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Best Season: April, May, September, October (best in terms of view), November
Once the isolated and forbidden kingdom of Lo-Manthang is now open to the tourist after many decades. Upper Mustang is a rain shadow region of Nepal which is closely connected to Tibet in the North. Starting in Jomsom, the Lo Manthang (Upper Mustang) trek winds north along the Kali Gandaki River. While walking, visitors can take in breathtaking views of the Nilgiri, Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, and other Himalayan peaks. You will pass small villages guarded by enormous monasteries as you travel through this remote region. Unusual and striking vistas include the snow-covered Himalayas to the south, deep valleys, and an ocean of exposed hills to the north coloured like a desert sunset. You will explore the ruins of ancient forts, monasteries rich in art and history, and caverns filled with amazing religious statues. After you reach the walled capital city of Lo Manthang, you’ll get a wonderful sense of uniqueness and appreciation for a prehistoric society.
Major Highlights of Upper Mustang Lomanthang) Trek.
Your ultimate adventure starts with your landing in Kathmandu valley surrounded by beautiful green hills and alluring Mountain views. You will be welcomed by our representative at the airport gate. Following that, you will be transferred to the respective hotel nearby to rest and refresh in order to avoid Jet lag. Today you can just explore nearby areas.
Staying a night prior to start is essential. We recommend you explore and get acclimated before starting a trek if you are coming from sea level. While flights to Lukla are difficult to catch, we will book your ticket as soon as possible. You will enjoy the beauty of historical monuments, along with Hindu and Buddhist temples and pilgrimage sites. Kathmandu is home to seven UNESCO world heritage sites worth visiting and experiencing. You would enjoy many choices of restaurants and meals providing both local and western foods. You can imagine the types of cuisine they offer. You can get your trekking gear from a shop nearby if you need anything for your trek. This evening, our representative will give you a briefing about the trek and address your queries in the best possible way.
Are you ready for the adventure? Let’s go! We will take a 20 minutes flight to Jomsom from Pokhara. Jomsom is a main village town in Mustang. Our flight is short but very worth it. We will see beautiful landscape and mountain from our plane. After a quick landing we will gear ourself for 4 hours hike to Kagbeni. We will trek alongside of Kali Gandaki river to reach Kagbeni. Kagbeni is a beautiful old village in this region and also known as a gateway to upper mustang. We will stay in kagbeni tonight and get ready for tomorrow. Overnight at Lodge.
Flight time: 45 minutes & trekking (3-4hrs)
Accommodation: Hotel
Today, we will start our hike crossing Kali Gandhi river. Now we hike east bank of Kali Gandhi river climbing many ridge to the north until we reach Tangbe village. Tangbe village has unique white wash houses among with buckwheat and apple farm.From here we continue our hike among beautiful landscape for 2 hours until we finally reach Chusang which will be our lunch stop for today. After relaxed lunch, we will start climbing to Chaile. On our way, we will see a giant red rock fallen from the cliff forming a tunnel from where Kali Gandaki flows. We now leave Kali Gadaki and take a steep climb to reach our final destination for today, Chaile. Overnight at Lodge.
Trekking time: 6-7 hours
Trekking distance:
Accommodation: Hotel
Today, our hike will start with a steep climb among barren landscape. We will be crossing two passes on our way to Syangmoche. However our climb today will be rewarded with beautiful mountain views, caves and landscape. At first we descent a bit down until we reach beautiful Samar village. From here, We will continue our climb and walk among ridge until we reach a stream. We have climbed Taklam La Pass now should be ready to climb another pass Darjori La Pass. From this pass, we will descent down to amazing village of Syangmoche. Overnight at Teahouse.
Trekking time: hours
Trekking distance:
Accommodation: Hotel
Today is important day for us as we are crossing another two biggest passes of this trail. We will start our hike with an ascent to the first pass Yamada La Pass (3850m). We will enjoy our hike along beautiful chortens and villages with barley farm. After the first pass, we will walk among forest for a while until we finally start climbing another big pass Nyi Pass (4010m). We will gradually descent down from here to reach Ghami, we will meet two trail heads from where we take left to reach beautiful white washed village called Ghami. Overnight at teahouse.
