Mustang and High Passes Trek

On your arrival, you will be welcomed by our representative of Unique Adventure International at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) but assure about our representative with a display board at the arrival gate. You will be then taken to the hotel where you can either relax in the afternoon or hang around. You will have a dinner in a traditional Nepalese restaurant where we take pleasure in a Nepalese cultural program as well. We will be staying in a hotel for Overnight.

After having breakfast in the morning, our sightseeing trip will begin. The Swayambhunath (the Monkey temple), Pashupatinath temple, Bauddhanath; Patan Durbar Square Bhaktapur Durbar Square and Kathmandu Durbar Square are the main sightseeing attractions in Kathmandu valley. Later in the afternoon, we will have a final preparations and short briefing for the trek. We will stay overnight in a hotel.

After breakfast, early in the morning you will arrive at Pokhara after a drive for nearly 6 hours. You will be able to have a breathtaking panorama of river and scenery all the way through your drive. Or, you might also take a flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara in half an hour. You will be taken to your hotel and with a relaxing afternoon. You can even visit around lakeside region or you can go for boating at famous Fewa Lake. We will be staying overnight in the hotel.

Today, driving for nearly 1 and half hours, you will reach Nayapul. Then, the trek begins by climbing through the beautiful rice, maze and millet farms of local people. Walking all along the main trail of Birethanti allows us to pass through beautiful petite waterfalls. The path takes us to Sudami and then we gradually walk by the side of valley and reach at Hile. Eventually, after half an hour walk we will reach at Tikhedhunga for overnight stay or we can further climb 3000 stone steps to reach Ulleri (2073 meter) from Tikhedhunga.

Today, we will trek from Ulleri to Ghorepani, one of the well-known places of Annapurna region lying at an altitude of 2856 meter. Our hike just moves up to Banthanti ( 2250 meter) going across oak and rhododendron forest. We keep on trekking until we reach to our ultimate destination Ghorepani through Nangethanti (2460 meter). Later we will be staying overnight in a hotel after trekking for almost 5 hours.

Early morning we set off to reach Poonhill (3210 meter) where the surroundings bestows us to view the striking mountains and beautiful sunrise. After an hour, we move down from Poonhill and incessantly walk to Tadopani (1100 meter) taking around 7 hours.

On this day, moving ahead from Tatopani you will drive to Kagbeni (2810 meter) alongside Kaligandaki, the deepest gorge in the entire world. Driving about six hours via Ghasa, Kalopani, Tukuche, Marpha and Jomsom you will arrive at Kagbeni where you can see the ancient houses, few monasteries, temples and more. Overnight in Kagbeni.

Leaving Kagbeni, we move toward Chele (3050 meter) early in the morning today. The track still moves alongside the bank of Kaligandaki. We come across the villages of Tangbe and Chhusang. And, before reaching at Chele we have to come across a bridge over Kaligandaki and go up abruptly up for around 35 minutes to reach Chele Village.

Departing from Chele, we ascend in and out of massive side valleys of the Kali Gandaki. We climb up a vertical spur to a cairn and then join to one more cairns spotting the Chele La or Taklam La (3624 meter), from where the track fall to Samar (3660 meter). After reaching above Samar, the track goes into the valley filled with trees and come across a stream and moves up to the Bhena La and then to Yamdo La and then eventually drop down to Shyanmochen, we then reach our destination for today, an awe-inspiring village at an altitude of 3570 meter, Geling.

To reach Geling to Charang, we will trek for 7 to 7.30 hours. Walking west from Geling the track climbs tenderly all the way through fields and going across Tama Gaon. Then we go up to Nyi La (4010 meter) and Ghami La from there we move down to Ghami which lies at an altitude of 3520 meter and then gets linked with Choya La (3870 meter), further than the mani wall. From Choya La we have a long drop which will lead us to the land of maze, Tsarang (Charang) lying at an altitude of 3560 meter.

On this day, we set off from Charang and trek to Lo-Mangthang, the capital region of Mustang. The 300 meters long and 150 meters broad wall has wrapped the region against robbers and the brutal winds. This little area of Lo-Mangthang is inhabited by more than a 1000 inhabitants whose houses are connected by fine rope stone lanes.

Today we have a rest day in Lo Mangthang. We will walk around Lo Mangthang whole day and visit Royal Palace of Mustang King, low caste settlements, ancient monasteries i.e. Thupchen Gyälwai Phodrang (Palace of the victorious Buddha), Jampa Lhakang and Chöde Monastery, herbal medical school and more.

Today we will explore monasteries and caves. We start our day visiting Namgyal Monastery continue with Nyfuk Cave Monastery, Garphu Cave and Jhong Cave in Chhoser.

