Annapurna Circuit with Tilicho Lake in 14 Days: Route, Cost and Who It Suits (2027)

Last updated 16 October 2026.

Short answer: Our Annapurna Circuit with Tilicho Lake, 14 days drives from Kathmandu to Jagat, walks up the Marsyangdi valley through Chame, Upper Pisang and Manang, detours to Tilicho Lake at about 4,919 metres, crosses the Thorong La at 5,416 metres to Muktinath, and drives out through Jomsom to Pokhara. It costs USD 1,335 per person on Budget, USD 2,320 on Standard and USD 3,040 on Luxury for two to four people. It suits fit trekkers who want the full circuit and its most famous side trip in two weeks.

I am Shreejan. Tilicho is the side trip people regret skipping. This 14-day version fits it in by driving out from Muktinath instead of walking the lower Kali Gandaki, and it keeps an acclimatisation day in Manang. Here is how it runs, what it costs and who it is for.

What is this trek?

The Annapurna Circuit walks round the Annapurna massif, from green rice valleys to high desert. Tilicho Lake is a glacial lake under the north face of Tilicho Peak, reached from the Manang side by a high trail across scree. After the lake you rejoin the circuit, cross the Thorong La, one of the highest trekking passes in the world, and come down to the temple at Muktinath.

How do the fourteen days run?

How hard is it?

This is a demanding trek and not one for beginners. You walk five to seven hours a day for several days in a row, sleep as high as about 4,900 metres, and the pass day can take seven to ten hours depending on snow and pace. There is no technical climbing, but the Tilicho trail crosses steep scree and the Thorong La is long and cold. Your guide decides on the morning whether it is safe to cross; if it is not, we wait. We cannot promise a crossing on a fixed day. If you have a few more days, the 16-day version walks part of the descent; if you want only the lake, look at our Tilicho Lake trek, 11 days.

What does it cost?

Prices are per person, read from our booking system on 16 October 2026. The full price list for every group size is on the trip page.

Budget uses local buses (with a local jeep from Besisahar where the road needs it) and a shared jeep from Muktinath, shared teahouse rooms and no porter, and you pay for meals on the trail yourself. Standard uses shared tourist vehicles and a shared jeep, private teahouse rooms, all meals on the trail with tea or coffee and fruit once a day, and one porter for every two trekkers. Luxury uses private vehicles and a private 4WD jeep, the best teahouse rooms, all meals with fruit, nuts and drinks, a guide for every two trekkers and your own porter.

Included on every tier: a licensed guide, the ACAP permit, the TIMS card, airport transfers, one Pokhara hotel night and taxes. Not included: Kathmandu hotels, international flights, visa, travel insurance, tips, hot showers and charging on the trail.

What permits do you need?

The whole circuit is inside the Annapurna Conservation Area. You need the ACAP permit (NPR 3,000 for foreign visitors) and a TIMS card (NPR 2,000), and a licensed guide is required. No restricted-area permit is needed. More in Nepal trekking permits.

When is the best time?

Month by month detail is in Annapurna Circuit best time.

What are the roads like now?

As of 14 October 2026 the Besisahar to Chame road and the Beni to Jomsom road are repaired and open to vehicles again. We check road and trail conditions 48 hours before every departure, and if something is not open we move your dates free of charge.

Where do you sleep and what do you eat?

Every night is in a teahouse. Lodges in Chame and Manang are comfortable, with hot showers and bakeries. Tilicho Base Camp and Thorong High Camp are basic and cold. Food is dal bhat, noodles, potatoes, soups and eggs; eat well before the pass.

What should you pack?

You need proper cold-weather kit: a warm sleeping bag (we can lend one), a down jacket, thermal layers, gloves, a warm hat, sunglasses, broken-in boots, poles, a headtorch for the pre-dawn pass start and microspikes in spring or late autumn. See what to pack for the Annapurna Circuit.

Porters and luggage

Government rules say a porter should carry no more than 20 kg. On Standard two guests share one porter at 10 kg each, on Luxury your own porter carries up to 15 kg, and on Budget you carry your own pack or add a porter.

What insurance do you need?

Your policy must cover trekking up to 5,500 metres, including medical treatment and helicopter evacuation. A helicopter cannot land on the Thorong La itself, so rescues are made from lower ground on either side. Buy the policy at home.

Questions people ask

Is 14 days enough for Tilicho and the pass? For fit, healthy trekkers, yes. There is no spare day, so keep one in hand before your flight home.

Is the Tilicho trail dangerous? It crosses steep scree that needs care, and your guide will turn back if conditions are bad.

Can I do it solo? Yes. The solo price covers your own room and guide; on Standard there is no shared porter, so the guide carries up to 10 kg.

Do I need to have trekked before? It helps a lot. If this is your first trek, a shorter one like Poon Hill is a kinder start.

Can we walk instead of driving out from Muktinath? Yes, that is the 16-day version.

What are the booking terms?

Group size is 1 to 20 and solo travellers are welcome; a solo price covers your own room and your own guide, so it is higher per person. The deposit is 10 per cent. It is non-refundable and there is no refund if you cancel, but you can move your trip free of charge to any date within one year with at least 72 hours notice. The balance is paid when you arrive in Kathmandu, in US dollars or euros, cash or card. Card carries a 3.5 per cent bank charge and cash carries none. We do not take Nepali rupees from foreign guests.

How do you plan this with us?

Message me on WhatsApp on +977 9810351300 with your dates, how many of you there are and your trekking experience. I will check the conditions for your dates and send the exact quote.

Written by Shreejan Simkhada, CEO of The Everest Holiday, from a family of three generations of family guides. TAAN Member #1586. WhatsApp +977 9810351300.