The journey is from Kathmandu city at first and then takes you up the mountains slowly. Every day you go a little higher by foot. The sky gets clearer, the air gets cooler, and the mountains look closer and bigger like giant friends. The entire trek feels like nature is your hand and showing you its special places one after another.
Simple Meaning Of This Trek
ANNAPURNA CIRCUIT WITH TILICHO LAKE trek is only not about leg work. This trek is about loving nature and respecting mountains. You will meet local Nepali people living in these high mountains. They are always smiling and live a very simple life. You will have warm tea in their tea houses and they will treat you like their own.
This trek teaches you that a simple life can be lovely. It also teaches you patience because every day you walk slowly with small steps and slowly your body becomes strong.
Why People Love This Trek
This trek is liked by people because it takes to lots of different places within a very short time. You see green forests, rivers flowing, tall waterfalls, snow-covered peaks, and dry rocky areas. The view changes every day. One day you see green trees everywhere. The next day you see only rocks and snow. This change makes your eyes happy and excited.
You also go to Tilicho Lake, which is a very unique place. Many people think that going to Tilicho Lake is like touching the clouds with your fingers.
Starting Point
Your journey starts when you come to Kathmandu. Kathmandu is the capital of Nepal. It is full of vehicles and busy streets. After spending one night in Kathmandu, you go by jeep or bus to a village called Chame. From there, you start your walking journey.
Nature And Beauty
The nature of this trek looks like a giant painting. You will see forests of tall pine trees. You will hear birds singing their soft songs. You will cross small rivers and long bridges. When you go further up, the air will be thin and cold. The mountains will appear to be white guardians standing in silence. While sleeping at night, you will see a sky full of stars shining like tiny diamonds.
Tilicho Lake
Tilicho Lake is the most beautiful part of this journey. People feel very peaceful there because the lake looks like a big mirror and is very quiet. The water is very blue and looks like a dream. When the sunlight hits the lake surface, the water shines. The lake is very high, almost touching the sky. Lots of people say that Tilicho Lake is heaven on Earth.
Half of the joy of this trek is when you finally stand near this lake because you know that you worked hard and walked many days to reach it.
The Eleven Days Journey
This trek requires eleven full days to complete. Daily you walk on mountain trails, sleep in little tea houses, eat warm food, and take pleasure in mountain views.
Within these eleven days, you may feel that your legs are tired, your nose is cold, but your heart will be strong and happy.
Day One Kathmandu Arrival
First day you are in Kathmandu. You meet your guide and get ready for the trek. You check all the things you need like warm jackets, rain jackets, trekking shoes, socks, gloves, water bottle, and snacks. After that, you take your rest early because the next day will start.
Day Two Drive To Chame
You quit Kathmandu and drive for several hours reaching Chame. The road follows the path of mountains and rivers. At the time of your arrival at Chame, you see big mountains covered in snow. You get excited because the real adventure starts now.
Day Three Trek To Pisang
From Chame, you begin the trek. You pass through pine forests and lovely trails. You hear the sound of rivers and birds. Gradually you arrive at a village named Pisang where you stay overnight.
Day Four Pisang To Manang
On this day you move to Manang on foot. Manang is a very beautiful and charming village in the Annapurna region. The village looks very serene with stone houses, small prayer wheels, and tall mountains surrounding. Manang offers a very beautiful view of Gangapurna Mountain and Annapurna Mountain.
Day Five Acclimatization Day
On this day you take rest and your body is given time to adjust to the high altitude. As you go higher, the air gets thin, and sometimes you might get a headache. Taking rest for one day helps your body to be healthy and safe. You also roam slowly around Manang village, drink tea, take photographs, and get familiar with local culture.
Day Six Manang To Khangsar
You travel from Manang to Khangsar. The path gradually goes up and the area changes. Trees are starting to become small and you see more rocky land. You sense the weather is getting colder slowly but surely. The mountains are looking very close now.