After breakfast, leave the village of Lo - Manthang and keep gentle ascending to reach Lo La with sandy path. The trail slightly mounts on the ridge viewing the scenic landscapes until reaching small pass. Then, we walk through a steep and dusty descent in the narrow path. We again come to a wide plateau and tumble down the wobbly and knee crunching trail reaching Dhi village. After lunch we pass suspension bridge over the Kaligandaki River and ascend a steep path. Then, we chase down the upstream of Puyung Khola viewing the astonishing landscapes and countless caves at the stone walls. Eventually, we reach Yara village at an 3610 meter after walking 7 hours.

Today is a difficult and lengthy day for us with walk for almost 8 hours. Therefore early morning, we take a small and abrupt ascent and then extended flat way trail. Then we descent to Dechhyang Khola; origin is Damodar Kunda. The black fossils of marine animals, Saligrams can be found everywhere. Then the track sharply ascents and leads us to the peak of the pass where we have our packed lunch break, which should be prepared in Yara due to cooking impossibilities in the trail. After lunch, the trail continues with ups and downs and then we are on a huge plateau and cross to reach Tange village (3215 meter). We can witness several big Chhortens over here.

Today is a hectic day too with 9-10 hours long walk. Early morning we leave the village, cross the bridge and pursue the short river route. We steeply climb up to reach a small pass after crossing the river. Then after we arrive to Paha (shelter house), where we prepare our lunch. We continue crossing many small passes and reach the top of the hill after lunch. It will take around 2 hours. Then the trail abruptly moves down and we encounter strong air stream and finally reach Tetang village (3040 meter). We can have an outstanding view of Dhaulagiri I, Nilgiri Himal, Tukuche Peak, and other snow capped peaks during the trail.

Early in the morning, we walk through the village after crossing beautiful Mani walls. Then, we climb up to the broad valley and keep ascending until we reach small pass where the mountains and picturesque view of Muktinath becomes spectacular. Then, we descend to the diminutive watercourse and cross by a suspension bridge. Subsequently, we come across in the village of Chhyongar and follow the trail and arrive at Muktinath crossing Kani/gate. Later in the evening, we explore to sacred place of Tibetan Buddhist and Hindus. We can also visit the beautiful 108 brass water spurts. Muktinath is a temple of lord Vishnu, a Hindu god. It is believed that when we visit to Muktinath Temple, we become free from the cycle of birth and rebirth. There is a presence of another Buddhist monastery below the temple where the combination of water-earth-fire shows immense religious significance of Muktinath. And we can also have the superb view of Dhaulagiri I and Nilgiri Himal.

Early in the morning we slowly start our ascent to reach the top of Thorung Pass (5416 meter) and enjoy some absolutely stunning high Himalaya scenery and over to the Kaligandaki valley through the entire Annapurna range, Mukut and Mustang Himal to the west.

Today, we descend to the Manang Valley and tag along the main track of Annapurna Circuit trek to reach Manang. This exciting spot offers superb views of the valleys, the great peaks of Gangapurna, Tilicho Annapurna II, III, Chulu east and Pisang peak.

After having a rest for a day in Manang, today we make our way to the Tilicho Lake, located on the west of Manang all the way down to the river.

After coming across the Khangsar Khola, we arrive at Khangsar (3760 meter) and move to a traditional Tibetan village.

We depart from Khangsar passing a Gompa and our path moves ahead towards a high ridge. One trail maintains the elevation, crossing the inclines to the narrow valley; the next one ascends towards the ridge.

The first one is the older path, and is more challenging; the later is a new trail that offers a comparatively easy trek. Following the new path, we reach a high ridge, and move down to a side gorge of the major valley.

On the other side, is the Tilicho Base Camp (4,200 m)

The path to the Tilicho Lake commences up valley then come across onto a moraine, with a long climb. There are stupendous sights of Tarke Kang, Khangsar Kang, Gangapurna. Tilicho Lake, lying in the uppermost region in the world at (4919 meter), offers a dramatic sight reflecting surrounding peaks but most of the time it is in the solid form. We now continue to High Camp and set the camp for overnight before crossing Mesokanto La Pass.

Today the day starts gentle steep towards the Mesokanto La Pass (5315 meter). Crossing Mesokanto La can be technical sometime due to heavy snow and slippery ice slope. Then the trail all descends towards Nam Phu Kharka.

We, today trek to Jomsom, headquarter of Mustang is divided into two settlements and Kali Gandaki river passes between these two settlements. In Jomsom, you can enjoy the splendid views of Nilgiri, Tilicho peak.

Connect a flight to Pokhara in the morning. We then take a vehicle for a drive back from the beautiful city Pokhara. Leaving behind the superb countryside early in the morning and travelling for 7 hours we return back to Kathmandu. On arrival at Kathmandu you will be shifted to the hotel. You can then relax for rest of the day and stay overnight at hotel. If in case the flight is not possible due to bad weather or overbooked alternative transportation by jeep will be arranged.

We can go around Kathmandu valley, if some important places have been missed according to your choices. After the hectic schedules of trek, today you can either go for shopping or have a day rest before departing from Nepal.

This is your last day, representative of Unique Adventure International will drop you to the airport and you will depart from Nepal.