Trip Overview

This historical Upper Mustang trekking unseals the once Forbidden Kingdom of Mustang, tucked away from the rest of the world, lies just north of the main Himalayan range of Nepal. Mustang, a land where the soul of the man is still considered to be as real as the feet he walks on: a land said to be “barren as a dead deer” but where beauty and happiness abound in spite of hardship, was a part of the Tibetan Kingdom of Gungthang until the 1830s. The walled city of Lo Monthang, the unofficial capital of Mustang still remains a kingdom within a kingdom. This 15 days Upper Mustang trekking delivers you the early history to Lo-Monthang that is embellished in myths and legends rather than the recorded fact. Mustang has maintained its status as a separate principality until 1951. Short Upper Mustang Trek takes you to a forbidden kingdom which is a source to the world's deepest gorge, Kali Gandaki is simply phenomenal.

Trekking into the region of Upper Mustang was officially opened in 1992 to the limited number of trekkers each year in order to protect and conserve the local Tibetan tradition and the fragile environment. A trek into this fabled forbidden kingdom of vast, arid valleys, eroded canyons, ochre valley, yak caravans, colorful-painted mud-brick houses on the back dropped of majestic mountain of Nilgiri, Tukche, Annapurna and Dhaulagiri make your medieval walled kingdom Mustang trekking a very special one. 

Himalayan Dynasty organizes regularly trip to Himalayan Kingdom of Mustang targeting the TIJI festival a three days long ritual known as” The chasing of the Demons”, one of the most important festivals of the region. During the Tiji Festival, time monks dressed in elaborate costumes and masks perform dances and rituals that are supposed to drive away evil spirits. Dressed in their finery, people from all over Mustang gather in Lo-Manthang to celebrate the Tiji festival. 

Michel Peissel was the first westerner to witness the Tiji festival in 1964 during a visit to Mustang. In his book ‘Mustang – A lost Tibetan Kingdom’, he has described the Tiji festival “We found ourselves in the midst of a festival in which over a thousand men, women and children were taking part. Before us spread a sea of weather-beaten brown faces that contrasted with those of the beaming, dirty little children who clung like grapes upon the rooftops of the houses”.  “The scenes I witnessed were so extraordinary and so unexpected that I dared not believe my eyes and even today I have some trouble in believing in the reality of what I saw that day

Highlights

  • Arriving in Kathmandu, the capital city, and the city of Living Heritage.
  • Welcome dinner at Typical Nepali Restaurant with Royal Nepali cuisine. 
  • Drive to Pokhara in a Tourist Bus through the unfamiliar slender highway is special with its picturesque view, beautiful landscape, gorges, and farming terraces along with a glimpse of snow-clad mountains at the backdrop.
  • Pokhara (820 m), the second biggest city also very popularly known as the second home of the tourists is the land of extravagant beauty that triggers excitement despite its 6 hours drive.
  • The beautiful Phewa Lake and the magnificence of the Himalayas mounting at the backdrop create an atmosphere of peace and delight.
  • Flying in a small plane to Jomsom airport 2720 m is simply phenomenal. Walking on the ancient trail along the Kali Gandaki gorge that dates back to 80 million years old with the stunning barren, untouched landscape, and getting to an antique settlement of Kagbeni is more than anything else.
  • With the dramatic backdrop of snow-white Nilgiri you enter the land of ammonites. With the dramatic setting of the landscape and through the wind-eroded hills you witness thousands of natural caves now used for a varied purpose.
  • The colorful landscapes, very primeval house architecture, and smiling people are simply unique. Tsarang, the land of Chortens is remarkable. The 14th-century walled city of Lo Manthang holds loads of history and legends. The 2000-year-old cave of Chhosar gives you the history of prehistoric human settlements.
  • Ghar Gompa, the first-ever monastery build by Padmasambhava around the 7th century is mesmerizing, and a visit to this monastery is once a lifetime opportunity.

Itinerary

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Flying into Nepal on a clear day sky is in itself a memorable experience with the entire Nepalese Himalaya revealing before you out in the skyline. Soon you arrive at the Kathmandu airport your group leader will be there to receive you and transfer you to the hotel. Take a deep breath and be ready to confront the confusion of Kathmandu city liveliness. Despite, the capital city of Nepal certainly being the busiest with hectic traffic it undoubtedly has a strong appeal with local splendor and vigorous activities around. Once you arrive in the hotel and settled, detailed trek briefing and distribution of trekking equipment will be organized by your Trek Leader. The evening will be highlighted by a traditional Royal Nepali cuisine in a Typical Nepali Restaurant as a perfect end of your very arrival, meet up with your trekking group and break the silence.

