There is a peaceful, gorgeous but forgotten kingdom in the northern part of the Mustang District of Nepal called the Kingdom of Lo. This Upper Mustang Trek by Sabbatical Explore Nepal is a trek to explore the kingdom and the upper part of Mustang, a trans-Himalayan region.
Upper Mustang Trek is a 17-day itinerary to untangle the picturesque, historical, and cultural Upper Mustang Area. The exciting journey brings you to traverse the semi-deserted side of the Annapurna Region. You will head to the northernmost side of the Mustang Region and explore places like Lo Manthang and Dhamkar.
The voyage has enough mountain vistas of Annapurna Massifs, Dhaulagiri Range, etc. You will get awe-inspired by the semi-deserted landscapes of the Mustang Region. The trek also shares with you the Tibetan culture and lifestyle celebrated by the varied locals of the region. The Mustang Region is home to ethnicities like Magars, Thakalis, Gurungs, etc.
Similarly, you will explore the ancient buildings, gompas, shrines, and stupas. Lo Manthang(3,800m), a beautiful village dotted with ancient gompas, mud-brick walls, and an old 600 years old King’s Palace, is one of the trek's significant highlights. You can check the other highlights of the tour down below.
Upper Mustang Trek begins in Jomsom, a popular stop of the notable Annapurna Circuit Trek. The journey continues via the classical territories of the Mustang Region like Kagbeni, Chele, Syanboche, Ghemi, and Charang. With that, you will reach Lo Manthang, the old kingdom of the region.
Following the remarkable exploration of Lo Manthang, you will advance to the highest point of the Upper Mustang Trek, Drakmar-the place of Ghar Gompa and red cliffs & canyons. After this, you will start trekking backward to Jomsom through the same region and trail. This is how the trek will run.
To finish, Upper Mustang Trek is an off-the-beaten trek in the Annapurna Region. It guides you to the rain shadowed Upper Mustang Region, the region that has kept the ancient kingdom, and many more.
If you appreciate hill-trekking, breathtaking sceneries, exciting culture & lifestyle, you will just love this trek.
Highlights
Explore the six hundred years old kingdom and the Palace of King Lo.
Come across various ancient monasteries, gompas, shrines, mani walls, etc.
Reach Lo Manthang, the forbidden kingdom which is now open.
Walk via the half-deserted but picturesque Mustang Region.
Get awestruck by the panoramas of Mt Dhaulagiri, Mt Annapurna, Mt Machhapuchre, Mt Nilgiri and more.
Experience their unique lifestyles, cultures, and food.
Trek via the hamlets of Magar, Tamangs, Thakalies, and other groups.
Fly to Jomsom, an iconic town in the Annapurna Region.
Begin the adventure from Pokhara, the city of mountain vistas and a lake.
Outline Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Kathmandu(1,400m)
Day 2: Kathmandu Sightseeing and Trek Preparation
Day 3: Drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara(900m) | 6-7hrs
Day 4: Fly to Jomsom(2,743m) and Trek to Kagbeni(2,847m) | 20mins & 3hrs
Day 5: Trek from Kagbeni to Chele(3,050m) | 7hrs
Day 6: Trek from Chele to Syangbochen(3,800m) | 5-6hrs
Day 7: Trek from Syangbochen to Ghami(3,500m) | 5-6hrs
Day 8: Trek from Ghami to Tsarang(3,870m) | 5-6hrs
Day 9: Trek from Tsarang to Lo Manthang(3,730m) | 3-4hrs
Day 10: Explore Lo Manthang
Day 11: Trek from Lo Manthang to Drakmar(3,810m) | 6-7hrs
Day 12: Trek from Drakmar to Ghiling(3,806m) | 5-6hrs
Day 13: Trek from Ghiling to Chhuksang(3,050m) | 5-6hrs
Day 14: Trek from Chhuksang to Jomsom(2,700m) | 6-7hrs
Day 15: Fly from Jomsom to Pokhara(800m)| 20 minutes
Day 16: Drive from Pokhara to Kathmandu | 5-6hrs
Day 17: Departure
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Kathmandu(1,400m)
Warm welcome! You’ll have a great welcome at Kathmandu Airport on your arrival. After receiving you, the team will take you to your hotel in Kathmandu for a rest. We will meet again for a welcome dinner hosted by Sabbatical Explore Nepal in the evening. At dinner, we will have some good talks about each other and the trek—overnight in Kathmandu.
Day 2: Kathmandu Sightseeing and Trek Preparation
Get comfortable with the country! We will take you out on Kathmandu’s sightseeing. There are several UNESCO world heritage sites in the capital; we’ll explore Pashupatinath Temple, Bouddhanath Stupa, Swayambhunath Stupa Kathmandu Durbar Square. While we do sightseeing, our team will arrange things for the trek. And we’ll join them in Thamel for last-minute shopping for the trek. Overnight in Kathmandu.
