Upper Mustang Trekking- 17 Days

After breakfast, we will drive to pokhara by Tourist bus. It takes about 7 hours drive. If you are taking a flight from kathmandu than we head off to Domestic Airport to take a 25 minutes flight to Pokhara. Enjoying with scenic beauty all the way around to Pokhara. Upon arrive in pokhara you will be enjoying the magnificent views of Dhaulagiri, Manaslu, Machhapuchhare, five peaks of Annapurna and others. In the evening, a boating trip on Phewa Lake will be followed where you can enjoy the spectacular views of Annapurna Himalaya Range reflected in all its glory in the calm green water of the lake and visit Bindavasini Temple lying in middle of the lake.

Your Upper Mustang adventure begins in earnest today with an early morning flight from Pokhara to the District headquarter of Mustang, Jomsom (2,720 m). A short yet scenic 25-minute ealry-morning flight with the towering Annapurna and Dhaulagiri mountain ranges. The aerial views are breathtaking, offering a first glimpse of the arid landscapes that define Mustang.

Upon landing in the windy, high-desert town of Jomsom, you’ll begin your trek to Kagbeni, the ancient gateway to Upper Mustang. The trail follows the Kali Gandaki River, passing through sparse settlements, windswept valleys, and dramatic cliffs. The spectacular and picturesque peaks of Nilgiri, Dhaulagiri, Tukuche Peak and Dhampus above the sparse brown landscape, as you walk on gently undulating trails until you reach Kagbeni.

Kagbeni (2,810 m) is a picturesque village with mud-brick houses, red-and-white-washed monasteries, and narrow alleys steeped in Tibetan culture. After reaching Kagbeni, take time to explore the village, visit the 14th-century monastery, and absorb the unique fusion of natural and spiritual beauty. 

Kagbeni is the gateway of Upper Mustang Trekking, where we enter our special permit. After breakfast in Kagbeni, your trek officially enters the restricted Upper Mustang region. You’ll check your permits before continuing north along the Kali Gandaki River, walking through the scenic, picturesque wasteland landscape of the windy valley, following the trail that winds past canyons, caves, and eroded cliffs, offering a stark contrast to the greener areas of lower Mustang. Along the way, you’ll pass the picturesque Tangbe village, a maze of whitewashed houses, prayer flags, barley fields, and apple orchards. After a short break, you continue toward Chhusang, a small riverside village nestled beneath towering red rock formations, a perfect spot for lunch and rest. The town of whitewashed houses contains an intriguing pattern of alleyways and is surrounded by fields of wheat, barley, and buckwheat, interspersed with small apple orchards. The Nilgiri peaks, which dominate the southern skyline of Kagbeni, provide a spectacular backdrop. From here we trek forward to Chhusang, crossing the river and heading up to the huge red chunk of conglomerate that has fallen from the cliff above, forming a tunnel through which the Kali Gandaki flows. The trek now leaves the Kali Gandaki valley and climbs steeply up a rocky gully to Chele. As you arrive, you’ll notice a shift in the environment and culture; the landscape becomes more barren, and the architecture begins to reflect the Tibetan-influenced traditions of Upper Mustang.

Today’s trek from Chele to Syangboche is both challenging and rewarding, as you navigate some of the most dramatic terrain in Lower Mustang. The trail begins with a steep ascent along dry, rugged cliffs and narrow gorges, soon leading to the Taklam La Pass (3,624m /11,923 ft) through plateaus and narrow stretches with views of Tilicho Peak, Yakawa Kang, and Damodar Danda. From here, the trail undulates over windswept ridges and passes fascinating cave dwellings carved into the cliffs.

As you continue, you’ll pass through Samar, a charming village surrounded by poplar trees and barley fields, often used for a short tea break or lunch. After Samar, you’ll descend into a deep gorge and then climb back up toward Bhena and Yamdo La Pass (3,850 m) before arriving in Syangboche (3,800 m), a small, peaceful settlement overlooking a vast high-altitude plateau with incredible views, cultural encounters, and a deeper sense of Mustang’s remote beauty.

Today’s journey from Syangboche to Ghami offers one of the most scenic and culturally rich segments of the Upper Mustang Trek. After breakfast the trail begins with a steady climb to the Yamda La Pass (3,850 m), where prayer flags flutter in the breeze and panoramic views stretch across Mustang’s high-altitude desert. From there, the trail continues through traditional villages like Gheling and Tamagaon, where whitewashed houses and mani walls reflect the deep-rooted Tibetan Buddhist culture.

After a lunch break and some rest, you’ll ascend again to the Nyi La Pass (4,010 m), one of the highest points on the trek, before making a steep descent into the beautiful village of Ghami (3,520 m). Nyi Pass is the highest point of the trek thus far and the southern boundary of Lo. The trail then drops steeply to the whitewashed buildings of Ghemi. Ghemi is surrounded by large fields, most of which are barren. The afternoon is in perhaps the driest part of Mustang and views of the countryside are magnificent with the rugged mountains in the east and west. Ghami is also known for its red cliffs, ancient chortens, and the longest mani wall in Mustang, stretching across the valley floor. It’s a quiet, atmospheric place to spend the night, filled with history and Himalayan charm.

