A representative from Bharal Adventure shall greet and escort the guests to their hotel upon arrival. The guests will be flattered with savory taste of authentic Nepali delicacies introducing them to Nepali food culture for dinner in the evening.
A guided tour around the historically and spiritually significant landmarks in Kathmandu will be scheduled after breakfast. These landmarks constitutes of Pashupatinath Temple, Swayambhunath – the Monkey Temple, Boudhanath and Kathmandu Durbar Square. In the afternoon, pre-trip discussion session will be arranged enabling the interaction between trek leader, crew and the guests.
Soon after breakfast, the group will set off on a long scenic drive to Pokhara, the second largest city of Nepal. After checking in to the hotel and taking rest, leisure boating on the picturesque Fewa Lake will be arranged for making the evening pleasant.
We take an early morning flight to Jomsom, the district headquarter of Mustang, just after breakfast. A large town, Jomsom is also a major village on the Kali Gandaki area linking the age old Trans-Himalayan Salt Trade route to Tibet. From Jomsom, we continue along the path on the Kali Gandaki riverbed for about three hours until we arrive at Eklo Bhatti village where we stop for rest. An hour of easy walk from here takes us to Kagbeni, which lies at the bank of two rivers. A major tributary of Kak Khola coming from Muktinath and Mustang Khola meets at Kagbeni from where the river is called Kali Gandaki.
After getting our special permit checked, we head towards the riverbank of Kali Gandaki following the up and downhill trail until we reach Tangbe village with narrow alleys amongst white washed houses, buckwheat, barley and wheat fields and apple orchards. We trek further to Chhusang where we cross the river and head up to the huge red chunk of conglomerate fallen from the cliff above forming a tunnel through which Kali Gandaki river flows and then walk further on to a small ridge to arrive at Chele village.
Starting our trek to Eklo Bhatti, we climb to Taklam-La Pass (3,624m/11,923 ft) through plateaus and narrow stretches offering pleasant views of Tilicho Peak, Yakawa Kang and Damodar Danda gradually descending a little to the village of Samar from where we climb the trail going above the village to the ridge from where it descends steeply to a stream. From here, another three hours walk will take us to Syanbochen. We shall pass through juniper trees and Ramchung Cave on our trail.
Trekking uphill to Yamda-La 93,850m/12,667 ft), we pass a few teahouses, Chortens and local villages with Tibetan style houses having open veranda. Crossing the mountain passes and an boulevard of poplar trees and barley fields, we climb to Nyi Pass (4,010m/13,193 ft) and then descend to Ghaymi, the third largest village in the Lo region surrounded mostly with barren fields.
Just after breakfast, we start our trek across Ghyami Khola ascending gradually to a plateau and passing along a very long Mani wall and a sacred stone wall at the end of which the trail heads east to the village of Charang surrounded by fields, willow trees and houses separated by stone walls at the top of the Tsarang Chu Canyon. Also housed here are a huge white Dzong and red Gompa.
Enjoying the magnificent views of Nilgiri, Tilicho, Annapurna I and Bhrikuti Peak, we trek to Lo-Mangthang following the trail that first descends to Charang Chu Canyon and then steeply climbs up after crossing the river ascending gently to the 3,850m windy pass of Lo from where the Lo-Mangthang valley can be seen. As we descend to Lo-Mangthang, we are rewarded with the views of the magnificent walled city with its hills on the Tibetan Border.
On the tenth day of our expedition, we explore the surroundings of Lo-Mangthang by visiting the Namgyal Gompa and then trekking to Tingkhar, the last main village to the northwest of Lo-Mangthang. Namgyal Gompa is situated on a hilltop and serves as an important monastery and also as a local court for the local community. You can also choose to visit the Tall Champa Lakhang “God House”, the red Thungchen Gompa, Chyodi Gompa and the Entrance Hall which are the main attractions of this town, along with the four-storey building of the Raja’s palace.
Initially we have to climb up a slight steep part not so hard,what we call as Nepali flat until Ghar Gumba which will take us like 4 hours in average.Ib Ghar Gumba where upon arrival we enjoy our lunch and continue trekking down to Ghyami exploring the surroundings.You can explore the beautiful Ghyami village,as it will be windy in the afternoon, it is advised that you take walk during the evening.The Buckwheat blossoming in the surroundings will take away your heart.
Retracing our steps back to Ghiling, we walk along the rough trail with beautiful Himalayan backdrop for about five to six hours.
We start early on this day as we trek to Kagbeni along the Upper Mustang trails first gradually joining the Annapurna Circuit trail. At Kagbeni, we will have our lunch and from here we head to Jomsom where we will stay for a night. If you can spare another day, you can take a guided trek to Muktinath from here as well.
On this day, we fly back to Pokhara in a morning flight. Upon arrival at Pokhara, we take rest for a while and head out to explore the tranquil beauty of the Pewa Lake. We can also go to World Peace Pagoda or explore other lakes in this beautiful lake city.
A scenic drive from Pokhara will bring the team back to Kathmandu where the evening is spend either relaxing or shopping for souvenirs. A farewell dinner will be organized to commemorate the closer of the exciting journey.
On this day, you will exchange photos, emails and pleasantries during and after breakfast before being escorted to the airport by a representative of Bharal Adventure approximately three hours before their scheduled flight.
The Upper Mustang trek is unique for its cultural richness, ancient Tibetan-influenced traditions, and the stunning landscapes of the Mustang region, including the vast Kali Gandaki Valley.
Yes, a special permit, called the Upper Mustang Restricted Area Permit, is required. It can be obtained through registered trekking agencies.
Major attractions include the walled city of Lo Manthang, monasteries like Thubchen Gompa and Jampa Gompa, the red cliffs of Dhakmar, and the unique landscapes of the region.
The trek is considered moderate in difficulty. While it doesn't involve high-altitude passes like some other treks in Nepal, the challenging terrain and remote locations can make it physically demanding.
Yes, it's important to respect local customs and traditions. Avoid disrupting religious ceremonies, ask for permission before taking photographs, and be mindful of local sensitivities.