The Upper Mustang trekking takes the trekkers into the hidden world of the old Buddhist kingdom of Mustang. This is an exotic venture to unspoiled Tibetan Villages on the other side of the Nepalese Himalaya bordering Tibet. Situated to the northwest of the Annapurnas on the Tibetan Plateau, Upper Mustang is an ancient town which has remained untouched by the outer world since the 14th century. The region remained restricted to the tourist until 1991, an still requires a special permit for the visit. The whitewashed settlements, surrounded by fields of barley, filled with several impressive small monasteries and colorful prayer flags, reflect the abiding Buddhist culture of the village.
The trek into the upper Mustang is an exotic adventure. The Upper Mustang Trek trail traverses traditional Tibetan villages with rare ancient Buddhist arts, the exotic culture and the exclusive beauty of the Himalayan desert. The trail follows the ancient salt trading route to the capital of Upper Mustang, Lo Mangtang. Lo Mangtang is an ancient town surrounded by a huge town wall. The town and the people hold the culture and architecture that have not changed much since the 14th centuries. The centuries old monasteries in the Lo Manthan helps to explore the spirituality of the Tibetan Buddhist.
Fierce winds and a barren landscape await those who attempt to reach Mustang but the rewards are immense, with the beautiful mountain view and encounter with the untouched 14th century Tibetan culture.
The Trek Cost Includes:
The Trek Cost Excludes:
Day 01: Arrival Kathmandu
Welcome to the vibrant city of Kathmandu. Upon your arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport, we will be greeted by the Officers from Himalayan Eco Treks and Tour who will help us with the transfer to the Hotel. The hotel check In will followed by a short trek briefing regarding any outstanding trekking formalities. After the short orientation, we are free to repose in the comfort of the hotel or stroll around to explore the colorful surroundings. In the evening, we will be picked up to enjoy wonderful welcome dinner along with a cultural program in an authentic Nepali restaurant. Overnight in Kathmandu.
Day 02: Half day sightseeing in Boudhanath/Pashupatinath Kapan Monastery
Today we enjoy a guided tour of the ancient cities of Kathmandu Valley. We visit the various places listed in UNESCO world heritage sites in Kathmandu valley. Kathmandu valley flaunts numerous shrines, palaces and temples which have spiritual, cultural and architectural value. The intricately carved arts and designs of these architectures built medieval era reflects the unique Hindu and Buddhist influences. The Boudhanath, Pasupatinath and Kapan Monastery are a few of the holiest sites in the Kathmandu Valley. We can explore this cultural city in our own pace. After the tour, we will meet our guide who will brief us regarding the trek and help us with our final preparation for the trek.
Day 03: Kathmandu to Pokhara Flight
After our breakfast, we will be picked up from our hotel to the Domestic airport to take a 30 minute scenic flight to Pokhara. We will be transferred to a comfortable hotel in Pokhara from the airport. Pokhara is a beautiful valley located 200 km west of the Kathmandu Valley. Pokhara is a peaceful lakeside city harboring a unique setting of tropical climate and vegetation with stunning lakes and the melodramatic Himalayan view in the background. We have plenty of places to visit in Pokhara. We have a guided tour around the Pokhara to visit Davis falls, Mountain Museum and Phewa Monastery. Overnight in Pokhara.
Day 04: Pokhara to Jomsom / Start trekking to Kagbeni (2760m)
We take a spectacular flight to Jomsom from Pokhara. The flight to Pokhara exhibits the beauty of the Kali Gandaki Gorge, magnificent mountains and lush and barren hills. We can enjoy the magnificent views of the Dhaulagiri and the Annapurna Massifs. After the 25 minute flight, we will land on Jomsom, the administrative headquarter of the Mustang district.
We will commence our trek from Jomsom by crossing the wooden bridge to the east bank of the Kali Gandaki river. We follow the graveled trail along the bank of the river to Eklaibatti. We continue along the east bank of the river to pass through the villages of Phalyak, Dakarjong and Panga to reach Kagbeni. The village of Kagbeni is situated on the bank of the confluence of the Kali Gandaki river and the Jhong Khola river. The bright red Gompa on the hill overlooks the small mud houses of the village. Kagbeni is an exciting Village to explore the unique Himalayan lifestyle and culture.
Day 05: Kagbeni to Tsailli (3030m)
We start our walk along the loose trail that contours on the east bank of the river. As we continue to walk we reach Tiri where the route from Charkabhot from Dolpo joins the village. As we move further, we pass through the point where Gyalungo river mixes into Kali Gandaki River to reach the village of Tanbe. We stop for lunch at the village of Tangbe with narrow alleys amongst white washed houses, fields of barley, buckwheat and apple orchards. In the village of Tangbe, we come across the red Chortens which characterize Upper Mustang. We continue on our trail dominated by beautiful Nilgiri peaks on the southern skyline to reach the confluence of Narshing Khola and the Kali Gandaki. We walk into the Chusang Village with prehistoric caves. Further, we cross the Kali Gandaki river as we climb out of the valley to lead to the village of Tsailli.
