Overview
There is something about the unknown that always fascinates people. If it is mysterious or forbidden, we want to know more. This is part of the appeal of The Ancient Walled City of Lo-Manthang in Upper Mustang Lodge Trek: it is a trek into what had not that long ago been off limits to foreigners. In fact, this area was closed to the outside world until 1991. Before that, no non-Nepali could enter this place. Because of this restriction, the city and region has retained its unique culture.
The land of Mustang has been known to outsiders for many centuries. It was located on the main salt road to Tibet. It has managed to retain its independence. Even when it was absorbed by the Kingdom of Nepal, it retained its own king, paying only nominal allegiance to the government of Nepal. When Nepal abolished kings in 2008, the local people didn’t pay any attention to the new laws. They honor their king who is a highly respected figure in Lo-Manthang and still occupies the ancient royal palace.
The land around it lies in what is called a rain shadow area. The summer monsoon rains don’t come this far north. The land is windswept and dry, with desert like landscapes that often resemble a moonscape. Yet, there are rivers that do cross the region, including the Kali Gandaki which near Jomsom forms the world’s deepest gorge. There are barren rock formations, yet you will find subsistence farmers growing barley and potatoes along with raising livestock of goats and yaks. The local language is often a dialect of Tibetan, as these people emigrated from Tibet over a thousand years ago.
This trek does involve some high level trekking and there will be time to do some acclimatization to prevent altitude sickness. This trek will see only a limited number of visitors each year because of the restrictions placed on entry numbers. This is done to insure that the region does not lose its unique culture. The religion of the region is Tibetan Buddhism and the ancient Bön religion. Bön was the religion of Tibet before the introduction of Buddhism and it can still be found being practiced in some areas. You will find the Dalai Lama honored here. Here in Upper Mustang, you will find what Tibet used to look like over 50 years ago.
Vertical Expedition is pleased to be able to offer this unique trekking experience to what many consider to be the most interesting and beautiful place in all of Nepal. Because of our connections, we can get you the necessary permits to enter, and organize a great trekking experience for you.
Itinerary
Arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport where you will be met by your representative of Vertical Expedition. You will be escorted to your hotel where there are complimentary welcome drinks and a short briefing with plenty of time to relax from your flight.
Your day will be spent visiting several of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. This is a great day to get a feel of the culture, spirituality and the beauty of the famed Kathmandu Valley. The Valley is larger than the country of Singapore and is known for its temples, shopping and great hospitality.
The journey today is by 1st Class, Luxury Bus from Kathmandu to Pokhara. While flying will get you there in just 25 minutes, taking the bus is the best way to see the countryside. The trip crosses the pass out of Kathmandu and then down the mountain through beautiful canyons. We will pass waterfalls and fast flowing mountain rivers which are famous as great places to do rafting. There will be many villages the journey will pass through as well as along terraced farms. We will arrive around 2 pm in Pokhara and check into a Three Star Hotel near Lakeside. This will give you an opportunity to explore some of the Lakeside area, which is located on the eastern shore of Phewa Lake. There are great views along the way.
This morning we rise early to catch a 45 minute flight into the mountains to Jomsom. This is a principal village on the Kali Gandaki River. It has always been a major destination point, being on the ancient trans-Himalayan trail to Tibet. Our trek begins today as we make our way to the windswept village of Kagbeni. We will camp in Kagbeni. Trekking time is 3 – 4 hours, a short day.
Today we enter the restricted region of Upper Mustang. We follow the left bank of the Kali Gandaki River. The first Mustang village we come to is Tangbe which has a medieval atmosphere. The trail continues upwards to Chhusang Village. Further up, we pass 16 caves along the Kali Gandaki. We see some of the snowcapped peaks like Mt. Nilgiri Himal as we approach our destination of Tsaile Village where we will spend the night in camp. Trekking time is 5 – 6 hours.