Trekking time: hours
Trekking distance: miles ( km)
Accommodation: Guest House/Hotel
Today we hike among the driest part of this unique kingdom. It could be tough to hike in these lands for us but the view you get upon reaching Charang is spectacular. We will be surrounded by Rocky Mountains and amazing country side. Upon reaching Charang, we will pass through many mani wall ( ancient Tibetan carving on stones) and chortens. There are medieval times big forts and red Gompas build at Charang La pass on the east side of the village. Stone carvings and Thankas are amazing to watch as they show us the ancient Tibetan culture and lifestyle.
Trekking time: hours
Trekking distance: miles ( km)
Accommodation: Guest House/Hotel
Today is the day we finally reach our destination. Lomanthang is a beautiful village with almost 150 household. From Charang, we hike slowly as a trail is relatively moderate and easy. On our way, we will pass through the oldest Gompa of Nepal called Lo-Gekar. As we move forward, we will cross a pass called Lo la Pass (3950 m) from where we will get the first view of amazing Lomanthang.
Upon reaching the old city of Lo, we will visit some old monasteries and Gompa. The most interesting part f Lo is that, there are still King and queen who lives in the old palace. We will roam around the palace as well. Overnight at the tea house.
Trekking time: 4-5 hours
Trekking distance: miles ()
Accommodation: Hotel
Today we take full opportunity to explore this magical and mystery ancient kingdom of Lo. We will explore a place called Chhoser where we will see ancient sky cave called Jhong. Exploring these cave is really worth the effort. People believe that these caves were build many years ago where monks used to meditate. Some also say it was a burial chamber/hiding place.
After exploring these mysterious cave, we will explore ancient Gompas and monasteries near Lo village. We will study and see ancient buddhist culture of this kingdom. Overnight at the tea house.
Trekking time: 3-4 hours
Trekking distance: 3 miles (5 km)
Accommodation: Hotel
Today, we are leaving behind this magical village of Lo-Manthang. Our hike start with a quick ascent to Dhi pass 4100 m from where we will capture beautiful snow capped mountains, amazing Ariel view of Lo-Manthang. Today, is the longest day of our whole trek but we will take it slow and try to explore as much as possible on our way to Dhamkar. We will visit Gompas, Monasteries and forts while we descent down to Dhamkar.
Trekking time: 6-7 hours
Trekking distance: miles (km)
Accommodation: Guesthouse
We will start our trek early morning today. Today, we hike down to Ghiling village from a very windy and dry landscape. As we are hiking in these lands, we will enjoy beautiful view of Mount Nilgiri (7061m) and Dhaulagiri (8167m). We will pass through many barley and millet field. In right season, these farm lands looks so amazing and colourful. After, few hours of trek we will reach Ghiling. Overnight at the tea house.
Trekking time: 4-5 hours
Trekking distance: miles ( km)
Accommodation: Teahouse
We will continue our trek to Chussang today hiking over steep ridges and hills. In a few hours, we will arrive at Tetang the upper village of Chuksang which lies between two hills. We will continue to enjoy watching the beautiful landscape and snow-capped mountains on our way. Overnight at the tea house.
Trekking time: hours
Trekking distance: miles ( km)
Accommodation: Hotel
Today is our last day in Upper Mustang as we are heading to lower mustang. However, we still have lot to explore, As we trek down, we will pass through Jharkot village. There are local monasteries, ancient fortress to explore as well as a medical centre. We will have our lunch in Kagbeni and explore the sore of Kaligandaki river. Kagbeni is joining point of Round Annapurna Circuit trek as we now hike from Kagbeni to Jomsom. Overnight at the tea house.
