Hey guys, I’m planning to do Manang trek from 11 to 18 Kartik (28th oct – 4th Nov) i.e. 8 Days.
From what I’ve researched, people seem to take transportation all the way up to Pissang or even Manang then trek towards Tilicho.
Personally, I do not care about going all the way to Tilicho lake, I mostly want to hike the beautiful villages leading upto Manang, if time remains or if feasible I would like to reach tilicho, however, my priority is to have fun hiking the most scenic route.
So my questions are:
1. Is it possible/feasible to do hiking starting from Besisahar to Manang in 8 days? or should I start from Chame maybe?
2. Is the route starting from Besisahar fun to do or should I start abit farther? If yes which one?
3. Is going all the way up to Tilicho lake worth it? I do not care about accomplishment like that really, like I said, just want to have the best time hiking around beautiful route.
4. What is the pricing nowadays? I heard people separate around 16k-20k, is that enough in 2023? How much does transportations cost and how much food/stay cost? How much should I budget for a day?
5. Which place takes the most elevation and which place should I walk more or less?
6. Similarly, how much distance should I cover in a day and which place should I plan to stay to enjoy the place more?
6. What gear/clothing/accessories should I carry with me?
I know there are other posts about this route but I needed some specific so if anyone could give me info, it’d be tremendously helpful.
I don’t know how much has the trek has changed in 8 years, but I think you need to trek the same road where the vehicles move upto Manang, and that’s not really a great experience, especially in this peak season.
The more beautiful landscapes start from Chame, so maybe you should consider starting your trek from Chame, because that’s what most foreigners do too.
If you start from Chame, you can manage upto Tilicho within your timeline. I strongly suggest you to go upto Tilicho, not for accomplishment but that’s a different kind of experience and fun.
Considering the inflation, you need to take almost 20k I think, but I am not sure, when I did my trek, I completed the Annarpuna Circuit with an additional Tilicho Trek as a side trek with 10k back in 2015.
Upto Manang village there is slow and uniform ascend, but after that there are variations, but still, upto Tilicho Base Camp, it isn’t much. The hike from TBC to Tilicho Lake is the most intense on the entire trip.
And for walking distance, just go with the flow, don’t plan much, as there are ample amount of lodges along the way (it may get packed due to the heavy inflow of people around this time of year, so be prepared for that too). I used to walk longer distances on easier terrains and shorter distances on more complex ones.
Finally, two quick dry T-shirts for lower regions (you can wash one and wear it alternatively), trousers, gloves, topi, a set of thermals, a few pairs of warm socks, a nice pair of trekking boots, at least one walking stick, a headlamp if possible, a power bank.
Don’t overpack, don’t bring jeans on the trek, while packing, keep the heaviest items on the bottom of the bag so that the load is distributed along the back and there is no pressure on your shoulders.
Enjoy the trek and have fun
Hami cahi aasti jestha mahina ma gako ho hai.
Haami chai ktm bata 8-9 baje tira hidera 3-4 baje tira besisahar pugem, ani orlini bittikai bolero wala uncle le mathi jaani ho vanera sodnu vayo hamle le ho vanem ra waha le la teso vaye aau mero bolero ma jam vannu vo ani ekai chin (1hr) jati basera khaja saja khayera journey Start garem. Esto jharana sarna dekhni bittikai gadi rokna lagayera majjale ra aaram le rati 8-9 baje tira darapani puem ra tei driver uncle le chineko hotel ma sutem khana ko price 500 thyo ani suteko shayad 300-400 hola voli palta bhihana chiya anda estai khayera 7-8 baje tira niskem. Ani feri ramailo gardai bato ma orlidai (bato euta fresh apple juice paune thau xa tya pasna chai nabirsinu) bob Marley hotel pugera khana khayem. Khana ko price testai 500-600 thyo( tya purple haze pani pahinxa interested xau vane). Tespaxi 3 baje tira manang