  • Accommodation 3 Star Hotel
  • Meals Welcome Dinner

The wakeup call is set up early today since all Tourist Bus leaves in the early hour morning around 7:30 am. Leaving the capital city through the slender highway we drive to Pokhara. As we leave the capital city, our bus follows the winding road over the valley rim and descends onto the valley where the Trisuli River follows The journey is slow and steady as the road winds through villages passing terraces fields and we soon catch glimpses of the high eye-catching mountain ranges of Ganesh, Manasula, and Annapurna. Normally, we arrive Pokhara by mid-afternoon so you have time to explore this pretty lake city. You can even hire a boat to visit the Temple-Island dedicated to Goddess Barahi in the middle of the lake and get some great photos with an awesome background.

  • Accommodation 3 Star Hotel
  • Meals Breakfast
  • Time 7 Hours

We wake early to catch a flight to Jomsom, the district headquarters of Mustang. This 20 minutes’ flight in a small Twin-Otter plane that cruises through the world's deepest Kali Gandaki gorge with the glorious view of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri is exceptional. We get to the windy valley of Jomsom, the district headquarters of Mustang. The sound of jingling horse and pony bells as the Mustang people pass by with their loads becomes an omnipresent aspect of the trek from now on. After sorting out gear, we trek up the windy Kali Gandaki valley to Kagbeni. The wide trail along a sandy, ammonites (pre-historic rock) filled riverbed provides views of the surrounding peaks of Dhaulagiri, Tukuche, and Nilgiri, and to the south the entire Annapurna Massif.

Kagbeni, spectacularly situated atop a cliff overlooking the confluence of the Kali Gandaki and the Jhong Khola rivers, is the last village in Lower Mustang and guards the entrance into Upper Mustang, visible across the Kali Gandaki riverbed. It is an oasis of patchwork fields in the midst of rocky, arid mountains. This ancient and partially ruined citadel town provides us with a taste of scenes to come in upper Mustang, with its narrow alleyways and tunnels, irrigation canals, green fields of wheat and barley, and its imposing and newly-restored brick-colored Gompa. At the police check post at the north end of the village, we will complete our paperwork before entering Upper Mustang, the long-forbidden region of Nepal

  • Accommodation Tea-House
  • Meals Breakfast
  • Time 20 min / 4 Hours

Trek right up the river valley, but the best solution is to use a combination of the high trail and the seasonal riverbank pathways. The trail then widens significantly revealing an endless stretch of sand, however, the path is kept interesting by the passing of several mule trains bearing goods from Mustang and probably Tibet as well. On the west bank of the river, you can see Gompa Kang and some caves. Unlike most monasteries in Upper Mustang, Gompa Kang is of the Nyingmapa sect.

We stop for lunch at the village of Tangbe, which is situated alongside the east bank trail above the river, at an elevation of 9,600ft. Here are the first black, white, and red Chortens that typify Upper Mustang. The little town is a labyrinth of narrow alleys among whitewashed houses, fields of buckwheat barley, wheat, and apple orchards. Nilgiri Peak continues to dominate the southern skyline. Chussang village is only about 1 – 2hrs walk beyond Tangbe at the confluence of the Narshang Khola and the Kali Gandaki. There are three separate parts to this village and some broken castle walls on the surrounding cliffs. Across the river from Chussang are some spectacular red organ-pipe eroded cliffs above the mouth of some inaccessible caves. The five villages of this area, Chele, Gyakar, Chussang, Tangbe, and Tetang are a culturally unified group of people, closely related to the Manangis, rather than the true Lobas.

Continuing north either wading the river or climbing on the trail we reach a huge red chunk of mound that has fallen from the cliffs above forming a tunnel through which the river flows. We cross a steel bridge that sits in front of the tunnel and north of here the Kali Gandaki becomes impassable on foot, although locals sometimes travel this route on horseback, through a steep, narrow canyon. There are many caves here high on the fluted red cliffs above. The trek now leaves the valley and climbs steeply up a rocky gully to the village of Chele. Walk to Chele is 45 minutes. 

