Upper Mustang Trek – A Trek to the Walled City of Lo Manthang
Upper Mustang Trek the most sought after trek in Nepal, is wonderful trek to the mysterious walled city of Lo Manthang. Ruled by a King until it’s status as a kingdom ended in 2008 when the Kingdom of Nepal became a republic.
Closed to the outside world until 1992, the Upper Mustang Trek is a wonderful trek to the well preserved region of Nepal close to the border with Tibet, where the majority of the population still speak traditional Tibetan language and follow Tibetan culture.
It is once in a lifetime trek to the forbidden city sharing it’s close ties with Tibetan Culture and language.
Religion and Culture
Upper Mustang shares it’s culture, Religion and Language with that of Tibet Autonomous Region and is therefore rich in Buddhist Culture. The main attraction of the Upper Mustang Trek is the three day Tiji festival held in Lo Manthang during the month of April – May. Tiji is an auspicious festival held annually in Tibetan rituals that depicts the story of a son that had to Save Mustang from destruction and the ritual dance is known as Tenpa Chirim.
Three Day Yartung Festival is another such festival celebrated, especially in Lo Manthang, during the months of August – September. These two festivals in Upper Mustang is a popular destination for tourists seeking to experience the native culture. In other words, the Upper Mustang Trek to Lo Manthang can best be described, as an alternate way to experience the Tibetan culture and landscape similar to the one’s found in Tibet.
Highlights of the Trek
Besides the religious festivals, the other fascinating attraction of Upper Mustang Trek is the hundreds of caves dug on the hill sides in Upper Mustang some of them highly inaccessible. Ancient Buddhist paintings, Manuscripts and mummified bodies have been discovered in Mustang Caves near Lo Manthang.
Climatic Condition
Surrounded by the Annapurna Masiff and Dhaulagiri Range, Upper Mustang falls in the rain shadow, because of which this region gets much less rainfall than the rest of Nepal. Thus creating a barren landscape bereft of trees and vegetation decorated with eroded sandstone pillars & broken moraines. Mustang has desert like vegetation and is therefore accessible all the year round.
Constantly hounded by the whistling winds where prayer flags keep on fluttering in the never ending cascade of Himalayan winds. Upper Mustang Trek is a trek through tree less terrain of the mysterious, untouched by modern civilization.
Getting there
Jomsom is the headquarter of Upper Mustang and the nearest Airport ia also in Jomsom. Kagbeni eight Kilometer away from Jomsom is the gateway to Upper Mustang Region. Tourists usually fly into Jomsom from Pokhara and trek to Upper Mustang. But, if you want to go easy on your legs than you can drive to Mustang. Road building from the south along the Kali Gandaki Gorge has largely been completed and is operational, but transport has been restricted to four wheel drive with high clearance.
Upper Mustang Trek – Permits and Formalities
You will need two permits for the Upper Mustang Trek
- Upper Mustang Restricted Area Permit: US$500 per Person for 10 days and US$50 per day for additional days. Upper Mustang Restricted Area Permit starts from Kagbeni.
- Annapurna Conservation area Permit: NRs. 2260 for foreigner and NRs.226 for citizens of SAARC countries.
TRIP FACTS :
- Style of Trek: Lodge/Tea House Trek.
- Duration: 16 Days.
- Number of Days on Trek: 13Days.
- Grade: Moderate.
- Minimum No.of Participants: 2Persons.
- Highest Point : 3800m.
- Starting Point : Kathmandu.
- Ending Point : Kathmandu.
- Best Season : April-June & September-October.
- Climate: Days are normally warm. Nights can at times be (general) very cold and in winter even below the freezing point. Monsoon showers in summer (heaviest in July, August) and sometimes even in spring and autumn.
- Trek availability: Private treks for minimum 2 persons on request. No group departures available.
Customized private Treks can also be arranged for a minimum of two persons on request on a date of your choice.
UPPER MUSTANG TREK ITINERARY
Day 01: Drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara by tourist bus and overnight at Hotel.
Day 02: Fly from Pokhara to Jomsom (2713m) and trek to Kagbeni (2810m). LODGE
Day 03: Trek to Chele (3200m). LODGE
Day 04: Trek to Shyangboche (3800m). LODGE
Day 05: Trek to Tsarang (3650m). LODGE
Day 06: Trek to Lo Manthang (3760m). LODGE
Day 07: Excursion to King’s Palace. Meet Mustang King at his palace. LODGE
Day 08: Trek to Lo Ghekar (3800m). LODGE
Day 09: Trek to Geling (3510m). LODGE
Day 10: Trek to Samar (3700m). LODGE
Day 11: Trek to Tetang (3100m). LODGE
Day 12: Trek to Muktinath (3800m). LODGE
Day 13: Excursion day in Muktinath. LODGE
Day 14: Trek to Jomsom (2713m). LODGE
Day 15: Jomsom fly back to Pokhara and overnight at hotel in Pokhara.
Day 16: Drive back to Kathmandu by tourist Bus. End of Upper Mustang Trek.
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NEPAL TOURIST VISA
- Nepal visa is readily available on arrival at the International Airport
- in Kathmandu and all other entry points to Nepal.
- 2 passport photos will be required.
- Single Entry visa: US$ 30 per visa (valid for 60 days).
- Multiple Entry visa: US$ 80 per visa (valid for 150 days).
- Nepal Visas are also available in all Nepalese Embassies and Consulates.
- Visa is not required for Indian Nationals to travel inside Nepal
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Note: The above itinerary is a sample, intended to give you a general idea of the likely trip schedule. Numerous factors such as weather, road conditions, the physical ability of the participants etc. may dictate itinerary changes either before departure or while on the trail. We reserve the right to change this schedule in the interest of the trip participants’ safety, comfort and general well being.
(All relevant Terms & Conditions Apply).
