Annapurna Circuit Trek via Tilicho Lake & Mustang Trek - 25

Once landed, you will be heading to Immigration counter in the airport for your visa, then to the luggage collection area. Once you will collect your bags, you will then be walking out of the arrival gate, where you will have Classic Vacations Nepal guide waiting for you with your name card. He will greet, and transfer you to our trip hotel in Kathmandu. If you reach in the morning or early afternoon, you have a leisurely afternoon.

Evening, we will have a trek briefing session. Talk about the trek, and discussion of any trek queries you may have. Later, we will take you for a welcome dinner at one of the finest Nepalese restaurants in town. You will be eating local food, enjoying cultural music and traditional dance performance. 

Today, you will have a leisurely morning, and breakfast. Afternoon, you will have a guided tour of cultural highlights of Kathmandu Valley. One of the highlights of today is Boudhanath Stupa, the most beautiful Buddhist stupa in the valley. This stupa has great Buddhist spiritual surroundings, monks chanting Buddhist mantras. Next, we visit Pashupatinath Temple, one of the biggest Hindu temples in Kathmandu. Here, you will see dead bodies cremating at the bank of Bagmati River, which is a unique way of funeral ceremony in Hindu culture. You will be amazed to see the process of final funeral of the dead body at this place.

Further, we will transfer to visit Swyambhunath Stupa, also known as money temple which is an important Buddhist shrine in the valley. Swyambhunath Stupa is situated at the north hill of Kathmandu Valley, which has 360-degree view of the valley, and surrounding hills and mountains. After this, you will then return back to your hotel. Leisure in the evening. Overnight stay in Kathmandu.

After breakfast at Kathmandu hotel, we will start our drive to Besisahar. This drive is mostly a Nepalese highway passing through beautiful mountain villages, and natural surroundings. Further drive from Besisahar to Dharapani is mostly an off/rough road, but an incredible drive following Marshyangdi River valley which is natural and amazing in landscapes. We will reach Dharapani in the evening. Overnight stay in Dharapani.

From today, we will start a beautiful walk on the Annapurna Circuit trail. Trek from Dharapani to Danaque is a nice and gradual walk in the valley. Further trek to Chame is beautiful in the subtropical forest (mainly a pine forest), which is an incredible walk in landscapes and natural hill surroundings. En-route, you will have the first incredible views of Mt. Manaslu, Lamjung Himal & Annapurna. 

Situated at the both side of Marshyangdi River, Chame is the district headquarter of Manang district. All the major Governmental offices, Police check post, Army camp, ACAP office, health post etc. all are in Chame. 

Today, we will have a great picturesque landscape walk following a narrow valley of Marshyangdi River. En-route, we will be passing a beautiful Bhratang Village, a famous apple garden farm of Manang.

From here, the trail traverses through the steep trail, gradual uphill at river valley, then crosses the river over the bridge and continues uphill through the beautiful pine forest to reach Dhukur Pokhari. From here, the valley opens up with great views of Annapurna’s and its landscapes. Now, we will be walking on a nice and pleasant trail to reach Pisang Village. Overnight stay in Pisang Village.

Trek from Pisang to Manang is a beautiful walk in the lap of Annapurna Himalayas along with an incredible Himalayan landscape valley. We have two routes to trek to Manang from Pisang.

Upper route will directly ascend to the top of the hill at Ghyaru, then to Ngawal village, then walk along the mountain ridge with an incredible view of Annapurna mountains across the valley. This route is amazing for mountain views and landscape photography.

Lower route will be pleasant walking through the pine forest, and an incredible nature walk in the valley till to Humdre.

If you are using the upper route, it will also descend to Humre from Ngawal. Now, the trek to Manang is along the beautiful valley, following the bank of Marshyangdi River. En-route, there is a typical Manang village Braga which has a very old monastery, the typical houses, and local life. From here, a short pleasant walk in the valley brings us to Manang. Overnight stay in Manang. 

Today, we will have day acclimatization in Manang Valley. Manang is the most beautiful valley of Annapurna, with 360-degree views of Annapurna mountains surrounding us.

After breakfast at the lodge, we will hike to Gangapurna Glacier Lake, then to Gangapurna Base Camp tea shop, which brings us to the altitude of 4500m from sea level. The Overlook of Manang Valley across the river looks scenic and you will have the most panoramic Himalayan landscape view from here. Mt. Gangarpurna, Mt. Tilicho & Annapurna IV is towering over you.

