Highlights
Explore the vicinity of majestic Upper Mustang, Choser caves, ancient monasteries like Ghar Gompa and Dhakmar Gompa, observe glorious mountain ranges of Annapurna and Nilgiri, and explore the world heritage sites in the Kathmandu Valley.
Upper Mustang Trek
GRADE Moderate
TRIP DURATION 18 Days
BEST SEASON March to May & Sep. to November.
Maximum Altitude 4230 Meters
The Trek
The Upper Mustang trek takes you through the most isolated region in the rain-shadow area of Annapurna. This exhilarating journey allows you to rise from the hustle and bustle of urban life to the tranquillity and grandeur of the ancient Thakali trail. The Upper Mustang Trek is a blend of adventure and fantasy, awakening the natural aura within you.
This trek is steeped in the mysteries of the Mustang district, aiming to uncover the many questions surrounding Upper Mustang, its residents, and its culture. As you walk through the rural settlements of Ghami, Samar, and Lo Manthang, you’ll gain a clearer understanding of the local communities, primarily composed of Thakali and Tibetan people. Their Buddhist culture is evident in their lifestyle as you trek further into the region.
The trek begins in Pokhara, which is at the lowest altitude of 820 meters. As your journey progresses, you will climb to an altitude of 3,810 meters in Lo Manthang, with the highest point being the Marang La Pass at 4,230 meters.
The initial days of the trek are relatively easier compared to the heavier trekking required in the middle and final stages. Parts of the trail can be completely off-road, and you may have to walk through deep sand. It is highly recommended to undertake this trek during the spring and autumn months.
Additionally, the Jomsom Muktinath Trek, Mustang Valley Cultural Trek, and Annapurna Circuit Trek are some of the renowned trekking adventures that share trails with the Upper Mustang Trek.
Accommodation:
You will arrive in Kathmandu, where you will be greeted, and 3* hotel accommodation will be provided. On the trek, the accommodation will be in lodges or what is known as a teahouse (Mountain hut). All accommodation is on a twin-shared basis. A single supplement will be served on request and at an additional cost. Lodges in most places only have shared washing and toilet facilities. Also, please note that single rooms are readily available in Kathmandu and the trekking regions at lower elevations, but it might be difficult to find them at higher elevations. Regarding the budget, the hotel accommodation can be upgraded or downgraded in Kathmandu.
Food:
On your trek, you will experience authentic Nepalese cuisine as well as more common international food (Tibetan, Continental, Italian, Indian, etc.) Breakfast and dinner will be served in the Lodge, where we spend the nigh,t and lunch will be served on the way to the next destination. All meals will be provided while trekking, while only breakfast will be provided in Kathmandu.
Electricity facilities in the trekking lodge:
Some villages will have hydropower lines, but most commonly there will be a solar power system. There are likely to be battery charging facilities in most of the Lodges, but for these facilities, there may be a separate charge (a cost of about 1USD for 1hour of charge).
Outline itinerary:
Day O1: Kathmandu Arrival (1300m), Transfer to Hotel.
Upon your arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, A Staff From Nepal Trek Direct Will Receive You. Following A Drive Through The Busy Roads Of The Capital, You Reach Your Hotel. You Can Take A Light Exploration Around The Newari Heritages In The City. Overnight Stay At A Hotel In Kathmandu.
Day 02: Sightseeing In Kathmandu, Trek Preparation.
The Schedule For The Day Involves Exploring The Major Landmarks Of The Kathmandu Valley. We Will Visit The Sites Like Kathmandu Durbar Square, Pashupatinath, Swayambhunath, And Boudhanath. These World Heritage Sites Are What Identify The Capital As One Of The Most Culturally Opulent Cities In The World. After Visiting, Return To Your Hotel And Prepare For The Trek. Overnight Stay At A Hotel In Kathmandu.
Day 03: Drive Or Fly From Kathmandu to Pokhara, Sightseeing In Pokhara (820m).
After An Early Breakfast, You Can Either Drive Or Fly To Pokhara. The Drive Lasts For About 6 Hours Whereas The Flight Lasts For About 30 Minutes. Both Of The Options Display Natural Grandiose Of Nepal. Upon Arrival In Pokhara, We Explore The Major Natural Landmarks Like The Phewa Lake, Davis Falls, And Mahendra Cave. If Time Permits, A Visit To The World Peace Pagoda Is In The Books Too. Overnight Stay At A Hotel In Pokhara.
Day 04: Pokhara to Jomsom (2720m) Flight, Trek to Kagbeni (2810m).
An Early Flight To Jomsom Awaits Us Today. The Flight Transcends From Greenery To Barren Hills. Taking A Brief Rest At Jomsom, We Begin Our Trek On The Trail That Leads To A Beautiful Valley To Kagbeni. We Cross The Ekle Bhatti Village And Observe The Flat-Roofed Houses Along The Way. The Trek Will Follow The Kali Gandaki River Upstream To Kagbeni. Overnight Stay At Kagbeni.
Day 05: Kagbeni to Chele (3050m).
The Initial Half Of The Day Involves Having Our Permits Checked And, and after doing it, We Walk On The Trail That Goes Aside The Kali Gandaki River. We Cross The Tangbe Village And Are Greeted By Narrow Alleys, Barley Fields, And White Washed Houses. After Crossing Other Villages Like Chhusang And Chhomnang, We Walk On A Ridge And, Finally, Reach The Chele Village. Overnight Stay At Chele Village.
Day 06: Chele to Syanboche (3800m).
