Source of image: Google
Duration
16 Days
Difficulty Level
Moderate Plus
Best Time
March - Nov
Max. Altitude
3,850 M
Mustang Trek: Exploration of the Walled Kingdom
Mustang Trek explores the concealed valleys of the restricted region of Mustang. Upper
Mustang unfolds the mystery of the walled kingdom of Lomanthang. This region
showcases the deserted canyons and grassland amid the snow-capped peaks. The upper
Mustang region is nestled between Tibet and the Himalayas. Arguably, a place different
from the rest of the world once forbidden by the Buddhist Kingdom in Nepal. This
Lomanthang was a part of the Tibetan kingdom of Gungthang until the 1830s.
The early history of Lomanthang is embellished with myths and legends rather than
recorded facts. It is believed that Guru Rinpoche fought and killed the demons. He
scattered the demon’s body parts across the Mustang Valley. Consequently, its blood
formed the towering red cliffs. Demons’ intestines tumbled near Ghami. It is where people
later built the stone prayer wall, the longest in Nepal.
Lomangthang on the Verge of Change
There are around 275 houses in Lo Mangthang, having four castes. The royal castle, the
everyday folk, the blacksmiths, and the butchers and millers. The whole of Lo Manthang
village has solar electricity nowadays. Decorative style small herb garden of various holy
decorations, flapping flags, and stacked firewood. At a time, certain families needed to
supply firewood for the royal family. Sky burial and polyandry remain in practice in this
upper Mustang region.
Even though it is changing, it still surprises visitors with its stunning vista and its
stubbornness to its unique culture. Indeed the culture is fighting back, and crumbing
artworks are restored. Crumbing monasteries have been rebuilt and refilled with the sound
of bald children in robes studying the ancient Buddhist ways.
Upper Mustang Trek- Restricted Region in Nepal
Upper Mustang Trek in Nepal was officially opened in 1992. However, minimal numbers of
trekkers are only allowed each year. Thus protecting and conserving the local Tibetan
tradition and the fragile environment of Mustang. It unfolds the fabled forbidden kingdom’s
vast, arid valleys, eroded canyons, and yak caravans. Furthermore, the mysteries of
hidden sky caves in Mustang bewilder the visitors. The colorful-painted mud-brick houses
are set next to the majestic mountains. We witness the stunning peak of the Nilgiri,
Annapurna, and Dhaulagiri ranges.
Interestingly, we can do this Upper Mustang Trek even in monsoon. It lies in the rain
shadow, north of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri. This completely sheltered the upper
Mustang from the monsoon. The whole region is in bloom in monsoon, contrasting with the
wind-eroded hills, red cliffs, and snow-capped mountains in the background. Similarly, we
see the local people busy with their everyday work.
Trek Booking open for Spring, Fall, or Monsoon in 2023
and 2024. We organize Monsoon trekking in Upper Mustang, which is situated in the rain shadow area. August and September are the months when visitors can observe the lush green vegetation amidst the hills eroded by the wind. Although Spring or Fall is the most suitable time to go on a Mustang trek, we have fixed group departure trip dates for 2023 and 2024. If you are traveling with a group of family and friends, we can customize the trip to suit your needs.
HIGHLIGHT OF UPPER MUSTANG TREK This trek includes teahouse trekking throughout the journey, a cultural trek to the Tibetan wall kingdom of Mustang, a special Upper Mustang Trekking Permit worth US$ 500 PP, exploring unique culture, monasteries, and palaces, trek safety with supplementary oxygen and medical box, full board meals and drinking water on the trek, a medically trained trek guide with a comprehensive first aid kit, and a thrilling flight from Pokhara to Jomsom and back.
Trip Gallery
Source of image: Google
DETAILED ITINERARY
Day 1: Arrival in Kathmandu
Upon your arrival at Kathmandu airport, your group leader will be there to receive you and transfer you to the hotel. Your group leader will provide you with a trek briefing and distribute the necessary equipment. This will be followed by a welcome dinner. If you arrive early, you can explore the city of Kathmandu at your leisure.
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: Welcome Dinner
Altitude: 1340 m
Day 2: Culture Tour or drive to Pokhara.
After breakfast, you will embark on a cultural tour of Boudhanath and Pashupatinatha. These sites are significant religious places for the people of Nepal. Later in the day, you will drive to Pokhara, where you will have the chance to explore the beautiful lake city.
