Tilicho Lake

How do you get to Tilicho Lake?

From Manang, walk west to Khangsar and Shree Kharka (about 4,080 m), then on to Tilicho Base Camp (about 4,150 m), and climb to the lake and back from there. Most people take two days to reach base camp and a third for the lake.

Manang to Shree Kharka takes five to six hours. Shree Kharka to base camp takes four to five hours along a trail cut across unstable scree, which is prone to landslides and rockfall. Cross it early in the day and do not stop under loose ground.

From base camp the climb to the lake takes three to four hours up steep zigzags, and the round trip is six to seven hours. Start before dawn: the wind picks up by late morning.

Afterwards most trekkers return toward Yak Kharka to rejoin the Annapurna Circuit for Thorong La. Crossing the Mesokanto La (about 5,121 m) to Jomsom is a serious route that needs experience and a guide.

The whole route is inside the Annapurna Conservation Area, so the ACAP covers it.

How high is Tilicho Lake?

Most sources give 4,919 m, some give 4,949 m, and terrain data puts the shore at about 4,910 m. Whichever figure you use, it is among the highest lakes of its size in the world and higher than Thorong La's approach villages.

The lake sits in a basin below the glaciers of Tilicho Peak, and for much of the year its edges are frozen.

In 2000 a Russian team made what was then the highest altitude scuba dive in its waters.

How hard is the Tilicho Lake trek?

It is strenuous. The day to the lake gains about 750 m from base camp to nearly 5,000 m, and the base camp approach crosses a landslide slope that needs care. It is only sensible after two nights in Manang.

Treat Tilicho as extra acclimatisation for Thorong La rather than a detour you rush. People who do it well usually find the pass easier afterwards.

Lodges at Shree Kharka and Tilicho Base Camp are basic and fill up in October. Arrive early or book through your guide.

Why is Tilicho Lake sacred?

Hindus identify Tilicho with Kak Bhusundi Lake from the Ramayana, where the sage Kak Bhusundi, in the form of a crow, first told the story of the Ramayana to Garuda.

Treat the lake shore and the prayer flag cairns with the same respect you would give a temple.

Things to do in Tilicho Lake

1. 01

   Sunrise walk to the lake

   Leave base camp before dawn to reach the shore while the air is still. The view across the ice to the Tilicho Peak glaciers is the reason people make the trip.

2. 02

   Khangsar village

   An old stone village on the way from Manang, and the last settlement before the high trail to Shree Kharka.

3. 03

   Acclimatise for Thorong La

   Sleeping at about 4,150 m and climbing to nearly 5,000 m is excellent preparation for the 5,416 m pass a few days later.

Nearby

• Manang

Frequently asked questions