Upper Mustang Trek
Duration: 14 days
Trails: T2 trails
Distance: 15 - 20 km per day
Ascent per day: 500 - 1000 m ascent per day
> Trek Upper Mustang in summer
> Visit an ancient, once forbidden Kingdom
> Including scenic flight from Pokhara to Jomsom
The Mustang region is tucked away from the rest of the world, right to the north of the major Himalayan range of Nepal. This is why this is one of the few areas where you can trek in the summer months, not affected by the monsoon rains. Enter a completely different part of Nepal, both culturally and in terms of landscape. Experience the exotic culture of the mountain people like Thakalis, Tibetan and Gurung and immerse yourself in the local culture, which has survived for centuries in the driest place of the country.
Mustang literally means “fertile land” in Tibetan language. Once an ancient kingdom of great importance, today Mustang is one of the most unscathed places on the Earth, a far cry from the postmodern world of today. The Upper Mustang trek is definitely one of the most enigmatic and unforgettable adventures you will embark on. The Kingdom was a restricted demilitarized area up until 1992, and is now one of the most conserved regions in the world today.
The Upper Mustang Trek is relatively easy in terms of difficulty. We will trek along the permitted route of the Lo Manthang to reach the maximum altitude of 3,840m. Join our Upper Mustang Trek, a 14-day journey to the land beyond the mountains, to the kingdom within a republic where till today the king is worshipped as divine.
Itinerary
Day
1
Drive to Pokhara
Early in the morning, we will travel to the beautiful valley of Pokhara via Prithvi Highway. You will see the Western Himalayas during this scenic 6 to 7 hour long bus ride. Upon arrival you will have the opportunity to explore Pokhara, the beautiful city by the lake. Alternatively, you can go boating in the shimmering Phewa Lake. We will spend the night at the local hotel.
Pokhara
Day
2
Fly to Jomsom and trek to Kagbeni
Duration: 03:30 h
Distance: 10.5 km
Ascent: 230 m
Descent: 130 m
We will catch a plane from Pokhara to Jomsom, one of the main towns in Mustang. It will take around 20 minutes to get there. We will fly northwest from Pokhara over the deepest gorge on Earth between Annapurna and Dhaulagiri. You will enjoy beautiful views of the hills and mountains during your flight. From Jomsom, we will trek uphill for 3 hours alongside Kali Gandaki before we 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.
Kagbeni
Day
3
Trek to Chele
Duration: 05:30 h
Distance: 14.4 km
Ascent: 610 m
Descent: 420 m
We will continue our journey towards the east bank of the Kali Gandaki climbing through numerous ridges, and then head north for 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 dominates the southern sky of Kagbeni. From there, we will hike to Chhusang village for 2 hours before we cross the dwindling Kali Gandaki. We will climb up to huge red mass of sedimentary rock 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 Chele. You will witness the slow transition in culture, from Manangi culture to Tibetan. We will spend the night in a guesthouse.
Chele
Day
4
Trek to Syangboche
Duration: 07:15 h
Distance: 15.4 km
Ascent: 1390 m
Descent: 680 m
Our trek today goes along a steep barren land, alongside the copper red 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 keep trekking through another valley and cross a stream and before we climb up a ridge which lies at 3,800m. We ascend yet another pass, go across another ridge before we can finally descend to Syangboche.
Syangboche
Day
5
Trek to Ghami
Duration: 04:30 h
Distance: 11.5 km
Ascent: 470 m
Descent: 680 m
From Syangboche, we will gently hike uphill until we reach a pass at 3770m and trek downhill to reach the village of Geling. From Geling, 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 (3840m). From there we will descend for half an hour until we reach a trail junction, the right trail is a route to Charang while the left one leads to Ghami. It is a village of clustered white washed mud and stone houses canopied by an overhanging cliff. This is a great place to spend the night.
