Tilicho Lake is a high mountain lake located at an elevation of 4,919 meters (16,138 ft) above sea level on the slope of Mount Makalu in the Mahalangur section of Nepal. It is famous for its size and beauty. It is 4 km long and has a maximum width of about 1.2K. The impressive size and remote locale make it a great destination for viewing.
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Tilicho Lake Facts for Kids
- Tilicho Lake is 4,919 meters above sea level
- It is located in the South Asian Country of Nepal
- It’s the highest lake in the world
- It’s Nepal’s most popular lake due to its excellent hiking route.
- The stunning lake is a major attraction in the Annapurna region.
Everything You Need To Know About Tilicho Lake
It Is The Highest Lake In The World
This lake is located in the Manang district of Nepal, and it is situated at an altitude of 4919 meters. It stretches over 34 miles and isn’t actually home to any wildlife in the lake itself.
This isn’t a surprise given the altitude that it sits at, making it an especially cold area year-round and unsuitable for a good deal of aquatic wildlife.
It’s A Key Destination For Those On The Annapurna Circuit Trek
The Annapurna Circuit is a popular Tilicho Lake trekking trail for travelers to the region to take part in, and Tilicho Lake is one of the major attractions of this trail.
But if you’re on this particular circuit, don’t forget to look out for Thorong La Pass, the highest passing in the world too.
That means you get to cross the highest pass and see the highest lake in one trip. That’s pretty cool, right?
It’s Possible To Stay Nearby
If you’re trekking in the area, then there is no need to pack a tent.
Lodges have sprung up all along the route from the Manang district all the way to the Tilicho Base Camp, a day’s hike from the lake itself, allowing you plenty of opportunities to rest somewhere more comfortable than a tent.
For the active, there is a very long hike that reaches the top of Manang valley at Ice Lake, from where you can see the Annapurna and Chulu peaks.
This is especially important given the freezing temperatures that you will experience at these altitudes.
Actually Reaching The Lake Can Be Difficult
The lodges stop at the Tilicho Base Camp, and so too do the tearooms that line the route and provide food, warm tea, and shelter to trekkers on their route.
This means that between the Tilicho Base Camp and the next village of Thini Gaon, there is only the lake itself.
Many trekkers are forced to take tents with them for this portion of the trek, as most expeditions will take two days from Tilicho Base Camp to reach Thini Gaon peak, giving trekkers the opportunity to rest near the lake for a short while before moving on.
Some tours will complete the trip from the Base Camp to the lake and back again in a day, though, so a tent would not be necessary in these cases.
It’s The Site Of One Of The Highest Altitude Scuba Dives In The World
It’s crazy to think that a scuba diving team would be willing to head into the freezing depths of this lake to explore it, but in 2000 a Russian scuba diving team became the first to do it, making it one of the highest altitude scuba dive sessions in the world.
Andrei Andryushin, Denis Bakin, and Maxim Gresko made up the three-man Russian diving team.
The Trek Starts In The Province’s Capital
The Annapurna Circuit begins in the Province’s capital city, Pokhara. Pokhara is Nepal’s second-largest city and in it’s the largest in terms of population.
It’s considered to be the tourism capital of Nepal because so many people who want to complete the Annapurna Circuit and visit Tilicho Lake do so by first visiting Pokhara.
There Are Better Times Of Year To Visit
Poor weather affects Tilicho Lake and the surrounding mountains during certain times of the year.
During winter, for example, there are huge snowfalls that can easily leave people trapped near the lake. During the summer, monsoon season arrives, and the surrounding areas become almost impossible to pass.
The best time of year for the Annapurna Circuit trek and accompanying trek to Tilicho Lake is usually in Autumn, between September and November, and Spring, between March and May.
If you plan to partake in one of these trips, be sure to book around this time for your own safety.
It’s A Lengthy Trek
If you’re taking part in the circuit and are hoping to visit Tilicho Lake, then you should be aware that it takes an average of between 6 and 12 days to complete, and much of that time is spent trekking.
Many tours guides rate it as a moderate difficulty and can be anywhere from 160 to 230 kilometers long depending on the tour guide you book with and the routes they offer to different key attractions.
It’s worth keeping this in mind to remember that whilst the lake is beautiful. It is a hard task to get there.
The Lake Is Deep
This lake is gigantic, as we’ve already said, but it also has a depth of 85 meters. In total, the lake holds around 155 million liters of fresh water in its vast space.
That is impressive considering the sheer size of the lake and something that is definitely rare at these high altitudes.
It should be noted that swimming in the lake is expressly forbidden because of how dangerous it would be to get in such cold water at these altitudes without any nearby facilities to allow you to warm up again.
Rare Wildlife Can Be Found In The Area
Endangered snow leopards are known to be found in this region, but they have also been spotted close to the lake itself, as well as in the surrounding alpine forests that you must trek through in order to reach the lake after leaving the Tilicho Base Camp.
You can also find blue sheep in the area, as well as many other rare examples of wildlife that are not often seen outside of this particular region of Nepal.
Travel Permits Are Required To Visit The Area
This is to be expected given Nepal’s stricter regulations regarding trekking in the area, but if you want to trek along the Annapurna Circuit and through to Tilicho Lake, then you will require multiple travel permits.
The first is the Annapurna Conservation Area Protection (ACAP) permit, and the second is the Trekking Information Management System (TIMS) permit.
Both of which together should cost around 5000 Nepalese Rupee or around 45 US Dollars. Each individual person trekking requires these permits to be allowed access to the trekking trail.
Altitude Sickness Is A Risk
So many trekkers that visit the lake will suffer from altitude sickness due to the height of the lake and the Tilicho lake trek that is required to get there.
In severe cases, it may prevent a person from actually reaching the lake, and they may need to return to Tilicho Base Camp for support.
This is a risk every trekker should keep in mind if they’re thinking of exploring the beautiful Tilicho Lake.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the altitude of Tilicho lake?
The altitude of Tilicho lake is about 4,919 meters.
What is Tilicho lake famous for?
Tilicho Lake is a popular side hike of the Annapurna Circuit trek. It is located in the Manang District of Nepal and lies at an altitude of 4919 m above sea level.
It is a highly sacred place for the Tibetan Buddhist people. It is believed that the lake has a depth of 279 feet and is one of the deepest lakes in Nepal.
Can you swim in Tilicho lake
There are no public facilities at the Tilicho Lake for swimming. The shoreline is rocky and the water is cold. The lake is isolated and it remains relatively unaffected by tourism and tourism business. There are no facilities or lodging in the area.