Day 3: Drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara(900m) | 6-7hrs
The journey begins! We’ll leave our hotel in the morning to start the journey, which will begin with a drive to Pokhara. It will be a picturesque drive of 6-7hrs on Prithivi Highway. Many roadside settlements, green hills, terraced fields will come along. Half of the ride will happen by the Trishuli River. After reaching Pokhara, we’ll enter our hotel for a rest. In the evening, we’ll explore the lakeside of Phewa Lake and have hangouts around there. Overnight in Pokhara.
Day 4: Fly to Jomsom(2,743m) and Trek to Kagbeni(2,847m) | 20mins & 3hrs
Here comes a scenic flight! Now we will bid goodbye to Pokhara with a flight to Jomsom. It will be a mesmerizing 20 minutes where we’ll see lots of landscapes and mountains. Shortly, we’ll land at this scenic airport in Jomsom. After the arrival, we’ll prepare for the trek from Jomsom to Kagbeni through semi-deserted terrain. En route to Jomsom, we’ll pass several hamlets of charming houses. The trek of 3 hours will stop in Kagbeni, a famous village in the Mustang Region. Overnight in the town.
Day 5: Trek from Kagbeni to Chele(3,050m) | 7hrs
The walk continues! We’ll join the trail from right where we stopped yesterday. The walk will continue through ridges and villages. On the way, we’ll pass Tangbe Village, another iconic village of the region. Passing via the apple garden of the town, we’ll trek toward Chhusang Village, yet another famous town. Soon, we’ll be walking on the riverbed of the Kali Gandaki River. Afterward, to reach Chele, our destination for the day, we’ll climb a ridge. Overnight in Chele.
Day 6: Trek from Chele to Syangbochen(3,800m) | 5-6hrs
The Canyon Landscapes time! The trek for the day will start with a climb over a steep desert land. Alongside, we’ll have a big red canyon hill while we move ahead. From that hill, we’ll descend to the beautiful village of Samar. After lunch in the town, we’ll continue our trek through uphills and downhills. In between, we will cross several colorful chortens as well. To arrive at Syangbochen village, we’ll have a final climb and descent for the day. Overnight in Syangbochen.
Day 7: Trek from Syangbochen to Ghami(3,500m) | 5-6hrs
Mountains will appear! We’ll climb to Yamada La Pass(3,850m) to leave the village behind in the morning. From the pass, we’ll view various mountains of the village. Doing the trek ahead, we’ll pass via several chortens and scenic villages. Later, we’ll trek into forests and terrace fields to reach Nyi Pass. After the hill, we’ll descend straight to Ghami Village. Overnight in Ghami Village.
Day 8: Trek from Ghami to Tsarang(3,870m) | 5-6hrs
More sceneries and landscapes! Our trek for the day will start with downhill and slippery trail. Descending carefully, we’ll reach a riverbed to cross Ghami Khola via a hanging bridge. Ahead, the walk is eye-pleasing as we’ll pass by mani walls for some time. Then we’ll start a climb to Tsarang La Pass(3,870m) to reach Tsarang village. After getting to the village, we’ll see a fortress and a red gompa—overnight in Tsarang.
Day 9: Trek from Tsarang to Lo Manthang(3,730m) | 3-4hrs
The day of the Kingdom is here! Today we will reach Lo Manthang from Tsarang. To do that, we’ll start with a descent to a canyon area. Then we’ll cross a river to begin an uphill climb to Lo La Pass(3,950m). From the pinpoint of the pass, we’ll look at mountains like Tilicho Peak, Annapurna I, Nilgiri, and Lo Manthang, the place where we are heading to. The ancient kingdom of Lo Manthang is only a descent away from the pass. Overnight in Lo Manthang.
Day 10: Explore Lo Manthang
A big day to explore the kingdom is here! Lo Manthang is a big city bordered by walls on the Upper side of the Mustang Region. The ancient town has some exciting places that we can explore, such as the Mustang King’s Palace, Namgyal Gompa, Jampa Lhakhang, Tigkar Village, Nyphu Cave, Thupchen, Chhoeda, etc. The forbidden kingdom, which was banned from entering until the 1990s, has many things from the old time to see. We’ll stay in the town to explore all the places—overnight in Lo Manthang.
Day 11: Trek from Lo Manthang to Drakmar(3,810m) | 6-7hrs
Lo Manthang time is over now! We will bid goodbye to Lo Manthang by taking an uphill trek. We’ll soon gain some heights to get beautiful views of Charang Valley, Lo Manthang Town, and the region's mountains. Along the walk, we’ll reach Ghar Gompa, the oldest Tibetan Monastery in the world. We’ll have some good watchful time around the monastery. Then we’ll continue our hike to Drakmar for the night.
