Upper Mustang Trekking

Overview

The Upper Mustang is located at the northwest border of Nepal, close to Tibet. That’s why it is also known as the mini Tibet. As well as enjoying the stunning Himalayan panoramas of Mt. Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, Nilgiri and many other peaks, you will head through the world’s deepest Kali Gandaki gorge. 

When you land in Jomsom, the district centre of Mustang, you can feel the paradise of the Annapurna region. After following the bank of the Kali Gandaki River, you will reach Kagbeni. The trail splits to the mystical valley of Upper Mustang. This trekking region was first opened in 1992. There are several caves, ancient monasteries, Chhortens and Mani walls in the Lo-Manthang of Upper Mustang, which makes this a great place for cultural exploration. If you come here during the Tiji festival time, you can watch the people celebrating. Local people still follow the unique traditional lifestyle. All of this is accompanied by the outstanding landscape, filled with the colourful fields and flowers.

Enjoy your Upper Mustang trek with Malaika Travel. Feel free to contact us for details.

Day to day itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Kathmandu

Welcome to the enchanting, exotic and energetic city of Kathmandu! The capital of Nepal is filled with centuries of history and tradition. Immerse yourself in its vibrant markets, ancient temples, spice sellers, street merchants and the welcoming nature of its locals. Kathmandu is a city you won’t forget!

You’ll be met at the airport by your guide and transferred to your hotel.

Day 2: Familiarisation walk & trek preparation day

Today after breakfast, you will meet with the guide and walk around Thamel to familiarise yourself with it. Today, we will also examine your trekking gear and help you pack for the trek. In the evening, there will be a group discussion for you to attend to discuss the upcoming trekking plans. O/N at Hotel.

Day 3: Drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara (827m) [6-7 hrs]

You’ll have breakfast in the early morning and then you’ll drive to Pokhara. Pokhara is also known as The Lake City due to its large number of lakes. Upon our arrival in Pokhara, we are rewarded with magnificent views of the Himalayas including Dhaulagiri (8,167m/26,794ft), Manaslu (8,156m/26,759ft), Machhapuchhre (6,993m/22,943ft), the five peaks of Annapurna and others. We will then check-in to our hotel and take a rest. We can enjoy boating in the Fewa Lake and strolling in the city’s quaint streets. O/N in Pokhara.

Day 4: Fly to Jomsom (2700m) and trek to Kagbeni (2810m) [3-4 hrs]

Today we will take an early morning flight to Jomsom which is famous for its apples, strong winds and landscape. We will begin our trek on an open trail alongside a beautiful valley. We pass through Eaklibatti Village before reaching Kagbeni. The village is beautiful; it has flat-roofed houses and the ruins of an old fortress. O/N in Kagbeni.

Day 5: Kagbeni to Chele (3050m) [5-6 hrs]

Today is one of your acclimatization trek days. When you trek behind Namche Bazaar, the trail is quite steep and you can feel the lack of oxygen as you ascend 460m/1,509ft to Shangbouche Airport, then cross the runway and head another 100m/328ft up to Shangbouche Hill at 3,900m/12,795ft. We will enjoy the stunning views and relax for 30-45 minutes before returning back to Namche. This trek is an essential part of the acclimatisation process and usually takes approximately 4 hours. 3km/1.8 miles.

Day 6: Chele to Syanbochen (3475m) [6-7 hrs]

Our trek today will be a little harder compared to what we experienced before. Our walk today involves crossing two passes, Taklam La pass (3,624m) and Dajori La pass (3,735). On our way, we can enjoy great views of Tilicho, Yakawa Kang and Damodar Danda and we will pass by Ramchung Cave. We’ll descend further and reach Samar Village. From here, we will walk on a trail above the village and reach a ridge. Next, we descend from a steep trail to a stream and we will continue our trek to Syanboche. O/N in Syanboche.

Day 7: Syanbochen to Ghami (3520m) [5-6 hrs]

We will ascend to the Yamda La pass at 3,850m. On the way, we pass by a few teahouses, chhortens and villages. We trek through forests and barley fields to reach Nyi Pass at 4,010m. From here, we will descend to Ghami which is one of the biggest villages in the Lo region. The village is beautiful and it has fields surrounding it. Overnight in Ghami.

Day 8: Ghami to Tsarang (3620m) [5-6 hrs]

Our trek today begins with a descent through a rough and often slippery trail. We then cross a suspension bridge over the Ghami Khola and begin ascending. There are mani walls along the trail. Next, we will cross the Tsarang La Pass at 3870m and reach Tsarang village. The village lies atop the Charang Chu canyon with a huge fortress and a red gompa towards its east. O/N in Tsarang.

Day 9: Tsarang to Lo-Manthang (3730m) [3-4 hrs]

We will begin our trek by descending to a canyon and crossing a river before beginning our uphill trek to Lo La pass at 3950m. From the top of the pass we can admire the beautiful Lo Manthang village. We will then descend to Lo Manthang which is a beautiful walled village. From here, the views of the Himalayas such as Nilgiri, Tilicho and Annapurna I, Bhrikuti Peak as well as Damodar Kunda (pond) are quite good. O/N in Lo-Manthang.

Day 10: Explore Lo Manthang

Lo Manthang is a walled town in the remote Upper Mustang region of Nepal. We spend the day touring the three major gompas of the town; Jhampa, Thupchen and Chhoeda. All of these gompas have undergone expert restoration over the last two decades. We can also trek to Tingkhar which is a beautiful village located north-west of Lo-Mangthang. O/N in Lo Manthang.

Day 11: Lo-Mangthang to Drakmar (3810m) [6-7 hrs]

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 will explore the Gompa and continue our trek to Drakmar for an overnight stay.

Day 12: Drakmar to Ghiling (3806m) [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 likely to experience strong winds. Ghiling is mostly dry, but we still get good views of the Dhaulagiri and Nilgiri mountains. We can tour the village around the evening. O/N in Ghiling.

Day 13: Ghiling to Chhuksang (3050m) [5-6 hrs]

We will begin our trek after breakfast. We walk on the same trail as we did to get to Lo Manthang. On the way to Chhuksang, we can enjoy the great views of the Himalayas and the small villages we pass on the way. O/N in Chhuksang.

Day 14: Chhuksang to Jomsom (2700) [6-7 hrs]

Today is the last day of our trek and it is a long one. After trekking for a while, we come to the end of the Mustang trails and join the trails of the Annapurna circuit. We will stop for lunch at Kagbeni. After lunch, we continue our trek to Jomsom for our overnight stay.

Day 15: Fly back to Pokhara

We take an early morning flight to Pokhara. The airplane passes through a gorge between the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri mountains making the flight an amazing experience. After arriving in Pokhara, we can spend the rest of the day relaxing. O/N in Pokhara.

Day 16: Drive to Kathmandu [6-7 hrs]

Today we drive to Kathmandu. We should arrive in the afternoon. You can wander around the medieval Durbar Square in the heart of the city, sample some Newari cuisine, or shop for some locally made handicrafts and souvenirs. We will have a group farewell dinner in the evening at a local restaurant.

Day 17: Departure to the Airport

Today we will drive you to Kathmandu airport approximately 3 hours before your scheduled flight.