Description
Trek Itinerary
Day 01. Pokhara – Jomsom – Kagbeni (2895m.): 3 hrs.
We will take Morning flight (20 minute) or drive to Jomsom. Start with a 3-hour hike to Kagbeni (2895 m). It is an eight kilometer walk after the flight. Kagbeni is an ancient Tibetan-influenced settlement surrounded by a patchwork of fields and fruit trees. Overnight in a lodge.
Meals included: Lunch Dinner
Day 02. Kagbeni – Chaile (3050m.): 6-7hrs.
The previously forbidden area of Upper Mustang begins after the check post at the northern most limit of Kagbeni. The trail ascends sharply to a Chorten, (Tibetan prayer wheel) from where we see beautiful views of Kagbeni with Nilgiri as a backdrop. We follow along the east bank of the Kali Gandaki, ascending and descending until we reach the sparsely vegetated plateau and the village of Tangbe (3100m.) where we will have our lunch. Continue trek to Chhuksang (3050m) where we can see ruins of castles littering the hilltops and cave dwellings across the river. The canyon walls are eroded into spectacular organ pipe formations. We continue to follow the riverbank and see many caves amongst the cliff walls. A steep climb out of the valley leads us to the village of Chaile. The trekking distance today will be approx. 6-7 km. overnight in a lodge.
Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner
Day 03. Chaile –Syangboche (3920m.): 6-7 hrs.
The trail from Chaile ascend until Chotare Lopcha Pass (3625 m) where it offers a good view towards Samar, the Kali Gandaki Valley and snow-capped peaks in the distance. We then follow the contour of the mountain to Samar (3700 m) where we will stop for the lunch. Then we take the lower route to visit Chunsi cave – red painted monastery, which is an impressive and worth to visit. This is Rangchyung Chorten, one of the most sacred places in Mustang. Rare blue mountain sheep are also seen in this area. Today we will ascend 870m.with the distance of 10 km walk. Overnight in a lodge.
Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner
Day 04. Syanboche – Ghami (3490m.) – Tsarang (3560m.): 7-8 hrs.
After half an hour walk, we will leave the upper route to Tamagaun and Chhunggar and follow to Ghiling. Unlike other villages in Mustang, where the houses are build close together and look fortress like. After passing Ghiling we can see the Nyi La pass (4025m.) straight ahead then reach Ghami. Ghami is a third largest town in Mustang, which is high above the river and surrounded by fields. Lunch at Ghami village which has a very old monastery, ruined palace, apple and apricot orchids. We cross the river on the other side of Ghami village. There is a hospital following 300m long Mani wall. The Mani wall is the longest in Upper Mustang and is said to be the intestine of the demon killed by Padmasambhav (Guru Rinpoche). Here we will leave the upper trail which goes to Ghar Gumba and follow to Tsarang (3650m). Tsarang is a Dzong which formerly housed a king of the region. Tsarang is situated on the edge of a beautiful cliff. The name Tsarang has been derived from the Tibetan word Chaptrun meaning cook’s crest. The crest being the narrow rocky ridge upon which the Castle stands. There is a Monastery which was built in 1385AD and a 5 storied Palace built in 1378AD. The Palace has 108 volumes of Kangyur Text engraved in Gold. Overnight in Tsarang in a lodge.
Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner
Day05. Tsarang- Lo- Mangthang (3760m.): 5-6 hrs.
After our initial descent, the trail follows a gentle but continuous climb with increasingly beautiful views. High sandstone cliffs with numerous caves flank our east and the Mustang Himal peaks are visible stretching towards Tibet. From the Lo-Manthang Pass (3950m) we first see the village of Namgyal, and then Lo-Manthang itself, the only walled village on this route. It contains the Royal Palace of the King of Mustang and will be our base camp for the next 3 nights.
Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner
Day06. Lo-Mangthang (Exploration)
The city Lo- Manthang is a walled fortress of old times with houses tightly packed behind the walls, and a maze of narrow alleys to explore. The king’s palace is easily noticeable, as it is the largest residence in Lo-Manthang. It is also possible to visit 3 monasteries – the Chamba Lakhang, the Thugchen Lakhang, and Chodi of the Sakya Sect which has several monks in residence and offers us the chance to join in prayer and chanting. Half way to the King’s summer palace in Namgyal, is the Namgyal Monastery. It is the largest monastery in Mustang and is perched on a hillside above the village. Overnight in Lo- Manthang in a lodge.
Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner
Day 07. Lo-Mangthang (Exploration): Hiking 6 hrs.
A day hike (or pony trek/jeep) to the villages of Chhosser, Garphu and Niphu north of Lo-Manthang is definitely worthwhile. There are some interesting cave monasteries and numerous caves with dwellings inside. On the way back, a hike up to the ruins of Ketcher Dzong is recommended for wide panoramic views of the valleys to the north and south. Overnight in Lo- Manthang.
Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner
Day 08. Lo-Mangthang to Drakmar (3810 m.): 6-7 hrs.
We trek on a different route when returning from Lo-Manthang. Our trail passes through Gyakar village which houses a century old Ghar Gompa with beautiful rock paintings. According to a local legend, anyone who makes a wish at the Gompa will have it fulfilled. We explore the Gompa and continue our trek to Drakmar for an overnight stay.
Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner
Day 09. Drakmar to Ghiling (3,806m.): 5-6 hrs.
We start our trek early to avoid strong winds and descend for the most part of the trek. Our trail passes through a dry plateau and fields before reaching Ghiling. The walk can be relatively difficult as we are most likely to experience strong winds on our face. Ghiling is mostly dry, but we still get good views of Dhaulagiri and Nilgiri mountains. We can tour the village around the evening. Overnight in Ghiling.
Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner
Day 10. Ghiling to Chhuksang (3050m.): 5-6 hrs.
We begin our trek after breakfast. We walk on the same trail as before going up to Lo Manthang. On the way to Chhuksang we can enjoy great views of the Himalayas and small villages we pass en route. Overnight in Chhuksang.
Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner
Day 11. Chhuksang – Kagbeni – Jomsom (2,700m.): 4-5 hrs.
Today is the end day of our trek and it is a long one. After trekking for a while, we come to an end of our Mustang trails and join the trails of the Annapurna circuit at Kagbeni. We stop for lunch at Kagbeni. The drive an hour to Jomsom.Overnight in Jomsom.
Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner
Day 12. Fly or drive to Pokhara
We take an early morning flight to Pokhara. The airplane passes through a gorge between Annapurna and Dhaulagiri mountains making the flight itself an amazing experience. After arriving in Pokhara, we can spend the rest of the day in leisure. Overnight in Pokhara.
Meals included: Breakfast
To celebrate the successful completion of our journey, we will have farewell dinner and share the experiences about our trek.
We can customize this trip as per your schedule, budget and preferences. If you wish to discuss any aspect of this trip or your suitability for it please contact us.
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