Ice Lake Trek from Manang is a 7-day trip to Ice Lake (Kicho Tal), at about 4,600 m above Manang, for walkers who want a high-altitude day hike in the Annapurna region without a full circuit. You drive to Dharapani and Chame, spend three nights in Manang at 3,540 m with a rest day, and climb to the lake on day 5. It is graded Moderate to Strenuous. It costs from USD 555 per person (Budget, couple). The price per person is the same for a private trip and a group of the same size, and it falls as the group grows.
Ice Lake trek at a glance
| Duration | 7 days, Kathmandu to Kathmandu, 6 nights |
|---|---|
| Maximum altitude | About 4,600 m / 15,100 ft (Ice Lake day walk). Highest night Manang, 3,540 m |
| Grade | Moderate to Strenuous. One long climb of about 1,000 m on day 5 |
| Best months | October to November, and March to May |
| Group size | 1 to 20, always private |
| Permits | Annapurna Conservation Area permit and TIMS card, included |
| Start dates | Any day |
| From price | USD 555 per person, Budget, couple. Standard USD 1,065, Luxury USD 2,225 |
Why I built it this way
Many operators sell Ice Lake as a 5-day trip that drives you to about 3,500 m on day 2 and takes you to the lake at about 4,600 m on day 3. I will not sell that. That is more than 1,000 m of height gain in a day, straight off a jeep, and it is how people end up ill. My version has the same lake and two extra nights.
You drive up the Marsyangdi valley to Dharapani, then Chame, then Manang at 3,540 m. You sleep three nights in Manang, with a full day of rest and short walks on day 4, and only then climb to Ice Lake on day 5 and come back to sleep at Manang. The highest night is Manang, 3,540 m. Compare it with our Tilicho Lake Trek, 11 Days: the same valley, fewer days.
The climb to the lake is long, about a full day, and the weather can change in an hour. We go early and turn round if you or the weather say so. If you want to continue to the Thorong La and Muktinath, ask about our Annapurna Circuit with Tilicho Lake, 14 Days. Every booking helps pay the teacher's salary at our Nagarjun Learning Center in Saldum.
Best time to go, month by month
These notes are general and they are not forecasts. Manang gets snow in winter, and the road from Besisahar is often cut by landslides in the monsoon.
| Month | What it is like | My verdict |
|---|---|---|
| January | Very cold in Manang, snow on the trail to the lake. | Only with winter experience |
| February | Very cold, snow likely at the lake. | Only with winter experience |
| March | Cold nights, snow patches at height, clearing days. | Possible, check conditions |
| April | Warming, clearer mornings, snow melting at the lake. | Good |
| May | Warmer, hazier afternoons. | Good, start early |
| June | Monsoon: landslides can close the road from Besisahar. | No |
| July | Monsoon. | No |
| August | Monsoon. | No |
| September | The rains ease late in the month. The road may still be rough. | Late September only |
| October | Clean air after the rains and the clearest views. | Best, from mid month |
| November | Dry, clear and colder every week. | Best |
| December | Dry and very cold at height, snow possible. | Only with warm gear |
October and November give the clearest views and the busiest lodges. The lake can be frozen or snowy outside those months.
Starting dates for 2027
We run this trip on any date you choose. These are the windows I would pick for 2027. Festival dates are the expected ones and are confirmed each year.
| Window in 2027 | What to expect | My advice |
|---|---|---|
| January to February 2027 | Clear and cold, quiet trails. | Only with winter experience |
| March to May 2027 (Holi expected 22 to 23 March) | Spring: warmer, hazier afternoons. | Good in April and May |
| June to mid September 2027 | Monsoon: wet paths, cloud and leeches. | No |
| Mid September to December 2027 (Dashain expected 6 to 10 October, Tihar 29 to 31 October) | The clearest views of the year, and the busiest weeks. | Best |
We check the road from Besisahar to Manang 48 hours before departure. If it is not open, we move your dates free of charge.
