The document describes a 17-day Upper Mustang Trek itinerary in Nepal. The trek begins in Kathmandu with sightseeing tours before flying to Jomsom and trekking through the remote and culturally significant Upper Mustang region, including the towns of Kagbeni, Chele, Syangbochen, Ghami, Charang, and Lo-Manthang. The trek concludes with flights back to Pokhara and Kathmandu.
1. Trekkingin Nepal
Upper Mustang Trekking
Introduction
Mustang literally means “fertile land” in Tibetan language. Once the capital city of the
ancient kingdom of Lo-Manthang, till today Mustang is one of the most unscathed places on
the earth, a far cry from the postmodern world of today. It was ranked 3rd in the best travel
destination in 2o12
Trip Itinerary
Upper Mustang trekking is definitely one of the most enigmatic and unforgettable
trek you will embark on. What makes Upper Mustang Trek fascinating is, up until
1992 AD Upper Mustang was a restricted demilitarized area which makes it the
most conserved region in the world.
2. 2
Day 01-Arrival in Kathmandu (1,400m).
Once you land at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), our airport representatives
will kindly receive you and take you to your hotel, in a private car or a high-end
tourist bus. Our representatives will brief you about the trek. After checking in,
you can either explore this vibrant and exciting city on your own, or, take a cozy
rest at your hotel.
Day 02-Sightseeing tour in Kathmandu and trip meeting.
Your sightseeing of this ancient city begins at around 8:30 am, after breakfast. A
specialized tour guide and a comfy private vehicle will be available for your
assistance. First we will visit the biggest Hindu temple of Nepal, Pashupati Nath,
which predates to Lichhavi period. Then, to Boudha Nath, and Swayambhu Nath,
shrines of lord Buddha, uniquely built in Shikhara style. The evening will be spent
at Kathmandu Durbar Square, testimonial of middle age architecture. We will brief
you about the journey that starts tomorrow. You can do some last minute shopping
for Upper Mustang Trekking in Thamel or New Road.
3. 3
Day 03-Drive to Pokhara (900m).
Early morning after breakfast, we will travel to Pokhara via Prithvi Highway. The
scenic bus ride will be around 6-7 hours long. We can see western Himalayans, on
our way. Beautiful but tad tiring bus ride to the beautiful valley of Pokhara, it is
our gateway to the mounts. We can explore around this beautiful lake city in the
night or go for boating in the grand Phewa Lake. We will spend the night at the
local Hotel.
4. 4
Day 04-Fly to Jomsom and trek to Kagbeni (2,800m).
We will catch a plane from Pokhara to Jomsom, headquarter of Mustang. It will
take around 20 minutes to reach the beautiful town of Jomsom. We will fly North-
West from Pokhara towards great portal between Annapurna and Dhaulagiri. You
can enjoy beautiful views of the lofty hills and mountains during your flight. From
Jomsom, we will trek uphill for 3 hours alongside Kali Gandaki to reach Kagbeni,
the gateway to Upper Mustang. The village is located at the bank of two rivers. We
will spend the night in a Guesthouse.
Day 05-Trek to Chele (3,050m).
We will continue the trek towards the east bank of the Kali Gandaki climbing
through numerous ridges and reach north to the Tangbe village. This picturesque
town is a labyrinth of narrow alleys amid white-washed mud and stone houses,
buckwheat fields, and apple trees. The majestic Nilgiri domintates the southern sky
of Kagbeni. From there, we will hike to Chhusang village for 2 hours and then
cross the dwindling Kali Gandaki. We will climb up to huge red mass of
Conglomerate that had fallen from the cliff above, forming a tunnel through which
Kali Gandaki flows. Crossing the Kali Gandaki Valley, we will climb uphill to
tiche Chele. We will be able to witness the slow transition in culture, from
Manangi culture to Tibetan. We’ll spend the night in a Guest house.
5. 5
Day 06-Trek to Syangbochen (3,800m).
The trek goes along a steep barren land, alongside the copperred canyon. We will
make a gradual descent to some Chortens on a ridge, and after hiking downhill for
some more time we will reach the beautiful village of Samar. From there, we will
climb a ridge and descend into a giant gorge. We will continue our trek through
another valley, fields, cross a stream and climb up a ridge which lies at 3,800m.
We will climb yet another pass, go through another ridge and trek downhill to
Syangbochen. Overnight at Guesthouse.
6. 6
Day 07-Trek to Ghami (3,520m).
