Tilicho Lake with Thorong La Pass Trek

Explore the majestic higher elevation places of the beautiful Annapurna region of Nepal. Today’s blog is special because of the prospects of the Tilicho Lake with the Thorong La Pass Trek. In the heart of the Annapurna Circuit Trek route, you can knit the adventurous walking journey full of glacial lake, mountains, passes, valleys, and diverse vegetation. In addition, the trail is one of the most popular trekking trails of Nepal. Please note down that the Annapurna Circuit Trek is oldest trekking route opened for all in 1976. Adding the journey of the Tilicho Lake enhances the overall trekking experiences of the Thorong La Pass Trek famously known as the Annapurna Circuit or Annapurna Round Trek.

Nepal’s Highest Situated Lake: Tilicho Lake

The highest situated fresh water lake of Nepal is the Tilicho Lake (4919 m). The lake is masterpiece due to its location. The blue turquoise lake surrounded by snowy mountain peaks is definitely the place to behold and leave the footprints. The sight that you see while spending few moments on the shores of the lake is priceless. The serene beauty can topple any of your imagination. It is truly blissful and fairyland experiences. Locals highly respect the lake as an abode of god. Therefore, every year on the auspicious month people pay respect in the temple located on the banks of the lake.

Longest Mountain Pass of Nepal: Thorong La Pass

There are countless mountain passes in Nepal. Famous mountain passes of Nepal are Chola Pass, Kong Ma La Pass, Renjo La Pass, Larke La Pass, and Thorong La Pass. These passes connect one valley to another and are considered as the most daunting while on the Nepal Trek journey. Among these magnificent Himalayan passes, the Thorong La Pass is the longest one. The highest point of the pass is at 5416 m from sea level. Trekkers have to start the crossing of the Thorong La Pass early in the morning before dawn. Thorong La Pass connects the beautiful Manang valley and Mustang valley.

Itinerary of Tilicho Lake Trek from Annapurna Circuit Trek Route

The itinerary of the Tilicho Lake with Thorong La Pass Trek is similar to the itinerary of the Annapurna Round Trek. So, trekkers have to take the side trek to Tilicho Lake before joining the route to Thorong La Pass. After spending an acclimatisation day in Manang village, trekkers trek to Khangsar Village via Yak Kharka. From Khangsar Village, trekkers have to spend an overnight in Tilicho Base Camp before visiting the lake in the morning. Therefore, it takes about 2 nights and 3 days including return trek from the Annapurna Circuit Trek route to do the Tilicho Lake Trek.

What is the condition of Meso Kanta La Pass route from Tilicho Lake?

Well, the condition of the Meso Kanta La Pass route from Tilicho Lake is slightly off the beaten than the Thorong La Pass route. In terms of trekking difficulty, the route of the Meso Kanta La Pass is arduous than the Thorong route. If you are not an experienced trekker, then it is not recommended to take this route. Instead, follow the original Tilicho Lake with Thorong La Pass Trek route.

Similar Treks like Annapurna Round with Tilicho Lake

If you are searching for the similar treks like the Annapurna Round Trek with Tilicho Lake, then there are other alternatives too. In the Everest region, you can do the EBC Gokyo Chola Pass Trek and in the Langtang region the Langtang Valley Trek with Gosaikunda Lake. Similarly, Manaslu Circuit Trek with Larke La Pass and Birendra Lake is in the Manaslu region. These treks provide similar vibes like the Tilicho Lake with Thorong La Pass Trek.

When is the best time to do Tilicho Lake with Thorong La Pass Trek in Nepal? Is winter season safe?

Better trekking experiences are possible during the spring (March – May) and autumn (season for the Tilicho Lake with Thorong La Pass Trek. However, some experienced trekkers with proper gear and crew members attempt the trek during winter season as well. This blogger don’t recommend monsoon season for trekking as you can’t get proper visibility. Similarly, there is high risk of landslides and floods during the monsoon season. Doing the winter trek requires you to keep reserve days and meticulous planning.

Annapurna Circuit Trek with Tilicho Lake: Clockwise vs Anticlockwise

There is this long debate about the clockwise and anticlockwise way of doing the Tilicho Lake with Thorong La Pass Trek. Remember that only about 2 to 3 percentage of trekkers prefer the clockwise route. This route is highly risky in terms of altitude sickness as the altitude gain is high in this route than the anticlockwise route. During the anticlockwise route, trekkers slowly gain the altitude and they get acclimatized properly before reaching the Tilicho Lake and Thorong La Pass. Therefore, this blogger recommends you to do the regular anticlockwise route for the trek.

Is Annapurna Circuit Trek route crowded? Can I do the Annapurna Circuit Trek Solo?

As a commercial and oldest trekking route, the trail is always crowded by the trekkers from across the globe. During the months of spring and autumn season, the trail is filled by trekkers, guides, porters, and locals. It is definitely a bustling trail during this time of the year. Even if it gets crowded, you can always find solitude as the trail feels same till this date since its opening in 1976. There are enough facilities in the trail which can serve the large number of trekkers.

So, don’t worry about the crowd! If you love to travel in less crowded time, then choose the months like December and August for trekking. Don’t forget to buy the trekking package from reliable trekking company and hire a trekking guide for safety while trekking in the off season times. Solo trekking in the Annapurna Circuit Trek route is possible but you must consider hiring a guide for safety reasons especially while exploring the highest situated lake and crossing the Thorong La Pass.

Has Road Construction affected the Annapurna Circuit Trek route?

The road construction has significantly curtailed the total trekking distance of the Annapurna Circuit Trek. These developments are boon for the locals in terms of accessibility but it has greatly affected the authenticity of the trail. You can take this as an advantage as well. Trekking trail has become more comfortable for trekkers to walk. So, overall the verdict is that the road construction has shortened the trek but it has not affected the core essence of the Tilicho Lake with Thorong La Pass Trek experiences. Book  your Nepal Treks with Nepal High Trek in 2026/2027.