Today’s trek starts off over rough and sometimes slippery ground as we descend to a suspension bridge over the Ghami Khola. The trail takes us passes the longest and most spectacular Mani walls (stone-built walls with Tibetan mantras carved into the stones) in Nepal over the Charang La Pass (3,870m). Then climb to a plateau, and from the end of the wall, the trail heads east to the village of Charang (Tsarang) with a maze of fields, willow trees, and houses separated by stone walls at the top of the Charang Chu canyon. At the eastern end of the village are a huge Dzong [fortress] and a red Gompa, which houses an excellent collection of statues and Thankas as well as many large paintings of seated Buddha’s. The huge five-story monastery fortress is perched on the edge of the Kali Gandaki gorge.

The trail descends about 125 m from Charang, crosses the Tsarang Chu and follows the track to a cairn on a ridge opposite the village at 3580 m, then enters the Tholung village. Dropping down into a canyon, we cross a river and ascend to the Lo La pass (3,950 m). From the pass we get our first look at the historic and beautiful valley of Lo Manthang (3700 m). This walled village is the traditional home to the King of Lo and is still the scene of many interesting and colorful Buddhist festivals. The surrounding mountains –Nilgiri, Tilicho, Annapurna I, and Bhrikuti Peak-add to the atmosphere of the place.

A day is is not enough to explore this outstanding historical and cultural center. Today we get to explore some of the mysteries of Upper Mustang. A short trek to the area of Chhoser is the beginning of a day you will not forget! Here we find what is known as the Jhong Caves or even Sky Caves. These are five-storey high caves built into the side of cliffs. Researchers are still puzzling as to who built these caves and why. It is assumed they were used as burial chambers, hiding places, places of meditation, and later, monasteries.

But no one really knows the origins of these amazing caves. We can explore some of these caves, taking a packed lunch with us so we can enjoy the atmosphere of the caves, lunar-like landscape, and mountains while relaxing. Then we head back to Lo Manthang where we overnight again.

Instead of following the trail south to Tsarang, turn southwest along an indistinct trail that passes the irrigated fields of the city. After Lo Gekar, the trail climbs steeply to a cairn on a pass at 4000m, offering a last glimpse of Lo Manthang. Cross the Chogo La (4325m), the highest point on this trek. The trail makes descend beside a stream visiting the ancient Ghar Gompa more than 1200 years old and meet the Guru Rimponche. Gompa is famous for its rock paintings andthe legend of fulfilling our good wishes. Climb to a ridge, the route crosses some alpine meadows to a crest and then drops down a steep eroded gully overshadowed by red rock towers to Drakmar.

After a peaceful night in the mystical village of Dhakmar, today’s trek leads you southward through the stunning, high-altitude landscapes of Upper Mustang. The trail begins with a gradual climb back through the desert-like ridges and windswept valleys, retracing part of your earlier route but offering new perspectives of the dramatic cliffs and wide, open plateaus. You’ll pass by Ghar Gompa once again if you didn’t visit it the previous day, a sacred and historic monastery linked to Guru Rinpoche. As you descend further, the terrain becomes more hospitable, with the occasional patch of green fields and stone-walled farms emerging along the way. We enjoy the majestic views of Mt Dhaulagiri and Nilgiri. By afternoon, you’ll arrive in Ghiling or Geling, a peaceful village nestled against a barren slope. Known for its traditional houses, ancient chortens, and a beautiful monastery, Ghiling provides a quiet and culturally rich overnight stay. 

Leaving the peaceful village of Ghiling, today’s journey takes you further south through dry plateaus, crumbling cliffs, and hidden valleys, gradually transitioning back toward the lower Mustang region. The path trekking back to Chhuksang is easy, working down and enjoying the Tibetan lifestyle and culture. You will have wonderful scenery and the amazing views of Nilgiri, Tilicho and other tremendous Himalayan peaks. You’ll pass Gheling and Samar villages and possibly stop for lunch in Chele before continuing on a winding path that eventually leads you back to Chhusang (2,980 m), a windswept village beneath dramatic red and orange cliffs. The descent in altitude brings warmer air and a shift in vegetation, with more greenery appearing along the riverside. Chhusang’s quiet alleys, apple orchards, and unique cliffside caves make it a peaceful and scenic overnight stop.

Today we walk down to the southern border of the Mustang region to Kagbeni. We gradually get down through old salt trade route; the stupa, monasteries and chortens (Buddhist shrines) are the main attractions of the day. After having lunch at Kagbeni, we will head to Jomsom following the Kali Gandaki River Bank with an easy and flat work. Continue the trail down on the stony path facing Tukuche, Dhaulagiri and Nilgiri. Explore the headquarters city and have your overnight stay here.

Early morning we will take a short picturesque flight to Pokhara. The views of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri mountains and the world’s deepest gorge, Kali Gandaki are stunning. Relax the whole day in the hotel or wander around Lakeside with its fascinating mountain panorama view and charming nature.

Flight (can be arranged on request) from pokhara to Kathmandu. We take regular tourist bus back to Kathmandu. Free time around Kathmandu for shopping. Evening, we will invite you to have Nepali an authentic dinner as a farewell dinner with Nepali cultural show.

We transfer you to the International Airport 3 hours before your flight departure. Back home sweet home, hope to see you again. Or Join our amazing add ons packages