bazar pugem. Ani tyo driver dai lai bye vanera tyo din chai manang bazar ra oori pari ghumem. Tya hotel ma off season vayeko le baseko paisa chai liyena tespaxi kunai thau ma pani baseko paisa liyena (off season vayeko le ra hamle bargaining garera) khana ko chai shayad 700 hola hai birse. Voli palta yestai aafule lageko Snickers haru khayera bihana 7-8 trekking start garem ani shir kharka vanne thau ma gayera khana khayem orice (600-700) tespaxi hidadai hidadai 4-5 baje tira tilicho base camp pugem. Tilicho samma ko trek ma sabai vanda mahango tahau chai yei ho. Off seaon vayeko le hamlai ta ali sasto nai vayo pani ko ra room ko paisai liyena. Season mata dhuto paisa linxa suneko thiye. Ani hami cahi mausam kharab vayekole (heu paryo) ek din tei basna paryo(off season ma gako befaida). Ani voli palta bihana 7 baje tira tilicho ko lagi hidem. (4 ghanta jati ma tilicho pugem ani 3hr jati ma farkem) 4 baje tira tilicho base camp aaipugem. Ani khana khayera teta bata 5 baje tira hidem 7 baje tira sir kharaka aaipugem ra tei khayem ra sutem. Hamle chai thorong la pass Pani gare ko ho. M cahi timlai thorong la pass garera muktinath hudai Pokhara aau vanxu (9) din jati lagxa maile vneko jasto garyeu vane badi ma 10 din lagla tara throng la jane bato last ramailo xa (esp shir kharka to yak kharka) ani jun bato aayo tei bato farkino khasai ramailo ni hudaina. Budget ali 30k jati chahinxa ekdamai ramailo gardai aaune ho vane chai 35k jati lagxa. Malai cahi off season ma lastai ramailo gardai ra kharcha total 27k lagyo(off season ma ho hai yo tara) timlai 35k jati lagla.mero main advice chai : [ Tilicho matra najau thorong la pass pani gara].
I did that trek in 2019. Took jeep from Besisahar to Tal village ( plan was to go to Dharapani and walk from there). It was a coincidence I ended up in Tal the first night, but it’s also my most favorite village in the entire trip. There is a huge waterfall just by the village and somehow it feels really dreamy to walk around in the evening time there. People there were also really friendly and nice. They were also a bit sad about less tourists because everyone takes jeeps all the way up now.
If you care about villages and diverse landcapes, I suggest you to start your trek from Jagat or Tal. Both are really pretty villages and you can avoid the main road most of the times until you reach Chame.
Based on my experiences, there are the villages worth staying: Jagat or Tal ( one of these) , Timang or Thanchowk ( Chame kind of sucks ) , Upper Pisang, Manang ( Take the upper route through Ghyaru and Ngawal) , Tilicho Base Camp , back to Manang and jeep all the way down. If you have time, take the jeep to your favourite village and spend more days there.
My itinerary was like this : Pokhara – Besisahar – Tal, Tal – Chame, Chame – Upper Pisang, Upper Pisang – Manang ( 2 nights) , Manang – Tilicho Base Camp , Base Camp – Tilicho – Base Camp- Manang , Manang – Tal, Tal – Besisahar- Pokhara ( 9 days)
I spent 12k in total, but I also got some food n drinks for free at some places and it was 2019. Probably 20k should be enough if you are not partying and don’t mind about eating Dal Bhat every dinner ( perhaps also lunch). I only paid for room in Tilicho base camp. Food was also the most expensive and least tasty at that place.
You can use app like Organic Maps which has all the possible trails and plan your day to day trip with that app.
Also, when and if I reach Pisang, should I take lower Pisang to Manang route or lower Pisang-Ghyaru-Ngawal route to Manang?
1. Yes. Possible. I did from chame in 4 days.
2. yes, go all the way. Totally worth it.the zigzag climb is crazy though. I did it with 3 ft snow.
3. 2018 with a budget of 15K
4. Tilicho base camp to tilicho is a wicked elevation. The narrow slopely mountain walk enroute the Basecamp from Sri kharga is crazy too. Scary.
5. Like I said. It took me 4 days to go there. And another 1 day to get back. Took a bolero from manang to the main highway while returning. I suggest you do the same. Walk the trail. It’s beautiful. And when returning when you’re tired take the bolero.
6. Basic trekking gear, shades, sunscreen, and gators.