat; this part of the trek is full of pine and oak trees with frequent open sections that offer Himalayan scenes. After an additional hour of trek, we will reach the village of Thanchok. You will see a bunch of traditional stone houses there, but the preference for tin roofs is taking over since it is easier to install, and does not pinch you to the ground when an earthquake hits. Following the route deeper into the valley, we will reach the village of Koto, which is the gateway to the Nar Phu Valley trek. It is a great spot to rest or re-energize, and the meeting point of the Marsyangdi and Nar Rivers makes it a scenic spot. This is the last resting stop of the day; from here onward is very doable with little ascent and wide tracks. From Danakyu to Chame, we will take about 6 hours, cover a total distance of almost 12 km, and gain an altitude of 460 meters by the end of the day trek. Activity: Trekking for 6 hours Max. Altitude: 2,650m/8,694ft. Chame Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: Guest House

Chame is more of a town than a village, it’s the commercial hub of the Manang region of Nepal. Leaving the town, we will trek along the Marsyangdi River once again, accompanied by a forest of pine trees. Following a 1.5-hour trek, we will reach Bhratang village situated at an elevation of 2850 meters. The apple farms and unique lodges are the main features of this village. Moving on, we will get to Paungda Danda (hill) which is a giant rock that curves over the river, reaching a height of 1500 meters. This point of the trek is pretty famous in the region, and the formation is interesting, to say the least. From there, we will cross yet another suspension bridge to get to Dhukur Pokhari, situated at 3060 meters above sea level. This village is the divergence point for Lower Pisang and Upper Pisang. Following the steeper path of the two, we will get to see views of a couple of Annapurna peaks. Much like the village of Danakyu, the houses in Upper Pisang are influenced by Tibetan Buddhism, while the cultural practices relate more to traditional Nepalese. Day 6 of the Tilicho Lake Trek with Thorong La Pass – 19 Days takes us from 2650 meters to 3300 meters at Upper Pisang. We will cover slightly over 15 km for over 5 hours and gain an altitude of 650 meters. Activity: Trekking for 5 hours Max. Altitude: 3,300m/10,827ft. Upper Pisang Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: Guest House

The starting portion of today’s trek offers a simple trek over flat lands that turns into a sharp ascent as we get closer to the village of Ghyaru. We will have to climb an uphill portion (400 meters tall) to get to Ghyaru village. This part of the trek is only 1.5 km long. The path is windy at times and sometimes sharply steep. Ghyaru, sitting at 3730 meters of height, is a remote village offering a peek into the traditional lives of the locals. Traditional stone houses and shrines are the main features of the village, in addition to being a charming little village set in a stunning natural landscape. The views of a number of Annapurna Himalayan range peaks are apparent from the village. We will rest for a bit before moving forward. Leaving this village, the path settles down a little with frequent sightings of cattle grazing the Himalayan pastures. An additional 2.5 hours of trek will take us to Ngawal village. Activity: Trekking for 6 hours Max. Altitude: 3,650m/11,975ft. Ngawal Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: Guest House

Day 8 of the Tilicho Lake Trek with Thorong La Pass – 19 Days requires a 5-hour trek, one of the shortest trekking days, to reach Manang via Bhraka. This trek is 10 km long and makes us lose 120 meters of altitude in total. One whole hour into the trek leads us to Julu village, which will be our first stop of the day. This Gurung village is not a popular spot for trekkers, but it’s a great place to learn about the daily lives of the locals. From there, the path descends to the valley basin where we meet the Marsyangdi River again. We will then cross a bridge, ascend a little, and arrive at Bhraka village (3440 meters). This village has a centuries-old monastery as its religious center, where statues and artifacts related to Buddhism are on display. From Bhraka, also known as Braga, the trail to Manang is fairly simple and flat, along with the views of Gangapurna Lake and Gangapurna glacier. Before the late afternoon hours, we will reach Manang, a prominent village in the region housing many modern amenities. Activity: Trekking for 5 hours Max. Altitude: 3,519m/11,545ft. Manang Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: Guest House

Manang is a great village to spend your acclimatization day as it is one of the few well-facilitated villages of the Himalayan region. Sitting at an altitude of 3540 meters above sea level, this village offers a couple of acclimatization destinations. The most scenic and practical option is a hike to Ice Lake, also known as Kicho Taal. The hike to Ice Lake is not an easy feat at all; in fact, it is more difficult than most other trekking days in the Tilicho Lake Trek with Thorong La Pass – 19 Days. However, since this hike helps us gain over 1200 meters of altitude, we will be going for it. Trekking high and sleeping low is proven to be the best preventive measure for altitude sickness, which is why hiking 1200 meters is a great deal. The Ice Lake is only 11km away (round trip) from Manang, but it will take about 7 hours to reach and get back since the path is steep for the most part. For this hike, we will trace our steps back to Bhraka and get on a steep climb passing Himalayan pasture lands as we go. The higher we go, the barren the surroundings become. In addition to the physical strain, you also have to deal with decreased oxygen in the air. The views from the top include all the Annapurna Himalayan range along with Tilicho Peak and Gangapurna Peak. We will get back to Manang after spending an hour or so at the top. Activity: Hiking for 7 hours Max. Altitude: 3,519m/11,545ft. Manang Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: Guest House

