Annapurna Circuit with Tilicho Lake

An immersive full-day sightseeing tour of Kathmandu Valley.

Visit Pashupatinath, one of the most important holy sites for the Hindu religion. The temple is situated on the bank of the sacred Bagmati River and is believed to date back to 400 BC. The area encompasses 518 temples, buildings, and holy structures. The main temple is designed as a pagoda structure dedicated to Lord Shiva and is open only to Hindus; non-Hindus may only observe from the terraces across the Bagmati River to the east.
The area also includes a temple, dedicated to Guhyeshwari, a goddess in the form of a silver-plated waterhole, covered by a silver Kalash (auspicious water jar). Legend has it that a part of Sati Devi’s dead corpse fell, and Shakti Peeths came to life. The temple is also considered a sacred place for performing cremation ceremonies, as Hindus believe that a cremation from here will be secure a reborn as a human in their next life.

Visit Patan Durbar Square, also known as the city of artisans. The area is home to some of the finest artisans of Kathmandu Valley, who have preserved the cultural and ancient techniques of art and craft, such as wood, wax, painting and metal work. The former Royal Palace of Patan has been converted into a museum to display the unique crafts. Apart from the museum, Patan includes Hiranya Varna Mahavihar (Golden Temple), Golden Window, and Mahabouddha Temple and many other unique cultural attractions.

Visit Kathmandu Durbar Square, an old royal courtyard with over fifty temples, including the temple of the titular deity, Taleju Bhawani.
The Durbar has two courtyards; an inner section consisting of Hanuman Dhoka and the main palace. Some floors of the main palace have been converted into a museum dedicated to display the three generations of Shah kings of Nepal and also showcases some ornaments from the medieval periods. Thus, the palace is also known as “the Museum of Temples”.
The outer courtyards have a Kasthamandap (was a three-storied public shelter), Kumari Ghar (which houses the Goddess Kumari), and a Shiva-Parvati Temple. The outer courtyards also have an abundance of handicraft shops, and a nearby Bazar and locals markets.

Have an early breakfast, before starting the 6-hour scenic drive to Bhulbhule.

Leave Kathmandy valley and follow the highway along the river and stop for thali set lunch along the way. Reach Bandipur, and leave the highway to head north off-road until reaching Bhulbhule, a small village located along the Marsyandi river.

*NOTE: From Day 3 to Day 12, the accommodation will be in a simple lodge with basic and limited facilities.

Enjoy breakfast at the lodge, before continuing the off-road drive to Manang along the Marsyandi river with scenic views of pastures and small villages. Upon arrival at Manang, you will check-in to the lodge, where the remaining day is spent at leisure.

Manang is influenced by Tibetan culture and Buddhism, with many monasteries that practice Tibetan Buddhism. Manang offers better lodge facilities with health clinics and banks, compared to other villages in the region.

Acclimatization is necessary to avoid the risk of altitude sickness as the air at this altitude contains less oxygen.

After breakfast, start descending to follow the path along the Marsyangdi River. Cross the Jharsing Khola river over a suspension bridge to reach Khangsar village.

Continue on the trail passing through yak pastures and a monastery to reach a high ridge, before descending down a valley, to cross a stream, and reach Tilicho Base Camp.

Start your day with an early morning 3-4 hour hike to Tilicho Lake, situated at 4,949 m. The lake is a popular pilgrimage site, as Hindus believe that the Tilicho Lake is the ancient lake Kak Bhusundi mentioned in the epic Ramayana. The lake was formed by the melting of glaciers on the slopes of northern Annapurna.

Spend the afternoon exploring the lake area, before retracing the path back to Base Camp.

Start by retracting the path to Shree Kharka. After a rest, take the trail north through yak pastures and after a few climbs and descents reach Yak Kalka.

After breakfast, enjoy a short and leisurely 2-3 hours trek to Thorung Phedi.

