Tilicho Lake Trek

Tilicho Lake is the highest elevated lake in the world. This lake is located in the Manang district of Nepal, 55 km (34 mi) as the crow flies from the city of Pokhara. It is situated at an altitude of 4,919 meters (16,138 ft) from sea level in the Annapurna range of the Himalayas. According to the Nepali Department of Hydrology & Meteorology (2003), no aquatic organism has been recorded in the lake.

Tilicho Lake is the destination of one of the most popular side hikes of the Annapurna Circuit trek. The hike takes additional 3–4 days. No camping is required, as new lodges have been built between Manang and the lake. The final approach to the lake is done in a day hike from the lodge at Tilicho Base Camp.

Trekkers attempting the Annapurna Circuit route usually cross the watershed between Manang and Kali Gandaki valleys over the 5416 meters high Thorong La pass. The alternate route, skirting Tilicho Lake from the north, has been gaining popularity. This route is more demanding and requires at least one night of camping. There are no teahouses or lodges past the Tilicho Base Camp lodge some kilometers east of the lake and the next village of Thini Gaon in the Kali Gandaki valley. Most groups spend two nights between these places. There are two passes leading to Thini Gaon and Jomsom; Mesokanto La and Tilicho North pass known also as Tilicho "Tourist pass". These routes via Tilicho Lake are more often closed by snow than the higher Thorong La.

Tilicho Lake was the site of one of the highest-ever altitude scuba dives. A Russian diving team, consisting of Andrei Andryushin, Denis Bakin, and Maxim Gresko, conducted a scuba dive in the lake in 2000.

Is Tiliho the highest lake in the world/Nepal? (Updated)

Recently, reports on many news websites and publications claimed that a new lake, higher in elevation than the Tilicho lake, had been discovered in the Manang district. Tilicho, which is located at 4,919 meters, is currently the highest lake in the world.

The new lake is located at a height of 5,002 meters above sea level, according to press reports. However, Tilicho has previously been touted as the highest lake in the world in print and online media in Nepal.

Tilicho and the new lake are not even on the list of the top 10 highest lakes in the world, according to ICIMOD, a regional intergovernmental learning and knowledge-sharing center that serves the eight regional members of the Hindu Kush Himalayas.

A list of Nepal's "possibly unsafe glacial lakes" has been created by ICIMOD. On the list, twelve glacial lakes are located at elevations higher than Tilicho. Eleven of those lakes are located at elevations that are higher than the Tilicho and the new lake.

Only "possibly dangerous glacial lakes" have been identified by ICIMOD in Nepal. Therefore, there may be more lakes in Nepal at even higher altitudes.

Based on the same source, the table below shows lakes in Nepal that are in higher altitudes than Tilicho and another new lake.

Religious Significance:

Hindus believe that Tilicho Lake is the ancient Kak Bhusundi Lake mentioned in the epic Ramayana. The sage Kak Bhusundi is believed to have first told the happenings of Ramayana to Garuda - king of birds, near this lake. The sage took the form of a crow while telling the story to Garuda. Crow translates to Kak in Sanskrit, hence the name Kak Bhusndi for the sage.

There are 3 different itineraries suggested. Please take look as follows:

Itinerary 1

Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu     

Day 02: Drive to Chame, (2,710m/8,891ft), 9-10 hrs drive

Day 03: Trek from Chame to  Pisang, (3,200m/10,496ft), 5-6 hrs  

Day 04: Trek to Manang Village, (3,500m/11,482ft), 4-5 hrs         

Day 05: Explore Manang Village and Ganga Purna Lake 

Day 06: Trek to Tilicho Base Camp, (4140m/13582ft), 5-6 hrs

Day 07: Trek to Tilicho High Camp, (5121m/16801ft), 4-5hrs

Day 08: Tilicho High Camp to Mesokanto La Pass continues Yak Kharkha, ( 4510m/14796ft), 8-9 hrs

Day 09: Trek Jomsom, (2,670m/8,760ft), 5-6 hrs

Day 10: Fly to Pokhara or drive to Pokhara

Day 11: Fly to Kathmandu or drive to Kathmandu

Day 12: Final departure

Itinerary 2

Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu     

Day 02: Drive to Chame, (2,710m/8,891ft), 9-10 hrs drive

Day 03: Trek from Chame to Pisang, (3,200m/10,496ft), 5-6 hrs   

Day 04: Trek to Manang Village, (3,500m/11,482ft), 4-5 hrs         

Day 05: Explore Manang Village and Ganga Purna Lake 

Day 06: Trek to Tilicho Base Camp, (4140m/13582ft), 5-6 hrs

Day 07: Hike to Tilicho Lake (4,919m/16,138ft) and Trek Back to Siri Kharka, 5-6hrs

Day 08: Trek Back to Manang Village, 3-4hrs

Day 09: Drive to Besisahar, 6-7hrs drive

Day 10: Fly to Kathmandu or drive to Kathmandu

Day 11: Depart from Kathmandu 

Itinerary 3

Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu     

Day 02: Drive to Chame, (2,710m/8,891ft), 9-10 hrs drive

Day 03: Trek from Chame to  Pisang, (3,200m/10,496ft), 5-6 hrs  

Day 04: Trek to Manang Village, (3,500m/11,482ft), 4-5 hrs         

Day 05: Explore Manang Village and Ganga Purna Lake 

Day 06: Trek to Tilicho Base Camp, (4140m/13582ft), 5-6 hrs

Day 07: Hike to Tilicho Lake (4,919m/16,138ft) and Trek Back to Siri Kharka, 5-6hrs

Day 08: Trek to Yak Kharka (4040m/13254ft) 4-5 hrs

Day 09: Trek to Throng Phedi (4,400m/14,432), 3-4 hrs

Day 10: Trek to to Muktinath (3,800/12,467ft) via Throng La (5,416m/17,765 ft), 7-8 hrs

Day 11: Trek to Jomsom (2,670m/8,760ft), 5-6 hrs

Day 12: Fly to Pokhara (823m/2,700ft), 25min

Day 13: Fly to Kathmandu or drive to Kathmandu

Source/Ref: Wikipedia

Before Travel Trek Safety in Nepal