Upper Mustang - Lo Manthang Trek

The adventure into the forbidden kingdom of Mustang begins when your plane lands in the legendary Himalayan city of Kathmandu. Once you are through passport control and pick up your luggage, you will be met by your personal representative of Buddha Treks & Expedition and taken to your hotel in the city to rest up from your long flight

It’s your day to explore the Kathmandu Valley, rest or do some shopping. There are some great places to shop, especially in the local markets.

We leave Kathmandu by first class tourist bus in the morning, climbing across the pass to leave the Valley and begin our descent into the Trisuli River Valley. This major river is famous for its whitewater rafting, and the canyon cuts a deep swarth into the landscape. We follow the river until crossing it at Mugling. From here, travel westward until we reach the beautiful lakeside city of Pokhara, a seven-hour journey along the mountains.

Pokhara is located on the eastern shore of Phewa Lake in the midst of the Annapurna Mountains. Spend the night in a three-star hotel in the city.

We rise early and catch a short 25 minute flight to Jomsom. It is an awesome flight as you fly past Fishtail Mountain which looks like an upended fish pointing toward the heavens. You will also see Annapurna I (10th highest mountain in the world) and Mt. Dhaulagiri (7th highest mountain).

Upon arrival, we start our first day of trekking as we do an easy ½ day journey to the village of Kagbeni. Our destination is the gateway to the restricted entry area of Mustang. The Government of Nepal restricts the number of visitors to Mustang in order to preserve the region’s unique culture.

The winds pick up each afternoon through the Kali Gandaki River Valley as the high peaks are standing sentinel over the valley below.

The journey continues northward as we trek longer today. This region was once the floor of the ancient Tethys Sea which covered the entire Tibetan plateau millions of years ago. Keep watch for black ammonites and other small fossils that are readily found along the trail.

You will also discover the ruins of a long-abandoned fort that guarded the entrance to the Mustang kingdom. Chele village is situated alongside the Kali Gandaki River.

The journey today consists of a long climb upwards. We look across the huge canyon to see the village of Gyagar. We pass numerous Buddhist chhortens, built by the locals to remember deceased love ones or celebrate major milestones in their lives. All around us are snowcapped peaks of the Annapurna Mountain Range.

Our destination is the village of Geling with its fields of barley. We will spend the night here.

The landscape is amazingly dry as we are far above where the monsoon rains cease to come each year. We climb the Nyi La Pass (elev 3,950 m) and cross over into the region of Charang. This village features a maze of beautiful fields separated by stone walls. There is a large, five-story white Dzong (fortress) standing here, along with a landmark red gompa (monastery). The village is famous for the Maya Bista house, which is guarded by a fiercely carved mastiff at the door.

Tsarang has its own electrical system, and we can recharge batteries here.

Today we arrive at the ancient capital city of Lo-Manthang. It was erected centuries ago with a high wall to protect the city from invaders. The Mustang region was on the ancient Salt Route and the city served as a way to keep order in this remote region.

We leave Tsarang behind, rising on the trail to an elevation of 3,580 meters before descending into the valley. This place is like nothing you’ve ever seen before with its natural desert hues of gray and yellow. We arrive in the evening at Lo-Manthang where we will spend overnight at teahouse.

There is so much to see, do and discover in Lo-Manthang. The ancient walled city has four major temples which are kept locked. A caretaker will open them for us to explore. Inside the city are narrow, winding streets along with the royal palace. This palace has its own king, thus it is occupied by royalty. The new constitution of Nepal eliminated kings in 2008, but the people here revere their traditional ruler.

In our days in Lo-Manthang, you can leave the city and explore caves with ancient religious paintings that date back centuries. Rent a horse and travel farther out to see some of the fascinating local villages. You won’t have time to be bored in Lo-Manthang, as there is so much to see and do. Each night, return to your camp for dinner and a good night’s rest.

Another day in Lo-Manthang to discover and experience the natural beauty, cultural practices and more.

It’s sadly time to leave Lo-Manthang and begin our return trip. The return trip will allow us to see some different villages like Lo-Gekar, with its unique charm.

We cross through beautiful fields, looking southward at the snow-capped peaks of the Annapurnas. We enter a valley and cross a small stream of crystal clear water.

Lo-Gekar means Pure virtue of Lo and it is obvious when we visit here how pure the land and the people truly are. We spend the night at Ghemi.

The journey today passes through a few villages where we can stop and get tea while enjoying the hospitality of the local people who smile back at us over their steaming cups. Most of these villages are very small, sometimes just three or four houses.

The trail follows along cliffs and switchbacks as we make our way to the village of Samar where we will spend the night.

The trail sweeps upwards and then drops into the Kali Gandaki Valley. We follow this sacred river today until we reach the village of Kagbeni where we will spend the night.

The trail sweeps upwards and then drops into the Kali Gandaki Valley. We follow this important sacred river today until we reach the village of Kagbeni where we will spend the night.

Trekking time is 5 – 6 hours.

Our trekking is over, but there is still much to see. We fly back to Pokhara where we will check into our hotel and enjoy a hot shower. It’s a short flight back to Pokhara, so you will have plenty of time to explore the Pokhara region.

Walk along Lakeside, take a trip to the Buddhist Peace Pagoda, or visit some of the area’s famous museums. It’s a free day.

After breakfast, we board our luxury, first class tourist bus to travel to Kathmandu. Travel time is around 7 hours. Upon arrival in Nepal’s capital, we will check into our hotel.

It’s your day to explore the Kathmandu Valley, rest or do some shopping. There are some great places to shop, eat and sightsee.

Your Mustang-Lo-Manthang Trek comes to a close today as your personal representative of Buddha Treks & Expedition takes you to the airport in your private vehicle. Before leaving, be sure to talk to your personal representative about returning to the mystical land of Nepal. There is so much to see and do here in the Himalayas that you have yet to experience. Most people make many return trips to the world’s highest mountains. So why not you?