Tilicho Lake Trek 2023 : A 6 Days Trek to the world’s highest lake
Prepare yourself for a breathtaking trip that will leave you speechless. We’re referring to the amazing Tilicho Lake, a kind of Himalayan treasure. It is a location where nature is at its best for surprising you by its incredibility. If you are planning for a trek to Himalayas in 2023 and you enjoy the nature then this place is the one you absolutely must go.
There was a time when this incredible place was getting hyped up in social media. I was seeing photos and videos all over my social media profile, and my jealous heart couldn’t stop anymore. So, I planned a trip with my friends, and this time it was again a running trip where I was focused on reaching the destination at the lowest possible time using as little leave as possible from my office holiday. So I planned a 6 day trek to this amazing Tilicho Lake. The detail about the trekking itinerary, total trek cost, the highlights of the trek and everything we did there will be mentioned in this post. Let’s go through the amazing journey now.
Overview of Tilicho Lake Trek
- District : Manang
- Location: Tilicho Lake
- Altitude: 4,919 meters from sea level
- Trekking Difficulty : Medium
- Adventure Level : High
- Road Type : Off Road
- Road Difficulty : Difficult
- Total Trekking Days : 6 Days (From and To Kathmandu)
- Total Trekking Cost : Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 30,000
- The season when I traveled: October
- Best Time for Tilicho Lake Trek: March, April, May, September, October, November
Tilicho Lake Trekking Route
Among multiple trekking routes available to Tilicho Lake, we chose the one through Besisahar and Khangsar. This trekking route provides a special and off-the-beaten-path trip. This route offers a unique opportunity to get in touch with nature. You will get some quiet time to consider your life and be in awe of the natural landscape all around you. It is an encounter that will leave you feeling renewed and motivated, and it is a trip that will test your ability to find inner power.
In short, the trekking route can be pictured as follows:
Kathmandu – Besisahar – Khangsar – Tilicho Base Camp – Tilicho Lake – Tilicho Lake Base Camp – Khangsar – Besisahar – Kathmandu
There are other plenty of trekking routes if you have more time for the travel. But, we needed the shortest trekking route that can be completed within only six days. So we chose this one.
Tilicho Lake Trekking Itinerary : A Path to Adventure
- Day 1 : Kathmandu to Besisahar (5 hour bike ride)
- Day 2 : Besisahar to Khangsar (12 hour Jeep Ride)
- Day 3 : Khangsar to Tilicho Base Camp (6- 8 hours walk)
- Day 4 : Tilicho Base Camp to Tilicho Lake to Tilicho Base Camp to Khangsar (12 hours walk)
- Day 5 : Khangsar to Besisahar
- Day 6 : Besishar to Kathmandu
Day 1 of Tilicho Lake Trek
Kathmandu to Besisahar, a 5-Hour Bike ride
Cost: Around Rs. 3,000 per person, including
hotel and travel
It was Friday, and I didn’t have enough leaves available with me, and I needed to complete this trek as soon as possible. My friends were already at Besisahar as they left early in the morning. At around 5 pm, I left my office, took my bag and then rushed to my bike.
It took me around 5 hours to reach Besisahar, and our friends were waiting for me for dinner. We had our dinner and went to sleep. If you don’t want to travel through bike, then you can reach there with local bus or via flight. It takes around 8 hours to reach there by bus.
Day 2 of Tilicho Lake Trek
Besisahar to Khangsar
A 12-hour Jeep ride
Cost: Around 5,000 per person
including hotel,
local jeep and food
We wanted to book the local jeep to Khangsar, but it was pretty expensive. They would charge us Rs.55,000 for one day of travel, and it wasn’t a wise deal as discussed with the team. So, we decided to take the local jeep, and they charged us Rs.3000 per person, and we were given a place in the trunk or bed of the pickup truck.
The authorized number of people that Jeep could carry was six people at a time, but it carried 17. We had to stand the whole day, and we were not able to stand properly. It was a very risky and hectic day for us, but the way in between gave us the strength to keep standing.
We could see beautiful waterfalls, riverbanks, and mountains that would help us keep going. We finally reached Khangsar at around 7 p.m. It is the last place that a vehicle can reach, so we decided to stay there for the night. The best part of the day was singing songs with strangers while sitting at the back of the truck and watching the stars at night.
Khangsar is located at 3700 meters. Some people might already start seeing the symptoms of altitude sickness at this height, so you need to be careful about the possible symptoms.