Afternoon, we will return back to our lodge in Manang. Rest of the day will be spent in Manang. Manang is a typical village with great exploration of local life’s, tea huts, typical houses etc. 

Option Hike: As an option hike, we could also hike right above Manang valley to the cliff monastery, which will have great views of the valley landscape and mountain views across the valley.

This morning, after breakfast in Manang, we will walk through the valley down to the river valley, across a small suspension bridge then walk gradually uphill to Khansar Village. We will have lunch in Khansar Village. From Khansar, the trail goes uphill gradually through a mountain ridge, a narrow trail to Tilicho Base Camp Hotel. This route walk is amazing with Himalayan landscapes and mountain views. 

Early breakfast at the lodge in Base Camp hotel, then prepare our great hike to Tilicho Lake. We should be packing for a day dry snacks and drinking water prior to our hike in the morning. Trail to Tilicho is narrow, often following a rugged mountain side, and a short walk through the dry landslide section of the mountain where we have to be careful as we walk. Once we will reach to the top of hill, then a pleasant walk, we now are in Tilicho Lake.

Tilicho Lake is beautiful, at the lap of Mt. Tilicho, a wide and open, fresh water glacier lake in Nepal. It is one of the highest altitude glacier lakes in the world. Tilicho Lake is 4 km long, and 1.2 km in width. Tilicho Lake is impressive with mountains and landscapes. This Lake will be covered by glaciers from Dec to March, and will be blue Lake water at most of the other months. 

You will have a great time taking photography and exploring the lake for several hours prior to returning back to Base Camp hotel at evening for overnight.

Morning, we will trek to Khansar village, then descend to the river valley, across the river and start an uphill walk toward Annapurna Circuit Trail. You will be walking in meadows where we will often see horses and yak grazing in the Kharka. We will be reaching the classic trail to Annapurna Circuit at the valley, then a short pleasant walk to Yak Kharka. Overnight stay in Yak Kharka.

Today, the trek to Thorong Phedi will be slow and steady along with the great mountain landscapes section in Annapurna. Short walk from Yak Khadka brings us to Ledar. We ascend furthermore, then a section of two trails reaches. On regular Spring/Autumn days, we will descend to the river valley, across the river at a wooden bridge, gradually uphill, then follow a cliff trail (that involves dry landslide sections of mountain hill as well) toward Thorong Phedi. If it is windy or snowy or winter month, we will be walking gradually uphill toward the left side of the mountain hill for 40 min, then a descent to the river, across the river at a wooden bridge, then ascend to Thorong Phedi. 

Thorong Phedi is a base of Thorong- la, and has few guest houses to accommodate us for a night prior to heading to Thorong-la pass the next morning. 

We also have the option to climb to Thorong High Camp (4880m), which takes about an hour's steep ascent from Phedi, making the Thorong-la pass shorter for the next day. However, sleeping at Thorong Phedi is safe and you will have a sound sleep.

Today is the most challenging as well as interesting day of your hike in Annapurna Circuit. You will have to wake up early in the morning ( about 3.30 am), have a quick breakfast, then prepare to hike at 4.30 am from Thorong Phedi.

First hour walk to High Camp is steep uphill but easy to navigate. From High Camp, the trail goes uphill toward Thorong La (mostly gradual with some short steep hill up at a few times), and it is harder to navigate if it is snowing or covered by snow or ice, however, your guide is experienced in this route so gently follow him. Within 4-5 hours of your uphill, you will finally reach the top of Thorong La ( 5416m), the highest pass in the world, and highest point of Annapurna Circuit Trek. Signboard of Annapurna Circuit, Thorong La pass (5416m) congratulates you at the top with Buddhist prayer flags. It is the best spot for photography. You will have an incredible view of the pass with Thorong Peak and surrounding mountains and Himalayan landscapes from Thorong Top. Thorong Top has a tea shop to buy hot coffee on this cold morning.

From the Thorong Top, the trail descends to the mountain ridge, then a steep and long descent to the Phedi, toward Mustang Valley and Muktinath. Descending is a relief from the altitude but it could be harder for your legs and knees so you should walk slowly and carefully. After a short tea or lunch break at Phedi, we will have a nice and pleasant descent to Muktinath. Overnight stay in Muktinath.

