Activities : Trekking, Sightseeing
Best Month : March to December
Transportation : Private Car,Bus & Flight
Accommodation : Hotel & Lodge
Style : Lodge-to-Lodge, Guided, Cultural, off-the-beaten-path and High-Altitude Trekking.
Max Elevation : 3806m
Meal : Breakfast in the city and Full board meals during the trek
Trip Route : Kathmandu-Pokhara-Jomsom-Lomanthang-Jomsom-Pokhara-Kathmandu
The Upper Mustang Trek, often called the "Last Forbidden Kingdom," is an extraordinary adventure that allows trekkers to discover one of Nepal’s most isolated and culturally rich regions. Managed by Adventure Mountain Explore Treks & Expedition Pvt. Ltd, this trek leads through the fascinating Mustang region, located in the rain shadow of the Dhaulagiri mountain range. Stretching from Kagbeni in the south to the Tibetan border in the north, the trek reaches altitudes of over 4,000 meters.
The trek offers an unparalleled experience as it takes trekkers through desert-like landscapes, dramatic rock formations, and deep gorges. The journey along the historic trade route once used by salt caravans from Tibet is filled with ancient fortresses, palaces, and cave dwellings high on cliffs. A highlight of the trek is the stunning Kali Gandaki Gorge, the deepest gorge in the world. As trekkers explore these ancient sites, they encounter breathtaking views of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges, with snow-capped peaks and glaciers in the distance.
In addition to its natural beauty, Upper Mustang is renowned for its Tibetan Buddhist culture. Once part of the Kingdom of Lo, the region has preserved its ancient Buddhist traditions and Tibetan lifestyle for centuries. Monasteries like Lo Gekar Monastery (dating back to the 8th century) and Thungchen Gompa (from the 15th century) stand as symbols of Mustang's spiritual and cultural heritage. The Tibetan-style villages are characterized by whitewashed houses, with firewood stacked on the rooftops, reflecting the timeless ways of life that have endured for generations.
During the trek, you’ll encounter the Thakali and Gurung communities, known for their hospitality and warmth. Their welcoming nature enhances the trek, making the journey even more rewarding. The trek begins in Jomsom, where trekkers follow the Kali Gandaki River upstream to Kaagbeni, the last village before entering the restricted area. After crossing into the Upper Mustang region, trekkers are immersed in landscapes and cultures that have remained largely untouched for centuries.
The Upper Mustang Trek is an extraordinary combination of rugged adventure, breathtaking landscapes, and cultural immersion, offering an experience that is both historically significant and spiritually enriching. For adventurers, history lovers, and those seeking a unique experience, this trek is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
How Difficult is the Upper Mustang Trek?
The Upper Mustang Trek is regarded as moderately challenging due to its rugged terrain and high altitude. While it is not technically difficult, trekkers must navigate through arid, rocky paths, steep ascents, and descents, which can be physically demanding. The altitude is one of the primary challenges, with the trek reaching heights over 4,000 meters (13,123 feet), where altitude sickness can become a concern. It is essential to schedule acclimatization days to allow the body to adjust to the reduced oxygen levels and reduce the risk of altitude-related illnesses. The remote location of the trek also means limited access to medical facilities, so physical preparation and fitness are crucial for a safe and enjoyable experience.
How Long is the Upper Mustang Trek?
The Upper Mustang Trek typically lasts between 14 to 16 days, depending on the chosen itinerary and pace. Starting in Jomsom, the trek moves through scenic villages like Kaagbeni, Chele, Geling, and Lo Manthang, allowing trekkers ample time for cultural exploration and acclimatization. The trek spans altitudes ranging from 2,800 meters to 4,000 meters, with the gradual ascent helping trekkers adjust and minimizing the risk of altitude sickness. The trek's duration can vary depending on rest days or any additional excursions.
How Much is a Trek Permit for Upper Mustang?
The Upper Mustang Trek requires a special Restricted Area Permit to trek in this culturally and ecologically preserved region. The permit costs USD 500 for the first 10 days of trekking. For any additional days beyond 10, there is an extra charge of USD 50 per day. Since Upper Mustang is a restricted zone, it is important to trek with a licensed guide or porter as independent trekking is prohibited. The permit fees are vital to support the conservation of the area's unique environment and culture.
How Much Does it Cost to Trek Mustang?