Day 3 of Tilicho Lake Trek
Khangsar to Tilicho Base Camp
6-8 hour walk
Cost: Around Rs. 2000 per person
including food and stay
We finally started our trek on this day. It will take you around 6 to 8 hours of walking, depending on your pace, to reach Tilicho Base Camp. We woke up early and started walking at 6 a.m., thinking that it would be a long walk. After around 6 hours of walking, we saw a hotel, so we decided to take a rest.
While I put down my bag and asked one guy from the crowd where it was, he said it was Tilicho Base Camp. I was still expecting a long walk, and that made me super happy and excited, as I was already tired after a long walk. There is a landslide area in between, and it is one of the most dangerous parts where you keep seeing stones falling from the hills above you. You have to be super careful as the road is narrow and the risk of landslide is also high.
It felt good to be at Tilicho Base Camp after walking in such a risky way, but our happiness was short-lived as we were not getting any place to stay. There were only two hotels with limited capacity, and we could see hundreds of people in the area. We couldn’t find any rooms in either hotel and were worried about spending the night there. We got an idea meanwhile, we waited outside one locked door, knowing that the person had gone to Tilicho Lake and will be back soon. As soon as he came back, we took the keys directly from him, booked the room and all of us stayed in that room.
It is at high altitude and people find it difficult to breathe, so we were very careful about the things that we were doing. We ate in a dining room full of people and as soon as we finished eating, they removed all the chairs and tables and started placing mattresses to accommodate extra people who didn’t get the room.
There were strangers sleeping in harmony, and it was one of the strangest things that I have ever witnessed on the trekking routes. We tried to sleep in our room, but we couldn’t because of all the noise people were making and we could hear people who were planning to walk toward Tilicho Lake from 2 A.M. to 3 A.M. People were actually leaving at 3 A.M. towards Tilicho Lake too.
Day 4 of Tilicho Lake Trek
Tilicho Base Camp to Tilicho Lake
to Tilicho Base Camp to Khangsar
- 12 hours walk
Cost: Around Rs. 2,000 per person
including stay and food
After a long sleepless night, we woke up at 4 a.m. and then by 5a.m., we started the walk towards Tilicho Lake. There is a place called 22 Ghumti (Baais Ghumti) and you have to pass 22 spiral way and it is one of the most tedious walks I ever walked.
After around 3 to 4 hours of continuous walk, we reached Tilicho Lake, and finally we could see the lake along with the mountains on its side. I already had some headaches due to cold weather and a continuous breeze on my face but it felt normal in front of what I was witnessing. I was at the highest lake of the world and everything was worth when you reach there.
We spent around 2 hours there and ate Rara noodles at the small teahouse that had a view of the whole lake. The place was windy and I wanted to go and touch the lake. It would take 1 hour to reach the lake even though it looked like 5 mins away. I decided not to go to the lake so we planned to return to base camp. We took enough photos and videos and then we finally started our descent.
It took us 1.5 hours to reach the base camp and it was around 12.30 when we reached the base camp. Some people stay at the base camp if they are tired but we weren’t very tired and wanted to be at Khangsar the same day as I had to complete the trek as soon as possible. So, we had our lunch at around 1 p.m. and started our walk at around 1:30 p.m.
Our bags were packed early morning and we just had to cross-check if we had left anything and then we started our walk. It took us around 5 hours to reach Khangsar village from where we could get the vehicle for tomorrow. We stayed at Khangsar and requested the hotel owner to find us a Jeep that will go back tomorrow.
Day 5 of Tilicho Lake Trek
Day 5 - Khangsar to Besisahar
Cost: Around Rs. 5,000 per person
including hotel, jeep and food
As anticipated, we couldn’t find the local Jeep going to Besisahar at an early hour so we had to wait for the Jeep that was in a mid-way yesterday and reached there at around 10 am.
Again the issue was the same, we found two seats in the front, and others from our group had to travel by standing on the bed/trunk of the pickup truck. The driver would ask us to walk in different places where there were police checking as they were not allowed to carry more than 6 people and they were carrying more than 15 at all times.
The roads were dusty and we were covered in dust while we reached Besisahar. It felt so good to be at Besisahar as that ride was over. Our driver was very competitive and he competed with his fellow drivers and raced with them to reach Besisahar in record time. It was we who had to hold back and sit tight while they were racing with each other on the road, which is considered one of the most dangerous roads in the world. It gave us more adventure than Tilicho lake itself.
Day 6 of Tilicho Lake Trek
Besisahar to Kathmandu
Cost: Around Rs. 2500 per person,
including food and transportation
It was 3 am on the clock, and I woke up early. I was told to return to the office at soon as possible a day ago, so I was planning how to get there on time. So, I woke up and planned to take my bike and start my journey. My roommate also planned to join me and at around 4 am we started our journey back to Kathmandu.