  • Accommodation Tea-house
  • Meals Not Included
  • Time 6 - 7 Hours

There is a distinct change here, not only in topography, but there is a world of difference also in the culture, lifestyle, and people. Settlements are more scattered, smaller, and more basic. The people of Lo or Mustang do practice agriculture, but because of the lack of rain and fertile soil, cultivation is in sheltered plots of land making the landscape a pattern of brown, with scattered patterns of shaded greens. Most of the houses now have sheep horns above their doorways and ghost traps. Watch out also for the ferocious Tibetan mastiffs that many of the Tibetan-like people keep. 

Climbing from Chele up a steep spur we come to a cairn at 10,270ft. Here there is a view of the village of Gyagar across the huge canyon. The climb continues along the side of a spectacular steep canyon to a pass at 11,500ft. From here it traverses on a pleasant trail to Samar situated in a grove of poplar trees. This is a major stopping place for horse and mule caravans. Camp overnight. We climb above Samar to a ridge and then descend into a large gorge past a Chorten painted in red, black, yellow, and white and then the trail goes into another valley filled with juniper trees. We then cross the stream and climb to a ridge at 12,500ft. We cross another pass, follow a ridge, and descend to Shyang-Mochen or Syangboche a tiny settlement with 3 tea houses.

  • Accommodation Tea-House
  • Meals Not Included
  • Time 6 - 7 Hours

The trail climbs gently from Shyang Mochen to a pass at 12,370ft and enters another huge east-west valley. There is a trail junction here. The left trail is the direct route to the Nyi La by-passing Ghilling. You have an optional choice of taking right and descend to Ghilling with its extensive fields of barley at 11,810ft. As in all the settlements of Mustang, most houses are constructed out of mud and stones with roofs cast out of twigs, straw, and a mixture of mud and pebbles, usually painted in bright white or ochre colors. Camp overnight.

Soon the trail climbs gently through fields, up the center of the valley, passing below the settlement of Tama Gun and an imposing Chorten. It rejoins the direct trail and then becomes an unrelenting climb across the head of the valley to the Nyi La Pass (12,960ft). This pass is the southern boundary of Lo or Mustang itself. The descent from the Nyi La is nice and gentle. About half an hour from the pass is a trail junction; the right trail is the direct route to Tsarang, the left trail leads to Ghami. Ghami is the small village sheltered by overhanging cliffs and next to a clear stream. During the day you will pass many Chortens along the way. Always keep to the left, as it is bad ‘Karma’ to go the wrong way round.

  • Accommodation Tea-House
  • Meals Not Included
  • Time 6 - 7 Hours

From Ghami we descend to the suspension bridge and get to one of the ancient and longest Mani (prayer) walls. All these Chortens, Stupas, and Mani walls give you ample account on Guru Padmasambhava, popularly known as Guru Rimpoche, the founder of Tibetan Buddhism. There are indeed abundant legends and your Group Leader will surely relate you in one of your evening storytelling times. However, the magnificent views of the countryside, the gentle contours of the north, in contrast to the rugged mountains in the east and west, are a source of inspiration. 4 hours walking brings us to Tsarang, a large spread-out village inhabited totally by Lobas. Tsarang, 'The Land of Chortens" is a maze of trees, willow fields, and houses separated by stone walls, at the top of the large Charang Chu canyon. The huge five-story monastery fortress is perched on the edge of the Gali Khandaki gorge, on the east end of the village. The Gompa houses an excellent collection of statues and Thankas. 

  • Accommodation Tea-House
  • Meals Not Included
  • Time 4 - 5 Hours

We trek past Marang, cross the Marang La at 4353m, and walk through Samduling, with its gompa. After a short descent and an easy stream crossing, we climb back up to the plateau of Lo Monthang, aptly named the ‘Plain of Aspiration.” 5 hours of gentle walk into the barren and arid land but with an amazing landscape setting finally, we get our first view of the walled city of Lo.

The sight of the fabled walled city of Lo and the spectacular valley view of Thinkar and Chhosar from 4000m pass of Lo-La is simply incredible. You can as well see the Tibetan border and the Tibetan peaks at a distance. In the 1380s, King Ame Pal, established his reign in Lo, with the walled city of Lo Monthang as its capital. Within the walls of Lo Manthang are about 150 houses built among narrow streets, and some of the largest and finest Tibetan Buddhist gompas in Nepal. We will have a free afternoon to explore the city inside the wall and to visit the ancient monasteries on some entrance fees. 