The total cost of the Upper Mustang Trek generally ranges between USD 2200 to USD 2,500 per person. This price typically includes essential services such as permits, flights from Pokhara to Jomsom, accommodation (either in teahouses or as part of a camping trek), meals, and the guide and porter fees. The cost can vary depending on the quality of services, duration of the trek, and personal preferences. Since the trek passes through a restricted area, Upper Mustang trekking costs tend to be higher than other popular trekking routes in Nepal.
Note: Minimum 2 pax required or single suppliment of USD 650.
Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu (1,300m/4,264 ft)
Day 02: Sightseeing tour of UNESCO World Heritage site in Kathmandu and trek preparation (1,300m/4,264 ft)
Day 03: Drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara (820m/2,690ft)/ 7 hours drive
Day 04: Fly from Pokhara to Jomsom (25mins) and trek to Kaagbeni (2,800m/9,186ft)/ 30 Minutes flight and 3 hours walk
Day 05: Trek to Chele (3,050m/10,006ft)/ 5 hours walk
Day 06: Trek to Geling (3,440m/11,286ft)/ 5-6 hours walk
Day 07: Trek to Charang (3,490m/11,450ft)/ 5-6 hours walk
Day 08: Trek to Lo-Manthang (3,730m/12,237ft)/ 5-6 hours walk
Day 09: Explore day at Lo-Manthang (acclimatization day) (3,730m/12,237ft)
Day 10: Lo-Mangthang to Drakmar (3,942m/12,933ft) 6-7 hrs walk
Day 11: Trek to Ghiling (3, 806m/12,484ft), 5-6 hrs walk
Day 12: Trek to Chhuksang (3050m/10,004ft), 5-6 hrs walk
Day 13: Trek to Jomsom (2700/8,856ft), 6-7 hrs walk
Day 14: Fly from Jomsom to Pokhara (820m/2,690ft)
Day 15: Drive from Pokhara to Kathmandu, 7-8 hrs drive
Day 16: Farewell day
Day 1: Arrival in Kathmandu(1,300m/4,264 ft) AME Treks heartily welcomes you to Nepal. Upon your arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), you will be greeted by one of our company representatives who will further escort you to the hotel. Later that day (if possible) or the following day, a meeting is scheduled at our head office to brief you the details of your upcoming trek. Here, you will also be introduced to your trekking guides and Sherpas. If your flight arrives on time, a welcome dinner is also scheduled for you at one of the most popular local restaurant where you can enjoy Nepali food along with a glimpse of cultural music and ethnic dance. On request, dinner can also be postponed to the following day (as per your convenience).
Day 02: Sightseeing tour of UNESCO World Heritage site in Kathmandu and trek preparation (1,300m/4,264ft) Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal, itself offers a wide range of unique historical, natural and cultural sites. You will be guided to some of these sites for the purpose of sightseeing. The sites include the World heritage sites like Kathmandu Durbar Square – one of the most important historical structure that offers eye appealing architectural wonders, the Pashupatinath temple - a Hindu shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva (the lord that holds the power of destruction), Swyambhunath (Monkey Temple) and the Boudhanath Stupa – dedicated to Lord Buddha. However, you also have an option to skip one of these sites and visit another World Heritage site, ‘Patan Durbar Square’ along with Mahabouddha Temple, Kumbeshwor Temple, Krishna Temple and Golden Temple that simply offers some of the historical masterpieces to the connoisseurs of art. After spending 3-4 hours observing these beautiful sites, we will meet one more time to finalize your clothing and trekking gears (sleeping bag, down jacket and trekking boots). The evening will be spent in Kathmandu.
Day 3: Drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara (820m/2,690ft) 7 hours drive Our guides will come to pick you up at your hotel and escort you to the bus station from where we catch our bus to Pokhara. From the bus station, we head towards the west of Kathmandu valley to catch Prithvi Highway and then continue the journey towards west till Pokhara. The bus will stop twice on the way; once for the breakfast and then for lunch. This winding highway along the Trisuli River offers a spectacular view of mountains, rivers, jungle, waterfalls as well as hamlets situated higher up on the hills and amphitheater-shaped terraced field flaunting different seasonal crops. On reaching Pokhara, you check into the hotel, freshen up, explore the city and in the evening stroll around the lakeside. We stay overnight at a lodge in Pokhara.
