Upper Mustang Trek Nepal

Our Upper Mustang trek itinerary begins with a drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara after taking our early-morning breakfast. The drive will take about 7 hours and traverse along the Trishuli and Marsyangdi rivers. We will have glimpses of the Himalayan peaks on our way to Pokhara. 

Upon arriving in Pokhara, we will be treated to stunning views of the Macchhapuchre and Annapurna peaks. If we have time on our hands, we will explore around the lakeside of Pokhara in the evening.

Today, we take an early morning flight from Pokhara to Jomsom, which will reward us with awe-inspiring views of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges in clear weather. Our trek journey will begin from Jomsom, the headquarters of Mustang District. The trek to Kagbeni will take us around 4 hours, which will follow along the Kali Gandaki River. We will stop by Eklebhatti for our lunch before continuing our walk to Kagbeni, which will be the place of our overnight stay.

Today, we will officially enter the Upper Mustang region after we register our permits at the checkpoint in Kagbeni. The trek will follow alongside the eastern bank of the Kali Gandaki River on a trail of arid terrain. En route, we will see canyons, caves, cliffs, and an amazing view of Mount Nilgiri.

After about 2 hours of walking, we reach the charming settlement of Tangbe and another 2 hours of trekking will take us to Chhusang, where we will stop for our lunch. Then, we will cross a suspension bridge and make a steady ascent to arrive at Chele.

Today’s trek will be a challenging one as we significantly gain altitude from Chele to Syangboche, which has about an 800 m height difference. Our trek begins with a steep ascent past narrow gorges and rugged cliffs to Taklam La high pass (3,624 m). Crossing the pass will lead us to Samar, where we can enjoy incredible views of Nilgiri. From here, the trek to Syangboche will take about 4 hours and will start with an ascent to a deep gorge and Rangchyung Chorten to reach Syangboche.

The trek from Syangboche to Ghami will begin with a steady climb towards Yamda La Pass (3,850 m), which offers astonishing views of the landscape of Mustang’s desert as well as the Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, and Nilgiri peaks. Then, we will traverse Geling and Tamagaon villages, where we can find houses and mani walls painted in white. Next, we ascend to Nyi La Pass (4,010 m), followed by a descent to reach Ghami. 

First, we will cross a suspension bridge over the Ghami Khola River and trek uphill. The route will follow some rough and slippery trail at times. En route, we can observe the longest mani wall before reaching Charang La Pass (3,870 m). After trekking for a while, we will reach the Charang village, which lies at the top of the Charang Chu canyon. We will spend the rest of our day exploring the Charang village and visiting the red gompa and fortress.

We will go downhill from Charang Chu Canyon, cross a suspension bridge, and trek uphill towards Lo La Pass (3,950m), where we get magnificent views of the Lo Manthang village. From Lo La Pass, we make our descent to arrive at the ancient walled village of Lo Manthang.

In our 15 days Upper Mustang trek itinerary, this day is allocated as a rest and exploration day in Lo Manthang village. Lo Manthang was the traditional kingdom of Lo, where many traditional Buddhist festivals are still celebrated. There are several unique temples in this village, namely Thubchen Gompa, Chodey Gompa, Jampa Gompa (Jampa Lhakhang), and Choprang Gompa. 
Several wonderful and astonishing places can be explored here in this village, among which we will visit the amazing Chhoser cave.

Today, we will make our hike to Chhoser, where we can find Jhong Caves / Sky Caves. This cave is a 5-story complex having more than 40 rooms. After the completion of our exploration, we head back to Lo Manthang and visit the king's palace and the local markets

For our return journey, we head south from Lo Manthang via a different route leading to Kagbeni. En route, we will come across Dhakmar village, which is beneath the towering red cliffs. Here, we will visit the famous Ghar Monastery before continuing our journey to Ghami. 

Our trekking trail follows along the arid terrain, with magnificent views along the way. Then, we will make an uphill climb to Chemi La and Yiy La passes before making a steep descent to arrive at Ghiling (Geling). Then, we will go on a steady descent to reach Syangboche and finally the Samar village, which will be the place of our overnight stay.

The route from Samar will follow the previous trekking trail that leads to Chussang. We will see more greenery at Chussang nearby the river, as we have reached a lower elevation with warmer air. We will have our overnight stay in Chussang.

Our journey today will lead us to the same trail of the classic Annapurna Circuit. The trail will follow a gradual ascent and will come across Gyu La (4077 m). The trek to Muktinath will take us around 6 to 7 hours. Muktinath is a holy site for both Buddhist and Hindu pilgrims. Inside the Muktinath temple, we can find a Buddhist monastery, Hindu shrines, 108 stone spouts (Muktidhara), and an eternal flame. 

We will then descend from Muktinath and pass Jharkot and Khingar, where we will see beautiful monasteries. Then the path will be a gentle downhill walk to reach Jomsom. In the evening, we will explore the town, try several bakery items, and enjoy the spectacular views of Mt. Nilgiri and Dhaulagiri.

Today, we are flying early in the morning from Jomsom to Pokhara with breathtaking Himalayan views. For the rest of the day we will explore the area of Pokhara. We will also have a complimentary dinner, celebrating our successful Upper Mustang trek.

Once we have our early morning breakfast, we leave Pokhara on a picturesque drive to Kathmandu. Our memorable visit to the Upper Mustang region will come to an end when we arrive in Kathmandu.

Thank you for traveling with Rising Adventure. We hope you had an amazing experience on the Upper Mustang trek. We will be more than delighted to welcome you back for yet another unforgettable journey with Rising Adventure across Nepal.