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Altitude: 900 m
Day 3: Fly to Jomsom and hike to Kagbeni
Today, you will take a short morning flight to Jomsom, which is the district headquarters of Mustang. During the flight, you will have the opportunity to witness the world’s deepest Kali Gandaki Gorge. The flight also offers a breathtaking view of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri. After landing in Jomsom, you will walk to Kagbeni, which is the gateway to Upper Mustang.
Accommodation: Tea house
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Altitude: 2810 M
Day 4: Trekking to Chele, walk 7 hrs
You will complete the permit formalities and enter the restricted area of Mustang. The valley widens with barren and arid surroundings with green villages in the middle. You will walk on the extended trail with Kagbeni and Nilgiri mountains as the backdrop, which is simply dazzling. Witness the different parts of the world, the land of Ammonites (prehistoric stone), with striking views. The stretch of the Kali Gandaki riverbed gives us the ancient history of its existence. The dramatic setting of the landscape with canyons and wind-eroded hills is phenomenal. You will have lunch at Tangbe or Chhusang, another ancient village. Chele is a beautiful small settlement from where you can overlook the valley’s picturesque setting.
Accommodation: Tea house
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Altitude: 2920 m
Day 5: Hike to Syangboche (5-6 hours)
Today’s trek will take you through undulating trails with steep climbs and descents. The fantastic canyons, with their unusual colors, open up to extraordinary views. Amidst this bizarre landscape, you’ll notice farming fields with rich red buckwheat and brilliant green, and towards the south, a panoramic view of Nilgiri, Annapurna, Tilicho Peak, and YakawaKang.
The initial steep walk through the hill-cut trail in one of these fantastic canyons is remarkable. You’ll witness the sky caves dating back more than 3000 years, which were once used as human settlements, burial chambers, and now lama hermit retreats. Climbing up to the pass before dropping to Syangboche is remarkable for its incredible views. Syangboche is a small settlement deep in the valley with a theatrical setting.
Accommodation: Tea house
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Altitude: 3800m
Day 6: Hike to Ghami (3,520 m/11,548 ft) walk 5 hrs.
From Syangboche, we climb gently to a small pass of 3,800 m/12,467 ft. It offers extraordinary views of mountains and deep valleys into the wind-eroded canyons. Today’s walk is effortless, with few short climbs in between. The beautiful scenery alongside would hardly allow us to realize the passing away of time.
Endless colorful gullies to the north, east, and west is outstanding. The soaring peak of Nilgiri, Tilicho, and Annapurna still dominates the South. Explore Ghami, the ancient village with a time-honored monastery, Chortens, and Mani (prayer) walls.
Accommodation: Tea house
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Altitude: 3520 m
Day 7: Trekking to Tsarnag (3,560 m/11,679 ft) for 4 hours. This short trek takes us to the ‘Land of Chortens’, marking the history and legend of the Indian saint Padmasambhava, known as the founder of Tibetan Buddhism. He created a fusion of Buddhism with the original Shamanistic religion of Tibet called the Bon religion, still in practice. Half an hour from Ghami, we see the longest ancient Mani wall of Mustang. The soaring red cliffs to the west that tell you Padmasambhava’s legends are intriguing. An hour’s walk brings you to the picturesque, fascinating big village of Tsarang. You can visit the ancient Monastery and the white palace of Tsarang, which is their heritage. Self-exploration around maze-like Tsarang is worth it. Accommodation is available in a tea house, and meals include breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The altitude is 3560 m.
Day 8: Trek to Lo Manthang (3,800 m/12,467 ft) for 4-5 hours. We finally reach the plateau of Lo Monthang, the ‘Capital City and the Plain of Aspiration’ of Mustang. The fabled walled city of Lo, the kingdom with a single entrance, is a welcome sight! The last king, “Lo Gyelbu,” named Jigme Palbar Bista, died recently. The view of various historically ruined forts on the high hills is one of the highlights. After lunch, an exploration into the legendary walled city of Lo is organized by your group leader, who will also organize various thrilling side excursions. Accommodation is available in a tea house, and meals include breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The altitude is 3800 m.
Day 9: Explore the day at Lo Manthang. Lo Manthang, the capital city of Mustang, contains around 150 houses. It has some of the largest and finest Tibetan Buddhism Gompas in Nepal, with four major ancient Monasteries that are impressive. The enormous 14th-century palace is a four-story imposing building in the city’s center. After breakfast, your leader will organize a jeep for the Chhosar excursion. During the excursion, you can explore the Nympho Cave monastery built into the side of a soaring cliff. You can also visit the 2500-year-old Jhong Mustang Sky Cave with more than 44 compartments that give you the prehistoric settlement of humans. During the afternoon, you can walk to Thinkar Summer Palace or explore the ancient monasteries, Lo. Accommodation is available in a tea house, and meals include breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The altitude is 3800 m.
