Tilicho Lake & Annapurna Massif Trek

A 5-hour bus ride takes us to the starting point of the trek: Besisahar (900m), the capital of Lamjung District. After lunch drive 2hrs to Syange, to avoid the crowded town of Besisahar. Also, it is a nice walk and a better way to experience village life in Syange (1130m) from the first day. Great mountain views!

Also at the beginning, we will be walking on the road for about 3 hours after that we will be walking on the trail up to Tal. On the way to Tak, we can see beautiful waterfalls and beehives. Tal is the first village of the Manang district. A paradise along the Marsyandi River. We can see beautiful waterfalls from the hotel. A Buddhist shrine called Chorten is located in front of the waterfall and according to the villagers the shrine protects the villages from natural disasters. Tal means lake in Nepali. The village was once a lake, and therefore it is called Tal (1700m). Hiking hours: 6

Tal is the first village in the Manang district. A paradise along the Marsyandi River. We can see beautiful waterfalls from the hotel. A Buddhist shrine called Chorten is located in front of the waterfall and according to the villagers the shrine protects the villages from natural disasters. Today's destination is Danagyu (2300m). Hiking hours: 5

We continue to follow the river and reach Chame (2670m). This village is famous for its hot springs – perfect for soothing our aching limbs! The village of Chame is the district headquarters of Manang district. Many administrative offices are located in Chame. The trail continues through pine and rhododendron forests with a spectacular view of Manaslu. The lower route is faster but is not as scenic as the higher route. Hiking hours: 5.

We walk through Juniper and pine forests and reach Pisang (3200m). We can visit the Tibetan monastery from where we have a beautiful view of Annapurna II, III and IV, Pisang and Tilichu. Hiking hours: 5

A steep climb up through a desert-like landscape takes us to Ghyaru (3673m). Following along the ridge we have a magnificent view of Pisang, Annapurna and Chulu and avalanches can be seen. After Ghyaru we reach Ngawal from where the trail drops down to the river. The trail now continues to Braga, a very old and traditional village with a historical monastery. Hiking hours: 6

We continue the trail through the desert-like landscape to reach Manang (3536m), the district’s capital. At 03.00pm we visit the HRA (Himalayan Rescue Association) for a lecture on how to recognize the symptoms of altitude sickness and to take appropriate action. We take a side trip to Gangapurna Glacier and hike around the crystal clear lake. We can then visit Bhraka Gompa; here the lama sometimes conducts puja for trekkers for a safe crossing of the Thorung La pass. Hiking hours: 3

We now leave the Marsyangdi River and follow an easy trail to Khan Sarkar village (3734m). After this village, trail is steep up hill to Shree Kharka (4100m). We can see three hotel in Shree Kharka. Here is no village only hotel for business. From here we can see very nice mountain view. Hiking hours: 5

This unreliable section with a steep slope. Leaving Shree Kharka, we climb gently a new lodge. A path descends down from here making ups and downs continuing and reach the landslide area. The section more scary, the bare precipitous scree slope through rock falling Zone, still we have the stunning mountain scenery of Gangapurna and Kangsarkang. Hiking hours: 5

Side trip to Tilicho Lake

Same way back until Khangsar Village. It is a pleasant walk through the woods and the path is mostly level from Khangsar. We pass the Annapurna and Gangapurna range on our right. We will see the Himalayan Griffon gliding over the pastures and dive down in search of food. The trail drops rapidly down to a log bridge over the Jhrsang Khola. Crossing the bridge we climb a rocky path that leads us to the main trail to Yak Kharka. Hiking hours: 7

Today we climb up to Phedi (4400m) at the foot of the Thorung La pass. We might be lucky to spot a herd of blue sheep. Afternoon strolls to a higher altitude and return to stay in Phedi for good acclimatization. After an early supper we retire to our sleeping bags – full of anticipation for the next day. Hiking hours:4

An early rise at 04.30 am. After 4 breathtaking hours we reach the Thorung La pass (5416m), one of the world's highest passes. An exhilarating moment! We then start our steep-down descent to Muktinath (3800 m), a pilgrimage center for Buddhists as well as Hindus. Hiking hours: 8

Muktinath is one of the pilgrimage sites for Hindus & Buddhists – we can visit the Buddhist Gompa and the Vishnu temple of Jwala Mayi. Every year many pilgrims visit Muktinath, especially in the spring season. Mountains on the other side such as Nilgiri, Dhaulagiri, Tukuche Peak, etc can be seen. The trail to Kagbeni (2800m) is all the way downhill, crossing the authentic village of Jharkot. Kagbeni (2895 m), is a Tibetan-influenced settlement surrounded by a patchwork of fields and fruit trees. Hiking hours: 4

The trail follows the Kali Gandaki riverbed. It is a relatively easy walk. However, after 10:00 am serious winds blow from the north making the hike difficult at times. Hiking hours: 5

Half an hour's flight from Jomsom through the gorge and splendid view of two mountain ranges brings us to the relaxing Lakeside o Pokhara.