Duration: 18 days
Cost: USD 2150
Trip Type: Tea House/Camping
Grade: Strenuous
Altitude: 4,170 m
Best Month: March to December
Activities: Sightseeing/Trekking
Destination: Nepal
Mustang is an ancient himalayan kingdom with a long, rich and complex history which makes it one of the most interesting and picturesque places in Nepal. The name Mustang refers to the arid land or Tibet like region known as Lo to its inhabitants. Upper Mustang lies to the North of Kagbeni, the northern end of Kali Gandaki river. Lo Manthang the heart of Mustang is the only walled city offering some of the largest Buddhist Gompas in Nepal. Mustang is secluded from the modern civilization and thus provides the unique and distinctive culture and tradition. Upper Mustang Trekking is for those who want to witness cultural and traditional ways of Tibetan life. The treeless barren landscape of Mustang is spectacular consisting of eroded sandstones and colorful mosaic of earthen red, yellow and brown.
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Day 01: Arrival to kathmandu
Representatives from our office will welcome you at the Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu and take you to your hotel. If you have time, you can visit our office, if not, you can take a rest.
Day 02: Sightseeing around Kathmandu Valley
After your breakfast is done, we will visit you at your hotel and brief you about the trekking. Then along with our tour guide, you will go for a sightseeing around the Kathmandu valley. You will visit various landmarks around the valley which are of historical and cultural importance - Pashupatinath, Swoyambhunath, Bouddhanath and Patan Durbar Square. Return early in the afternoon so that you will have enough time to prepare for the trekking.
Day 03: Pokhara
Driving Time: 6 Hours
Get ready early in the morning and finish your breakfast. Your trekking guide will visit you at your hotel lobby around 6:30 in the morning ad take you to the tourist Bus Park from where you will find a bus to Pokhara. You can also travel via private car or van, which is excluded on our package cost. After reaching the famous city Pokhara, you can enjoy walking around the Lake side or go for boating at the Fewa Lake.
Day 04: Jomsom(2720m) then Kagbeni (2810m)
Flight Time: 15 minutes from Pokhara to Jomsom
Walking time: 3.5 hrs from Jomsom to Kagbeni
After breakfast fly to Jomsom from Pokhara. It is a short flight of 15 minutes to Jomsom also known as Himalayan yard. Your trek starts today from here. The trail is pretty flat with full of small rocks and sands along the bank of Kali Gandaki river. Since you are in a windy valley, you need to flow along with the wind in slow pace viewing the appealing mountains views of Dhaulagiri and Tukuche to the west and Nilgiri and Annapurna ranges to the South until you reach Kagbeni. Kagbeni is gateway to upper Mustang, explore around local village and buddhist monasteries here. Overnight at Kagbeni.
Day 05: Chele (3050m)
Walking time: 6 hrs
Today we need to have our special permit checked at ACAP to enter the restricted zone of Mustang. After getting permission, follow the river bed of Kali Gandaki till 3 hours to reach the village of Tangbe. You will see farming lands, greenaries, apple orchards around this village. Continue the same flat trail forward for 1 hour till Chhusang and have a short lunch break. Walk for another hour and half and cross the suspension bridge and ascend the small ridge leading to Chele village.You will see amazing treeless barren colorful landscapes and snow capped mountains from here. Overnight at Chele.
Day 06: Syangboche (3920m)
Walking time: 6.5 hrs
Today we begin our trip following the trail to the north west leaving behind Kali Gandaki river. The trail gradually ascends uphill till Dajori la(Chele la) pass at 3735m. The trail slightly descends to Samar village from there. Take lunch break here.Follow the descending trail till a small stream from where you have option to trek through the Chhungsi cave or trek through Yamda la. We recommend you to take the trail through Chhungsi cave. The trail climbs gently up for an hour and half and descends steeply to Sangboche river. You will see Chhungsi cave with self emanating statues of guru Ringpoche and buddhist priests at the bank of Syangboche river. From the cave climb slightly up till Syangboche. On the way you will see colorful landscape, colorful chortens painted by the color pigments made from local rocks, spectacular canyon valley, incredible view of Nilgiri himal, herds of sheeps and horses grazing on meadows and local traditional villages.
Day 07: Ghemi (3520m)
Walking time: 5.5 hrs
From Syangboche the trail climbs gently to the top of the hill called Syangboche La at 3850m then gently downhill to the Ghiling. Take lunch here and explore around the typical sherpa village for a while then continue your trek by ascending gently uphill to Nyi La pass.Now descend gradually downhill for an hour to reach Ghemi la pass. Continue the steeply downhill trail until large village of Ghemi village. Ghemi is a large village of whitewashed houses surrounded by large fields. Overnight at guesthouse here.