My office starts at 9 am and we were lucky to reach outside my office at 8:45 am. The only problem was that I didn’t have any pants to wear and none of my dresses were appropriate for the office. I had already called my brother in between, and he brought my laptop and other belongings.
I changed quickly inside the car and was then ready for the day like on regular days. My memories were filled with the adventure that I went through while working at the office, and I love that feeling.
Even though it took me 6 days, I had taken only 4 days to leave at office because I went to Besisahar after office hours and reached Kathmandu from Besisahar before office time. I wouldn’t recommend you do this rush as your physical strength might not always support you. I felt sleepy on my bike during my ride, and it’s very risky. I remember Tilicho lake like it was yesterday and I will never forget it. I look forward to going there soon and enjoying the journey once again, but in a different way.
Total Tilicho Lake Trekking Cost
It is much better to say that the money spend on the trek is not an expenditure, it is an investment in lifelong memories. The total trekking cost of Tilicho Lake may vary based on a number of factors, such as the duration of the trek, accommodation choices, and other additional services. Although it is not recommended to drink alcohol during the trek, people want to have that during their trip. This factor also bring a huge amount of change in the total trekking cost.
On an average, the total trekking cost for a person comes around Rs.25,000 to Rs.30,000 for a Nepali citizen. If you are a foreigner, you must include the different costs like trekking permit and lots of other things. Don’t worry- this incredible adventure has worth that goes well beyond money. You’ll benefit much from this journey in terms of memories, growth, and personal development.
Reasons to consider Trekking to Tilicho Lake in 2023
An adventurous person seeking an amazing trekking experience shall look no further than the majestic Tilicho Lake Trek. Located in Nepal’s stunning Annapurna range, this gorgeous location offers a fascinating adventure for enthusiastic trekkers and nature lovers alike. This trek is a fantastic trip where you may see breathtaking natural beauty, discover many cultures, overcome challenging obstacles, and experience a unique connection with the environment. You will get the opportunity to view the magnificent Tilicho Lake and create experiences that you will cherish forever if you travel on this adventure in 2023. Prepare your gear for an unforgettable trip across the stunning Annapurna region by packing our bag and getting ready. It is going to be an adventure you’ll never forget.
FAQ on Tilicho Lake Trekking Nepal
Below are some frequently asked questions about the trip. If you have any questions about the trip, you could do it in the comment section. We will try to answer your questions as soon as possible.
1. What is the height of Tilicho Lake?
This lake is located at the height of 4,919 m from sea level.
2. Is Tilicho the highest lake in the world?
Yes, it is the highest lake in the world.
3. What is the specialty of Tilicho Lake?
There are plenty. Some of them are mentioned below:
- Extreme Altitude
- Glacial Origin
- Remote and Secluded
- Mythological Significance
- Reflections of the Peaks
- Biodiversity
- Photographer’s Paradise
4. Where is Tilicho Tal located?
It is located in Manang district of Nepal.
5. What is the Tilicho Lake trekking distance?
The total distance between Tilicho Lake and Kathmandu is 113 miles, which is around 182 Km.
6. What is the difficulty level of Tilicho Lake trek?
This trek is quite adventurous. We would consider this trek as neither easy nor difficult. It is a moderate level trekking.
7. What is the best time to go for Tilicho Lake trek?
The best time to go for this trek is on the months March to May or September to November.
8. What is situation of accommodations or hotels in Tilicho Lake trek?
We stay at three places during the whole trek ; Besisahar, Khangsar and Tilicho Base Camp. On Besisahar and Khangsar, you can find the hotels to stay very easily. But, it is very difficult to find hotels in Tilicho Base camp area. So, we recommend you to pre-book your staying place.
9. What is the Pokhara to Tilicho Lake distance?
The distance from Pokhara to Tilicho Lake is approximately 97 kilometers (60 miles).
10. What about the weather of Tilicho Lake?
The weather at Tilicho Lake can vary depending on the time of year and altitude. Generally, the region experiences a combination of cold temperatures, strong winds, and unpredictable weather patterns due to its high altitude and mountainous terrain.
11. What things should be packed for Tilicho Lake Trek?
Since you have to walk a lot in the trek, it is very much necessary to keep your bag light. But some gears must be included in the trek. Some of must include packing list for the trek are as follows:
- Warm Clothes
- Water bottle
- Sunglasses
- Raincoat
- Power bank, charger
The complete backpacking list for the trekking is listed in our post called “What should you carry on a trek?”