We get up early and take a rather unstable local dirt road uphill to reach the plateau. From here, it is an easy ascent to a small pass as we make our way to Samar village. We will have lunch here and then the trail will be up and down as we trek to Chungsi Cave Monastery. This monastery features an incredible feeling of deep spirituality that touches every visitor. There are great mountain views along the way. We will see and visit several monasteries along the way, including one where Guru Padmasambhava meditated in the 8th century. We pass next to Syangmochen village, then climb again to a small pass were we will encounter a very large chhortens along with two smaller gompas with walls that are painted red. We will spend the night in Ghiling village at a local lodge.
We begin the day by walking through the village of Ghiling which is a large village here in Mustang. We will ascend to the mountain pass of Nyl-La, and enter what is known as Central Mustang. In ancient times, this was the land of Lo. We descend into the valley and reach the village of Ghami with its terraced farmland that clings to the sides of the cliff. We pass incredibly long Mani Walls and then unique rock formations with stones of red, orange, blue and white. We will follow a small river upstream to reach our night’s destination of Drakmar. Trekking time today is 5 – 6 hours.
Today is a day of climbing as we make our way to the capital city of Mustang. We will ascend to the top of Marang-La Pass for one incredible view of the region. From here, we can see the snowcapped peaks of the Himalayas plus look upon the plateau of Tibet. You will also have your first view of the ancient walled city of Lo-Manthang which is an awesome view of this forbidden place. We will descend to spend the night in the capital city. Along the way, we will see the Ghar Gompa, one of the oldest monasteries in the region. Trekking time is 7 – 8 hours.
Today will be a time to explore inside and outside of the walls of the ancient city of Lo-Manthang. There are gompas, temples, interesting alleyways that lead like a maze through the city. There is also the royal palace, and wonderful four-storey affair that is the heart of the city. We will spend a second night in the city.
We leave the ancient walled city after breakfast and climb up a steep, sandy slope to reach Lo-La Pass which will afford us our last view of Lo-Manthang. We will be walking on a wide plain as we look up and see numerous caves in the face of the rock. When we come to a very large, isolated chhortens, we are crossing an ancient boundary between Lo-Manthang and Tsarang. We will cross an iron bridge over the Tsarang Khola. Tsarang was once its own kingdom and we will see a five-storey palace there along with a 14th century Gompa situated on the side of the Kali Gandaki Gorge at the eastern end of the village. We will spend the night at a local lodge in Tsarang. Trekking time is 3 – 4 hours.
We set out after breakfast and begin a long, gentle ascent to a ridge, passing magnificent Mani Walls. We will pass Ghami-La pass and then on to Nyl-La pass. From here, it is downhill to Tamagaon on a steep set of switchbacks into a rock canyon. We finally join the Ghiling trail near the ridge and then it’s a short trek to the village of Syangmochen where we will spend the night. Trekking time is 6 – 7 hours.
We continue our trek as we are heading back to Jomsom. There are a number of small villages we will pass through on today’s trek. We will see a big canyon and then a steep descent to an iron bridge that crosses over the Kali Gandaki River. We will spend the night in the village of Chhusang. Trekking time is 5 – 6 hours.
It is our last day of trekking. We climb up to the picturesque village of Tangbe which will afford us an incredible view of the Annapurna Mountains. We will follow the Kali Gandaki River until we reach Jomsom. Trekking time is 6 – 7 hours and we will stay in a local lodge.
Today is a short, 45 minute flight in the morning to Pokhara. From here, we can check into our Three Star Hotel where we can get a real hot shower. We will spend the day doing sightseeing in Pokhara, visiting places like the Buddhist Peace Pagoda and Devi’s Falls as well as an opportunity to do boating on Phewa Lake.
We leave early morning by bus for Kathmandu. We will stay at a Three Star Hotel in Kathmandu. In the evening will be a farewell dinner with cultural dancing.
All good things must come to an end, and your trip to Nepal is no exception. Before leaving, why not talk to your representative at Vertical Expedition about returning to Nepal for your next holiday. The vast majority of people make a return trip to Nepal because they are impressed by not only the beauty, but also the local people. Vertical Expedition offers trips into neighboring Tibet, Bhutan and India. Be sure to discuss your interests and plans with them today.
