The Upper Mustang trek is definitely one of the most beautiful treks in Nepal. First of all, the Upper Mustang region is a protected area and until 1992 it was forbidden area for foreign visitors. Moreover, they were closed off from the outside world for a long time. Therefore the Tibetan culture has been preserved and unspoiled there for a long time.

Located in the rain shadow of the Dhaulagiri massif, the region consists of rugged, barren land. This is surrounded by rocks in all kinds of colours and impressive formations. Furthermore, the barren landscape is dotted with settlements of white houses, barley fields and chörtens decorated with prayer flags. These give extra colour to the landscape.

After you have flown from Pokhara to Jomsom, you walk to the gateway of the Upper Mustang region: Kagbeni You follow the path of the old caravan route along which the people of Mustang swapped Tibetan salt for grain from the lowlands.

The highlight of the Upper Mustang trek is the capital of the region: Lo Manthang. From the Lo mountain pass (3950 m) you can see the walled medieval capital in the distance. The whitewashed wall contrasts with the barren landscape.

Once you enter Lo Manthang through the city gate, you step into another world. Narrow alleys, hidden choirs, long walls with beautiful prayer wheels and ancient monasteries. And then the herds of animals that stroll in from the fields in the afternoon to spend the night.

Afterwards you walk back along a different route: the landscape changes from green meadows with yaks to a village landscape with rocks in different shades. The different landscapes in Upper Mustang in combination with the ancient Tibetan tinted culture, make this trekking authentic and unforgettable.

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Itinerary

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Overview

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Sight on the icy snow wall of Mount Nilgiri and on the imposing Dhaulagiri

Back in time in this Tibetan tinted region, also called ‘little Tibet’

On discovery in the magical walled city of Lo Manthang

Very diverse landscape and incredibly beautiful, authentic chörtens, gompa’s and monasteries

Day 1 :

Scenic drive to Pokhara (ca. 6 to 7 hours)

Namaste and welcome to Nepal! Today, a private car with driver will take you to Pokhara, the cosy town situated on the shores of the beautiful Phewa Lake. Along the way you'll stop at an idyllic spot along the river for lunch (lunch not included). After arriving in Pokhara you have free time to go out: take a nice walk along the banks of the river and follow the Aarti ceremony with the fire at the fall of darkness. Overnight stay in a standard hotel in Pokhara.

Day 2 :

Domestic flight to Jomsom - Trek to Kagbeni (ca. 4 hours)

Together with your guide you will take an impressive flight along the Himalayas to Jomsom. Jomsom is the capital of the Mustang district and the starting point of your trekking. After arrival in Jomsom you will start your trekking. It is an easy walking day with spectacular views of the peaks of the Nilgiri, Dhaulagiri, Tukuche Peak and Dhampus. You hike as far as Kagbeni (2850m), a typical Tibetan village and also the gateway to Upper Mustang. You spend the night in a teahouse in Kagbeni.

Day 3 :

Trek to Chele (5 to 6 hours)

After your trekking documents have been checked at the checkpoint, you enter the protected Upper Mustang area. The day starts with a nice walk along the banks of the Kali Ghandaki River. At several places you will stop to enjoy the surroundings and have a nice view. You pass the village Tangbe with its narrow streets and white houses. You walk along fields with buckwheat and grain and along apple orchards. You continue to Chhusang and cross the river. You walk along narrow ledges until you reach Chele. You spend the night in a teahouse in Chele.

Day 4 :

Trek to Syanboche (6 to 7 hours)

Today you will first hike through steep and dry terrain and through a spectacular deep gorge. When you reach 3540 meters, the path slowly descends to a few chortens on a mountain ridge. You descend further to an easier path in the direction of Samar. The Annapurna mountain range, with the gigantic Nilgiri mountain, is visible far south. After a climb you reach Samar. Afterwards you descend again and walk through a wide gorge. The path turns into another valley surrounded by rivers and juniper bushes. Then you ascend again to an altitude of 3800m. Before you reach Syanboche (3475m) you will visit the Ramchung cave. You spend the night in a teahouse in Syanboche.

Day 5 :

Trek to Ghami (5 to 6 hours)

After breakfast you continue your trekking to the Yamda La Pass (3.850m). Today you will pass several chortens and walk through charming villages with Tibetan white houses. You will also walk through the charming village of Ghilling. Afterwards you walk further to cross the Nyi La Pass (4010m) and descend to Ghami (3520m), a small village protected by overhanging rocks and surrounded by large dry fields. In the afternoon you will see the thirstiest part of Upper Mustang. This in combination with beautiful rough mountain views in the East and West provides stunning panoramic views. When the cattle return to Ghami for the night, the village is filled with goats and cows that return to their homes through the small streets. A real spectacle! You spend the night in a teahouse in Ghami.

Day 6 :

Trek to Charang (4 to 5 hours)

Je start je dag met een wandeling langs een lange Boeddhistische Mani muur. Het pad brengt je nadien via een langzame daling tot in Charang. Je geniet vandaag van een van de mooiste panorama`s van je trekking: het zicht op de ijswand van de Nilgiri. Charang (3500m) is een groot dorp, bewoond door de Loba bevolking. Het dorp ligt op de top van de grote Charang Chu Kloof. Tussen de mooie witgeschilderde huizen wapperen gebedsvlagjes. Bomen, velden en huizen worden gescheiden door lage stenen muren. In het Oosten van het dorp ligt een prachtig, groot klooster vlakbij de kloof van de Kali Ghandaki rivier. Je overnacht in een teahouse in Charang.