Day 06: Tsaili-Ghilling (3570 m)
We start early morning to reach the Chotare Lapcha Pass where we can enjoy an admirable view of the Damodar Himal, Thorongtse, the Nilgiris and Tilicho. We walk pass the Samar village situated in a grove of poplar trees. We climb above Samar to a ridge and start the descend into a large gorge past Chortens. We continue our descent until we cross a stream from where we will start our climb to the Samar La pass. Further from the pass, we pass through the village of Yamda to climb across another pass called the Dawa Lapcha Pass. The pass is filled with large cairn and prayer flags. We descend to Sangmoche from where we will ascend to cross another pass called the Lhakpa La. We can see the village of Ghilling from the pass. Ghilling is a beautiful village with a green oasis of the barley field surrounded by the barren landscape.
Day 07: Ghilling-Charang (3560 m)
We take a gentle ascent crossing the beautiful barley fields and eventually cross the steep Nyi La pass of the southern boundary of the kingdom of Lo. Our descent from the pass brings us into the town of Charang, which has a large monastery sitting on the edge of the Kali Gandaki Gorge.
Day 08: Charang-Lo Manthang (3700 m)
The day starts with a steep ascent towards northeast through the trail of loose gravel to the top of a plateau, an arid and wild high country. We continue on our trail through pastures to reach Lo Manthang Valley. The walled city of Lo Manthan is the district capital of Mustang. We can spend the evening strolling in the narrow, twisting alleyways of this historic town.
Day 09: Lo Manthang
Today is the rest day at Lo Manthan. We spend the day exploring this mystic land of Lo Manthan and its vicinity. The walls of Lo Manthan are more than 600 years old and are believed to ward off the evil spirits. We will visit three major monasteries, Champa Lhakang, Chodi and Namgyal Gompa and a four-storey palace of an old king of Mustang. Champa Lhakang, contains a massive 45 foot clay statue of Maitreya as well as elaborated mandalas painted on the walls. Chodi is a monastery of the Lo Manthang which contains numerous small statues and thankas. We will visit the palace of the former king of Mustang, which is an imposing four storied building in the middle of the village. We will visit the summer palace of the former king, which is known as Tenkar. On the way to the Tenkar, we will pass through the third monastery known as Namgyal Gompa. We will walk to Namgyal Gompa, the largest monastery in Mustang, perched on atop a hill of the villages north from Lo Manthan.
Day 10: Manthang-Ghami (3460 metres) via Gekar
We walk over pasture land and cross the Charang Khola to the isolated village of Gekar and Ghar Gompa. We walk over hills and green valleys to the village of Ghami. The village with a cluster of buildings surrounded by fields.
Day 11: Ghami-Samar (3300 Metres)
We start from the village of Ghami to climb the Nyi la Pass and eventually come down Samar. Samar is a picturesque village in the middle of poplar trees. This is a popular resting point for mules and horses carrying supplies to the remote villages of the region.
Day 12: Samar-Kagbeni
We will walk out of the restricted area of Upper Mustang to Kagbeni. Overnight in Kagbeni.
Day 13 : Kagbeni to Jomsom
Today is the last day of trekking in the region. We have a short easy walk back to Jomsom from Kagbeni.
Day 14: Jomsom – Pokhara – Kathmandu
After a hearty breakfast, we go to the Airport at Jumla for an early flight to Pokhara. The 25 minute flight to Pokhara exhibits the beauty of the Kali Gandaki Gorge, Magnificent mountains and lush hills.. Flights from Jomsom to Pokhara is sometimes delayed due to bad weather conditions. Himalayan Eco Treks’ staffs will do the best to avoid any inconvenience caused by any delay. From Pokhara, we take the 25 minute flight back to the vibrant city of Kathmandu. We get transferred to our comfortable hotels in Kathmandu. This is an ideal day to rest our exhausted body with a spa or massage. We can also wander around exploring the vibrant Kathmandu city. Overnight Hotel in Kathmandu
Day 15: Leisure in Kathmandu
Leisure in Kathmandu is an ideal time to visit any miss out destinations in Kathmandu Valley. Kathmandu Valley has numerous temples, shrines and palaces that hold historical, architectural and cultural value. This is a good opportunity to go shopping for souvenirs in this colorful city. Himalayan Eco treks ad Tour Nepal offers extra drive and drop facilities round the Kathmandu valley.
Day 16: Departure Kathmandu
Finally, it is time to bid farewell to this beautiful land. Our tour Officer will meet us in the hotel and help us in our transfer to the International Airport. We play the pleasant memories of our exquisite adventure in this mystic land as we fly to our next destination. Himalayan Eco Treks and Tour Nepal is always happy to serve you for the Himalayan adventure in Nepal, Tibet, India and Bhutan.
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