Manang: The Land of Tilicho Lake

 We travel not to escape life, but for life not to flee us' as a famous quote itself tells how important it is to explore around and what it holds to anyone's life. Being in Nepal, one has many places to explore beautiful terrains in the mountainous region. One of my last visits was to Manang, where the highest altitude lake, Tilicho, lies at the height of 4,900m approx.

Manang is indeed a beautiful odyssey of vibrant, breathtaking landscapes. A little girl who accompanied us during a jerk bolero ride from Beshisahar, Lamjung to Khangshar, Manang,  allured us with vivid descriptions of innocent tales of her village. Indeed it replicated our imaginations into more adventuresome.
The journey starts from Kathmandu to Beshishahar, Lamjung, and the next day to Pisang Valley Of Manang through Chame (Headquarter Of Manang). The trip was nothing short of an adrenaline rush. Along the journey, it treated us with slanted stone rock mountains to the snow-capped mountains on the south side of Nepal, as Manang is known as the Land beyond the mountains. Travesty of varied flora and fauna, difficult road paths, Gurung, Ghale, and Lama communities welcome various notions altogether. On the way, we could witness numerous hotels and lodges accommodating travelers who would trek from Lamjung to Manang. Given our time constraints, our trek starts in front of Khangshar, the last point where vehicles road were available. During our stay at Pisang, we witnessed a bow and arrow competition known as "Mitha" In Manang communities. It was interesting to understand how they still preserved tradition-old culture in the modern age. Our driver was good enough to let us know more about the village stopping us mid-way to let us mesmerize the beauty of Manang. "Roads are narrow-lane amidst the fear of landslides," quipped the locals to tell us that trail wasn't easy. We moved forward with nothing sort of adventurousness. Stones falling from the top of the mountains were the constant warning we received with each passing trekker coming back from Tilicho. 

We finally reached Tilicho base camp. It was a risk-filled majestic entourage. Nearly got hit by a few small stones falling from the grace of stone-rock mountains. It took around 1 hour to complete that trail, but few of my companions took it more. Walking 8 hours that day, we reached our destination. There were three lodges, and almost all rooms were filled with trekkers, some returning from Tilicho and others pursuing it the next day. "I remember my family due to unfavorable weather, altitude sickness, and difficult uphill terrain. I never fear my life like this ever before," a girl who just had returned from Tilicho lake looked accomplished said with a trembling voice. We look at each other's faces expecting the trail as a journey of our lives. She looked accomplished and promised herself that she would never take such risks after what she had gone through. 'We would dare to complete this with strong determination and Zest,' I suggested. To our misfortune, God has other plans probably, and snowfall glares us everywhere. Eventually, the environment inside the dining hall becomes suspicious of them if they would ascend to Tilicho lake. Despite such nerve-cracking murmurs, We looked helpless, but eventhen we convinced ourselves we weren't going to give up. 

The following day we woke up early in the morning to scale, probably the most extraordinary adventure we could ever imagine in our life. Over time, One of my friends, who hail from the Terai region and has never been in the mountains before, was a bit sick due to extreme cold. It was dark, and snowfall wasn't stopping. The trail probably could have been covered with snow. I tried to console him with a sort of motivation and convince him that we would be able to succeed. Regretfully, a few of the groups decided to halt their journey and bid us goodbyes and good luck for us. On a contrasting note, We felt the risk of walking at the first hour due to confusing paths ridden by snowfalls. Waiting for two more hours with a few foreigners with access to GPS networks departed, we followed them. We made ourselves balmy with the required clothes as it was cold outside. Some of my friends took altitude sickness medicines as a precaution and garlic with enough water and food. Following the dreadful weather and rigorous paths, We walked rugged mountains with a piece of garlic in our mouths. Breathing deep, and a strong mentality that we would make it through while grasping waters frequently, seemingly taking slow steps amid increasing altitude and snake fold trails to make easy climbing upwards.

Suddenly, I started recollecting those moments we usually had at home, relaxed in a bed swarming with a warm blanket. "How I missed those sleep," I wondered in the stark reality of where I was. And then fellow trekkers pass you by, basking in the memories of what he had just witnessed in Tilicho. Hustling along those steep hills, we were melted by what we had just seen. A way full of snow-hurling winds sat upon the lapse of white mountains. Suddenly, it reminds me of the paths taken by Jon Snow and his team beyond the walls to search for Wildlings in the popular TV Series "Game of Thrones." Thus, they reached there with 45 minutes of straight paths rolling over the snow. As was expected earlier, we would miss seeing a deep blue lake, and Instead was a white-clad frozen lake. Ferocious Cool winds, you can feel itching your skin in front of the majestic lake at the height of 4900m approx was a wonder to eyes. I glare at those scenes with sheer passion and get numerous photos. As the weather was starting to get more unfavorable, I pushed myself over to finish the return trail as early as possible due to snowfall which could have erased the footsteps everyone had followed up to the time.

 Hurriedly returning, we managed to get on time without any confusion. Upon returning to Base camp, We were greeted with hugs and smiles, followed by hot soups and tea. Every pain, struggle, and shortcoming will be the best to recall afterward, leaving us nostalgia within. Overall, Moderate sort of trek. I would rather say but got worse with a hit by unfavorable weather conditions. My adventure-filled Manang trip will leave beautiful memories and moments that will be with me forever. Happy Travel!!