Trip Information
- All airport/hotel transfers
- 3 nights in 3-Star Hotel in Kathmandu
- 2 nights in 3-Star Hotel in Pokhara
- During the trek, double occupancy in tea houses/local lodges and comfortable two men camping tent .
- All accommodations and meals during the trek.
- One day of guided sightseeing in Kathmandu Valley, along with tour guide and entrance fees.
- Domestic flights (Kathmandu to Pokhara and back)
- An experienced, English speaking trekking leader/guide. All guides, porters and Sherpas are government licensed and experienced. There will be one porter provided for two trekkers to carry luggage. Your fees cover their salaries, insurance, equipment, flight, food and lodging. We take good care of our trekking guides, Sherpas and porters, as well as giving them additional training that is not required by the Government of Nepal.
- Vertical Expedition will provide free of charge a sleeping bag, duffle bag, t-shirt and trekking map (sleeping bags & duffle bags are to be returned after trip completion.)
- Farewell Dinner along with one cultural show.
- A comprehensive medical kit
- All government and local taxes
- Nepal Visa (bring US currency along with four passport size photographs. You can buy visa upon arrival at airport.)
- International airline ticket to and from Nepal.
- Excess luggage charge
- Personal clothing and gear
- Lunch and evening meals in Kathmandu and Pokhara (and also in the case of early return from the mountains that the scheduled itinerary.)
- Extra night accommodation in Kathmandu and Pokhara because of early arrival, late departure, and early return from the mountains (due to any reason) than the scheduled itinerary.
- Travel and rescue insurance
- Personal expenses (phone calls, laundry, bar bills, battery recharge, extra porters, bottle or boiled water, hot shower in mountain, etc.)
- Cost raised by cancellation, landslide, weather, political unrest and illness will not be our responsibility as these are factors out of our control.
- Tips for driver, guide and porters.
Extras
FAQS
What will be the crew and group size during this trip?
For this trek there will be one team leader/guide. We also provide an assistant leader (1 assistant per six trekkers), and Sherpa porters for carrying luggage (usual compliment is one porter for two trekkers). This arrangement ensures that anybody in the group gets sick; the trip can still go ahead as planned. Vertical Expedition can run this trek for any size group, but the maximum size is 12 people in order to make it a pleasant and enjoyable trip. However, if you would like to have a larger group, Vertical Expedition can make the appropriate arrangements as well.
Where will you be staying during this trip?
All accommodations for Ancient Walled City of Lo-Manthang in Upper Mustang Lodge Trek are on twin sharing basis with inclusive trip costs and are chosen based on standard hygiene, standard of service and food, location and more. There are two styles of accommodations during the trip. We will spend three nights in 3-Star Hotels in Kathmandu and two nights in Pokhara. For the remaining eight nights, we will stay at local tea houses or local lodges and two nights at comfortable two-men camping tent. Some of these places have shared toilets and washing facilities. Solo travelers may share a room with someone of the same sex, or if requested, we can arrange for a private room for an additional fee. However, please understand that in some remote places single rooms might not be feasible, even if the extra fee is paid. These are remote villages that we are dealing with. We at Vertical Expedition will do all we can to make your trip as pleasant and enjoyable as possible.
What will be the meals arrangements during this trip?
During the trek, we can enjoy typical Nepali food, different ethnic cuisines as well as all types of international cuisine (Tibetan, Continental, Italian, Indian, etc.) from pizza and chips to apple pie. We can even enjoy hot chocolates, variety of breads, drinks and snacks. Breakfast will be served from the tea house or lodge menu where we spend our night. Lunch will be served on the way to our destination and usually along the trail. Dinner and breakfast will be served at the tea houses where we will spend the night. Note that at the tea houses and lodges, the food is good, although the menus will be limited. A farewell dinner with cultural show and breakfast will be served in our stay in Kathmandu as well as breakfast served in Pokhara.