  • Accommodation Tea-House
  • Meals Not Included
  • Time 4 - 5 Hours

Today we will hire a jeep for our side excursion to the beautiful valley of Chhosar. We will visit the ancient cave that has about 44 compartments and gives you the history of prehistoric human settlements. The next attraction is Nyphu Cave Monastery built in the high cliff wall that dates back to the 14th century. We will drive to our Lodge for lunch and once again we will have a free afternoon for self-exploration. However, if you fancy visiting the Nomads you can always contribute for a short jeep ride to the nomad area an enjoy some nomad tea and snacks. Your group leader will assist you in organizing any side-excursions in Lo-Manthang.

  • Accommodation Tea-House
  • Meals Not Included
  • Time 3 Hours

Today we will walk different west terrain which offers you the most beautiful view despite a few steep downhill trials. While walking this different terrain the views of the landscape and the mountain in the south is mesmerizing. We visit the world's oldest Tibetan monastery Ghar Gompa built around the 7th century by the incarnated monk Padmasambhava where we will have lunch. We continue a different valley with a magnificent view of red cliffs to Dhakmar. The walk to Dhakmar is thrilling with different trail high above the canyons and eroded hills. Another 1-hour beautiful walk will eventually land us to the village of Ghami. 

  • Accommodation Tea-House
  • Meals Not Included
  • Time 7 - 8 Hours

We retrace our trail back to the village of Syanboche for lunch and on the way back you have ample opportunity to look back into the missed out views. We climb the pass and had to the village of Samar and stay overnight.

  • Accommodation Tea-House
  • Meals Not Included
  • Time 6 - 7 Hours

Today once again we retrace our trail climbing down to Chele where we will stop for tea. Further, we descend down to the Chhusang with a great view of Nilgiri and a wide stretch of Kali Gandaki. Chhusang is another pretty old village with an apple orchard, there are too many Nepali and Tibetan songs sung portraying the beauty of Chhusang. We drive on a local bus to Kagbeni and finally exit the restricted area. 

  • Accommodation Tea-House
  • Meals Not Included
  • Time 3 Hours - 1 1/2 Hour

This morning we start early to avoid the tough Mustang wind that usually triggers early. We trace back the same trail back to Jomsom. Being it the last night, fun activities follows with dancing, eating, drinking, and tipping.

  • Accommodation Tea-House
  • Meals Not Included
  • Time 4 Hours

We take an early morning flight from Jomsom to Pokhara. We fly right into the deepest gorge in the world, Kali Gandaki with a striking view of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges. Overnight stay in the lake city of Pokhara. Your group leader will assist with the side excursion, if any, as per your requirements.

  • Accommodation Hotel
  • Meals Not Included
  • Time 20 min
We will take the 7 hours early morning Tourist Bus to drive back to Kathmandu. The remainder of the day is at leisure
  • Accommodation Hotel
  • Meals Breakfast
  • Time 7 Hours

It is time to fly back home keeping all the exhilarating experiences of Nepal in mind. Please make sure that you have collected all the valuable from the security department. Transportation will be provided and you will be accompanied by your Trek Leader. Feel free to rate us on the Trip Advisor.

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    Trip inclusion

    • National park entry fees, conservation fees, trekking permit, TIMS permit.
    • Mustang special permit.
    • Airport pickups and drops facility on both Domestic and International flights.
    • Three-star twin bed sharing hotel Accommodation in Kathmandu and Pokhara on Bed / Breakfast basis.
    • Welcome dinner in a typical traditional Nepali restaurant.
    • All Government and Local tax.
    • Tourist Bus from Kathmandu/Pokhara and Pokhara/Kathmandu
    • Domestic flights from Pokhara/Jomsom, Jomsom/Pokhara.
    • Fundamental trekking gears like a sleeping bag, down jacket fleece liner, etc.
    • Tea-house accommodation on the entire trek.
    • An accomplished trekking Group Leader and assistant guides.
    • Oxygen cylinders and an all-inclusive medical kit on all trips.
    • Take away Himalayan Dynasty duffel bag, T-shirt and trekking Map.
    • All ground Staff, their allowances, and insurance.
    • Fee levied on a Nepali visa.
    • All FOOD and DRINKS.
    • All entrance fees in Lo Manthang eg. monasteries or museum and Jeep/Horse used for side excursions.
    • All personal expenses including Food while in Kathmandu/Pokhara.
    • International flight fares.
    • A medical examination or emergency rescues.
    • Donations.
    • Staff Tipping.
    • Extra night accommodation in Kathmandu OR in Pokhara on early arrival or late departure.
    • Travel or medical insurance.
    • Optional tours and sightseeing or any activities during free time.
    • Other personal expenses – laundry, battery charges, shower, etc.