From Syangbochen, we will gently hike uphill to a pass at 3,770 and trek downhill
to reach the village of Geling. From Gheling, we will go uphill passing through
fields to the center of the valley. Then we will climb a tough terrain across the head
of the valley to the Nyi La pass (3,840m). From there we will climb, downhill for
half an hour to reach a trail junction; the right trail is a route to Charang while the
left one will take us to Ghami. It is a village of clustered white washed mud and
stone houses canopied by an overhanging cliff. Overnight at Guesthouse.
Day 08-Trek to Charang (3,560m).
We will trek to the driest part of Mustang today. It will be a tiring trek in this rough
terrain. However, on reaching our destination, we will be rewarded with splendid
views of the remote countryside, and RockyMountains in all directions. On
reaching Charang, a large village at the top of theCharang Chu Canyon, we will
take a rest. On the east of the village, there’s a big fort from the medieval times and
a red Gompas which house a spectacular collection of statues and thangkas.
Overnight at guesthouse.
7. 7
Day 09-Trek to Lo-Manthang (3,840m).
Today, we will trek to one of the major attraction center of this Trek. Lo Manthang
was a principality up until 1950s. It consists of around 150 households and
residences for lama gurus. We will trek through Lo-Gekar. It is the oldest Gompa
in Nepal and older than the Samye Gompa of the Tibet. The trail is moderately
easy. On reaching the walled city of Lo, we can visit the ancient temples and
monasteries of the region. We can also visit the periphery of the king’s impressive
palace, where still the king and queen of Lo- Manthang reside. He still serves as a
king on all purposein this isolated kingdom. We can take horses on lease and visit
the beautiful valley. Overnight Guesthouse.
8. 8
Day 10-Exploration of Lo-Manthang.
We will explore this mystical town of Lo-Manthang because only a day is not
enough. We will visit the Namgyal Gompa which will take around 2 hours. This
beautiful Gompa is situated on a hilltop, which is of high social, religious as well
as legal importance as it serves as a local courthouse. After that, we can visit the
village of Tingkhar, northwest of Lomanthang which consist of around 40
households. We will also visit Champa Lhakang which consists of a large Buddha
statue and intricate Mandalas painted on the walls. We will spend the night in Lo-
Manthang in an overnight Guesthouse.
9. 9
Day 11-Trek to Dhamkar (3,820m).
We will exit the Lo-Manthang taking the upper highland trail. It will reward us
with splendid views of Lo-Manthang and Charang Valley, with snowy mounts in
the background. We will cross the Dhi Pass at 4,100m and reach Dhamkar, where
we will spend the night at Guesthouse.
Day 12-Trek down to Syangbochen.
With Dhaulagiri and Nilgiri among other mounts standing tall in the background,
we will hike down to Syangbochen. Via Rachen Gompa. Rachen Gompais a
mystical Gompa which grew by itself at the lap of a rocky cave. We will spend the
night at Syangbochen at Guesthouse.
10. 10
Day 13-Trek to Chhusang (2,980m).
We will continue in our trail through steep ridges and hills alongside the pleasing
sceneries of mountains and hills. We will trek to Tetang, the upper village of
Chuksang which lies between two hills. It is a safe escapadefrom the fierce wind
that hits the Kali Gandaki valley frequently. The night will be spent in Guesthouse.
Day 14-Trek to Jomsom (2,720m).
Todayis the last day of the memorable trek. We will go through the trail of Jharkot
village and visit the Jharkot Monastery, Tibetan Herbal Medicine Center, and the
ancient fortress of Jharkot which once was a palace. During descend towards
Jomsom we can relish the view of Kali Gandaki Valley and Kagbeni Village. This
is the gateway to Mustang. We will celebrate the last day of the trek in Jomsom
with all the trekking staffs. We will spend the night at Guesthouse.
11. 11
Day 15-Fly to Pokhara and sightseeing tour.
After boarding a 20 minute long to Pokhara, we can spend the rest of the day in
this beautiful lake city. We can go boating in exotic Phewa, Rupa and Begnas
Lake, visit the beautiful hilltop monastery, or go exploring in mystical caves. If the
weather is clear, we can indulge in Paragliding, Zip Flying. We can do some
shopping for souvenirs and enjoy the night life in the vivacious city. Overnight at
Hotel.
12. 12
Day 16-Drive back to Kathmandu.
After breakfast, we will travel to capital via Prithvi Highway. Once again the
scenic bus ride will keep you refreshed throughout the journey. On reaching
Kathmandu, you can once roam around this vibrant city and buy gifts and
souvenirs to take back home. Overnight at Hotel.
Day 17-Final departure.
The day has come to leave this remarkable country. Our representatives will
transfer you to the airport from where you’ll board a flight to your next destination.
Bid farewell to this country of Himalayas with plans to visit next time.
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13. 13
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