Day 4: Fly from Pokhara to Jomsom and trek to Kegbeni. (2,800m/9,186ft) 30 minutes flight and 3 hours walk After having breakfast, you will be transferred to Pokhara airport to board an early morning flight to the district headquarter of the Mustang - Jomsom. Passing through the world’s deepest gorge, this scenic flight to Jomsom offers a spectacular view of mountains like Dhaulagiri, Machhapuchhre (Fishtail) and the Annapurna range. On arrival to Jomsom, you will meet the rest of the crew awaiting your arrival. The necessary pre-trek preparation is done at Jomsom. Shortly after this, the ultimate walk starts on crossing the suspension bridge at Jomsom which further leads towards the northern valley of Kaligandaki following the trail along the Kaligandaki River. The trail offers a stunning views of snow capped mountains like Tukuche, Nilgiri and Dhaulagiri to the north, while the southern part of the trail features the entire Annapurna range. After 4 hours of walking we finally reach the Kaagbeni village (a gateway to upper Mustang), which is located at one of the major, era-old Trans-Himalayan salt trade path to Tibet. Kaagbeni is also located at the junction of two rivers - Kak Khola (descending from Muktinath) and Mustang Khola, and from here the river is named Kali Gandaki. In the evening you can take a stroll around the interesting clustered settlement of people, Buddhist monasteries and some Hindu temples in Kaagbeni. The night is spent at a lodge in Kaagbeni.
Day 05: Trek to Chele(3,050m/10,006ft) 5 hours walk After having breakfast the trail ascends towards the northern valley of Kagbeni and heads towards Tangbe and the towards Chhusang valley. Along the trail you can enjoy a network of narrow lane among the traditional red and whitewashed houses, Buddhist monasteries, red, black and white colored chortens, beautiful apple orchards as well as wheat, barley and buckwheat fields. You will also be blessed with a glowing view of Nilgiri. After crossing several ridges and a stream along the trail, we now leave both Kali Gandaki valley and Manangi culture behind and enter Chele and the Tibetan culture of Lo. This place offers a perfect picture of Tibetan settlement. The night is spent at a lodge in Chele.
Day 06: Trek to Geling (3,440m/11,286ft) 5-6 hours walk After having breakfast, we start our usual day trek, which first hikes up to Taklam La Pass, goes through even terrain to observe Yakawa Kang, Tilicho Peak and Damodar hill. We further walk towards the village of Samar from where the ridge descends into the large gorge, passes chorten and make our way towards Shyangmochen walking through the beautiful valley crossing cool streams and juniper trees. Shyangmochen is a small settlement with a few tea shops. Nearby Shyangmochen, you can also enjoy Rangbyung which is a cave that contains stalagmites in the form of Chorten. This is also considered one of the holiest places in Mustang. From here the trail descends to Geiling, which offer the pleasant view of the extensive barley field. The night is spent at a lodge in Geiling.
Day 07: Trek to Charang (3,490m/11,450ft) 5-6 hours walk After having breakfast, the trail turns west and continues through the driest part of Mustang, which further passes through the fields that are below Tama Gaon. From here we take a turn towards north to reach Nyi La. Here, the trail steeply descends to Ghyami. Ghyami is the third largest settlement surrounded by large barren fields in the Lo region. On crossing Ghyami River, the trail makes its way along the Mani wall (a sacred wall made by prayer stones) and from the end of the wall the trail takes an eastward turn towards the village of Charang, which is a large spread village situated on the top of the Charang Chu canyon. On the eastern side of this village lie Dzong (fortress) and a Red Gompa (monastery) that exhibits an assortment of exceptional statues and Thangkas. The night is spent at a lodge in Charang.
Day 08: Trek to Lo-Manthang (3,730m/12,237ft) 5-6 hours walk Before heading toward Lo Manthang, we spend some time exploring the Charang village and the Red Gompa. Then we climb up the valley to explore isolated Chorten, which separates the area of Charang and Lo Manthang. As the trail climbs up to the windy pass of Lo, the trail broadens eventually allowing you the very first glimpse of the walled city of Lo Manthang. This city has only one entrance on the northeast corner of the city; therefore, following the only option we circumambulate the wall to get to the entrance. The night is spent at a lodge in Lo Manthang.
Day 09: Explore Day at Lomanthang (acclimatization day) (3,700m/12,136) After having breakfast, without wasting our time we start exploring the Lo Manthang. We visit 4 major Gompas like Namgyal Gompa (situated on the hilltop and also used as a local court), Champa Lakhang (God House), Thugchen Gompa and Chyodi Gompa. Other attractions of this area are the ceremonial King’s Palace (a 4 storey building at the center of the city), Tingkhar (a settlement of around 40 houses and the last village to the northwest of Lo Manthang) as well as the panoramic view of towering mountain and pure Tibetan culture. If you are lucky, you can also get an audience with the king or the queen. The night will be spent at a lodge in Lo Manthang. (Note: Entry fee should be paid in order to enter every monastery. These fees should be paid from your own pocket.)