Day 10: Hiking to Dhakmar (3,800 m/12,467 ft) for 7-8 hours. Today we will walk a different west terrain, offering you the most beautiful view despite a few steep downhill trials. Then we visit the world’s oldest Tibetan monastery, Ghar Gompa, built around the 7th century by the incarnated monk Padmasambhava. The views of the landscape and the mountain in the south are mesmerizing. The walk to Dhakmar is thrilling, with different trails high above the canyons and eroded hills. Dhakmar, a land of red cliffs, is one of its kind where an overnight stay is worth it. Accommodation is available in a tea house, and meals include breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The altitude is 3800 m.
Upper Mustang Trek Itinerary
Day 11: Descend to Syanboche
We will descend to Syanboche. We will trace back our trail to the village of Syanboche and you will have ample opportunity to look back and enjoy the views you may have missed earlier. We will stay in a tea house and have breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The altitude will be around 3800 m.
Day 12: Hike to Chusang
We will hike to Chusang (3,040 m/ 9,973 ft) for 5-6 hours. We will start early in the morning to visit the Chungsi Cave Monastery, which is one of the most attractive cave monasteries in Mustang. It is believed that Saint Padmasamvaba meditated here around the 7th century. Please note that there will be steep ascents involved. After visiting the monastery, we will descend to Chhusang, enjoying a great view of Nilgiri and the vast stretch of Kali Gandaki. Chhusang is an old village with an apple orchard, where we will stay in a tea house and have breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The altitude will be around 3040 m.
Day 13: Walk to Jomsom
we will walk to Jomsom, tracing back our trail towards the south. We will retrace our way to Chhusang, enjoying the stunning Nilgiri peak rising from the Kali Gandaki once again. We will exit from the restricted area of Mustang and stay overnight in Jomsom. We will stay in a tea house and have breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The altitude will be around 2700 m.
Day 14: Fly to Pokhara and stay at a hotel.
We will take an early morning flight from Jomsom to Pokhara, which is a fantastic way to round off the trek. We will have time to explore the peaceful lake city of Pokhara and stay in a hotel for the night. We will have breakfast, and the altitude will be around 920 m.
Day 15: Drive to Kathmandu from poPokharaToday we will take a scenic drive back to Kathmandu, which takes around 6 hours. We will stay in a hotel and have breakfast, and the altitude will be around 1340 m.
Day 16: Farewell and departure at the airport
It is time to fly back home, and we will customize the airport transfer for you. We will have breakfast.
WHAT IS INCLUDED
- Customized airport transfer based on flight details.
- Standard hotel in Kathmandu on a twin-share bed-and-breakfast basis
- Group welcome dinner as per the itinerary.
- Half-day guided city tour with entrance fees to world heritage sites
- Private transportation to and from the starting and ending points of the trek.
- Accommodation in tea houses during the trek
- Full board meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) while on the trek
- Free use of company trek gear such as sleeping bags, warm jackets, and rain ponchos
- Supplementary oxygen tank with a comprehensive first aid kit
- Trek guide and crew with necessary gear and proper insurance
- Responsible Trek Policy of 01 Trekker: 01 Porter
- Manaslu region special trek permit
- T-shirts, trek duffle bag, and trek map
- TIMS/Trekking permit, upper Mustang trek entry fees, etc.
WHAT IS EXCLUDED
- Nepal entry visa fees and any travel insurance
- International airfare
- All drinks and main meals in cities
- Beverage drinks while on the trek
- Tips and personal expenses such as hot showers and battery charges
WHAT ARE THE BASIC NEEDS TO GO UPPER MUSTANG TREK?
- Meals: Breakfast
- Hiking boots
- Sandals/Crocs
- Several sets of undergarments
- Good quality down jacket and pants
- Fleece jacket
- Thermal wear
- T-shirts and pants
- Warm woolen clothes for the night
- Trekking stick
- One set of gloves
- Woolen hat
- Sunhat
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Water bottle with purifying tablets
- Toiletries
- A medium-sized towel
- Energy bars
- Basic medications
- Rain Gears.
WHY IS THE UPPER MUSTANG TREK BENEFITS OF BOOKING WITH US?
- Best Price Guarantee
- 100% Safe Money
- Local Knowledge and On-Ground Attendance
- Customizable Trips
- Guaranteed Departure
- Flexible Departure Dates
- Budget-Friendly Trips
- Based in Nepal
- Quick Response
- Special Care and Consideration