Upper Mustang Trek

Upon landing at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu, we will greet you warmly and arrange a private transfer to your hotel in the heart of Thamel downtown. Once at the hotel, we will proceed with obtaining your Upper Mustang restricted area permit after collecting your passport and visa details.

Later in the day, we will meet with you again to return your passport along with the restricted area permits, providing a detailed briefing on your Upper Mustang trek. Additionally, we will address any last minute questions to ensure you are fully prepared for your adventure.

Travel to Pokhara by tourist bus, where you’ll enjoy the scenic beauty along the way, including views of the Trisuli River, famous for its rafting opportunities. As we continue, we will follow the banks of both the Trishuli and Marsyandi Rivers, offering even more stunning landscapes. Upon arriving in Pokhara, we will arrange a private car or taxi transfer to your hotel for your convenience.

Reaching Pokhara, you can hike with a guide to explore the Phewa lakeside to visit Tal Barahi temple by boat. Tal Barahi temple is considered to be a symbol of unity and peace. People from different ethnic and religious backgrounds visit the temple and offer prayers, making it a place where people of all backgrounds come together in harmony.

Visitors to the temple are expected to dress modestly and remove their shoes before entering. This temple is open to visitors throughout the year and is a must visit destination for anyone visiting Pokhara.

In the early morning, enjoy breakfast at the hotel before taking a taxi to the Jeep station at Zero Kilometers. From there, board a regular jeep to Jomsom, where we will arrange for necessary porters. After that, our journey continues by jeep to the guest houses in Kagbeni.

Alternatively, you may choose for a flight to Jomsom Airport. However, please note that flights from Pokhara to Jomsom or vice versa have historically not always been fully reliable. Jomsom Airport, situated at an altitude of 2,720 meters, serves as the district headquarters of Mustang. Your Mustang hike will commence immediately upon your arrival at the Kagbeni Lodges on the first day.

Kagbeni fort is the gateway of the Upper Mustang, where you can make your eyes busy with the breathtaking views of Nilgiri, Dhaulagiri, Tukuche peak, and Dhampus. Kagbeni is the most interesting typical Tibetan village and the entry point of the upper Mustang for an overnight stop.

Our journey follows the east bank of the Kaligandaki River, gradually ascending over a series of ridges as we make our way north toward Tangbe Village. This charming settlement features narrow alleys lined with whitewashed houses, while surrounding fields flourish with buckwheat, barley, wheat, and apple orchards, adding vibrant colors to the landscape.

Meanwhile, the majestic Nilgiri peaks dominate the southern skyline of Kagbeni, creating a breathtaking backdrop. From here, the trail ascends steeply from the Kaligandaki Valley, weaving through a rugged gully before reaching the guesthouses in Chele, where a well deserved rest awaits.

We climb continues along steep, treeless, waterless terrain, along the side of the impressive steep canyon to pass and cairn of rock at 3,540 meters. It makes a long gradual descent to some chortens on a ridge, and descends further into a Samar village.

From Geling, trekkers need to climb gently to the NYLA pass and descends below the blue, gray, and red cliffs. After crossing a steel bridge over the Tangmar Chu river, we will arrive at a prayer Mani Wall, possibly the longest and most splendid in Nepal. Ascending another pass at 3,600 meters, the route then makes a long, gentle descent to Tsarang.

Tsarang is a village development committee in the Mustang District, Dhawalagiri Zone of northern Nepal. It has huge five story white Dzong and red Gompa are fascinating sites, showcasing collections of statues and Thangka paintings of the seated Buddha.

Descends about 100 meters down from Charang, crosses the Tsarang Chu and climbs steeply up a rocky trail to a cairn on a ridge and continues to climb. Finally, from a ridge at 3,850 meter, there is a perfect view of the walled city of Lo. After a short descent, cross a stream then climb up into the plateau of Lo Manthang. Journey to Lomanthang todays takes around four to five hours normal walk.

Another day in Lo – Manthang gives you an opportunity to explore its many sights; the Tall Champa Lakhang (God house,) the red Thugchen Gompa, Chyodi Gompa, and the Raja’s Palace. As well as to look at the surrounding panoramic views of the Tibetan Plateau and the Himalayas. Besides Lo-Manthang there are two other interesting valleys worth visiting.

The western valley Tingkhar, the sight of Raja’s summer palace, Kimling and Phuwa as well as the Namgyal Gompa (The Monastery of Victory) is the newest and most active Gompa in Lo. In the eastern Chosar settlement, also rich in gompas, and the valley is the main trading route to Lhasa.

This is an opportunity to visit two other villages on your hikes on return. Climbs steadily to the pass marked by a cairn, offering a last glimpse of Lo Manthang. Cross the highest pass this entire journey and arrive in Ghar Gompa (3,920 Meters).

From Dhakmar the way goes down to until Ghami at 3,460 meters the huge greenery village in Mustang where we can see the ancient monastery and stupas with. You can see the local houses here like caves. Continue to ascends until Nyi La pass and descends to Samar through the same hiking route.

Today, we trek descend to Chhusang village that offers panoramic red stone cliffs. While you are in mustang hiking, you are surrounded by desert-dry landscapes including beautiful 35+ mountains. After Chhusang, we climb to Tangbe village foothills and finally reach Kagbeni fort for a lunch stop.

Later lunch, we continue our trek to Jomsom airport walking at the bank of Kaligandaki River. Hike especially from Kagbeni to Jomsom is windy in the afternoon thus better to walk with sunglass. As you hike, you can hunt the Saligram fossils in the Kali Gandaki river.

Ammonites were shelled cephalopods that died out about 66 million years ago. Fossils of them are found in the Kali Gandaki river, sometimes in very large concentrations. Therefore, discovering ammonite fossils in the Kali Gandaki valley is very popular in this zone.

Walk further to the Annapurna conservation check post, check out all permits, and a few steps further, we reach our hotel in Jomsom. Interested tourists can hike at Jomsom eco museum for a better view of Kali Gandaki valley and Annapurna peaks after leaving hiking gears at the hotel.

After breakfast, drive from Jomsom to Pokhara is a beautiful and scenic journey that offers an opportunity to experience the natural beauty and culture of Nepal. The distance between Jomsom to Pokhara is approximately 155 kilometers (96 miles) that takes around eight hours, depending on the road and weather conditions.

Follow the small, narrow, and winding places through the overland road and pass several villages across the Kali Gandaki River downstream. Along the way, tourists can enjoy stunning views of the Himalayan mountains, including Annapurna, Nilgiri, and Dhaulagiri.

As per the travel plan, you will stay in a hotel in Pokhara because of the long day road drive, however, our guide will help you to arrange a taxi transfer to your hotel on the Phewa lake side. Today is the final day of your Mustang trip thus traveler’s can invite their guide for dinner together as it’s not included in the package plan. Or you can return to Kathmandu by night tourist bus, trip finish.