Upper Mustang Trekking

 Jeep Tour Program briefing with official arrangements.  Overnight at a hotel in Kathmandu.

After breakfast, join our tour guide to explore Kathmandu Valley’s cultural and historical UNESCO World Heritage sites.  We’ll begin at Boudhanath, home to the impressive Boudhanath Stupa, one of the largest Buddhist shrines in the world, where you can witness Buddhist monks in prayer.  Next, we’ll visit Pashupatinath, Nepal’s most revered Hindu temple, along the sacred Bagmati River.  At this site, you will see Hindu holy men (sadhus) meditating, pilgrims bathing in the river, and occasionally, funeral pyres burning on the ghats, highlighting the blend of spirituality and tradition.  Overnight at a hotel in Kathmandu.

If you do not want to fly, we can arrange different transportation to Pokhara: a tourist bus or a private vehicle.  The drive takes approximately 6-7 hours, and the bus will take 8-10 hours.  Overnight at a hotel in Pokhara.

From Jomsom, we will trek to Kagbeni (2804m), which is 10.6 km and takes approximately 3 hours.

If, for any reason, the flight to Jomsom is canceled, we will arrange the overland transportation from Pokhara via Tatopani to Kagbeni by private vehicle (4WD jeep) or local bus.  The distance from Pokhara (915m) to Kagbeni (2804m) is 165 km, mainly on the paved road along the Seti Gandaki River, which takes approximately 5-6 hours by private vehicle or 6-7 hours by bus.  Following the natural direction of the Kali Gandaki River, we will pass through lush forests and beautiful terrace farmlands.  The road can get rocky and bumpy as we travel from Beni to Tatopani.  Overnight stay at a guesthouse in Kagbeni.

The local name of Kagbeni is ‘Ghaak,’ meaning narrow junction.  This is where four (4) routes converge, allowing ancient kings to oversee and tax all the salt trade traffic from Dolpa, Tibet, Manang, and India.  Kagbeni also offers spectacular views of Mount Nilgiri (7041m), Tilicho Peak (7134m), Yak Kawa (6482m), and Thorong Peak (6144m).  You can also visit Kag Chode, a well-preserved 600-year-old Buddhist monastery in Kagbeni.  They can explain a lot about Tibetan Buddhism if you're interested.

We will start our trek early in the morning to avoid the strong winds, typically in the afternoon.  The trekking regions can be windy and dusty, so ensure your sunglasses and face mask are ready.

The Kagbeni to Chele trek begins with a walk-through of Mustang's dry landscape.  The trail passes through the village of Tangbe, famous for its narrow alleyways and whitewashed houses.  The trek continues towards Chhusang, a small town at the confluence of the Kali Gandaki rivers.  After completing the official formalities for the Special Permit for Upper Mustang at the Area Police Office in Chhusang, we continue walking toward the Kali Gandaki Bridge, where we will stop to explore the fantastic red rock formations with numerous caves.  From the caves, we will walk a short distance toward Chele Village to enjoy a spectacular view of the deep canyons of the Kali Gandaki River.  Overnight stay at a tea house in Chele.

This day's trek will be considerably challenging as we will gain around 800m in height.  We climb a steep spur from Chele and continue up a steep canyon to Eklo Bhatti.  We ascend to the high Pass Taklam La (36245m) and cross Dajori La (3725m) to reach Samar.  This trek is challenging as you will gain as much as 800 m.  We can catch beautiful views of Mount Nilgiri (7041m) from Samar.  This is also where caravans of horses and mules stopped for rest.  From Samar, we descend to a large gorge past Rangchyung Chorten, painted red, black, yellow, and white, and trek ahead to reach Syangboche.  Overnight stay at a tea house in Syangboche.

The day begins with an ascent to the Yamda La Pass (3845m), traversing an astonishing desert landscape and passing through a few remote settlements.  The trail climbs into a large valley before descending to a wide barley field at Gelling.  The mud and stone houses in Gelling are painted white and ochre, resembling many other houses in Mustang.   From Gelling, we proceed to the settlement of Tama Gaun and ascend a pass known as the Nyi La (4015m).  We will descend from this pass and continue trekking toward Ghami.  Ghami is an excellent example of a settlement surrounded by lush green vegetation in the heart of Mustang's high-altitude desert.  Overnight stay at a tea house in Ghami.

It passes through the driest part of Mustang.  Tsarang Village is renowned for its traditional mud-brick houses, narrow alleys, and impressive fortress-like structure, Tsarang Dzong, also called Red Gompa.  The 14th-century Gompa is one of the oldest and largest monasteries in the Mustang region.  Nearby are the ruins of the 16th-century palace, which was once the home of King Raja of Mustang.  On display are the blackened hand said to belong to the palace's Master Builder and an authentic 800-year-old king’s helmet, among other artifacts.  Overnight stay at a tea house in Tsarang.

Starting on flat land, we ascend over Lo La Pass (3950m), where you can enjoy delightful views of the valley below, including Lo Manthang.  Lo La Pass is a crucial point on the trek to the ‘Walled City’ of Lo Manthang, the former capital of the Kingdom of Lo.   Did I mention that it is incredibly windy here at the pass, with hurricane-force winds creating localized storms?   Please prepare yourself with proper face and head coverings and wraparound-style eyeglasses.

We will spend the afternoon sightseeing in Lo Manthang, the Walled Capital of the Kingdom of Lo since its founding in 1380 by Ame Pal.  The village is best known for its tall, whitewashed mud-brick walls, gompas, royal palace, and, of course, the 6-meter-high earthen wall with square towers, a feature that distinguishes it and protects the compact settlement of earthen structures.  Overnight in a hotel in Lo Manthang.

