Upper Mustang Trek

Arrive Kathmandu. You will be met on arrival at the Tribhuwan International Airport. Transfer to Hotel. Day Free. Enjoy welcome dinner. Briefing during dinner.

Overnight Hotel. (Dinner)

Full day of sightseeing in Kathmandu. You will be accompanied by our in-house city guide. In the morning, visit Bodhanath, the Stupa of a Million dew drops, to watch monks and devotees circumambulate the largest stupa in the world. Then visit Pashupatinath, Nepal’s most sacred Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva, with its two-tiered golden roof and silver door. Drive to Patan for lunch in the garden of the Patan Museum Café. After lunch, visit the well-maintained Patan Museum storing ancient Nepali artifacts, followed by a tour of Patan Durbar Square. Drive back to Kathmandu.

Overnight Hotel. (Breakfast and Lunch)

Early morning, short flight to Pokhara. Hop on a jeep to begin our journey to Mustang. While it is only 120 kilometers/73 miles, it should take us around 3.5 hours to get to Ghasa. Our hiking trail descends to the suspension bridge followed by a steep ascent to pastures. Cross another suspension bridge and just beyond the first shepherd’s hut, turn right to follow the hiking trail on a steep switch back which gradually levels out near the village of Chyo where there is a large river bed formed by the tributary emanating from Nilgiri Himal. Trek past the village and a pine forest to arrive at our lodge for the evening on the side of the main highway. The total hike is around 10.5 kilometers/6.5 miles with an elevation gain of around 2,200 feet.

Overnight Lodge. (All meals)

Begin drive to Larjung and follow the trail on the river bed and cross the make-shift bridge made from logs to rejoin the classic Annapurna Circuit trail to Marpha. We will climb up and down on the trail to reach the Tibetan refugee center in Marpha from where we cross a suspension bridge to meet our jeep. Drive a bit further to the village of Marpha. Today’s hike is around 7.5 miles/12.5 kilometers with 900 feet ascent and 1,100 feet descent. Time allowing, explore the old section of Marpha. Then continue further past Jomsom to Kagbeni.

Kagbeni is the gateway to Upper Mustang and was formed in the 14th century as a checkpoint to control travel. Today should allow you some time at high altitude to make things easier the next day.

Overnight Lodge. (All meals)

Today, we drive from Kagbeni to Drakmar (4 hours). Heading north along the river, snowy Nilgiri (22,431 feet) will dominate the skyline behind us. We will pass villages with whitewashed houses with fields of buckwheat, barley, wheat, and apple trees.  Cross the Kali Gandaki River, then climb up to the village of Chele, perched on a ridge above the gorge and then to Samar.

Visit the  Chungsi caves enroute.

Overnight Lodge. (All meals)

Soon after leaving camp, climb over Mui La and proceed to Ghar Gompa (Lo Gekhar). Lo Gekhar contains one of the oldest gompas in Nepal (built in the eighth century — even older than Samye in Tibet), a great red-and-white structure surrounded by trees. Smaller groups can stay at the monastery lodge but bigger groups will need to descend to Tsarang which is an hours descent from Ghar Gompa. We will camp near the lodge compound.

Overnight Tents. (All meals)

DRAKMAR TO GHAR GOMPA:
Distance – 3.37 miles/5.42 kilometers
Ascent – 1,191 feet/363 meters
Descent – 628 feet/192 meters

From Ghar Gompa, hike over the Chogo la pass (4,280m/14,100ft) to Lo Manthang. Though not very steep, if it is a sunny day, this will be a grueling climb. Then descend through a pasture to the walled city of Lo. Today’s hike is all on trekking trail – NO jeep track.

Explore the maze of narrow streets winding through approximately 150 houses, and three important gompas built in the early 15th century. These temples (along with those in Tsarang and Lo Gekhar) have been rescued from the ravages of time by the efforts and heart of local people (Lo Gyalpo Jigme Foundation in collaboration with the American Himalayan Foundation) — with stunning results.

Overnight Lodge. (All meals)

GHAR GOMPA TO LO MANTHANG:
Distance – 7.05 miles/11.34 kilometers
Ascent – 1,345 feet/410 meters
Descent – 1,642 feet/500 meters

Today, we explore the monasteries and the palace within the walled city of Lo Manthang.

Overnight Lodge. (All meals)

We drive to and explore monasteries and caves north of Lo Manthang taking a bumpy jeep ride to visit Garphu and Niphu monastery, Choser caves and Jhong cave. You also have the option to drive and hike another hour to Konchokling cave which was discovered in 2007. This houses some fascinating old paintings. Later, continue drive to Samjung village where you will camp for the night. The village has been abandoned due to lack of water.