Ghami
Day
6
Trek to Charang
Duration: 04:00 h
Distance: 10 km
Ascent: 470 m
Descent: 480 m
We will trek to the driest part of Mustang today. It will be a strenuous trek crossing fairly rough terrain. But upon reaching our destination, we will be rewarded with splendid views of the remote countryside, and we will be able to see mountains in all directions. Upon reaching Charang, a large village at the top of the Charang Chu Canyon, we are due for some rest. At the east end of the village, you can find a medieval fort and a red gompa which house a spectacular collection of statues and thangkas.
Charang
Day
7
Trek to Lo-Manthang
Duration: 06:45 h
Distance: 18 km
Ascent: 770 m
Descent: 500 m
We will trek to one of the major attractions on this trip: Lo Manthang. This was the walled capital of the Kingdom of Lo. The city was founded in 1380 by Ame Pal. It consists of around 150 households and residences for lama gurus. We will trek through Lo-Gekar, which is the oldest gompa in Nepal and older than the Samye Gompa of the Tibet. On reaching the walled city of Lo, you will have the opportunity to visit the ancient temples and monasteries of the region and the periphery of the King’s impressive palace, where the King and Queen of Lo- Manthang reside. You will have the chance to go horse riding and see the beautiful valley.
Lo-Manthang
Day
8
Exploring Lo Manthang
We will explore the mystical town of Lo Manthang, starting with a 2 hour visit of the Namgyal Gompa. 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 will visit the village of Tingkhar, northwest of Lo Manthang with its 40 households. We will also visit Champa Lhakang where you have a chance to admire a large Buddha statue and intricate Mandalas painted on the walls.
Lo-Manthang
Day
9
Trek to Dhamkar
Duration: 06:20 h
Distance: 16.3 km
Ascent: 730 m
Descent: 740 m
We will leave Lo Manthang taking the upper highland trail. It will reward us with splendid views of Lo Manthang and the Charang Valley, with snow-capped mountains in the background. We will cross the Dhi Pass at 4,100m and reach Dhamkar. Here we will spend the night.
Dhamkar
Day
10
Descend to Syangboche
Duration: 06:15 h
Distance: 16 km
Ascent: 720 m
Descent: 750 m
With Dhaulagiri and Nilgiri among other giants standing tall in the background, we will hike down to Syangboche. On the way we pass through Rachen Gompa, mystical gompa at the entry of a rocky cave. We will spend the night in a guesthouse in Syangboche.
Syangboche
Day
11
Trek to Chhusang
Duration: 07:45 h
Distance: 18 km
Ascent: 730 m
Descent: 1560 m
We will continue our trek over steep ridges and over hills. We will trek to Tetang, the upper village of Chhusang which lies between two hills. It is a safe escapade from the fierce wind that hits the Kali Gandaki valley frequently.
Chhusang
Day
12
Trek to Jomsom
Duration: 07:30 h
Distance: 21.7 km
Ascent: 480 m
Descent: 690 m
On the last day of this memorable trek, we will pass Jharkot village and visit the local monastery, the grand Tibetan Herbal Medicine Center and see an ancient fortress which once was a palace. During our descent to Jomsom we will enjoy 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 our staff.
Jomsom
Day
13
Flight to Pokhara and Exploring the City
After taking a 20 minute flight to Pokhara, we will spend the rest of the day in the city to explore and relax. If you haven’t yet, go boating in the exotic Phewa, Rupa and Begnas Lakes, visit the beautiful hilltop monastery or go explore the mystical caves. You will have the chance to buy some souvenirs and enjoy the nightlife in the vivacious city.
Pokhara
Day
14
Drive Pokhara – Kathmandu
After breakfast, we will travel back to the capital via Prithvi Highway. Once again the scenic bus ride will keep you refreshed throughout the journey. We part ways when we are in Kathmandu. May you enjoy the rest of your time in Nepal! Namaste!
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Contact our Trekking Expert
Jan Bakker
This trek is operated by
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