Day Seven Khangsar To Tilicho Base Camp
This day you're packed to move on with the trail that is a bit less wide and, at times, a little steep. However, the scenery is out of this world. You're surrounded by steep, rocky cliffs, and large mountains. The breeze is still but it's cold and fresh. When you arrive at the Tilicho Base Camp, you take it easy and get ready for the morning.
Day Eight Visit Tilicho Lake And Return
Extremely early in the morning, and in very cold air, you are up and about. You take a slow walk to Tilicho Lake, working your way up the trail. The trail is steep in some places so you should be walking cautiously. A very, very, very pleasant feeling is what it must be when you get to the lake for the first time.
Near Tilicho Lake, it is as if you were in the middle of a fantastic dream. It's very quiet and peaceful. After spending time there, you come back slowly to Base Camp again and take rest.
Day Nine Tilicho Base Camp To Yak Kharka
After seeing Tilicho Lake, you walk back and join the main Annapurna Circuit route again. Then you reach Yak Kharka, which is a small resting place surrounded by big hills. The sky feels super clear here.
Day Ten Yak Kharka To Muktinath Through Thorong La Pass
This is the highest day of the trek. You wake up very early and walk slowly to Thorong La Pass. This pass is more than five thousand meters high. The air is thin, and you must go slowly. When you reach the top, you will smile with joy because you did something very special.
Going down after the pass, you walk to a place called Muktinath.which is a very beautiful and peaceful place. A lot of pilgrims can be seen there as it is a place of worship for a lot of people. Christianity, Buddhism, and Hinduism are the three major religions in the world, and all three have something in common - Muktinath is their holy point. Visitors believe going to Muktinath brings peace and blessing from God.
Day Eleven Drive To Pokhara
On the last day, you drive or fly to Pokhara. Pokhara is a very relaxing city with a big lake called Fewa Lake. After your trekking journey, resting in Pokhara feels like a warm hug. You sit near the lake, drink juice, and say thank you to the mountains in your heart.
Best Time To Trek
This trek is most ideal in spring and autumn. Spring is from March to May when mountains look very fresh and flowers bloom everywhere. Autumn is from September to November when the sky looks very clear and the view is great. Winter gets very cold and summer brings rain, so these seasons are a little hard.
Food And Stay
Throughout the journey, you lodge in small tea houses. These places are run by loving mountain families. They prepare simple and warm meals like dal bhat, noodles, soup, potatoes, eggs, and pancakes. The food energizes you. The rooms are simple but warm and comfortable. At night the temperature drops to cold so you wear warm clothes.
Local Culture
The local people in this area are Buddhists. You can see colorful prayer flags, small monasteries, and spinning prayer wheels. Locals are very nice and polite. They are always smiling and talking softly. They live a very simple life and are nature lovers. They love their mountains and believe the mountains are gods.
Difficulty Level
The trek is quite challenging because you ascend to a very high altitude and walk for many days. There may be times when you get tired, sleepy, or feel cold. But if you walk slowly and keep yourself hydrated, your body will be fine. It is very important that you listen to your guide. Your guide is like a walking encyclopedia and will assist you in case of any problem.
Safety And Health
One must walk slowly each day and take rest as and when required. In case you get a headache or have breathing trouble, you should inform your guide. It is also important to drink sufficient water and keep the body warm. The higher you go, the harder it becomes to breathe, so going slowly helps a lot.
Feelings Of The Journey
During the eleven day trek, your heart will be filled with many different emotions. You will be amazed at the sight of the big mountains. You will feel calm when you see the lake. You will feel strong when you walk long hours. You will feel thankful when you reach the top of Thorong La Pass.
This trek will give you new memories and the beautiful world. After the completion of this journey, you will feel that your inner self has become stronger.
Ending
Annapurna Circuit with Tilicho Lake Trek for 11 days is a very special mountain adventure that shows you the wonderful beauty of Nepal. You walk through forests, feel cold winds, see blue lakes, and meet friendly people. When you return home, your heart feels full of love and happiness because you have seen one of the most beautiful places in the world.