Overnight Tents. (All meals)

From Samjung, we climb on a steep scree trail for a few hundred feet. We then reach a jeep track and continue to hike to the top of a large plateau. Head south east on the plateau and then begin the steep 2,300 descent on sometimes exposed trail to the bottom of the valley. At the bottom, we walk on the river banks for around 15-20 minutes to where a hut has been built for travelers and pilgrims. Chosung monastery is right above where we are camping. You will have time to walk to the monastery in the afternoon.

Overnight Tents. (All meals)

Distance – 12.6 Kilometers/7.83 miles
Ascent – 619 meters/2,030 feet
Descent – 790,meters/2,591 feet

From our camp site, heading west, we have an easy climb for around 45 minutes until we descend steeply to the river. This river is smaller and not as quick flowing. Note: It is best to walk in flip-flops as we will not only be crossing the river but will also be wading on the river. At the river junction, we then head upstream on the slightly bigger river crossing it a couple times. After 20-25 minutes, we will begin a long (1 – 1.5 hours), steep ascent on a switchback until we reach the top of a plateau. After crossing the plateau, we descend to Amka. where sheep numbering in the thousands from neighboring villages, are reared. From Amka, we make another short climb and then descend to the village of Ghara.

We have an extra day at Ghara to visit Luri Gompa and Tashi Kabum.

Overnight Tents. (All meals)

Distance – 19.5 Kilometers/12.1 miles
Ascent – 879 meters/2,883 feet
Descent – 859 meters/2,818 feet

From Ghara we descend to Yara village. Then cross the river and make a short ascent to the plateau. Descend to the Dhi river and ascend steeply to a jeep track leading to Dhi village. Instead of continuing to ascend on the road, descend to another plateau. Walk across and then descend on a gully to Tange village.

Overnight Tents. (All meals)

Distance – 17 Kilometers/10.56 miles
Ascent – 830 meters/2,723 feet
Descent – 1,070 meters/3,510 feet

After another river crossing ascend steeply to a higher plateau. You’ll have increasingly fantastic views of not only much of the Mustang we have traveled through, but of Dhaulagiri, Nilgiri, Tukche, Tilicho, and Annapurna. You’ll look for blue sheep and enjoy the wildflowers as we traverse to a shepherd’s camp by the stone hut near the pass.

Overnight Camp. (All meals)

Ascending and descending, travel through the vast and silent world of the wild uplands. Along a ridge, again have views of Mustang, the wind carved hills all around, and the snow peaks stretching from Dhaulagiri in the south to Tibet in the north. Care must be taken on this path that contours along and into a steep and contorted canyon. Tetang is on the Narsing River above Chhuksang, which we passed our first day out of Kagbeni.

Overnight Lodge. (All meals)

It will take about five hours to reach the pass, Gnyu La, at 13,000 feet. It is a rewarding route providing fine views the entire way and wildflowers. From the pass one can see Muktinath, and within a few hours we will arrive at the final stretch where the trail goes through a grove of trees, across a bridge, past a nunnery, and finally joins the main trail from Manang. Here, officially exit the restricted area of Upper Mustang. Muktinath is a holy place, the destination of thousands of Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims every year. We’ll have time to visit the many fine temples and shrines.

Overnight Lodge. (All meals)

Today, our final day of trekking, we will follow the Lubra Valley route down to Jomsom. Begin by trekking to the Muktinath bus stand from where we leave the jeep track and head South West to the top of Lubra pass. We criss-cross the jeep track and then follow a single track down the valley enjoying stunning views of Dhaulagiri and Nilgiri. There is an option to either follow the trail to Lubra village or towards ekle bhatti where a jeep will meet and drive us to Jomsom. Total hiking today is 10 miles/16 kilometers with 1,200 feet of ascent and 4,300 feet of descent.

Overnight Lodge. (All meals)

You have the option to fly from Jomsom to Pokhara. The day is free in Pokhara. You are free to wander around the lake side for souvenir shopping or to check out the many bars and restaurants.

If you decide to drive to Pokhara, it should take around 6 hours of driving.

Overnight Temple Tree or similar. (Breakfast and Dinner)

Fly to Kathmandu. Day is free for shopping or relaxing.

Overnight Hotel. (Breakfast)

Full day sightseeing in Kathmandu. Visit Bhaktapur Durbar Square which is around 13 kilometers/8 miles east of Kathmandu. The Bhaktapur Durbar Square was the palace of the kingdom of Bhaktapur and the complex consists of at least four distinct squares (Durbar Square, Taumadhi Square, Dattatreya Square and Pottery Square).

Farewell dinner in Kathmandu. Overnight Hotel. (Breakfast and Dinner)

Transfer to airport for final departure (B)