The Trail For The Day Is A Bit Hard As The Altitude Sees A Remarkable Rise. To Arrive at Syanboche, We Must Cross Two Passes Namely The Taklam La Pass (3624m) and the Dajori La Pass (3735m). These Passes Provide Great Views Of The Tilicho Lake, Yakhhawa Kang And The Damodar Danda Ranges. We Make A Small Visit At The Chungsi Cave And Arrive At The Samar Village. After Descending On A Steep Trail, We Arrive At Syanboche. Overnight Stay At Syanboche.
Day 07: Syanboche To Ghami(3520m).
The Most Difficult Part Of The Trek Involves Climbing The Yamda La Pass (3860m). The Trail Greets Us With Amazing Teahouses, Chortens, And Beautiful Villages. As We Explore The Poplar Forests And Barley Fields, We Reach The Nyi La Pass (4010m). After Making Some Difficult Climbs, We Descend To The Ghami Village. Overnight Stay At Ghami.
Day 08: Ghami To Tsarang (Charang) (3560m).
The Trail Initially Sees A Sharp Descent And Later Involves Walking Along The Slippery Terrain. The Ghami Khola Greets Us With Its Serenity Today, And As We Cross It, The Trail Begins To Elevate. Another Pass We Must Conquer Is The Tsarang La Pass (3870m). After Crossing It, We Arrive At The Tsarang Village. This Village Sits Atop The Charang Chu Canyon And Provides Amazing View Of The Surrounding Fortress. Overnight Stay At Tsarang.
Day 09: Tsarang to Lo Manthang (3810m).
The Trail For The Day Leads Us Down The Canyon. We Cross The Charang River And, Later, Again Go Through Another River- Thulung. From here, We Begin The Uphill Battle To The Summit Of The Lo La Pass (3950m). The Pass Provides Us Amazing View Of The Lo Manthang Village And The Surrounding Mountain Ranges Of Nilgiri, Tilicho, And Annapurna. The Descent From The Pass Takes Us To The Lo Manthang Village. Overnight Stay At Lo Manthang.
Day 10: Explore Lo Manthang, Hike To Choser Cave.
Lo Manthang Is A Sacred And Isolated Region Of Nepal. The Ancient City, Which Is Believed To Have Been A Part Of The Ancient Silk Road, Is Also Home To Numerous Cultural Heritages. We Explore The 3 Major Gompas Here Which Go By The Names Of Jampa, Thubchen And Chodag. We Shall Hike All The Way To The Choser Cave As Well. We Can See Numerous Sky Caves During Our Exploration Around Lo Manthang. Overnight Stay At Lo Manthang.
Day 11: Lo Manthang To Ghami (3520m)Via Marang La (4230m) and Dhakmar Gompa.
Today, We Begin The Journey Back To Ghami. Instead Of Using The Same Route We Had Used Previously, We Initially Head For The Marang La Pass (4230m), The Highest Point On The Entire Trek. Climbing The Pass Is Pretty Rigorous, But Once It Is Done, We Can Enjoy The Mesmerising Views Of The Himalayas In Annapurna, Nilgiri, And Saribung Ranges. After Making A Quick Stop At The Dhakmar Gompa, We Arrive At Ghami. Overnight Stay At Ghami.
Day 12:Ghami To Samar (3660m).
The Trail Initially Commences From Ghami, And Then It Cascades All The Way To Samar. The Trail Is Pretty Rigorous And Involves Heavy Walking. We Arrive At Samar After Trekking For 4 Hours. Overnight In Samar.
Day 13: Samar to Kagbeni (2810m).
From Samar, We Initially Arrive At Chele By Crossing The Rocky Landscapes. On The Road, We Cross Rivers On Multiple Occasions, Namely: Ghyakar, Chhincho, And Sumba. We Pass The Fields And Overhanging Rocks Along The Way. Passing Tirigaon Before Arriving At Kagbeni, the Kali Gandaki River Rejoins Our Trek. Overnight Stay At Kagbeni.
Day 14: Kagbeni to Jomsom (2720m).
The Trail From Kagbeni To Jomsom Covers Around 11 Kilometres And Involves Walking Downhill. The Walk Provides Amazing View Of The Nilgiri Mountains As We Battle The Strong Winds. We Go Through Barley Fields And Take A Quick Stop At Ekle Bhatti. We Arrive At Jomsom In The Afternoon And Enjoy The Mesmerising Hospitality In The Town. Overnight Stay At Jomsom.
Day 15: Jomsom to Pokhara, Sightseeing in Pokhara (820m).
The Morning Involves A Quick Flight To Pokhara. The Flight Shows The Colossal Annapurna And Dhaulagiri Mountains. The Flight Is An Amazing Experience And Provides Amazing Opportunity To Witness The Annapurna Region. Upon Arrival In Pokhara, We Will Do Some Sightseeing By Visiting The Davis Falls And The Bat Cave. Overnight Stay At A Hotel In Pokhara.
Day 16: Drive Or Fly Back To Kathmandu.
From Pokhara, We Wake Up Early And Either Fly Or Drive To Kathmandu. Depending On The Ticket Timing, The Flight Schedule May Vary. Observe The Amazing View Of The Surrounding And, Later, Arrive In Kathmandu. In Kathmandu, You Can Also Enjoy The Services At The Spas And Wellness Centers In The Valley. Overnight Stay At A Hotel In Kathmandu.
Day 17: Rest Day In Kathmandu.
Today Is A Rest Day And You Have The Option Of Either Staying In Your Hotel Or Further Exploring The Kathmandu Valley. You Can Go Souvenir Shopping In The Streets Of Thamel Or Tasting Some Local Cuisines In The City. Celebrate The End Of A Marvellous Journey In The Land Of The Himalayas! Overnight Stay At A Hotel In Kathmandu.
Day 18: Fly Back Home.
With The Completion Of The Upper Mustang Trek, You Will Bid Farewell To Nepal And Make Your Way To Your Destinations. A Scheduled Flight Awaits Your Arrival