Permits and costs
Manang is inside the Annapurna Conservation Area, so a permit and a TIMS card are needed. We arrange both. There is no restricted-area permit for this route.
| Permit or fee | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Annapurna Conservation Area permit | NPR 3,000 (NPR 1,000 SAARC) | Included |
| TIMS card | NPR 2,000 (NPR 1,000 SAARC) | Included, we issue it through our agency |
The price per person falls as the group grows, and a child pays the same as an adult. Private or group, the price per person is the same. Here is the full table. These prices hold for 2027.
| Group size | Budget | Standard | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 guest (solo) | USD 910 | USD 1,335 | USD 3,860 |
| 2 to 4 guests | USD 555 | USD 1,065 | USD 2,225 |
| 5 to 8 guests | USD 370 | USD 910 | USD 1,845 |
| 9 to 12 guests | USD 360 | USD 880 | USD 1,560 |
| 13 to 20 guests | USD 320 | USD 865 | USD 1,475 |
Not included: international flights, your Nepal visa (USD 30 for 15 days or USD 50 for 30 days, paid in cash on arrival), Kathmandu hotel nights, travel insurance, tips, personal spending, hot showers, laundry and charging, and any extra porter (USD 25 per day plus 13% VAT and the 3.5% bank charge). You pay a 10% deposit to book and the balance in Kathmandu. We take US dollars or euros, in cash or by card, and card payments carry a 3.5% bank charge. We cannot take Nepali rupees from foreign guests.
Getting there and getting back
We drive from Kathmandu to Dharapani on day 1, then by jeep to Chame and on to Manang. Budget and Standard use shared vehicles and jeeps, and Luxury uses a private car and a private 4WD. On day 6 a jeep takes you from Manang to Besisahar, and day 7 is the drive back to Kathmandu.
Visa on arrival is USD 30 for 15 days or USD 50 for 30 days, and your passport must be valid for at least six months. Keep one spare day before your international flight.
Safety and altitude
The highest night is Manang, 3,540 m, and the lake is a day walk to about 4,600 m. Altitude can affect anyone, whatever their fitness. The two extra nights in Manang and the rest day are the heart of the plan. Your guide checks everyone's oxygen level every day with a pulse oximeter. If a reading is low or symptoms appear, we do not climb, and if they worsen we go down. Read Acclimatisation on Nepal Treks: Why Your Body Needs Time and What Happens When You Rush.
The risks to plan for are landslides on the road, cold, and the long climb on day 5. Drink three to four litres of water a day. Buy travel insurance at home that covers trekking to 5,000 m and helicopter evacuation.
What to pack
- Broken-in trekking boots with spare laces
- A warm sleeping bag, or ask us to lend one
- A down jacket, fleece, thermal base layers and a windproof shell
- Warm gloves, hat, buff and sunglasses
- SPF 50 sun cream and lip balm
- A head torch and spare batteries
- Trekking poles
- A daypack of about 30 litres
- Personal medicines, blister care and rehydration salts
Budget, Standard or Luxury
All three tiers go to the same places on the same days. What changes is how you sleep, what you eat, who carries your bag and how you ride the road.
| Budget | Standard | Luxury | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rooms | Shared rooms in simple teahouses | Private twin rooms, attached bathroom where the lodge has one | Private deluxe rooms, ensuite where the lodge has one |
| Porter | None. You carry your own pack. An extra porter is USD 25 per day plus 13% VAT and the 3.5% bank charge | One porter for every two trekkers, 20 kg each in total. A solo guest has no porter: the guide carries up to 10 kg | One dedicated porter for every trekker |
| Meals | Not included on the trail | Breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, tea or coffee and seasonal fruit once a day | All meals, fruit and nuts, tea, coffee, soft drinks, juice and water whenever you want |
| Road transport | Local bus and local jeep (shared) | Shared tourist vehicle and shared jeep | Private car and private 4WD |
| Guide | 1 guide, an assistant at 8 or more | 1 guide for up to 6 trekkers, an assistant at 7 or more | 1 guide for every 2 trekkers |
Read before you book
- Tilicho Lake Trek, 11 Days
- Annapurna Circuit with Tilicho Lake, 14 Days
- Acclimatisation on Nepal Treks: Why Your Body Needs Time and What Happens When You Rush
- The Annapurna Circuit Trek, 12 Days
The Everest Holiday is a family company founded in 2016, from three generations of guiding in the Himalayas.
