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Upper Mustang trek - 15 days
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Mustang is the hinterland enriched with mainly
barren ridges, deep canyons, eroded cliffs and
Moraine valleys. Its landscape is unrivaled for
it has a stupendous wilderness, pristine
scenery, snow capped peaks, spectacular 16th
century monasteries and many other unique
attractions. The view of wind swept Kali-Gandaki
valley, vast spaces around Kagbeni and vast
ridges that straggle high mountains provide a
mind-blowing experience.
Nepal’s Mustang region preserves a life almost
unchanged for centuries. It lies hidden behind
the Himalayan giants of Dhaulagiri and Annapurna
at the very roof of Asia on the arid Tibetan
plateau. It has long been isolated from the
outside world (and only opened to trekking
groups since 1992!). As you make your way
through this secluded land, you’ll pass brightly
painted chortens (Buddhist shrines) and tiny
villages guarded by enormous monasteries. Vistas
include unusual and arresting views of the
snow-covered Himalaya to the south, and desolate
high plateaus, deep canyons, and an ocean of
windswept hills the colors of a desert sunset to
the north. Once at the walled capital city of Lo
Manthang, you’ll absorb a great sense of
timelessness and appreciation for an ancient
culture as you discover the ruins of old forts,
monasteries rich in art and history, and caves
replete with magnificent religious statues.
Mustang is the old kingdom of Lo. Actually the
capital of the Mustang district is Jomsom, but
the real Tibetan style district lies north of
Kagbeni and is usually referred to as Upper
Mustang. The real capital, Lo Manthang, where
the present king lives, is a fantastic
square-walled town sitting on the ‘Plain of
Prayers’. The small kingdom of Mustang, closed
to westerners until 1992, is an enchanting land
of windswept vistas, red walled monasteries, and
feudal towns. This tiny kingdom was not only a
major corridor of trade from the 1400's to
before the Chinese occupation of Tibet, but also
figured importantly into early Buddhism in
Tibet. Local legend tells the tale of the great
founder of Tibetan Buddhism, Padmasambhava, who
before building Samye (the oldest monastery in
Tibet) came to Mustang to stand guard against
and do battle with the evil powers out to
destroy Buddhism. The temple of Lo Gekhar in
eastern Mustang was built by Padmasambhava after
his triumphant battle and still stands guard
today.
Facts of the Trek
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Duration: 15 Days
Trek type: Camping
Max Altitude: 3795m.
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Minimum Pax: 1 +
Mode of travel:
Land/Flight
Grade: Strenuous
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Itinerary in Detail
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Day 01 : |
Drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara (914m.) which
takes about six hours.
You depart for the six hours drive to Pokhara
(915m,), 200 kilometers west of Kathmandu. As
you climb out of the Kathmandu valley, only to
quickly descend again to the Trisuli River, you
follow upstream to its junction with the
Marsyangdi River. You follow the Marsyandi
gently up through heavily terraced fields and
small hill towns to the Seti River that takes
you directly into Pokhara. Having pleasant
weather, Pokhara is tourist's paradise with full
of natural as well as cultural heritage sites
such as lakes, caves, temples of Buddhist and
Hindus along with mountains. You can observe
views to the north across the hills and Phewa
Tal (lake) to the white peaks of the Annapurna
and Dhaulagiri ranges. This drive will take most
of the morning, leaving much of the afternoon to
fall in love with its beauty.
You can also fly from
Kathmandu to Pokhara which takes about 25
minutes.
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Day 02 : |
Fly from Pokhara to Jomsom (2700 m.) and it
takes about 25 minutes and trek from Jomsom to
Kagbeni (2810 m.) which takes about four hours.
You take the early morning flight which again
will give close-up views of the Annapurna range,
Dhaulagiri and nearby satellites, 20 minutes
flight in a small aircraft. Directly north of
Jomsom is the pretty village of Kagbeni, There
are about 80 families living here, most of them
traders who are the link in the chain between
modern Nepal and the Tibetan-type people of
Mustang. Just out of Jomsom you cross a small
hanging bridge and then walk along the banks of
the Kali Gandaki. The trail is quite barren with
craggy rocks and sand and is mostly flat, which
makes it very easy going. This very easy,
enjoyable start is at the same time picturesque,
with views of big peaks all around such as
Dhaulagiri (26,794ft), Tukuche (22,703ft) and in
the west the awesome mountain above Kagbeni,
Nilgiri (22,769ft). Over to the south and
south-west can be seen the entire Annapurna
Massif. You are more than likely to meet Indian
pilgrims on their way to and from Muktinath on
this stretch, and other Europeans for an hour or
two who will be on the world-famous Annapurna
Circuit. Upon reaching Kagbeni there is a taste
of scenes to come in Upper Mustang, what with
its narrow alleyways and tunnels, irrigation
canals, green fields of wheat and barley and a
large red gompa. At the police check-post at the
north end of the village there is a sign saying
‘Restricted area, tourists please do not go
beyond this point’. Here you will complete your
paperwork formalities for you to enter this
long-forbidden region of Nepal. ACAP have set up
a very interesting information post here with
displays of Mustang artifacts and photos. |
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Day 03 : |
Trek from Kagbeni to Chuksang(2900 m.) which
takes about five hours.