Day 12: Trek from Drakmar to Ghiling(3,806m) | 5-6hrs
Strong windy day! We’ll start the day early just to dodge the area's strong winds. But still, we’ll have them all day long. Ghilling lies on the other side of a dry plateau. We’ll cross the plateau and fields to reach the village. At the end of the trek, we’ll have some brilliant views of Nilgiri and Dhaulagiri from the village. Ghilling village is a culturally rich hamlet. Overnight in the village.
Day 13: Trek from Ghiling to Chhuksang(3,050m) | 5-6hrs
The retracing trek starts! From Ghiling, we’ll take the already walked trail to reach Chhuksang. We’ll retrace the same track by enjoying incredible vistas of mountains. The same villages of the region will come along that day. After a 5 to 6 hours trek, we’ll reach Chhuksang in the evening.
Day 14: Trek from Chhuksang to Jomsom(2,700m) | 6-7hrs
The last and longest trekking day! We’ll start the last trekking day of Upper Mustang Trek early because it is a long day. After leaving Chhuksang for a while, we’ll come to join the trail of Annapurna Circuit Trek. Our trek continues via the same iconic villages of the region like Kagbeni. We’ll have a break in Kagbeni. After that, we’ll trek until Jomsom to finish the trek. Overnight in Jomsom.
Day 15: Fly from Jomsom to Pokhara(800m)| 20 minutes
Another scenic flight! We’ll leave Jomsom and the Mustang Region with a scenic flight as per the flight duration. From the window, we’ll watch peaks of Dhaulagiri and Annapurna massifs, the whole Mustang Region, and more. And, after 20 minutes, we’ll reach Pokhara, yet once again. We’ll take a rest in the hotel. We’ll even go out for a hangout overnight in Pokhara if we have energy.
Day 16: Drive from Pokhara to Kathmandu | 5-6hrs
The scenic drive back to Kathmandu! We’ll say goodbye to Pokhara by joining a drive to Kathmandu. We’ll travel on the same road via the same villages and the river. After 5-6 hours of riding through the highway, we’ll arrive in Kathmandu. We’ll head straight to our hotel to throw our backpacks and have rest and refreshments. If you think to buy for yourself and close ones, we’ll have the rest of the day as free time for shopping—overnight in Kathmandu.
Day 17: Departure
The journey’s end is here! It is time to say goodbye to Nepal. We’ll help you reach the airport at your scheduled time. With many good memories and pictures of Upper Mustang Trek, you will head back home.
Includes/Excludes
What's included
Airport pickup and drop
Transfer in the hotel and welcome dinner
Entrance fees for sightseeing in heritages
English speaking tour and trek guide
Arrangement of flight tickets and ground transportations
3 times meal during trek
Accommodation in Pokhara
Government tax and VAT
Guide salary remunerations and insurance
What's excluded
Personal insurance of client and expenses for rescue services during natural calamities beyond our control
Expense made for any unanticipated situation
Medical/ travel insurance
Expenses for meals which isn't included in itinerary
Bar bills
International flights
Travel/medical insurance
Nepal visa fees
Reviews
Based on 3 reviews
Dr. M.H. ALHAMRAN
The trip was well worth it! I was in Nepal last Autumn with the team of Shiva and Kiran, whom I knew from my colleagues. I was confused about where to go. But my expert friends, Shiva and Kiran, suggested I do their best-selling Nepal Panorama Tour. I'm glad they suggested it. I am not a hiking person, my body does not let me be. So I went on a tour of Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Chitwan. In Kathmandu, I saw a lot of historical and time-traveling sites. Pokhara was so much vivid by Fewa Lake; I enjoyed the boat riding there. And Chitwan was unimaginably full of nature. I saw rhinos, elephants, birds, crocodiles. I was expecting the Bengal Tiger, but luck did not favor me. Except for that, Chitwan treated me quite well. Overall, the trip felt so smooth and rewarding. I traveled around Nepal panoramically. Thanks!
Felix
I had an amazing experience with Sabbatical Explore Nepal when I visited Nepal during my Gap year 2018. Our guide and driver were so experienced and helpful. I remember seeing many animals like tigers, deers, rhinos during Jungle Safari in Chitwan. I even went to the Elephant Breeding Centre and that was amazing. In Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha I visited Maya Devi Temple and other monasteries. I was mesmerized by the architectural designs of the Temples and Monasteries built by different countries. I was a little sad that I couldn't visit other amazing places but the 6 days I spent in Nepal were very meaningful and memorable. I am looking forward to my next trip to Nepal.
Ruben Jonas
I went to Upper Mustang Trek with them, which I can vividly remember even after 2 months now. I found out about this team from one of my friends. I'm glad he suggested it. Everything went well during the trek. The guide was so humble and good. He showed me things that I could never have if I was traveling solo. I feel a deep connection with the landscapes of Mustang. Thanks to the guide and the team. The trip was a great experience!
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