Upper Mustang trek is undoubtedly one of most special and popular trekking in Mustang region of Nepal. With the aim to preserve its centuries-old culture and pristine, unspoiled natural biodiversity of Mustang, the government of Nepal has designated the area as ‘controlled’ region to promote sustainable tourism. This means that very limited number of trekkers is allowed to enter Upper Mustang and trekkers are required to obtain Special Trekking Permit for the trekking purpose.
Upper Mustang lies in the shadow of Dhaulagiri and Annapurna ranges, making it a superb destination to watch the Himalayan ranges including Dhaulagiri I (8167m), the seventh highest, and Annapurna I (8091m), the tenth highest mountains in the world.
The Upper Mustang is a treasure house for rich Buddhist culture and lifestyle. The ancient kingdom of Lo, also called Lo Manthang, is a walled city remarkably known for its 16th century monasteries, ruins of old forts, mani walls, caves and murals, is also the residence of the King of Mustang who used to the rule this kingdom well into the 21st century. Upper Mustang trek is packed with full of adventure as we trace our steps along barren ridges, alpine meadows, deep canyons, bare cliffs and rocky moraines.
Today Upper Mustang is under visible pressure from expansion and building of motor-able roads. Nepal Environmental Treks & Expedition is very careful in designing packages in Upper Mustang region, as we place high emphasis on promoting sustainable tourism in the remote area. Earlier trekking in Mustang Region used to be just camping but now both lodges and camping are possible. Being relatively moderate in grade, trekking in the region is suitable for all age groups of travelers.
We have a team of well trained and highly experienced trekking guides and support assistants to make your journey into Upper Mustang a memorable one. We are a registered trekking agency with Nepalese government, so we are authorized to obtain special trekking permits for our trekkers.
After early morning breakfast, you will be picked up from the hotel and taken to the tourist bus station. Drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara (914m.) takes about seven hours. The drive will take most of our morning time, leaving much of the afternoon to get a warm glimpse of Pokhara Valley and its beauty. If you choose to fly, you can reach Pokhara in 25 minutes. There are several flights from morning to afternoon available from Kathmandu to Pokhara.
Pokhara is the tourist's paradise with full of natural as well as cultural heritage sites such as lakes, caves, Buddhist monasteries and Hindu temples along with the magnificent views of Lamjung Himal, Annapurna, Dhaulagiri and many other mountain peaks. Stay overnight at hotel in Pokhara.
You take the spectacular early morning flight to Jomsom. The trail is quite barren with craggy rocks and sand and is mostly flat, which makes it very easy going. It is also very picturesque, with views of big peaks all around such as Dhaulagiri, Tukuche and Nilgiri, whilst to the south can be seen the entire Annapurna Massif. Stay overnight at lodge.
You trek right up to the river valley, but you use a combination of the high trail and the riverbank pathways. The trail then widens significantly revealing an endless stretch of sand. Chusang village is only about a 2hrs walk beyond Tangbe at the confluence of the Narshing Khola and the Kali Gandaki. Stay overnight at lodge.
The trek now leaves the valley and climbs steeply up a rocky alley to the village of Chele. From Chele you climb a steep spur and then continue ascending along the side of a spectacular steep canyon to a pass. Beyond the pass you descend on a pleasant trail to Samar, situated in a grove of poplar trees. Stay overnight at lodge.
You climb above Samar to a ridge and then descend into a large gorge past a chorten before entering another valley filled with juniper trees. You then cross a stream and after climbing to a pass, you descend along a ridge to Shyangmochen a tiny settlement with a few tea shops. The trail climbs gently from Shyangmochen and you enter another huge valley before descending to Geling with its extensive fields of barley. Stay overnight at lodge.
From Geling the trail climbs gently through fields, up to the center of the valley, passing above the settlement of Tama Gun and an imposing chorten. You then begin a taxing climb across the head of the valley to the Nyi La [3840m]. The descent from the pass is quite gentle and about half an hour further on we come to a trail junction; the right trail is the direct route to Charang, the left trail leads to Ghami. Ghami is a large white-washed village sheltered by overhanging cliffs. Stay overnight at lodge.