You trek right up the river valley, but you use
a combination of the high trail and the
riverbank pathways. The trail then widens
significantly revealing an endless stretch of
sand but the path is kept interesting by the
passing of mule trains bearing goods from
Mustang and Tibet. On the west bank of the river
are some caves and Gompa Kang. Unlike most
monasteries in Upper Mustang which are of the
Sakyapa sect, Gompa Kang is of the Nyingmapa
sect. You stop for lunch at the village of
Tangbe, where you come across the first black,
white and red chortens that typify Upper
Mustang. The little town is a labyrinth of
narrow alleys among white washed houses, fields
of buck wheat and barley and apple orchards.
Nilgiri Peak continues to dominate the southern
skyline. Chusang village is only about 2hrs walk
beyond Tangbe at the confluence of the Narshing
Khola and the Kali Gandaki. There are three
separate parts to this village and some ruined
castle walls on the surrounding cliffs. Across
the river from Chusang are some spectacular red
organe pipe eroded cliffs above the mouths of
some inaccessible caves.
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Day 04 : |
Trek from Chuksang to Samar(3150 m.) and it
takes about three and half hours.
There is a distinct change here, not only in the
topography, but also in the culture, lifestyle
and people, and the settlements become more
scattered, smaller and more basic. The people of
Lo or Mustang do practice agriculture, but
because of the lack of rain and fertile soil,
cultivation is in sheltered plots of land,
scattering the brown landscape with patches of
green. Continuing north, you reach a huge red
chunk of conglomerate that has fallen from the
cliffs above, forming a tunnel through which the
river flows. A steel bridge spans the river just
in front of the tunnel and north of here the
Kali Gandaki becomes impassable on foot. The
trek now leaves the valley and climbs steeply up
a rocky alley to the village of Chele. Watch out
here for the ferocious Tibetan mastiffs which
are chained to many of the houses. From Chele
you climb a steep spur and then continue
ascending along the side of a spectacular steep
canyon to a pass. Beyond the pass you descend on
a pleasant trail to Samar, situated in a grove
of poplar trees. This is a major stopping place
for horse and mule caravans |
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Day 05 : |
Trek from Samar to Geling (3510 m.) which takes
about five hours.
You climb above Samar to a ridge and then
descend into a large gorge past a chorten before
entering another valley filled with juniper
trees. You then cross a stream and after
climbing to a pass, you descend along a ridge to
Shyangmochen a tiny settlement with a few tea
shops. Nearby is Rangbyung, a cave containing
stalagmites which have formed in the shape of
chortens and one of the holiest places in
Mustang. The trail climbs gently from
Shyangmochen and you enter another huge valley
before descending to Geling with its extensive
fields of barley. As in all the settlements of
Mustang, the white and ochre-painted houses are
constructed using mud and stones, with roofs
made of twigs, straw and a mixture of mud and
pebbles.
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Day 06 : |
Trek from Giling to Ghami (3490 m.) via Ghami La
(3520m.) and it takes about five hours.
From Geling the trail climbs gently through
fields, up the center of the valley, passing
above the settlement of Tama Gun and an imposing
chorten. You then begin a taxing climb across
the head of the valley to the Nyi La [3840m].
The descent from the pass is quite gentle and
about half an hour further on we come to a trail
junction; the right trail is the direct route to
Charang, the left trail leads to Ghami. Ghami is
a large white-washed village sheltered by
overhanging cliffs. |
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Day 07 : |
Trek fram Ghami to Tsarang (3620 m.) which
takes about five hours.