Trekking time: 4-5 hours
Trekking distance: miles ( km)
Accommodation: Hotel/Guest House
Today, you will fly to Pokhara early morning, if the weather is clear and visible you will enjoy beautiful mountain flight to Pokhara. We will check in the hotel and let you explore the beautiful lake city of Pokhara. We will get together for evening dinner and share our beautiful experience with each other. Overnight at Hotel
Today, you will fly back to Kathmandu, if the weather is clear and visible. You can do some shopping in Kathmandu and enjoy your time exploring other areas nearby. We will provide a successful celebration dinner at a restaurant nearby. We will handover some token of love as well.
Mission accomplished!
Insurance
Trekking in the Himalayas is not always fun. Upper Mustang is a very remote area of Nepal. Our government has designed many protocols to make sure on safety of our tourists but sometimes it is really hard to prevent risk. Due to few transportation options in Nepal, the only fastest way to rescue anyone from the mountain is a Helicopter which could be very expensive. Therefore, we would like you to get insured through a trustworthy insurance company just to be safe. Make sure you are insured with helicopter rescue, medical injuries and any other emergency issues. We would highly recommend you carry a copy of your insurance and send one to us just in case of any emergencies.
Permit Requirements:
Special Restricted Area Permit (RAP): $500 per person for 10 days. If longer required, an additional $50 per day is charged.
Annapurna Conservation Area Permit: $20 per person
Gears needed:
Shoe: Pair of exceptionally good hiking boots and sandals
Clothes: Thermals, down jacket, wind and rainproof jackets, trekking pants, sports t-shirt, fleece, warm gloves, towels, winter hat, Inner garments, shorts, and a few pairs of good socks.
Accessories: Good trekking bag backpack, sunglasses, water bottle, water purifier, sunscreen, lip balm, Swiss pocket knife.
Equipment: Sleeping bags upto - 20 degrees celsius, duffel bag, hiking poles
Medicine: First-Aid Kit, Altitude sickness medicines (eg. diamox), bug spray.
Bring all these essential gear with you about the checklist. If you want to buy it in Kathmandu, there are multiple places here as well. Ask us if you want a better place to buy or rent gear.
Physical fitness: Trekking to Upper Mustang is a physically demanding activity, and it requires a good level of physical fitness. One should engage in regular cardiovascular and strength-building exercises for at least a few months before embarking on the trek. Exercises such as hiking, running, cycling, and strength training will help prepare the body for the rigors of trekking.
Adequate acclimatization: Acclimatization is the process of adapting to high altitudes. As you trek higher, the air becomes thinner, and the body needs time to adjust. Adequate acclimatization is essential to prevent altitude sickness, a potentially fatal condition. It is recommended to spend a few days at lower altitudes to allow the body to acclimatize before climbing higher.
A knowledgeable guide: Trekking to a restricted area of the Upper Mustang is a challenging activity, and having a knowledgeable guide is essential for success. A guide will help navigate the route, provide information about the local culture, and assist in case of any emergencies. It is important to choose a guide who is experienced and knowledgeable about the trek.
Proper nutrition and hydration: Proper nutrition and hydration are crucial for maintaining energy levels and preventing altitude sickness. It is recommended to consume a high carbohydrate and protein-rich diet to provide the necessary fuel for the body. It is also important to drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated. It is recommended to carry a water purification system or tablets to ensure access to clean water.
Mental preparation: Trekking to Upper Mustang is a mentally challenging activity. It requires patience, perseverance, and mental toughness. It is important to be mentally prepared for challenges and to have a positive attitude. It is also important to be aware of the risks and to take appropriate precautions.
Basic first aid knowledge: Basic first aid knowledge is essential for trekking to Upper Mustang. It is important to know how to treat common injuries and illnesses, such as blisters, altitude sickness, and hypothermia. It is recommended to carry a basic first aid kit with essential items such as bandages, antiseptic, and pain relievers.
Respect for the environment and local culture: Trekking to this untouched and restricted area of Upper Mustang is an opportunity to experience the unique local culture and environment. It is important to show respect for the local culture and customs and to minimize the impact on the environment.