Day 10 of the Tilicho Lake Trek with Thorong La Pass – 19 Days requires us to leave the beautiful Manang town. It is another day of ascent, we will gain 510 meters of altitude over 5 hours as we reach the settlement of Shree Kharka. This trek is 9 km long, and our final standing elevation will be 3924 meters above sea level. After trekking for 3 km from Manang, we will reach Khangsar village at an altitude of 3734 meters. This village is nicknamed the last village of Nepal, as it is the last village you will encounter on your trek to Tilicho Base Camp. From this point, the trail becomes steep all the way to Shree Kharka, a tiny settlement. Activity: Trekking for 5 hours Max. Altitude: 3,924m/12,874ft. Shree Kharka Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: Guest House

Today is an exciting day of the Tilicho Lake Trek with Thorong La Pass – 19 Days as we reach the Tilicho Base Camp. The distance for today’s trek is just 6 km with an elevation of 100 meters. You can already tell that this trek is going to be very simple given the minimal elevation gain over 6 km. Passing snow-covered trails and ridges, we will get to the base camp easily. There are a bunch of lodges and tea houses to accommodate trekkers such as ourselves. It’s also the shortest trekking day of the Tilicho Lake Trek with Thorong La Pass – 19 Days, with a total of 3 trekking hours. Activity: Trekking for 3 hours Max. Altitude: 4,150m/13,615ft. Tilicho Base Camp Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: Guest House

Today is the ultimate day of the Tilicho Lake Trek with Thorong La Pass – 19 Days as we reach the ultimate destination, the pristine Tilicho Lake. Starting off, we will get to a ridge after 3 km of trek from the base camp. This ridge is very scenic and offers a wide view of the lake below. Continuing the trek, we will follow the ridge as it slowly hikes up to the shores of the Tilicho Lake. A winding trail comprises the final descent to the lake. The photo you take there will be so vibrant as the sky shines bright blue and the Tilicho boasts a turquoise blue shade. Spending about an hour a the lake, we will get back to the base camp for the night. Trekking over 11 km, we will have to be on foot for more than 7 hours to complete this day’s trek. Activity: Hiking for 7 hours Max. Altitude: 4,150m/13,615ft. Tilicho Base Camp Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: Guest House

On this day of the Tilicho Lake Trek with Thorong La Pass – 19 Days, we will leave the beautiful Tilicho Base Camp and reach Yak Kharka. This village is about 10 km away from the base camp and requires 3.5 hours of trekking. After 2 km of trek, we will reach Khangsar village from where the trail ascends following the curves of the Thorung River. An additional 3km of trek takes us to a Mani wall, which is a sign that we are close to the pastures of Yak Kharka. We still have 5 more km to go, which we will cover after lunch. Activity: Trekking for 3-4 hours Max. Altitude: 4,018m/13,182ft. Yak Kharka Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: Guest House

From Yak Kharka, it’s a 7.5 km trail to Thorong Phedi, which usually takes about 3.5 hours to complete. We will gain 450 meters of altitude as we get to Thorong Phedi. The trail starts with flat sections, which turn into steep ascents. After 3 km of trekking, we will arrive at Churi Ledar, which will be our first stop. The trail continues to be steep until we reach Thorong Phedi. Activity: Trekking for 3-4 hours Max. Altitude: 5,416m/17,769ft. Thorong Phedi Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: Guest House

Day 15 of the Tilicho Lake Trek with Thorong La Pass – 19 Days is an important day as we get to visit the great Muktinath Temple and cross the Thorong La Pass. The trek is 15 km long, with a gain of 966 meters of elevation at Thorong La Pass. It’s a long day ahead of us as we gain substantial elevation to cross the pass and then lose over 1600 meters of altitude; in total, we will spend 9 hours. First, we will climb up the Thorong La Pass (5416 meters) for a stunning 360-degree view and get on a long descending trail to Muktinath. It can be a real pain in the knees, so grab your trekking poles and walk downhill for hours. Activity: Trekking for 9 hours Max. Altitude: 3,710m/12,172ft. Muktinath Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: Guest House

After an early morning visit to the Muktinath temple, we will get on the track to Jomson, the center of the Manang region. Today’s total distance is slightly over 20 km, losing over 950 meters of altitude and taking around 7 hours of trek. The first part of the trek takes us to Kagbeni following a descent from Muktinath. Kag Beni is the gateway to the Upper Mustang region and one of the commercial hubs of the region. From Kagbeni, the trail follows the path of the Kali Gandaki River downstream all the way to Jomsom. The town of Jomsom is the administrative and business center of the Mustang district. It is also the last day of trekking on the Tilicho Lake Trek with Thorong La Pass – 19 Days itinerary, so savor all the flavors you can. Activity: Trekking for 7 Hours Max. Altitude: 2,743m/8,999ft. Jomsom Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: Guest House

The next day, we will get on a flight to Pokhara. This scenic flight lasts about 25 minutes, during which scenes of the Mustang region and the Annapurna region are apparent. We will spend a peaceful night in Pokhara. Activity: Fly for 25 minutes Max. Altitude: 822m/2,697ft. Pokhara Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Accommodation: 3 Star Hotel

The following day, we will have our first and last breakfast in Pokhara before we head to the bus that takes us to Kathmandu. This ride is over 8 hours long and full of bumps. Activity: Drive for 8 hours Max. Altitude: 1,324m/4,344ft. Kathmandu Meal: Breakfast Accommodation: 3 Star Hotel

Day 19 is the final day of the Tilicho Lake Trek with Thorong La Pass – 19 Days. After we make sure that everything is settled, we will drop you off at the international airport for a flight back home. Meal: Breakfast