Upper Mustang Trek

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Upper Mustang Trek - 18 Days

Upper Mustang Trek

$1899
Group size: 2 - 12 Max-Altitude: 4135
Destination: Nepal Fitness level: Strenuous
Arrival on: All Seasons Departure from: Kathmandu
Meals: All meals during the trek
Accommodation: Tent/Lodge

Trip Introduction

Upper Mustang- the last forbidden kingdom of Nepal is a remote trans-Himalayan village of Nepal. Upper Mustang was a separate kingdom within Nepal until the time of Monarchy till 2006 and even after the downfall of Monarchy this small Tibetan settlement has the same respect for their King Jigme Paramal Bista. Trekking in Upper Mustang is a rare privilege. This is the place where the true originality of Himalayan people exists. One can explore and get chance to know the lifestyle of Himalayan people who are not much in the touch with the rest of the world.
The trek to Lo-Manthang is through high altitude desert country climbing in and out of the huge sided valley of the Kali Gandaki. In places the gorge which the Kali Gandaki River runs through is the deepest in the world. This region is full of some of Nepal’s oldest Buddhist Monasteries, ancient and isolated villages with quaint white washed houses.
Upper Mustang was made accessible for Foreigners (non-Nepali trekkers) only some few years back. Even today, access is highly restricted. You will need a special trekking permit to travel further from Kagbeni and one must be accompanied by a government appointed official to visit Upper Mustang.
Tiji festival is also the major attraction in upper Mustang. “Tiji” the name is an abbreviation of the word “Tempa Chirim” which means “Prayer for World Peace”. Tiji is a fascinating annual three-day festival consisting of Tibetan rituals that celebrate the myth of a son who had to save the Mustang kingdom from destruction. It is celebrated in the month of May.

Included in the Cost

  • Airport pick up and drop.
  • As itinerary required nights Hotel in Kathmandu & Pokhara with break fast
  • Round trip airfare and airport tax (Kathmandu – Pokhara – Jomosom – Pokhara – Kathmandu)
  • Trekking guide airfare to and from Jomsom .
  • Annapurna conservation area projects entry fee
  • Upper Mustang special permit.( which cost USD 50 per person per day )
  • All necessary porters (one porter for two members)
  • Food & Local Lodge accommodation.
  •  All the monastery entry fees.
  • Staffs Insurance and salary.
  • Company guarantee for the emergency rescue services (We advised to have your own travel insurance which covers the Evacuation cost).

Outline Itinerary

DAY 1:
Arrive Kathmandu
DAY 2:
Explore the Kathmandu city and prepare for the trek
DAY 3:
Drive to Pokhara
DAY 4:
Fly to Jomsom (2700m) and trek to Kagbeni (2810m)
DAY 5:
Trek to Chuksang (2900m)
DAY 6:
Trek to Samar (3150m)
DAY 7:
Trek to Geling (3510m)
DAY 8:
Trek to Ghami (3490m)
DAY 9:
Trek to Charang (3620m)
DAY 10:
Trek to Lo Manthang (3840m)
DAY 11:
Explore Lo Manthang
DAY 12:
Trek back to Ghami (3490m)
DAY 13:
Ghami to Chuksang (2900m)
DAY 14:
Chuksang to Muktinath (3795m)
DAY 15:
Trek to Jomsom
DAY 16:
Fly to Pokhara
DAY 17:
Drive back to Kathmandu.
DAY 18:
Depart Kathmandu
DAY 1:
Arrive Kathmandu

Arrive at Kathmandu International Airport after a scenic flight over the mountains. Meet the representative of Blue Mountain Travels & Tours and transfer to Hotel.

DAY 2:
Explore the Kathmandu city and prepare for the trek

You can spend this day exploring some of the World heritage sites in Kathmandu valley for some time and prepare for the trek in the afternoon.

DAY 3:
Drive to Pokhara

After breakfast we will take a scenic bus drive of 7 hours to reach Pokhara. Walk around the lake side and explore Pokhara city on your own. Sitting at hotel balcony you can have an excellent view of the mountains as they are only 28 Kms away from Pokhara city, which lies at an altitude of 900m.

