Why Choose the Annapurna Circuit with Tilicho Lake 14 Days
If we are going to suggest an itinerary for any version of this trek, then 14 days is probably it, as it manages the delicate balance between comfort and security and time very nicely. You are not pushing your body unnecessarily uphill, and you aren’t taking a month and a half of your time from the comforts of home. This is one single expedition that takes in the full circuit, a proper visit to Tilicho Lake and a successful crossing of the Thorong La.
The amount of time it takes mainly has to do with acclimatisation.
Having two rest days (one in Manang and the acclimatisation along the path to Tilicho Lake), you have a chance for your body to adjust before climbing up the mountain much above 4,500 m. During each walking day you are comfortable for around 4–7 hours. You go to sleep at the end of the day satisfied, and not exhausted. You will also manage a proper look around Tilicho Lake without running up it and down again.
You cross Thorong La Pass at an imposing 5,416 m high and journey across the landscapes of the region which range from verdant forest to harsh arid desert.
Along the way, you pass through villages of the Gurung, Manangi and Thakali tribes, which all feel like entering a miniature new country. Added to that, you have the Buddhist monasteries, mani walls, and prayer flags to keep your eyes occupied, plus a visit to the highly revered Muktinath Temple to finish things off, so the journey is as rich in culture as it is in physical achievement. We simply think it is a more worthwhile journey than the typical Annapurna Circuit, which usually doesn’t visit Tilicho.
Comparison Table
| Itinerary |
Duration |
Best For |
Acclimatization |
Tilicho Lake Included |
| 12 Days |
Faster pace |
Experienced trekkers |
Moderate |
Usually Yes |
| 14 Days |
Balanced |
Most trekkers |
Excellent |
Yes
|
| 16 Days |
Relaxed pace |
Beginners & photographers |
Excellent |
Yes |
| 18 Days |
Complete exploration |
Leisure trekkers |
Best |
Yes |
Head over to our 12-day Annapurna Circuit trek to decide which itinerary to book. Now you understand why 14 days is such a great
Who Is This Trek For
This trek suits a wide range of trekkers, but it’s important to choose the right itinerary for your fitness level and expectations.
This trek is a great fit for:
- Beginner trekkers with good physical fitness and some hiking experience (and a little pre-trip preparation) can tackle this trek well.
- Experienced trekkers will relish the trek with the inclusion of the challenging Tilicho side trek.
- Solo travellers can join as part of an organised group and meet other solo trekkers, or find travel companions.
- Couples who wish to combine an exciting and adventurous trek with some quality time together and tranquil moments are well suited for the 14-day trek.
- Families with children over 12 or older teens may enjoy the pace of the 14-day circuit; however, a 16-day option is usually best for the younger members of the family.
- This trek suits a wide range of people, but it is not for absolutely everyone, and we would rather be honest about that upfront.
- Photographers and nature enthusiasts will adore the constantly changing landscapes on this trek. Adventure seekers will be looking forward to the thrill of crossing the high Thorong La Pass, and enjoying the adventure side trek.
We wouldn’t recommend this 14-day plan for individuals who are at serious risk from heart or lung conditions, for young children, or for people who are unwilling or unable to commit to at least two or three weeks of practice trekking before they leave home. For everyone else, with preparation, it should be an achievable and rewarding experience.
Accommodation During the Trek
You’ll be staying in tea houses for pretty much all of your trek; these are basic, family-run guest lodges designed specifically for trekkers. Rooms are no-frills, with twin beds and a blanket, perhaps a tiny window, and at lower altitudes, some of the lodges even have private bathrooms. At higher altitudes the rooms are more basic, and shared, squat-style bathrooms and toilets become more prevalent.
Most villages have a hot shower service, although you will generally pay a little for it and availability gets less frequent with altitude, and all tea houses offer Wifi these days (though it tends to get slower and patchier after Manang).
Every tea house will let you charge your phone/camera, but at higher altitudes they sometimes charge a fee as the electricity usually comes from solar panels or a generator. If you want an inside peek at what’s really going on inside those lodges, our guide to our Tea House Trek in Nepal would make you an expert in the way they work.
Food and Drinks
The food on this trail is warm and simple, but there is more choice available than you might expect, given the remote location of the villages. In every tea house you will find Dal Bhat: an incredibly filling meal of rice, lentil soup and vegetables.
Guides tend to tell everyone it's the ultimate dish for a day's trek and you can almost always request a second helping for free!
You will also find pasta, noodles, fried rice, soup, and at a few of the bigger villages, such as Manang, you can even order pizza. The majority of the tea houses cater well for vegetarians and can make vegan meals for you if you request it in advance.
For drinks, we always suggest a filtered bottle or drinking boiled water from tea houses (rather than purchasing disposable plastic bottles), both for you and the environment.
Other useful food to bring with you from Kathmandu are things such as biscuits, chocolate, and energy bars, as prices start to climb with altitude.
