Tilicho lake trek

Tour itinerary: Kathmandu → Kagbeni → Kathmandu

Overview-

Tilicho is a beautiful Lake located in the Annapurna Himalayan range, Manang district of Nepal. Situated at a height of 4919m, Lake Tilicho marks the highest lake in the world. It is one of the most popular trekking destinations in Nepal. Thousands of tourists visit lake Tilicho from different parts of the world. Lake Tilicho holds great religious value to people in Nepal. According to the Hindu deity, lake Tilicho is the ancient Kak Bhusundi lake that has been mentioned in the epic Ramayana. This lake is made by the glacial melt of the Northern slope of Annapurna mountain and Thorung peak. It is also very large with a length of 1500m and a width of 600m. The lake seems amazingly beautiful as it is surrounded by huge mountains like Khangsar, Muktinath peak, Nilgiri, etc. Trek to Tilicho is usually combined with the Annapurna circuit trek. During your journey, you get to see hundreds of rare flora and fauna. Snow leopards, blue sheep, red pandas, Alpine forests, etc are commonly seen here.  Tilicho Lake is undoubtedly one of the most adventurous and challenging trek journeys for trekkers for which trekking experience and very good fitness are needed.

Best season to visit Tilicho Lake. 

The best season to visit Tilicho Lake is spring (March-May) and autumn (September-November). during these seasons the temperature is very bearable. The view is very clear with a fresh and clean atmosphere. You get to see beautiful flowers and amazing mountain views. The winter season is extremely cold due to heavy snowfall. Sometimes the trail is entirely blocked with snow. The average temperature during the winter season is around 5 to -5.  In summer the night temperature in upper altitudes ranges from 0-5 degrees Celsius and in winter it can be around -5 to -20 degrees Celsius.

Food/drinks and accommodation-

Finding teahouses to spend the night is not much of a problem on this trek. There are plenty of teahouses throughout the journey. They are affordable and comfortable as well. There is a teahouse located very near the lake. The rooms however need to be shared with two people. They have clean blankets and bedsheets too. Or else, you can also ask villagers if you can spend a night at their place. Some of them allow you but you need to pay a little money for them. It is cheaper than teahouses. As for food and drinks, every teahouse makes its home-cooked meal. Dal, Bhat, fresh vegetables, fried rice, noodles, pasta, and Indian food are available in the teahouses. They are very clean and delicious. At the lower altitude, the food price is normal but as you go to higher altitudes you might notice some expensive price list for the same food. 

Difficulties of Tilicho Lake-

Trek to Tilicho Lake is all about walking 5-6 hours per day. This trek is comparatively more difficult than other treks. The route and trail are very challenging. Additionally, an altitude of over 3000m can be a major problem. There is a high risk of altitude sickness. However, you do not have to camp and can easily get teahouses to spend your night and have a nice meal. So, this can be a plus point in this trek. The trek is considered moderately difficult. You certainly need to be physically and mentally prepared for this trek. You can prepare yourself a few days before the actual trek. Do long walks, light exercise, and running to make your journey easier. During the trek itself, stay hydrated, and avoid meat, smoking, and alcoholic beverages. Also, make sure to walk slowly and give some time to adjust yourself to the height. 

Permits for Tilicho Lake

Annapurna Conservation Area permits- 3000 (30$)NRS to Non-SAARC countries. 1500 NRS (15$) to SAARC countries. 

TIMS- 1000 NRS (10$) per person. 

Guides and porter- Tilicho Lake is a very popular place in Nepal. Thousands of tourists visit this place every month, every day. You will have no problem finding directions or places. You will see signboards or you can just ask for help from local people. The route is relatively easier. Or else, if you feel like you need a guide then you can always hire a guide. They usually charge around 12-15$ per day. You can also hire a porter to help you carry your belongings. They might charge you about 8$ per day. 

Other facilities- most of the places on the way to Tilicho Lake have electricity so you can charge your phones or cameras. Most of the teahouses also have Wi-Fi. You might have to pay a little extra for it. They have hot water for the shower. You also have full network coverage. They have an NCELL network in most places. They have a proper facility for bus and jeep rides. You can take a bus from Kathmandu to Besishahar. 

Route 1- longer Route to Tilicho Lake. 

Step 1 – Arrival at Kathmandu

Step 2- Kathmandu – Bhulbule (8 hours’ drive)

Step 3-Bhulbhule-pisang, 3190m (8 hours’ drive)

Step 4- Pisang – Manang, 3540m (6 hours walk)

Step 5- Manag- Shrekharka, 4050m (6 hours walk)

Step 6- Shrekharka- Tilicho Base camp (5 hours walk)

Step 7- Tilicho Base camp – Tilicho Lake, (5 hours walk)

Step 8- Tilicho- Shrekharka- Manang (6 hours walk)

Step 9- Manag- Pisang (6 hours walk)

Step 10- Pisang- Bhulbule (8 hours’ drive)

Step 11- Drive back to Kathmandu (8 hours’ drive)   

Route 2- shorter route to Tilicho Lake

This route will save you some time as you will be traveling by bus or jeep most of the time. 

Step 1- Arrival at Kathmandu

Step 2- Kathmandu – Besishahar, 760m (8-9 hours’ drive)

Step 3- Besishahar- Khangsar/Shrekharka 2670m (7-8 hours’ drive)

Step 4- Shrekharka- Tilicho base camp, 3200m (5-6 hours trek)

Step 5- Tilicho Base camp – Tilicho Lake (5-6 hours trek) and return to Shrekharka

Step 6- Shrekharka-Besishahar (7 hours drive)

Step 7- Besishahar- Kathmandu        

This route takes around 10/11 days with proper rest and with a few days off. It cost you around 1000-1200$ including travel insurance, permits, food, accommodations, transportation, etc.