Today, you will have an easy morning and breakfast. You may visit Muktinath Temple and its surrounding Monasteries, great Hindu and Buddhist pilgrimage site of this region. 

Afternoon, descend to Kagbeni via Jharkot village. Jharkot is a very typical local Thakali Village in this region. Kagbeni is at the bank of Kali Gandaki River, and a very interesting village to explore. It has nice and architectural typical houses, stoned paved walking trails in village and monastery to visit.

The trek starts towards north valley of Kagbeni to Chele where we pass the beautiful village of Tangbe, with its picturesque traditional houses and fields of barley, buckwheat and apple orchards. We enjoy views of the magnificent Nilgiri peak and cross several ridges. After Chhusang village, we cross a stream and leave the Kali Gandaki valley behind to reach the village of Chele, where we stop for overnight. 

After breakfast the trail leads you to the village of Samar to a ridge and then descend into a large gorge past a Chorten before entering another valley, which filled with juniper trees. Then cross a stream and after climbing to a pass, we descend along a ridge to Shyangmochen, a tiny settlement with a few teashops. Nearby is Rangbyung, a cave containing stalagmites in the form of a Chorten and one of the holiest places in Mustang.

The trail continues descends to Geling, with its extensive fields of barley and stop for overnight.

Today’s walk is through perhaps the driest part of Mustang, and much of our energy will be spent negotiating the loose, dry soil. However, the magnificent views of the countryside, from the gentle contours of the north to the rugged mountains in the east and west, more than compensates for the hard climb. Finally, we come to Charang, a large spread-out village at the top of the Charang Chu canyon. At the eastern end of the village are a huge dzong [fortress] and a red gompa (monastery), which houses an excellent collection of statues and thangkas. 

We will spend part of the morning exploring the interesting village of Charang and its large monastery, before setting out for Lo Manthang. We climb gently above the valley to a large isolated Chorten that marks the boundary between Charang and Lo Manthang.

The trail then broadens and eventually we get our first view of the walled city of Lo Manthang. The city has only one entrance so we circumambulate the wall to the gate on the northeast corner.  This highland route offers dramatic views of Lo Manthang and the Charang Valley; with snow clad peaks in the background. Overnight stay in Lo-manthang.

We have allowed full day to explore this outstanding historical and cultural Centre. There are 4 major Gumbas to visit during our stay. The palace is the home of the raja (King) and his rani (queen) is the attraction as well as the surrounding panoramic views of the Himalaya.

Although the raja's function is now finished as we have republican democracy. The town itself is fascinating, and offers countless opportunities to observe a vibrant Tibetan culture. There are many places to explore and manage your time to explore the places.

Every monastery requires the donations and entry fees which is made by your own. Overnight stay in Lo-manthang

After a wonderful time at Lo-Mangthang, we depart to Ghar Gumpa which is also interesting place to explore the local area. Climbing the ridge, we get our last view of the walled city and descend the valley towards Ghar Gompa. During the walk you'll suffer the dusty wind so we suggest walking in the morning. Evening, visit Ghar Gumba Monastery. Overnight stay in Ghar Gumba. 

Today, we continue down to the valley at Ghiling, which will be dusty day. Evening we explore area but we explore evening time due to the windy and dusty. Overnight stay in Ghiling.

Today we walk same trail back to Chele. You will have wonderful scenery during your walking with the great Himalayan view with wonderful landscape. Overnight stay in Chele.

This will be our last day of trek, which is quiet long. We will be walking through the valley all the time to get in to the Kagbeni where we had our first night of the trek at the beginning. Once we reach Jomson, we will celebrate the achievements of the trek with the crew and reflect on our journey. Overnight stay in Jomsom.

Morning, fly to Pokhara. This is a dramatic flight between George of the two huge mountains Annapurna and Dhaulagiri, which is known as the deepest George in the world. On arrival at Pokhara airport, transfer to the lakeside hotel. Rest of the time explores the lakeside and market. Overnight stay in Pokhara.

Leisure morning in Pokhara. Afternoon, fly to Kathmandu. Transfer to hotel.

Evening, we meet again, take a feedback of your trek with us. Later, we take you for farewell dinner at one of the finest restaurants in town.Overnight stay in Kathmandu. 

Morning breakfast at a hotel in Kathmandu, then you are free from our trip. As per your flight schedule, we provide a departure transfer to the airport, and our services end. Have a safe flight ! 

End of the trip !