Day 10: Lo-Mangthang to Drakmar (3,942m/12,933ft) 6-7 hrs walk The trail becomes very windy during the day. Therefore, after breakfast at Lo Manthang, without wasting much time, we start the day earlier than usual. The trail heading southwest passes through the irrigated field before Gekar and then climbs towards the cairn on the pass. At this point you can experience the highest altitude of this trek. From the pass the trail descends to Ghar Gompa, which is another major attraction of this trekking. In the Gompa, we spend some time enjoying the exhibition of paintings and artifacts. After exploring the area of Ghar Gompa, we finally head towards Drakmar for overnight stay.
Day 11: Trek to Ghiling (3,806m/12,484ft) 5-6 hour Trail during the day gets very windy and dusty; therefore, we start early continuing our southward walk. The landscape around feels like a desert. We pass a number of caves during on the way, long Mani wall and the pass before descending to the Ghami village. From here, we first walk up to the Ghiling hill and then down to the Ghiling village. Along the way, we also enjoy very beautiful views of Dhaulagiri and Nilgiri. In the evening, we can spend our time exploring the settlement of Ghiling. The night will be spent in a lodge in Ghiling.
Day 12: Trek to Chhuksang (3,050m/10,004ft) 5-6 hour Leaving Ghiling in the morning, the trekking resumes. Enjoying the amazing view of Nilgiri, Tilicho and other peaks and now walking on the spectacular landscape, we continue all the way down to Chhuksang. You can also enjoy villages influenced by Tibetan culture. In the evening, if you have energy, we take a stroll around the settlement of Chhuksang, where you can enjoy the settlement and lifestyle of people in Chhuksang. The night will be spent in a lodge in Chhuksang.
Day 13: Trek to Jomsom (2700/8,856ft), 6-7 hrs walk Today is the last day of our trekking. This day’s walk will be the longest walk during the entire trek as we do not stop at Kaagbeni but walk till Jomsom. On reaching Jomsom, you will be we celebrate the success of our trek with other crew members. You can also demand for solitude to reflect upon the journey made during the past few days. You will be loaded with pleasant memories, stories and experiences ready to share and cherish your entire life. The night will be spent at a lodge in Jomsom.
Day 14: Fly from Jomsom to Pokhara (820m/2,690ft) 30 minutes flight After breakfast, we check into the Jomsom airport to fly back to Pokhara. This 25-30 min flight between the gorge Annapurna and Dhaulagiri is a bonus to feed your soul with thrill and adventure. On reaching Pokhara we check in to the hotel where you can freshen up and then you can explore the lake area. The night is spent at the hotel in Pokhara.
Day 15: Drive from Pokhara to Kathmandu (1,300m/4,264 ft) 7-8 hrs drive Exactly at 7 am we start our journey from Pokhara to Kathmandu through Prithvi Highway. We stop twice – once for breakfast and the other one for lunch. Once again, you will get a chance to enjoy the pleasant view of Trisuli River, hamlets, and terraced farm on the way to Kathmandu. On reaching Kathmandu, you will be escorted to the hotel (tourist standard). In the evening we host a farewell dinner at one of the best Nepalese restaurants where we will share your experience while having dinner. The night will be spent at a hotel in Kathmandu.
Day 16: Farewell day Today is the last day of your trip in Nepal with AME family. One of our company representatives will assist you to get to the airport as per your flight departure time if you have already booked your return ticket. However, if you are looking to extend your trip, AME Treks and Expedition can make the required arrangements. If your flight is scheduled late in the evening, then you can also go for shopping to collect few gifts for your friends and family. (Special Note: During the entire trek, we serve you a full board meal - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and tea & coffee. Our guides will come to wake you up around 7 am. Breakfast will be served in between 7 am to 8am. Ordered lunch from the teahouse menu will be served around 12 which can also be postponed if you plan to eat a little later than the scheduled hour. The dinner will be served in between 8pm to 9 pm. Tea/coffee will be provided twice a day. During the walk you can also ask your guide to stop in those areas where you wish to take pictures and enjoy the scenery. If you get tired, you can also request to slow down and rest for some time. After dinner and before going to bed your team leader will brief you regarding the following day’s itinerary.)
Trip Cost Include
Trip Cost Exclude
Special Note: On our trip you are able to schedule your own departure dates. We are able to depart our trip every day (only Nepal). So kindly choose your own date as per your convenient. Contact us to schedule your own departure day.
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