Day 08: Charang (3560m)
Walking time: 5 hrs/7 hrs (short/logn route)
The trail to Charang starts by descending downhill till the river stream. Cross the suspension bridge and ascend up along the side of the longest Mane wall in Nepal till a plateaued area. There are two routes to Charang from here- one is a shortcut route(5hrs) and the other is the long route(7 hrs) to the west that pass through Dhakmar, Mui la pass, Ghar gumba , Marang and then Charang. You can take one of the routes as per your level of energy. Whichever route you choose, you will sight blue sheeps and red, blue and gray hills along the way. Charang village is at the top of the large Chrang chu canyon. Charang houses huge five storey white tibetan style fortress and red gompa on the edge of Kali gandaki gorge to the east. The gompa is 400 years old and is of Gelup lineage which houses collection of thankas, buddha statues. The royal palace of charang has been turned into museum, you can visit there as well. Overnight at guesthouse.
Day 09: Lo Manthang (3810m)
Walking time: 5 hrs
Today the trail is pretty easy.consisting of flat roads mostly till the walled city of Lo manthang. Lo Manthang is a wide platue surrounded by the colorful barren landscapes. The sight of Lo Manthang is wonderful , it seemed as if the village has been sketched by colorful pigments by an artistic painter. Overnight at guesthouse here.
Day 10: Buffer day at Lo Manthang
Today we explore surroundings of Lo manthang which is our final destination. Lo Manthang is circumferenced by the white wall housing royal palace and 4 major buddhist monasteries namely: the 3 storey Jampa Lakhang, Thubchen gompa at the center of the city, Chodey gompa and Choprang gompa (New gompa). You can collect ticket to visit all those gompas and lamas there will brief you about the gompa and its history. The royal palace is an imposing four-storey building in the center of the city which is the home of ceremonial king of Lo.You can take appointment and meet the king there if you wish to. There is a lot to do in Lo Manthang. After visiting the monasteries in the city, you can hire a horse to visit some other villages around Lo. Overnight at guesthouse.
Day 11: Yara (3650m)
Walking time: 6.5 hrs
Its time to return back to Kathmandu. Today we will follow previous trail back till 30 minutes then follow new trail to the east leaving behind the trail to Charang. Climb gently up for around 2.5 hours till Udi danda(hill) and descend steeply down about 2 hours to Dhi village. Take lunch break here. After lunch cross the suspension bridge and gently ascend another 1.5 hours to Yara. From Yara you can either go to Damodar Kunda(lake) - hidus pilgrimage site or stay another day at yara to visit Luri gumba or continue to Tangge. Overnight at Yara.
Day 12: Tangge (3240m)
Walkign time: 7 hrs
Hike for an hour gradually up until you reach a huge deserted and flat land from where you can enjoy the stupendous view of Dhaulagiri and Nilgiri himal. Continue the flat trail about 2 hours then descend steeply down for half an hour to Dhe Khola(river). Cross this river and climb steeply up about 2 hours leading to top of the ridge from where you can sight the panoramic view of the hills and ridges. You need to descend steeply down for half an hour then follow the flat trail for an hour then descend again steeply downhill for half an hour to reach Tangge. You will find caves, decorated and colorful chortens aroud the village. Overnight at teahouse here.
Day 13: Tetang (340m)
Walking time: 7.5 hrs
From Tangge cross the suspension bridge and follow the flat trail for around half an hour and cross the river then ascend uphill for about 4 hours to Cacho La pass. You can view picturisque landscape and terraced view of upper Mustang valley.You can also enjoy the views of Dhaulagiri, Nilgiri, Tukuche , Tilicho and Thorong Peak. Hike down gently for an hour then gradually uphill for an hour and half then steeply down for an hour till Tetang.
Day 14: Muktinath (3700m)
Walking time: 6 hours
After breakfast follow the uphill rocky trail through the ridge around 4 hours leading to Gyu pass(4077m). From here you can view Dhaulagiri, Nilgiri, Thorong peak, deserted land of upper Mustang and villages around Muktinath. After walking for about an hour you will reach Muktinath. Muktinath is the popular and most visited pilgrimage site by hindus and buddhists. It is regarded as the most holy and pious place. The Muktinath is the temple of lord Shiva that lies on the grove of poplar trees. There is budhhist gompa adjacent to the temple. There are 108 waterspouts around the temple that discharge holy water from the cow's head shaped tap. It is believed that taking shower on those 108 waterspouts will take away all your sins.Inside the Gompa, behind a tattered curtain, are small natural gas jests called Jwala mai that produce a perpetual holy flame alongside a spring which is the source of the religious importance of Muktinath. Stay overnight here.
Day 15: Jomsom
Walking time: 5 hrs
Descend gradually down about 3 hours till bank of Kali Gandaki river and follow the flat rocky trail by the bank of the river till Jomsom. Explore around Jomsom today. Stay overnight at hotel here.
Day 16: Pokhara
If the weather is favorable fly back to Pokhara. Under bad weather conditions you can take jeep to Pokhara or wait another day for weather to be good. Sight seeing around Pokhara city. Today is the last day of your trek, you can party with your trekking team to shed off your tiredness. Overnight at hotel here.
Day 17: Kathmandu
Driving time: 6 hours
Drive back to Kathmandu on tourist bus. On the way if you wish you can stop for rafting at Trishuli river on your own cost.
Day 18: Departure from Kathmandu
Its time to bid farewell. Our staff will drop you to Tribhuvan international airport.
Mandatory Items
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