Today's walk is through perhaps the driest part
of Mustang, and much of your energy will be
spent negotiating loose, dry soil. However, the
magnificent views of the countryside, from the
gentle contours of the north to the rugged
mountains in the east and west, are a source of
inspiration. Finally, you come to Charang, a
large spread-out village at the top of the
Charang Chu canyon. At the eastern end of the
village is a huge dzong [fortress] and a red
gompa which houses an excellent collection of
statues and thangkas.
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Day 08 : |
Trek from Tsarang to Lo-Manthang [Mustang](3730
m.) and it takes about three hours.
You will spend part of the morning exploring the
interesting village of Charang and its large
monastery, before setting out for Lo Manthang.
You climb gently above the valley to a large
isolated chorten that marks the boundary between
Charang and Lo. The trail then broadens and
eventually you get our first view of the walled
city of Lo Manthang. The city has only one
entrance so you circumambulate the wall to the
gate on the north east corner.
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Day 09 : |
Rest day at Mustang.
Today is free to explore the fascinating city of
Lo Manthang, untouched since the 14th century.
The city contains about 150 houses, as well as
residences for its many lamas. There are four
major temples within the city and one of these,
Champa Lhakang, contains a huge clay statue of
Buddha as well as elaborates mandalas painted on
the walls. The king's palace is an imposing
building in the center of the city and is
occupied by the current King and Queen. Although
his duties are largely ceremonial, the King is
respected by the people and consulted about many
issues by villagers throughout the kingdom.
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Day 10 : |
Trek from Lo-Manthang to Ghami (3490 m.) which
takes about six hours.
You continue your journey on the highland route,
crossing alpine meadows before dropping down a
steep eroded alley to Dhakmar for lunch. After
lunch, you walk through the pretty valley, climb
to a ridge and descend from there back to Ghami.
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Day 11 : |
Trek from Ghami to Chuksang (2900 m.) and it
takes about six hours.
You trek through wide and gentle path with some
ascends and descends. The trail passes through
desert like places though you can see some small
thorny bushes. On the way, your trail goes along
the river. You come across with some small
streams. To reach from Ghami to Chuksang, you
cross Kali Gandaki river. |
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Day 12 : |
Trek from Chuksang to Muktinath (3795m.) which
takes about seven hours.
The trail follows gently ascend and winding path
passing through almost desert like places. On
the way, you see at a distance some agricultural
fields, apple orchard and some human
settlements. You can enjoy beautiful deserted
landscape, Caves, old Tibetan Style Villages,
apple Garden, Yaks Herds, Sheep Herds, straight
up to the Muktinath, visit Monastery believed to
be built in 15th century, walk about twenty
minute to Muktinath Temple, where you can enjoy
a holy bath of 108 Taps, Visit Monastery,
Natural flaming and Hindus Temple. The people of
Muktinath are close to the life style,culture,
religion and idea of Tibetan people. |
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Day 13 : |
Trek from Muktinath to Jomsom (2713 m.) and it
takes about five hours.
Easy day, trail gradually ascends to Eklebhati
at Kali Gandaki River valley, walk another two
hours along the wide sandy and windy valley. The
way moves between two hills.
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Day 14 : |
Fly from Jomsom to Pokhara which takes about 25
minutes and stay overnight at hotel in Pokhara.
The flights are available during the morning
time. The strong breeze blows during the after
and frequent change of the weather prevent the
flight being landed and taken off in the
afternoon. During the flights in morning, the
sky looks very clear which makes you able to
enjoy the splendid views of different mountain
peaks. |
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Day 15 : |
Drive from Pokhara to Kathmandu by tourist mini
bus and stay overnight at hotel in Kathmandu.
While driving from Pokhara to Kathmandu, you
head up to Damauli,, Dumre, Muglin and Kurintar
where the Nepal's first Cable car is operated to
reach to Manakamana Temple. En route, you could
enjoy the mountain views, green sceneries, rice
terrace fields, vegetable fields and people
being engaged in their daily life activities.
From Naubishe you climb up to Thankot, the
gateway to capital city.
You can also fly from
Pokhara to Kathmandu which takes about 25
minutes. |
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Services
Included
Guide, Cook, Necessary Porters, Kitchen helper, Sherpa, Conservation Area entry permit, All surface transportation by bus, All meals three times a day, Necessary Camping equipment such as tents, kitchen
tent, dining tent, toilet tent, mattresses, down sleeping bag, down jacket, cooking utensils, fuel
etc., Camping charges, Rescue help, Insurance and
equipments for the staffs.
Services
Excluded
Personal expenses, Insurance, Tips, Emergency
evacuation by Helicopter, Alternative
transportation in case of heavy rain, landslide,
strike, road blockade etc.
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