Day 7 :

Trek to Lo Manthang (5 to 6 hours)

What an exciting day today: your main destination of this trekking is getting closer! You follow the path to Lo Manthang and enjoy a magnificent view of the Nilgiri, the Tilicho, Annapurna I and Bhrikuti along the way. The path first descends into the Charang Chu Gorge. You cross the river and follow the steep path up. You continue until you reach the windy Lo Pass at 3850 meters. From this point you'll see the entire Lo Mantang valley. During the descent to the hidden city of Lo Mantang (3700m) you have an impressive view of the walled city with the Tibetan mountains behind it. In Lo Manthang you will visit the three authentic Tibetan monasteries and the palace of the former king. You will spend the night in a teahouse in Lo Manthang.

Day 8 :

Day walk around Lo Manthang

Where you visited the city of Lo Manthang yesterday after your arrival, today you will make an interesting day walk around Lo Manthang. The Western valley of Tingkhar, the site of the summer palace of the Raja`s and the panoramic views of the mountains are worth seeing. You hike to the villages of Kimling and Phuwa and see the Gompa of Namgyal. In the eastern valley we see the village of Chosar, also known for the typical Gompa. In this valley there is a centuries-old trade route to the capital of Tibet, Lhasa. You spend the night in a teahouse in Lo Manthang.

Day 9 :

Trek to Ghami (6 to 7 hours)

From Lo Manthang today you will return via a different route. First you walk through the green yak fields and cross the Morang La Pass over 4230 meters. After the pass the landscape changes and it's dorrer again. You walk along the authentic village Drakmar (3810m) where the more than 1200 year old imposing Ghar Gompa stands. Guru Rinpoche is the most important figure and the Gompa is also known for its beautiful rock paintings. Legend has it that you can be sure that what you wish for with the Gompa really comes true. You will continue steadily to today's end point in Ghami (3490m). You spend the night in a teahouse in Ghami.

Day 10 :

Trek to Samar (7 to 8 hours)

On today's trek you return to your steps: you take the path down that you climbed at the beginning of the trekking. It's a pretty tough trekking day today because you climb a lot of stretches and cross two passes. For lunch you cross the Nyla La Pass (4010 m), after which you walk down to Syanboche, where you have lunch. After lunch you climb for an hour to the second mountain pass Vena La (3860m). Then you descend to the river and cross it. After a last effort of 15 minutes you climb steeply up to the village Samar. You spend the night in a teahouse in Samar.

Day 11 :

Trek to Chhusang (ca. 3 hours)

Today the path leads you to Chusang. It is a pleasant walk down to Chhusang (3000m). Along the way you will enjoy the beautiful scenes of life in the countryside. You can clearly see that the lifestyle and culture here is Tibetan. In the late afternoon you go to the fortified town of Tetang (2950m), where you watch the beautiful sunset and visit an old monastery. You spend the night in a teahouse in Chhusang.

Day 12 :

Trek to Muktinath (5 to 6 hours)

After breakfast you continue your trek. First you ascend steeply to a plain where you walk quietly and enjoy the surroundings. Then the path goes up quite steep for about three hours. After the climb to high above the valley, the path suddenly turns right and you see the Gyu La pass (4077m). From the pass the snowy peaks seem incredibly close: the Thorung, the Tilicho, the Annapurna and the Nilgiri. On the flanks of the mountains are snowy glaciers. You cross the pass and walk along an easy path that only slightly descends and rises towards Muktinath. On the way you have a beautiful view on the Dhaulagiri and the Annapurna. You pass a green valley and here and there there are houses along the path, which means you're approaching Muktinath. Muktinath is an important place of pilgrimage for both Buddhists and Hindus. In and around Muktinath there are 108 natural sources. Bathing in them would bring you happiness. Around the legendary eternally burning flame that would come out of a rock, a small temple was built. You spend the night in a teahouse in Muktinath.

Day 13 :

Trek to Jomsom (5 hours)

Today is the last day of your trek. In the early morning sun the imposing Dhaulagiri turns orange and yellow. Via a higher route you walk from Muktinath to your final destination in Jomsom. From the height you can see the village Kagbeni. The last part of the road you walk along the river. The rest of the day is free in Jomsom. Relax while you reminisce about the beautiful adventures you experienced during your hike in the beautiful Upper Mustang region. You spend the night in a teahouse/hotel in Jomsom.

Day 14 :

Domestic flight to Pokhara - free time in Pokhara

Today you fly back early with a domestic flight to Jomsom. During the flight you can still enjoy the snowy peaks of the Himalayas. The rest of the day is free in Pokhara. If you want to relax, there are a lot of possibilities for massages and spa treatments. Or enjoy a drink on a terrace along the shores of the lake. If you want a little more action, you can go out and visit some of the highlights around Pokhara: the World Peace Pagoda, Davis Falls, Mahadev Guptheswor cave or the International Mountain Museum. You'll spend the night in a standard hotel in Pokhara.

Day 15 :

Drive to Kathmandu (ca. 6 to 7 hours)

The end of your journey has come. Today you will drive back to Kathmandu in a private car with driver. On the way you can see the Nepalese daily life. You will stop for lunch in a village next to the river, where you can taste the local fish. After arrival in Kathmandu you will have some time to shop some souvenirs or walk around a bit.

Upper Mustang trek

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Highlights

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Overview

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What's included?

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