Upper Mustang Trek

Since Nepal first opened its doors to tourism, the Kathmandu Valley has also become known as the historical and cultural center of the country. The city offers a beautiful fusion of Tibetan Buddhism, Hinduism, and Western influence in the Valley. Its two principal nearby cities, Patan and Bhaktapur, are of enormous historical, cultural, and religious value. A half-day guided trip will visit the well-known and largest Hindu shrine, Pashupatinath; the largest stupa in Buddhism in Nepal; Boudhanath; the Palace of 55 Windows from the 15th century; and Swoyambhunath.

The cost of the tourist bus ride to Pokhara includes transportation (you may either fly there for an additional 97 euros ($118) or take a private car for the same cost, depending on the size of your group).It takes around 7 hours by bus, 5 hours by car, and 25 minutes by flight to travel to Pokhara

We take the amazing early-morning flight to Jomsom (famous for its apples), where our trek crew will be waiting for us at the little airport. Following some initial pack preparation, we start our hike to the beautiful settlement of Kagbeni. We cross a brief suspension bridge just outside of Jomsom before proceeding to walk along the Kali Gandaki's bank. The trail is downhill and mostly empty, with wrinkled pebbles and sand all over it. This gives it a very laid-back feel. Huge peaks like Dhaulagiri, Tukuche, and Nilgiri will be visible to us, while to the south the entire Annapurna range can be seen. .

The trail soon becomes significantly wider, revealing an endless stretch of sand, but the passing of mule trains carrying cargo from Mustang and Tibet keeps the path interestingOn the west bank of the river, there are various caves and Gompa Kang.While Gompa Kang belongs to the Nyingmapa sect, the majority of the monasteries in Upper Mustang are Sakyapa. We probably make a lunch stop at Tangbe, where we first see the distinctive black, white, and red Chortens of Upper Mustang. The tiny hamlet is a maze of narrow lanes surrounded by whitewashed homes, buckwheat and barley fields, and apple orchards. The southern skyline is still dominated by Nilgiri Peak. Tangbe is about a two-hour trek from Chhuksang Village.

Settlements grow more rare, smaller and more primitive due to changes not just in the geography but also in civilization, lifestyle, and people. The residents of Lo or Mustang are farmers. However due to a lack of rain and rich soil, only protected areas of land can be farmed. the dark terrain with green patches. moving northward. North of here, the Kali Gandaki is inaccessible by foot, and when we get to the river, a steel bridge crosses it right in front of a tunnel. The route now leave the valley and climbs up a rocky gully steeply to the town of Chele. Please be aware of the vicious Tibetan mastiffs that are chained to several of the homes in this area. From Chele, you hike a rocky hill before continuing up the wall of a breathtakingly steep canyon until you reach a pass. After the pass, we descend on a nice trail to Samar, which is located in a poplar tree forest. Horse and mule caravans frequently rest here on their journeys.

We hike to a mountain above Samar, descend into a wide gorge past a chorten, and then enter another valley with juniper trees. After climbing to a pass, we descend along a ridge to Shyangmochen, a little village with a few tea shops, after crossing a stream. One of the holiest locations in Mustang is nearby Rangbyung, a cave with stalagmites that have evolved into chortens. From Shyangmochen, the trail rises without difficulty, taking us into another large valley before dropping to Geling, where there are immense fields of barley. The white and ochre-painted homes in Geling are made of mud and stones, just like in other settlements in Mustang. The roofs are constructed with branches and straw

The trail leaves Geling and ascends slowly through fields and up the valley's middle, passing above Tama Gun's hamlet and its spectacular chorten. After that, we start a challenging ascent across the valley's head to reach the Nyi La (3840m). The descent from the pass is very peaceful, and after another 30 minutes or so, we reach a trail intersection where we may choose to take the right trail directly to Charang or the left trail to Ghami. A large settlement covered with whitewash and protected by cliffs is called Ghami.

We will spend a significant portion of our energy navigating the loose, dry earth today because our walk will likely take us into the driest area of Mustang. The breathtaking views of the surrounding area, from the north's soft contours to the east and west's mountainous terrain, more than make up for the challenging ascent. Finally, we reach Charang, a big village that is widely dispersed near the apex of the Charang Chu canyon. An large dzong [fortress] and a red gompa, which together hold an exceptional collection of statues and thangkas, are located at the eastern end of the hamlet.

Before departing for Lo Manthang, we spend a part of the morning touring the charming village of Charang and its magnificent monastery. We make a gentle ascent above the valley to a sizable, single chorten that serves as Lo Manthang's and Charang's dividing line. The path soon becomes wider, and at its end, we catch our first glimpse of Lo Manthang's walled city. We walk around the wall to the gate on the northeast corner of the city because there is only one entrance.

We get the day off to explore around the beautiful village of Lo Manthang. There are around 150 homes in the community, not counting the many lamas' homes. There are four main temples in the village, and Champa Lhakang is one of them. It houses a big clay statue of Buddha and has artistic mandalas painted on its walls. The present king and queen reside in the imposing king's palace, which is located in the center of the hamlet. The people respect the king despite the fact that most of his responsibilities are ceremonial. The villages in the kingdom continue to seek his advice on a wide range of topics. Horses can be rented to travel across these valleys, although this quick excursion will cost extra.

At Lo Manthang, we started out on our return journey via the upper highland route. With snow-covered peaks in the distance, this highland route offers breathtaking views of Lo Manthang and the Charang Valley. We arrive at the Ghar-Gompa, Mustang's oldest monastery, just past the community of Lo Gekar. We trek by way of the highlands, passing through alpine meadows before descending steeply through an ancient gully to reach Dhakmar for lunch. We hike along the lovely valley after lunch before ascending to a ridge and then descending to Ghami.

We continue to enjoy the views of the Dhaulagiri and Nilgiri mountains as we travel from Shyanboochen on the lower trail via Rachen Gompa. A mysterious gompa called Rachen Gompa has risen from the rocky cave. Samar comes next, followed by Chaile.

We must return our steps back to Chhuksang for a bit before taking the upper road to Muktinath, a Hindu shrine located at the summit of the tallest peak (3900M). Many Nepali and Indian pilgrims may be seen walking in their bare feet at this site. Or you can hike back to Kagbeni using the same route.

We return through Kagbeni to Jomsom, where our journey comes to a conclusion. We should now take a relaxing, hot shower. With the sherpas and porters, whom we have gotten to know so well over the past two weeks, we might celebrate in the evening.