Trek Difficulty & Safety Tips
Trekking the Annapurna Circuit with Tilicho Lake would be rated as moderately difficult, but due to the altitude, not necessarily the technical skill. Most days can take you about 4 to 7 hours on your feet, but there can be long days (8 or 9 hours) on the day of the Thorong La Pass. Altitude sickness comes from the thinning air at such altitudes (5,416 meters), but the path also includes some rough rocky patches, steep ascents and some very icy parts during the cooler months.
Before setting off on this journey, it is ideal to spend a few months working on some fitness and hill walking. Pace yourself, stay well hydrated, and acclimatise gradually to avoid any high altitude illness. Walk across suspension bridges one person at a time, use caution in landslides and areas prone to landslides, and avoid walking when there is no light to reduce the risk of being hit by landslides.
All treks that are done through any trekking agencies come with an emergency plan and helicopter evacuation in case there is a need, and we provide access to local health posts. While it is possible to do the trek independently, having a certified guide is highly recommended to keep you safe at high altitudes.
Curious how the challenge compares? Read the Everest Base Camp trekking difficulty comparison to other popular treks.
Altitude Sickness
Altitude sickness, known medically as Acute Mountain Sickness or AMS, can affect anyone irrespective of their fitness level once they are over 3,000 m. Symptoms are generally headache, nausea, dizziness and lack of appetite. Mild sickness is quite common and generally settles after rest, plenty of water and walking at a slower pace.
If symptoms do not improve, they generally get worse, so be careful to turn back if they are!
Prevent sickness from happening in the first place by ensuring you do not increase your sleeping altitude by more than 300-500 m per day after 3,000 m, always carry a water bottle with you and abstain from drinking alcohol. Manang, in particular, has an acclimatisation day, and that's what it's for! If you're concerned and your symptoms are not improving ( or getting worse! ), such as getting confused or struggling to walk in a straight line, or if you feel out of breath while at rest, you should head down immediately.
Helicopter evacuation may be necessary if there is severe illness.
Our guides are well trained in altitude sickness and carry basic medicine and an oximeter to check your oxygen saturation every day. The Altitude Sickness Guide: If you would like to know more about the symptoms of altitude sickness and how to prevent it, take a look at our Altitude Sickness Guide before travelling.
Weather & Temperature
At different elevations, conditions vary significantly, and the weather on this trek changes rapidly. Although low villages such as Dharapani and Chame enjoy mild weather during the day, you'll find cold conditions even during the best of trekking months, in such places as Manang, near the Tilicho and at Thorong La ( which can be well below zero ).
| Month |
Day Temp (°C) |
Night Temp (°C) |
Conditions |
|
March–May
|
10 to 18
|
-5 to 5
|
Clear skies, occasional afternoon cloud
|
|
June–August
|
15 to 22
|
0 to 8
|
Monsoon rain, cloudy views
|
|
September–November
|
8 to 15
|
-8 to 2
|
Best visibility, stable weather
|
|
December–February
|
-2 to 8
|
-15 to -5
|
Cold, possible snow at high camp |
Winter experiences snowfall near Thorong La, while summer is monsoon season with plenty of rain and landslides possible lower down the trail. You will enjoy clear mountain views in autumn, with days on end when the air is so crisp. Download a copy of our Nepal Trek Weather Guide to make packing choices.
Best Time for This Trek
- Spring (March-May): This is one of the best months and offers generally mild temperatures, beautiful blooming rhododendrons and crystal-clear mountain vistas; this is one of the best times for this trek.
- Summer (June-August): This is the season for Nepal’s monsoon, and this means cloudy, rainy days with significant chances of landslide damage on the lower portion of the route. Many travellers skip this season when visiting the Annapurnas.
- Autumn (September-November): This is generally considered the optimum time of the year, with perfectly crisp, clean air and consistently beautiful clear mountain views for long periods. This is the busiest season on the trails.
- Winter (December-February): This season presents cold temperatures with crisp air; however, be warned, there are chances of snow closing Thorong La pass at this time of year. This season is suitable only for the experienced traveller.
Transportation
Getting in and out of the trailhead is done by both drive and, on occasion, shared local jeep as flights into this part of the country are much more restricted than many parts of Nepal.
- Kathmandu to Dharapani: Approx. 8-9 hours in a private jeep or public bus.
- Chame onwards: Trekking on foot only. Movement on foot from Dharapani onwards.
- Muktinath to Pokhara: Approx 8-9 hours in a Jeep or Bus on a beautiful mountain route.
- Pokhara to Kathmandu: Approx. 6-7 hours in a tourist bus, private car, or take a 25-minute flight to avoid travelling.
Required Permits
For the trek, you will need two main trekking permits. We take care of all permits and arrange these prior to you commencing your walk. You will need an ACAP (Annapurna Conservation Area Permit) for the Annapurna region. For trekkers of most foreign nationalities, this permit costs $30-$35.
The permits will be inspected at certain points in the region, typically at the start of the trek and close to Manang, among others.
