Among the highest mountains in the world

Quietness...5000m above sea level...sporadically the cracking of ice...snow everywhere...8000m-mountains around...a somehow unreal huge blue-green lake in front...

The Tilicho-lake, a side-trip from the popular Annapurna Circuit from where I just returned, was absolutely amazing! Counting as one of the highest lakes in the world, this was definitely my highlight of the last 13 days on which I was walking between 6 & 9 hours per day around the 5 Annapurna mountains (cleverly named as Annapurna I to Annapurna IV & Annapurna South...). The Thorung Pass, with its 5400m higher than the Mont Blanc and definitely higher than every mountain in Switzerland, was probablyl the biggest challenge, but also a bit of a disappointment because there was neither on the way up nor on the way down a really nice round-view on the mountains...The (hugely popular) Poon Hill near Ghorepani definitely showed a great deal more of the landscape of the Annapurna region.

Loads of people traveled either with a guide, a porter or both...for me a bit strange because the paths are clear, there are many options to sleep & eat and even if you wouldn't find a way, there are still several locals around you can ask - on the other hand: if you take a guide or porter, you support the local tourist industry & there's definitely less risk for any accidents - but I really have to say that I constantly pitied the porters when they were fighting their way up with huuuge bags carrying on their heads - additionally they were mostly only equipped with flip-flops...Something which definitely shouldn't be underestimated and where a guide could help is the Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS). I met loads of people who got it and had to turn around to lower altitudes...

Because I didn't find any good information for single travelers on the internet before I started my trip, I'd like to point out some highlights and information about the Annapurna Circuit as I experienced it (might be not so interesting for most of you - but maybe for a future trip?):

Generally
- Permit: You need a permit to enter the Annapurna region. You can find ACAP-offices in Pokhara or Kathmandu where the Kathmandu-office is not as described in the Lonely Planet (2005) in Thamel anymore, but just next to the main Tourist Information Office. It should cost you 2000 Rp (~28$). Also register for the TIMS (should be for free) - otherwise you have to do it at your starting-point (emergency contact-persons).
- Travelling alone: It's practically always very easy to find the track - especially when you stick on the Annapurna Circuit. Even if you wouldn't find the way on some side-track, there are always some people you can ask. Additionally, you almost never walk alone. You meet loads of people from all corners of the world and even if you'd choose to avoid them, you still find yourself walking next to horses, behind a goat herd, with a dog (one was following me for more than 2h), with yaks, cows... - What you should be aware of is, that there are loads of petty thefts going on - take extra-care of your belongings (I walked for a piece with an Austrian guy who left his walking sticks for 2min at one place, two horse-riders came, took the sticks, passed us and they were gone).
- Money: Apart from the porter or guide which will be around 10-15$/day, you can expect expenses of around 1000-1500 Rp (15-20$) per day for food, accomodation and some luxuries on the way (for me that was one or two snickers a day & sometimes accomodations which were a bit pricier). The prices get higher the further you are away from the towns and the further the porters have to carry the food. The accomodations stay the same and are usually between 50 and 200 Rp (1-3$) for a basic accomodation. I heard about some Israelis who were even trying to bargain down these prices...I'd say they're quite ok and just so low because you're usually obliged to eat where you sleep.

My trip
Day 1: Kathmandu-Beshishar with the bus, Beshishar-Nagdi
There are direct buses from Pokhara and Kathmandu to Beshishar. From Beshishar, you can take a minibus to Khudi for around 150 Rp - if you want - but it's also a pleasant walk.

Day 2: Nagdi-Tal
That was a bit a crazy day and it might be better to split it in a two-days trip (as recommended by the Lonely Planet and other guide books). Tal was my first highlight - cute little town on a great valley just next to the lake.

Day 3: Tal-Chame
Some ups and downs on the way to Chame, but I have to say that I was not really conviced of the landscape until Chame - it looked like in the alps - afterwards it got better and better :)

Day 4: Chame-Ghyaru
You definitely have to take the Upper Pisang-route even though it's a bit tougher - it's a fantastic scenery and the little town Ghyaru was my second highlight on my trip!

Day 5: Ghyaru-Khangsar
I didn't feel like staying in Manang, even though almost everybody stays there for one or two days to acclimatize...Khangsar is off the tourist track and it was a very pleasant place to stay. Be careful to take the right track here - some maps show old paths which are inaccessible now and I heard about several people who had to turn around because they didn't find it (I even heard about one guy who stayed the night in the forest because of that...but that also might be just stupidity...).

Day 6: Khangsar-Thilicho Base Camp
Even though I tried to reach the Thilicho-lake in one day from Khangsar, I had to give it up at the Base camp because the short-cut through the landslide area was tricky and took more time than I expected - but it was at the same time among the most beautiful areas I've seen until then!

Day 7: Thilicho Base Camp-Thilicho lake-Khangsar
Even though the Base Camp is already on 4200m, the last 800m to the lake were hard...but definitely worth it! As I described in the beginning, an absolutely jaw-dropping view! 'Walk high-sleep low', the credo they taught me here to avoid high altitude sickness, was definitely the case on this day. Kangshar is on 3700m.

Day 8: Khangsar-Thorung Pedi
I tried to find a direct way from Khangsar to Yak Kharka, back to the Annapurna Circuit, but even though on my map, this trail was really hard to find. After walking for a long time on cow fields heading up the hill, I finally found a track and made my way forth. Because I was already acclimatized from the Thilicho-lake I decided to head directly to Thorung Pedi, the starting point for the Thorung-La, on 4400m.

Day 9: Thorung Pedi-Thorung La-Muktinath
After an awful night in Thorung Pedi (quite hard to sleep on these heights), I started at 5am with my head-lamp towards the pass. It was an fascinating view: Stars in the sky, headlamps in front and in the back up the mountain.
After a while I had some bad stomach-problems and I had to slow down - I still don't know if it was the coldness or the porridge I had before 5 in the morning...Towards the pass, I felt better and better, but was a bit disappointed because of the view. The 1200m down to Muktinath was loooong, but with some nice views on the valley. Muktinath was definitely also among my favorites along the route. The view from the huge temple-area was amazing!

Day 10: Muktinath-Tukuche
Actually I just wanted to reach Jomson on this day, but I somehow missed New Jomson and ended up walking through the empty streets of Old Jomson and then decided not to walk back but to head to Tukuche (or Tukche) - there I found by far the best place I stayed on the whole trek. The Highwaysinn was both great to stay (hot shower, great bathroom, normal toilets,..) but also had some fantastic food!

Day 11: Tukuche-Tatopani
Even though you could take a jeep from Muktinath all the way to Tatopani (probably even further to Beni), I found it very pleasant to walk! If you really have to take a jeep because you're too lazy to walk, walk at least the way from Muktinath to Jomson - there were some great views into the valley on the way!

Day 12: Tatopani-Poon Hill-Banthanti
Already back to 1000m and again up to 3200m up the Poon Hill was tough, but the views from there were really amazing. Even though it's said to be the most crowded hill in the world, I was alone up there and enjoyed the quietness and the beauty of the mountains. I then walked a piece back in direction of Naya Pul, but next time, I'd rather stay in Ghorepani because there are some really nice hotels there.

Day 13: Banthanti-Naya Pul, Naya Pul-Pokhara with the bus
My final day was very short and I already arrived in the morning in Pokhara. It's very easy to catch a bus in Naya Pul - just stand at the main road.

PS: If you need a guide, we met a very nice one on the Royal Trek and I met him again in Ghorepani. He'll definitely be more than happy to accompany you on the Annapurna or any other trek in Nepal: Tej Gurung, gurungtej2003@yahoo.com.