Upper Mustang Trek

  • 15 Days
  • Upper Mustang

Upper Mustang Trek | Lo-Manthang Trek

Flying from Kathmandu to Jomsom through the lovely lakeside town of Pokhara marks the start of the journey. Our adventure begins at Jomsom (lower Mustang), where we pass through the banks of the Kali Gandaki River on our way to Kagbeni. We travel through the picturesque town of Tsarang as we make our way to Lo Manthang in Upper Mustang. Supposedly belonging to the master builder of the site, a set of human hands still exist in this settlement, which is about 800 years old. According to folklore, the monarch amputated the builder's hands to stop him from creating different structures that may compete with it.

 

Mustang is a remote, mysterious, dry, and unsettling wilderness area surrounded by a lunar scenery of wind-eroded cliffs and hills, located north of the Annapurna Himal.

A kingdom inside a kingdom, the prosperity of Mustang was gained from its location on the trading route between the Kali Gandaki and Thak Khola to Tibet. The territory still has its King.

 

Due to an intentional goal of cultural and environmental preservation, Mustang, which was off-limits to tourists until 1992, is still a regulated territory with very few visitors. Our destination is the royal residence and fascinating walled city of Lo Manthang. The gompas and private homes surrounding the King's Palace are all included within the city's perimeter walls. One of the most incredible adventures completed in a lifetime is the untouched Mustang, which has been frozen in time. Thanks to the trek, we can visit all the virtual communities along the way.

 

TRIP FACTS

Trip Duration:

19 Days

Trip Grading:

Strenuous

Max Altitude:

4300 meters

Best Time:

Mid Feb to May and Oct to mid-Dec.

Trip Mode:

Lodge & Camping trek.

Group Size:

Min. 2 / Max.12 + Above

Program ( 15 Days )

Our representative will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel.

Kathmandu is Nepal's historical and cultural heart, and it is a popular tourist destination. The Valley offers a great blend of Hinduism, Tibetan Buddhism, and Western influence.
We fly to Pokhara for a short but picturesque 30-minute flight, taking in views of Ganesh, Manaslu, and the Annapurnas along the way.
We take a breathtaking early morning flight to Jomsom. We continue our journey to the picturesque town of Kagbeni. We cross a tiny suspension bridge outside Jomsom and then stroll down the Kali Gandaki riverside. The route is flat and desolate, with rugged boulders and sand. We will get spectacular views of massive peaks like as Dhaulagiri, Tukuche, and Nilgiri, as well as the entire Annapurna range to the south. Kagbeni's small passageways and tunnels, as well as irrigation canals. The police checkpoint is located at the northern end of the settlement. Before accessing this long-forbidden area of Nepal, we will finish our papers here.
It is feasible to go all the way up the river valley, but we prefer to utilize a combination of the high route and riverbank trails. The route then substantially expands, showing an unending amount of sand. Some caves and Gompa Kang may be found on the river's west bank. We pause for lunch at Tangbe village. The little village is a maze of tiny streets lined with white-washed cottages, buckwheat and barley fields, and apple orchards. Nilgiri Peak still dominates the southern skyline. Chhuksang hamlet, near the confluence of the Narshing Khola and the Kali Gandaki, is just about 2 hours trek beyond Tangbe. This settlement is divided into three sections, and there are some destroyed castle walls on the neighboring cliffs.
We approach the river by continuing north. A steel bridge spans the river directly in front of a tunnel, and the Kali Gandaki becomes inaccessible by foot north of here. The path leaves the valley and ascends a stony slope to the town of Chele. You ascend a steep spur from Chele before continuing up the edge of a beautiful steep canyon to a pass. We descend from the pass on a delightful route to Samar, which is nestled in a grove of poplar trees.
We rise to a mountain above Samar, then drop into a huge gorge past a Chorten before entering another valley densely forested with juniper trees. After crossing a creek and ascending to a pass, we drop along a ridge to Shyangmochen, a little village with a few tea shops. Rangbyung, cave boasting stalagmites shaped like Chortens and one of Mustang's holiest sites, is nearby. The route ascends gradually from Shyangmochen and then descends to Geling across another vast valley.
The route from Geling climbs gradually through farms to the valley center, passing over the Tama Gun village and an imposing Chorten. We next begin a strenuous ascent across the valley's head to the Nyi La. (3840 m). The descent from the pass is very moderate, and about half an hour later, we reach a path to Charang.
We'll begin walking through the driest region of Mustang, and much of our energy will expend battling the loose, dry terrain. The region's spectacular views, from the soft curves of the north to the rocky mountains of the east and west, more than makeup for the difficult ascent. Finally, we arrive in Charang, a sprawling settlement at the apex of the Charang Chu canyon. A massive dzong [fortress] and a red gompa with a magnificent collection of sculptures and thangkas can be seen at the village's eastern end.
Before departing for Lo Manthang, we will spend part of the morning touring the picturesque village of Charang and its enormous monastery. We softly ascend above the valley to a big lonely Chorten that serves as the boundary between Charang and Lo Manthang. The path then widens, and we get our first glimpse of the walled city of Lo Manthang.
This day is free for touring Lo Manthang's magnificent city. Within the city, there are four significant temples, one of which, Champa Lhakang, features a large clay figure of Buddha as well as beautiful mandalas painted on the walls. The palace is a grand structure in the heart of the city.
We start our journey back from Lo Manthang via the upper highland path. This highland path provides spectacular views of Lo Manthang and the Charang Valley and snow-capped hills in the backdrop. We arrive at the Ghare Gompa, Mustang's oldest monastery, just past the town of Lo Gekar.
We continue on the highland trail, passing through alpine meadows before descending a steep eroded gully to Dhakmar for lunch. We go across the lovely valley, climb a hill, and then return to Ghami.
We should now retrace our steps back to Chhuksang through the Nyi La.
It's a long and painful final day, returning through Kagbeni to Jomsom, where our journey concludes.
We take an early morning flight to Pokhara, then connect to a flight back to Kathmandu.
Our representative will take you to the airport for your flight home.

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