Upper Mustang Trek

After breakfast, we’ll brief you on our upcoming adventure and then go on a sightseeing tour around Kathmandu, including several UNESCO World Heritage sites. You can spend the rest of the day freely or preparing for your upcoming trek.

We drive about a 6-7 hrs on the Prithvi Highway to the scenic lakeside city of Pokhara. The scenery along with drive, characterized by terraced rice fields and rolling hillsbuilds our anticipation for the trek. Pokhara is a relaxing town, surrounded by nature’s beauty. Overnight at hotel.

The exciting 20-minuteflight leadsus to Jomsom - the district headquarters of the Mustang region, linking Nepal to Tibet through an ancient salt trade route. The flight offers the views of Dhaulagiri and Annapurna ranges. We will move along the Kaligandaki River, continuing on the trailwhich allows panoramic views of Nilgiri, Dhaulagiri, Dhampus and Tukuche.Then,we descend to Kagbeni, a Tibetan village located at the edge of two rivers. Overnight at guest house.

The trail proceeds further along the eastern edge of Kaligandaki River and climbs uphill towards Tangbe Village. Following the tapered alleys amidst the houses and fields of apples and wheat, we will arrive at the beautiful Chhusang Village. Later, we will cross the Kaligandaki River on a steel footbridge and climb the hill again to the village of Tsele, located on a ridge above the gorge. Overnight at guest house.

The trail follows the hilly and arid landscape before leading down the hill. We climb the Taklam La Pass (3624m), giving us panoramic views of Tilicho Peak and Damodar Danda. Later, the route spirals downward, passing chhortens to Samar Village. Here, the trail drops further to a large ravine. Another 3 hours of walking, we reach Ramchung Cave, near to Syangbochen. Overnight at guest house.

Today’s journey proceeds through Tibetan styled houses and Buddhist monuments all the way to the Yamda La. Taking our time to praise the scenic beauties the trail offers, we move slowly through the fields of barley to climb the Nyi Pass (4010m), the second pass for the day. The steep descent from Nyi Pass will take us to Ghami, nestled in the rugged mountains. Wecross the Ghami River and soon reachTsarang Village (3540m) which sits at the top of Tsarang Chu Canyon and is inhabited mostly by Lhobas - the natives of the area. Overnight at guest house in Tsarang.

After a gentle drop from Tsarang, we cross the Tsarang-Chu and climb uphill through the rocky path with views of Nilgiri, Tilicho, Annapurna I and Bhrikiuti Peaks. Later, we will move up and down the hill to another plateau and reach Lo-Manthang. Overnight at guest house.

Today we take a well-deserved rest and exploration day. This allows us to be re-energized for the trail ahead. We explore around Lo- Manthang which includes visit into the western valley of Tingkhar, where the summer palace of the Raja exists. The place offers majestic views of Kimling, Phuwa and the Namgyal Gompa, which we visit later. Overnight in guest house.

After breakfast, we head out to visit the mysterious Chhoser Caves. These fascinating caves were built hundreds of years ago, storeys high into the face of a cliff. Their exact uses are still debated by archaeologists, but it is known that they have been places of meditation and some have been converted into monasteries. This is an awesome and unforgettable day on our trek. Overnight in guest house.

Following the route that passes near Gyokar Gompa, we ascend over a ridge across a valley to arrive to a meadow. Gyokar Gompa is famous for its rock painting that is believed to be more than 1200 years old. We have a gentle drop and continue along the eroded path beforearriving to Drakmar. Overnight in guest house.

Because you already know the trail, you can spend all your time taking in any views you might have missed on the first time around. Overnight in guest house.

We continue retracing our steps, heading south. We have an early start today to visit the Chungsi Cave Monastery, where the Saint Padmasamvaba meditated around 7th century. Enjoy the spectacular views of Nilgiri beyond the wide stretch of the Kaligandaki River. Overnight at guest house.

Today is a most memorable day on our trek. We reach Muktinath, a village high in the hills. Immediately surrounding us is the unique, arid landscape of the Mustang region, while behind that, we are enveloped by a chain of Himalayas. We’ll check out Muktinath temple, a truly special place where people from all over India and Nepal come to visit. Overnight at guest house.

A full day of descending, hugging the Kaligandaki River, brings us back to Jomsom. We trek through several charming villages. We can stop at Marpha and have some apple pie, apples, or even apple brandy and head back to Jomsom if there’s time. Overnight at guest house in Jomsom.

The 20-minute flight from Jomsom Airport through the cleft between Annapurna and Dhaulagiri will take us to Pokhara. There will be enough time to spare to unlock the mysteries of Pokhara. In the evening, we will stay overnight at one of the hotels in lakeside.

From Pokhara, we drive the 6 or 7 hours back to Kathmandu via the Prithvi Highway. Upon reaching Kathmandu, we take you to your hotel. Take a rest and spend your day freely. Overnight at hotel.

Transfer to Tribhuvan Airport. Thank you for choosing Shikhar Adventure as your trekking guide! We look forward to your next adventure with us.