DAY 4:
Fly to Jomsom (2700m) and trek to Kagbeni (2810m)

We will fly to Jomsom early in the morning to avoid the wind in the afternoon. After landing at the Jomsom airport we will start trekking to Kagbeni following the Kali Gandaki River. The trail goes along the back of the Kaligandaki River, is flat and has a very rough terrain. We will see the mountains Nilgiri, Dhaulagiri, Thorang peak and many more from the trail, in the backdrop. After two hours of walk in the flat land along the bank of Kaligandaki, we reach Kagbeni.

DAY 5:
Trek to Chuksang (2900m)

After breakfast we will leave lower Mustang and enter Upper Mustang. After walking for some time we can see the Gompa Kang and numerous caves in the west. At Tangbe we will get a good opportunity to stretch our legs and try our stamina as we climb up to 3060m.Tangbe is a labyrinth of narrow alleyways; here you will find the typical Mustang chortens painted in black white and red. After 1 hour of further walking we reach the village of Chuksang, where there is majority of Thakali people but they live in harmony with the Bhotias and Gurungs.

DAY 6:
Trek to Samar (3150m)

The walk from Chuksang to Samar lasts for around 4-5 hours and the day is not very tiring so you can take frequent breaks to interact with the villagers and take pictures. Villages become more scattered as you enter deeper into the region, life becomes more basic and the landscape more arid. You leave the valley today and climb steeply up to Chele home to a number of ferocious Tibetan Mastiffs, thankfully chained to the village houses. You continue up on the side of a steep canyon to a pass after which you then descend on a pleasant trail to Samar, situated in a grove of Poplar trees.

DAY 7:
Trek to Geling (3510m)

We will start to ascend from Samar and in half an hour we reach a ridge which leading into a gorge and another valley full of juniper trees. We continue walking and cross the small river and reach the base of the Shyangmochen, a tiny settlement with a few local facilities. Near Shyangmochen is the Rangbyung which has stalagmites which look like small chortens, making it one of the most sacred places in whole Mustang. Climbing up is over for today as we gently get down to Geling, which has small population living in small mud houses. At the end of the day we should have walked around 5 hours.

DAY 8:
Trek to Ghami (3490m)

We start a 5 hours walk to Ghami after breakfast. The walking duration seems short but is has lots of climbs making it difficult to catch pace. The climb begins steadily to the centre of the valley and then around to the head of the valley, to the Nyi La passes (3840m). After crossing the pass we, as previous day we will gently start walking down to reach Ghami, a large white-washed village sheltered by the overhanging cliffs.

DAY 9:
Trek to Charang (3620m)

The walk today is the hardest in the entire trip so make sure you have enough water and some power bars to Support you as we walk past the driest place in the Mustang area. The walk might be tiring and 5 hours might seem as long as 10 but still you can feel fresh with the view of the high mountains in the backdrops. At mid afternoon we will reach Charang, where at the eastern end a huge Dzong (fortress) and red gompa home to a great collection of statues and thankas can be seen.

DAY 10:
Trek to Lo Manthang (3840m)

You can explore Charang for sometime as we don’t have a long walk today; it just lasts for 3 hours. We can have a leisurely breakfast, may be a lazy morning as well and then leave Charang and head up the valley to the boundary between Charang and Lo, the trail here broadens and soon you will catch sight of Lo Manthang, with only one entrance you will walk round to the North East corner to get in.

DAY 11:
Explore Lo Manthang

There are no rigid facts but it is said that this city was already in existence before 1390 and Ama Pal, was the person responsible for constructing this beautiful town in the cold desert. The last king of Lo Manthang was Jigme Dorje Palbar Bista (born c. 1933), and was the 25th King of Mustang from the Bista Dynasty. The people of Lo Manthang are known as Lhobas. The village is noted for its tall white washed mud brick walls, gompas and the Raja’s or Royal or King’s Palace, a nine-cornered, five story structures built around 1400. There are four major temples: Jampa Lhakhang or Jampa Gompa, the oldest, built in the early 15th century and also known as the “God house”; Thubten Gompa, a huge, red assembly hall and gompa built in the late 15th century and located just southwest of Jampa Gompa; Chodey Gompa, now the main city gompa; and the Choprang Gompa, which is popularly known as the “New Gompa”. The Government opened access for tourist to this area after 1992, but still the tourism to Upper Mustang remains limited.

