Annapurna, Nar & Tilicho Lake

You will be met by a representative of World Expeditions and transferred to the Radisson hotel. Remainder of the afternoon at leisure. A pre-trek briefing will be given around 4.30-5pm where arrangements will be made for the distribution of your kit bag, sleeping bag and down/fibrefill jacket. This evening we will head out for dinner, this is a great opportunity to get acquainted with your fellow group members.
Overnight: Radisson Hotel

From Kathmandu we drive along to the Kathmandu to Pokhara highway. We divert off the highway at the bustling town of Dumre. We follow the Marsyangdi valley to the village of Besi Sahar 820m on a plateau high above the river.
Overnight: Eco Lodge

We continue our drive along a dirt track that winds high above the Marsyandi river. We pass through secluded villages that once defined the route of the famous Annapurna Circuit trek to the village of Koto. Here you will be greeted by our staff and porters and prepare for the exhilarating trekking stages ahead. That afternoon our local leader will ensure our special permits for the Nar Phu region are endorsed.

From Koto the trail diverts and follows the course of the Nar Phu river to our serene campsite – upper Koto camp – set amid pine forest at around 2750m. The rest of the day is free to take in views of Annapurna 2 (7932m) and the host of distant peaks that rise high into the Nar Phu region.

We ascend the Nar Phu Khola where we enter spectacular gorge with impressive waterfalls before reaching the substantial settlement of Meta. The impressive chortens and mani walls provide a constant reminder that we are entering a Buddhist region close to the Tibetan border. Just beyond Meta we descend to our camp at Nar Phedi.

Heading north up this immense valley, past the turn off to the west to the village of Nar, we are rewarded with a sense of serenity and exploration as we move further away from the defined trails of the lower Annapurna. Impressive peaks surround us, including Kang Guru (6981m) to the east. Along the trail remains evidence of abandoned settlements used by Tibetan warriors from the Khampa region, used briefly following the occupation of Tibet.

Today we trek further up the valley, with a profound and distinct sense of isolation and remoteness from the outside world. A wild, mountainous and semi-arid region, the hike to Phu is one of the true gems of the Himalaya. Phu is an isolated settlement on the borderlands of Tibet.

A full day set aside to explore the village of Phu and the immediate landscape beyond the influence of the monsoon and verdant fields and rich forests of the Marsyandi valley. Phu is as wild and remote as you can imagine and a world away from the well-defined trails elsewhere in the Annapurna region. The white washed houses and ancient mani walls and chortens that reflect an abiding Buddhist culture more in harmony with Tibet than Nepal. Few westerners make the trip to Phu and such it's one of the many highlights of this trek. Depending on the time of year, the locals will be working in their fields and this is also a great area to see if time permits.

We return to our cam at Nar Phedi savouring the backdrop of peaks including distant views of Annapurna 2 on the far side of the Marsyangdi Valley.

We gradually ascend to the settlement of Nar with its barely fields and extensive yak grazing that extend to the snowline. An opportunity to savour the pace of village life linked to the former trading ties between Manang (in the Marsyangdi Valley) and Phu and settlements in Tibet. The village of Nar is the largest in the region, where villagers eke out a living trading and tending their barley fields. Huge lammergeier hover above, while the sound of chanting from the tiny monastery leaves little doubt that you are in an ancient Buddhist land. The views of Pisang Peak (6091m) to the south and the Chulu range to the north west add to the sense of anticipation of the next leg of our adventure.

A comparatively short stage to further acclimatise. Our camp affords magnificent views of the Damodar Range to the north while to the south west we appreciate snow bound peaks that form the Annapurna Range. The scant pasture and juniper fields leave little doubt that we are camping in the vicinity of 5000 metres.

The Kang La is not an unduly difficult pass and you should be able to complete the ascent to the crest of the pass in 3 to 4 hours – sometimes less depending on snow conditions. An early start is imperative to gain magnificent views of the Annapurna Range to the west, views towards the Thorong La north, and back down the main trekking valley to the south. A panorama of the villages and peaks encircling the Upper Manang valley is suitable reward for reaching the crest of the Kang La. We descend over 1000m to the valley floor before ascending through settlements and trading villages including Ngawal before continuing to Braga. A long yet exhilarating stage that augurs well for the ascent to the Tilicho Lake.

We complete the short trek to Manang before ascending above isolated settlements to a well-defined ridge and verdant campsite at Shree Kharka. From camp there are birds eye views down the Manang Valley and across to the Kang La that we traversed two days ago.

A short demanding stage. We head up valley before traversing a series of scree slopes. The final slope is far from stable and necessitates a tiring ascend high above the slope to reach the secluded camp and the base camp for Tilicho Lake.

We start early morning to ensure breathtaking views east to Manaslu while a host of peaks including the Grand Barrier define the impressive northern ridge of the Annapurna Massif. We complee the steep ascend to the ridge overlooking Tilicho Lake. Reaching a vantage point above the huge sacred lake we appreciate its dimensions, about 4 km by 1.2km, and around 100 metres deep. We have the option of undertaking a number of short day walks, although there is no trail that goes around the lake. We camp on a meadow and savor one of the finest campsites in the Himalaya and enjoy the marvelous, changing colours of the mountains as evening approaches.

It's a tough stage at first involving a 300m ascent to a ridge high above the lake. The traverse includes a couple of ridge crossings before a short steep ascend to the Mesokanto La. From the pass anticipate views that stretch back to the lake as well as views to the Nilgiri peaks and Dhaulagiri on the far side of the Kali Gandaki Gorge. From the Mesokanto La there is a steep – sometimes under snow – descent to camp at approc 4000m. Alternatively we might continue for a further hour to a lower camp at 4000m. From these vantage points you gain an eagle's view to the village of Marpha way down in the Kali Gandaki Gorge.

It’s a long descent to the Kali Gandaki river and Jomsom but the compensations of peering down the gorge – the deepest in the world where the river forges a path between the 8000 m peaks of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri are a fitting highlight to a magnificent trek. After crossing the main bridge over the Kali Gandaki river we head to Jomsom and our comfortable lodge for the night.
Overnight: Eco Lodge

We board the early morning flight to Pokhara savouring magnificent views of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges. In Pokhara we connect with our flight to Kathmandu.
Please Note: should the flight from Jomsom to Pokhara be cancelled due to inclement weather we will drive to Pokhara and connect with the flight to Kathmandu the following day.

Today you have a full day to explore Kathmandu’s bustling streets and significant landmarks. You may wish to start by exploring the city’s two most important World Heritage Listed spiritual sites: Pashupatinath, Nepal’s most sacred Hindu temple and an important cremation site; and Boudhanath, the largest Buddhist stupa in Nepal and the most sacred Tibetan Buddhist shrine outside of Tibet. Alternatively you could wander through the markets and shops of the busy Thamel precinct or explore some more of the city’s significant sites such as Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple) or the World Heritage Listed plazas of Patan, Bhaktapur or Durbar Square.

After breakfast, arrangements cease unless further ones have been made. Those people travelling by aircraft to other destinations will be transferred to the airport.