This 16 km round trip takes 6-7 hours. 

Upper Mustang is known for the thousands of sky caves in the mountains.  In pre-historic times, people lived in these caves and used them as storage rooms, places to hide from enemies, burial sites, and places of worship.  Most of these caves are more than a thousand years old.  In Chhoser, we will walk for 1.5 to 2 km to see one of the jewels of this area, Jhong Cave, the most mysterious, 5-story-high Sky Cave built into a cliff.   The entrance to the cave is narrow, but there are more than 40 rooms and numerous ladders leading to another floor.  It remains unclear why the sky caves were built.  In the early 1000s BC, caves were used as burial chambers.  Archaeologists have explored these stacked caves and found partially mummified human bodies and skeletons at least 2000–3000 years old.  During the 10th century, frequent wars forced the villagers to hide in caves to escape brutality.  In the 1400s, the caves were utilized for spiritual meditation, storing goods, and serving as military lookouts.

Later, we will visit Nyiphug Namdrol Norbuling Sun Cave Monastery, established in the 14th century.  Explorations of these caves have also led to the discovery of valuable Buddhist paintings, sculptures, manuscripts, and numerous artifacts from the 12th to 14th centuries.  Overnight in a hotel in Lo Manthang.

The trail is mostly flat and easy to navigate, but there are some steep climbs and descents along the way.  As soon as we leave Lo Manthang, we ascend to Lo La Pass (3950m).  The trail follows the same route to Tsarang until near the Sungda Chorten.  After crossing the still bridge, we trek towards Yaragaon, passing through the villages of Dhigaon and Surkhang.  Farming fields surround Dhigaon village, where we can stop for lunch and a village excursion.  After a short relaxation break, we will cross a river and follow the path along the left bank to reach Yara.   After reaching Yara, we will visit Cave Nunnery Luri, Luri Gompa, and Tashi Kabum Cave Gompa.  It takes about one hour to reach Tashi Kabum from Yara village.  Overnight in a guest house in Yara.

The Yara to Tange trek follows up and down the trail in arid land but offers spectacular views.  After crossing Dhechyang Khola Valley, the trail continues towards Tange, exploring eye-catching views of the Himalayas.  While walking on the riverbank, you can find black-colored Ammonoid fossils (Saligram) that lived between 400 million and 65 million years ago.  Astonishingly, they are found here at 3700m above sea level because, before the Himalayas were formed, Mustang was the seabed of the Tethys Ocean.  Tange village is home to several ancient caves and monasteries worth exploring.  Overnight in a guest house in Tange.

One of Tange Village's most intriguing features is its traditional architecture.  The homes are built from stone, mud, and wood, adhering to the Mustang style.  Their flat roofs provide areas for drying crops and storing firewood.  The walls are adorned with intricate carvings and paintings illustrating various religious and cultural themes.

The trek is not easy, and hikers must be prepared to face steep ascents and descents, challenging terrain, and high altitude.  However, the spectacular scenery- including views of local villages, rivers, cliffs, majestic Himalayan peaks, cultural immersion, and a sense of accomplishment- makes this trek worthwhile.  Chhusang village is situated on the bank of the Kali Gandaki River and is surrounded by red sandstone cliffs.  This area is a good place to find fossilized ammonites (Saligram) to Damodar Kunda Lake, the upper reaches of Kali Gandaki.  Overnight in a guest house in Chhusang.

It is also one of the longest walks of the whole trip.  Most of the trail is flat, and in this way, it is not very difficult.  The trail continues along the Kali Gandaki River via Tangbe, Kagbeni, and Eklebhatti villages.  Overnight in a guest house in Jomsom.

Upon arriving in Pokhara, you will have several activity options: take a sightseeing tour of the Pokhara Valley, visit Davis Falls, enjoy boating on Phewa Lake, or hike up to the World Peace Stupa.  Overnight at a hotel in Pokhara.

If, for any reason, the flight to Pokhara is canceled, we will arrange the overland transportation from Jomsom via Tatopani by private vehicle (4WD jeep) or local bus.  The distance from Jomsom to Pokhara is 141 km, mainly on the paved road, and takes approximately 5-6 hours by private vehicle or 6-7 hours by bus.  Following the natural direction of the Kali Gandaki River, we will pass through lush forests and beautiful terrace farmlands.  The road can get rocky and bumpy as we travel from Tatopani to Beni.

If you do not want to fly, we can arrange different transportation to Pokhara: a tourist bus or a private vehicle.  The drive by private vehicle will take approximately 5-6 hours, and the bus will take 8-10 hours.  Overnight at a hotel in Kathmandu.

If you are not interested, it can be removed from the itinerary and those shortening that program by one day.   After breakfast, join our tour guide to explore Kathmandu Valley’s cultural and historical UNESCO World Heritage sites.  We’ll begin at Boudhanath, home to the impressive Boudhanath Stupa, one of the largest Buddhist shrines in the world, where you can witness Buddhist monks in prayer.  Next, we’ll visit Pashupatinath, Nepal’s most revered Hindu temple, along the sacred Bagmati River.  At this site, you will see Hindu holy men (sadhus) meditating, pilgrims bathing in the river, and occasionally, funeral pyres burning on the ghats, highlighting the blend of spirituality and tradition.  Our journey continues to Kathmandu Durbar Square, where you’ll marvel at the temple of Goddess Kumari and learn about the captivating legends of the valley.  If there is a will and enough time, we could also visit Monkey Temple (Swayambhunath).  In the evening, we will have a farewell dinner at a Nepalese restaurant.  Then, you will spend the night at a hotel in Kathmandu.

Our airport representative will drop you off at Kathmandu International Airport for your outward journey.