- A TIMS card (Trekkers’ Information Management System) is now required for trekking according to current regulations, and costs around $10-$20 depending on whether you are trekking independently or on an organised group trip. For the full list of trekking documentation required, please visit our Guide to Nepal trekking Permits page.
Physical Preparation
Proper conditioning makes a world of difference to an enjoyable trip vs a gruelling ordeal, and doesn’t involve having to be an athlete. Try cardio to condition yourself by walking, jogging, or cyclingtwo to three months prior, or more. Build strength training into your routine to strengthen your legs (which will make steep descents so much less punishing on the knees) and your core.
If you have a choice, try to walk up and down steps and steep hills with a weighted daypack. It helps to train for the type of walking you will encounter. Don’t ignore your mental preparation. Trekking days can be long, facilities basic and weather is unpredictable, and it will take patience as well as fitness. We have developed a simple trek fitness Guide which guides you through exactly what to do before you travel.
Travel Insurance
It may seem obvious to advise this, but in this case we really mean it. An ankle twist at high altitude ( above 5,000 metres) can lead to an expensive evacuation by helicopter costing thousands if not insured. Your policy must cover helicopter evacuation up to 6,000 m (the Thorong La is 5,416 metres).
It must also include general medical treatment, trip cancellation, and, crucially, must list high altitude trekking as a covered activity (as most standard travel insurance policies exclude it if it’s above 3,000 metres). Always double-check the small print and call your insurance provider to confirm in writing if you have any doubts. For specific details and a list of insurers, take a look at our Nepal Trek Travel Insurance Guide.
Responsible Trekking
It’s really important to us to leave the trail in as pristine condition for the next trekking team as it was for our group, so in order to achieve this, we have a few basic rules that every group member adheres to: Practice Leave No Trace: take all your garbage back down the mountain with you; do not leave any plastic water bottles or packaging on the trail.
- Respect local traditions: always ask permission before photographing people, dress conservatively when in villages and walk clockwise around mani walls and stupas as is the local tradition. Minimize your plastic use: fill your water bottle with cooled boiled or filtered water from tea-houses and refilleries instead of buying new plastic bottles at each tea-house.
- Support the locals: eat at the tea-houses, buy food, snacks and souvenirs from local village shops, hire local guides and porters wherever you can. You can read more about this in our Responsible Tourism Nepal guide.
Why Book With Us
We are small and local, and that's exactly why clients trust our trek leaders, such as Krishna, who has grown up here, knows all the teahouse owners personally, and has led this exact route for many years, not months. We are fully licensed, and every trek leader is trained to deal with altitude illness, and we have all the latest information on trail conditions prior to each departure.
Our safety and trekking safety standards are extremely high; health checks for trekkers will be done daily at over 3,000 m, with evacuation procedures in place for each trek. Our trek pricing is fully transparent, with no extra permits to be paid at your trekking lodge (or extra tour costs to be added whilst on the trek). Our office team is available 24/7 when trekking. Former clients always say our trekking leaders really know the mountain, and how to cater to their clients in and around the daily minor details of trekking.
Many groups take private tours, or need slightly different itineraries, more rest days, or a trek we haven't yet published, we do all of these. Please check our team section on the "About Our Trekking Company" page for further details.
How to Book
Bookings for this trek are easy to make, and we aim to be totally transparent from the outset, whether you choose to book one of our published itineraries or ask our team to put a bespoke itinerary together around your available dates.
- Select a preferred departure date from our published schedule, or tell us what dates work for you. Contact one of our trekking experts via phone, email or our online booking form.
- Build Your Custom Itinerary.
- Request alternative, extra, or shorter days to allow you to climb more leisurely, in a private group or at a pace of your choice. Confirm availability with our team once you’re happy with the dates.
- Pay your booking deposit to guarantee your place. We will then issue your full booking confirmation and details of your trek.
- Include copies of your travel documents to be submitted with your permits and other required applications. Check out our Pre-Trip Guide in advance.
- Pre- Departure Meeting with Guide
Consider various itinerary package options from our Nepal Trekking package to select one that suits your pocket.
Last-Minute Booking
Yes, we do take last-minute bookings, but it really depends on our guide, permit, vehicle, and tea-house availability at the time you’re asking. We normally like 3-5 days to set up any booking, though during our peak spring and autumn months things can book out faster than that. Permits can usually be set up for the next day as our Kathmandu office takes care of the process in-house.
Our guides and porters are a key factor when it comes to busy times, so the more notice you can give us, the more likely you are to secure one of our more seasoned guides like Krishna.
Our jeeps and private vehicles can normally be arranged very quickly even at short notice. Payment for any last-minute booking normally takes place entirely before arrival (bank transfer or card payment). Your passport photos, insurance, and visa information should be ready for submission the minute we can confirm your tour is bookable. For all urgent last-minute requests, just Contact Us, and we’ll tell you openly what is possible.