Today's walk is perhaps through the driest part of Mustang. Finally, you come to Charang, a large spread-out village at the top of the Charang Chu canyon. At the eastern end of the village are a huge dzong [fortress] and a red Gompa which houses an excellent collection of statues and thangkas. Stay overnight at lodge.
You will spend part of the morning exploring the interesting village of Charang and its large monastery, before setting out for Lo Manthang. You climb gently above the valley to a large isolated chorten that marks the boundary between Charang and Lo. The trail then broadens and eventually you get your first view of the walled city of Lo Manthang. The city has only one entrance so you circumambulate the wall to the gate on the north east corner. Stay overnight at lodge.
You can make a side trip exploring caves and villages, visiting Jhampa and Thupchen Gompas and short hike up to Tingkhar. Stay overnight at lodge.
You continue your journey on the highland route, crossing alpine meadows before dropping down a steep eroded alley to Dhakmar for lunch. After lunch, you walk through the pretty valley, climb to a ridge and descend from there back to Ghami. Stay overnight at lodge.
Leaving Ghami you begin to follow narrow winding path until you reach Geling crossing a small stream. Samar is a small village with terraces, Tibetan style houses, Mani walls, monastery, and prayer flags and here you find people following Tibetan life styles and traditions. Stay overnight at lodge.
Following a descending path you reach Chuksang crossing a suspension bridge over Kali Gandaki. You walk along the bank of Kali Gandaki with views of natural vegetation and apple orchards. Stay overnight at lodge.
Your trail passes through the bank of Kali Gandaki passing through Ekle Bhatti. Jomsom is the headquarters of Mustang. From here you can have access to the internet and banking facilities. Stay overnight at hotel.
The flight is a scenic one with panoramic views of Himalayan peaks, especially Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, Nilgiri etc. and Kaligandaki River. The flight to/from Jomsom happens only in the morning because of high wind in afternoon time. Stay overnight at hotel in Pokhara
After breakfast early morning, drive from Pokhara to Kathmandu that takes about seven hours. En route, you will enjoy the mountain views, green sceneries, rice terrace fields, vegetable fields and people being engaged in their daily life activities. If you choose to fly back to Kathmandu, it takes about 25 minutes. There are several flights from Kathmandu to Pokhara from morning to afternoon.
Below is a list of equipment and clothing required for trekking. The necessity of these items depends on the type, altitude, timing and destination of trekking. Appropriate trekking gears are not only required for the comfort/pleasure of your trek but also to improve safety factor. Please have a look over these items in order to fully prepare and thoroughly enjoy the trekking.
General Items:
Daypack, Rucksack, Sleeping bag, Duffel bag, Walking Poles, walking boots, sandals, Toiletries (Soaps, Toilet papers, Sanitizers, toothpaste, tooth brush, etc.)
Clothing Items:
Thermal underwear, Down jacket, Shorts, Trekking trousers, Towels, Woolen gloves, Gaiters, Fleece jacket or Pullover, Wind/water proof jacket, Raincoat, Warm socks, buff
Sun-worn Items:
Sun hat, Sunglasses, Snow goggles, Sunscreen, Lip balm
Gadgets:
Headlamp, Flash light, Binoculars, Cameras (chargers and batteries),
Liquid/Snacks:
Water bottle/bladder, Water purification Iodine tablets, Energy bars and snacks
Medical Essentials:
First Aid Kit
Optional:
Altimeter, Compass, Binoculars, Books/magazines, GPS, Pocket knife, Candles (for lodges), Notebook with pencil/pen, etc
Additional items for camping trek:
Tent, Stove and fuel, Utensils for cooking, eating and drinking, sleeping mattresses
Note: We can also provide sleeping bag, down jacket, duffel bag, walking poles, and First Aid Kit in case if you don’t have one. These items are inclusive of total package price.
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