DAY 12:
Trek back to Ghami (3490m)

Today we start the second leg of the journey to get back to Jomsom. We take the same way back to Ghami. There are few alternate routes but very short ending up at the main trail in short span of time. Overnight stay at Ghami.

DAY 13:
Ghami to Chuksang (2900m)

We will reach Chuksang after crossing the Kaligandaki and walking past some desert like land area. After walking for around 6 hours we reach Chuksang for overnight stay.

DAY 14:
Chuksang to Muktinath (3795m)

We start walking towards Muktinath today. You will travel through some pretty scenery today, apple orchards, agricultural fields and pretty villages. At the end of the day we can make a brief visit to the temple of Muktinath which is worshiped by Hindus as Lord Vishnu and By Buddhists as Avalokteshowrs. This temple premise has 108 stone spouts from where holy water comes throughout the day.

DAY 15:
Trek to Jomsom

After the short descend in the morning you will find yourself in Jharkot and Khingar, where there are beautiful monasteries which give you the opportunity to witness the interrelation and similarity of Tibet to this area. The view of Dhaulagiri and Nilgiri Himal is splendid throughout the trail. We will walk past Kagbeni to reach Jomsom along the bank of Kali Gandaki River. We can spend some time exploring the headquarter of the mustang district, Jomsom from where the Mountain View is magnificent.

DAY 16:
Fly to Pokhara

Early morning flight to Pokhara and free day at Pokhara for lunch.

DAY 17:
Drive back to Kathmandu.

After reaching Kathmandu, you can walk in tourist place Thamel and buy Nepali product over there.

Overnight at Hotel.

DAY 18:
Depart Kathmandu

Depart Kathmandu to reach another destination or fly back home with memories of the trek.
You can depart from Kathmandu to your home country or extend the trip and head for another trip within or outside Nepal

Dates and Cost

The given cost are per person and exclude international flights. Given below are the departure dates available for online booking. If the given date is not favorable then please contact us and we will happily customize your trip on dates more appropriate for you.

Book our fixed departures

Trip Dates Trip Price Trip Status
24 January, 2019 - 10 February, 2019 $1899
Booking Closed
27 February, 2019 - 16 March, 2019 $1899
Booking Open
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9 March, 2019 - 26 February, 2019 $1899
Booking Open
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22 March, 2018 - 8 April, 2019 $1899
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4 April, 2019 - 21 April, 2019 $1899
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25 April, 2019 - 11 May, 2019 $1899
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Included in the Cost

  • Airport pick up and drop.
  • As itinerary required nights Hotel in Kathmandu & Pokhara with break fast
  • Round trip airfare and airport tax (Kathmandu – Pokhara – Jomosom – Pokhara – Kathmandu)
  • Trekking guide airfare to and from Jomsom .
  • Annapurna conservation area projects entry fee
  • Upper Mustang special permit.( which cost USD 50 per person per day )
  • All necessary porters (one porter for two members)
  • Food & Local Lodge accommodation.
  •  All the monastery entry fees.
  • Staffs Insurance and salary.
  • Company guarantee for the emergency rescue services (We advised to have your own travel insurance which covers the Evacuation cost).

Not Included in the Cost

  • Lunch & Dinner in Kathmandu and Pokhara .
  • Personal gear for trekking like Sleeping bag, dawn jacket etc. (which can be provided by the company $1 per day per piece)
  • Bottle of Mineral/boiled water, soft drink & beer etc.
  • Riding horse along the trail
  • Tips for staffs

All our departure dates

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100% GUARANTEED

All our departure dates

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