Overview
Remote Nar Phu & the Mesokanto Pass
This trek is built to connect two of the most extraordinary corners of the Annapurna region the hidden, restricted villages of Nar and Phu, often called the ‘Lost Worlds of Manaslu & Nar Phu,’ and the shimmering, otherworldly waters of Tilicho Lake, the highest lake of its size on Earth.
The journey from Nar–Phu across Kang La to Tilicho Lake, and onward over Mesokanto Pass, is one of the most remote and dramatic high-altitude crossings anywhere in the Annapurna region. It begins in the secluded villages of Nar and Phu, still largely untouched by modern trekking traffic, where the trail climbs steadily through rugged canyons, past ancient chortens and crumbling fortress walls, into windswept alpine valleys far from any road. The route then ascends to Kang La at 5,322 meters, a high committing pass that rewards the climb with a sweeping panorama of Annapurna II, Gangapurna, and Tilicho Peak.
From Kang La, the trail descends to Ngawal and rejoins the main Annapurna trail before turning toward Tilicho Base Camp, where steep, exposed traverses lead at last to the shimmering turquoise waters of Tilicho Lake. From the lake’s barren, wind-scoured shores, the route climbs toward Mesokanto Pass, typically crossed somewhere between 5,100 and 5,300 meters depending on conditions steep and frequently snow-covered, with loose scree and icy sections that demand sure footing and good acclimatisation.
Crossing Mesokanto La opens onto the vast, arid Kali Gandaki corridor, with a long descent toward Jomsom through stark, glaciated valleys quite unlike anything seen earlier in the trek, a route built for trekkers seeking genuine solitude, serious high-mountain scenery, and a Himalayan adventure that goes far beyond the standard Annapurna Circuit.