Start by climbing along the east bank of Jarang Khola, to reach a meadow surrounded by vertical cliffs at the Thorung Phedi. Sightings of blue sheep and snow leopards have been reported a few times in the area, whereas Lammergeyers and griffons are common.

Set out early in the morning and ascend for about 6 hours to pass Thorong La with mesmerizing views of Annapurna, Gangapurna and the glaciated peak of Khatungkang.

After crossing the pass, the path descends gently 1,600 meters into the Kali Gandaki River valley. Once you pass through grasslands and meadows, you will reach Muktinath.

Muktinath refers to places (such as temples and monasteries) that invoke a sense of nirvana. The main attraction of this place is the Juwaramai temple which has natural springs, an eternal flame and 108 water funnels that pour holy water. It is believed that dipping in each of the 108 funnels will release you of any bad karma attached to you. This Holy place is visited by thousands of pilgrims each year.

The trail to Jomsom is very easy compared to the previous trekking days as it is flat and runs through juniper forests. The soaring peaks of Dhaulagiri and Nilgiri form a backdrop to the town, which is regarded as the gateway to Upper Mustang. After you arrive, check into the lodge and enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure.

Take a flight to Pokhara early in the morning. Aerial views of the Himalayan mountains are visible throughout the 20-minute flight from Jomsom as well as vistas of gorges and the transition from arid, precipitous cliffs to lush, green forests. Upon arrival in Pokhara, transfer to the hotel to enjoy a nice hot water shower and spend your remaining day at leisure.

Optional add-on: Visit Sarangkot via Cable Car
Optional add-on: Pokhara Ultralight flight
Optional add-on: Visit International Mountain Museum
Optional add-on: Visit Davis Fall and Gupteswor Cave

Start the sightseeing tour, by visiting Pumdikot, a viewpoint located at an altitude of 1,500 m offering impressive views of Mt Dhaulagiri, Mt Annapurna, and Mt Machhapuchhre. The viewpoint also has a new 3-story view tower, Shiva Damaru, a gigantic statue of Lord Shiva. This 51 ft high statue sits on top of an enormous dome and is surrounded by 108 Shiva Linga.

On your way back, visit Shanti Stupa, located on Anadu Hill at an altitude of 1,100 meters. The pagoda is built in the pagoda style of the Nihonsan Myoboji monks. The word “Shanti” means peace in Sanskrit, thus meaning Peace Tower. The shrine was built as a symbol of peace. Nepal is home to two of the world’s eight peace pagodas and the other Shanti Stupa in Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha. The peace pagoda in Pokhara offers panoramic views of the Annapurna Mountains, Pokhara City, and Fewa Lake.

Choose either to hike for 2 hours or drive for 15min back to Pokhara.

Optional add-on: Helicopter tour of Pokhara valley and Annapurna Base Camp
Optional add-on: Visit international Mountain Museum
Optional add-on: Bungee Jump
Optional add-on: Ziplining

Morning flight back to Kathmandu. Transfer to the hotel, and spend the remaining day at your leisure.

Optional add-on: Half day sightseeing to the ancient city of Bhaktapur. Try a pottery session.
Optional add-on: Thangka painting class
Optional add-on: Yoga class
Optional add-on: Cooking class
Optional add-on: Singing bowl class

Enjoy the day at your leisure. Relax with a 45-minute complimentary foot massage in Kathmandu.
This additional day in Kathmandu is recommended to avoid missing your international flight, due to the unpredictable weather in the mountain region and the domestic flight might be cancelled due to bad weather.

Optional add-on: Full Day sightseeing tour of Kathmandu and Patan Durbar Square, the ancient city inside the Kathmandu Valley.
Optional add-on: Day trip to visit Monastery in Pharping.
Optional add-on: Rock climbing in Pharping.
Optional add-on: Day trip to Changu Narayan temple.
Optional add-on: Day trip to Kritipur (a Newari styled area in Kathmandu)

Depending on the flight schedule, you are transferred to the airport for your final departure.