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Upper Mustang region completely closed to foreign trekkers until 1991, it is an ancient Himalayan Kingdom. Inside the walled city of Lo-Manthang are some of the largest Tibetan Buddhist gompas in Nepal. A difficult trek because of high altitude, exposed terrain and continual Strong winds as well as comparatively expensive on cost. Though Mustang was closed, the government allowed a few researchers into the area. Toni Hagen entered Mustang in his survey of the entire Nepal, and the Italian scholar Giuseppe Tucci visited in the autumn of 1952. Professor David Snellgrove travelled to the region in 1956 but did not visit Lo-Manthang. Longtime ago, Nepal resident Barbara Adams travelled to Mustang during the autumn of 1963. The most complete description of the area is Mustang, the Forbidden Kingdom, written by Michel Peissel, who spent several months in the area in the spring of 1964. Dr Harka Gurung also visited and wrote about upper Mustang in October 1973.
A number of groups legally travelled to upper Mustang during the 1980s by obtaining permission to climb Bhrikuti Himal (6364 meters), south-east of Lo-Manthang. Other than a few special royal guests, the first legal trekkers were allowed into Mustang in March 1992 upon payment of a high fee as a special trekking permit. Mustang has a long, rich and complex history that masks it one of the most interesting place in Nepal. The early history of Lo is surrounded in legend. Myth and mystery, but there are records of events in Lo as early as the 8th century.
It is quite likely that the Tibetan poet Milarepa, who lived from 1040 to 1123, visited Lo. It is generally believed that Ame Pal (Ama-dpal in Tibetan ) founded Lo in 1380 and was its first king. The Ancestry of the present Mustang Raja 'Jigme Parval Bista' can be traced 25 generations back to Ame Pal. Ame Pal, or perhaps his father, conquered a large part of the territory in the upper Kali Gandaki and was responsible for the development of the city of Lo Manthang and many gompas.
In the mid-18th century they assumed control over Lo, from which they extracted as annual tribute. Ascended the throne in 1762, King of Gorkha; 'Prithvi Narayan Shah' began to consolidated what is present-day Nepal. At the time of his death, the kingdom extended from Gorkha eastward to the borders of Sikkim. His descendants directed their efforts westward and by 1789, Lo (part of Jumla) had been annexed. The Gorkha armies never actually entered Lo; they recognized the rule of the Mustang Raja. Although Mustang became par of Nepal, the raja retained his title and Lo retained a certain amount of autonomy. Lo maintained its status as a separate principality until 1951. After the Rana rulers were overthrown and king Tribhuvan reestablished the rule of the Shah monarchs on 15 February 1951, Lo was more closely consolidated into Nepal. The raja was given the honorary rank of colonel in the Nepal army.
Arrive to Kathmandu, an exciting and memorable experience with the panoramic view of snow-capped Himalayan range greets your sight.
Independent Himalayan Adventure's Airport Representative will meet you at the airport and take you to your hotel. After arrival to hotel, Short briefing and final payment procedures.
A historical and cultural site of Nepal; Kathmandu is a popular destination for tourists. It will presents a wonderful mixture of Hinduism, Tibetan Buddhism and Western influence in the Valley. Patan and Bhaktapur are its two major neighboring cities which bear immense historical, cultural and religious significance. There will be a half day guided tour to the famous and biggest Hindu shrine Pashupatinath and the largest Buddhist stupa Bouddhanath. We would finalize permit on this day.
We take the short but scenic 30 minute flight to Pokhara, enjoying the views of Ganesh, Manaslu and the Annapurnas along the way. We stay overnight in Pokhara.
Fly from Pokhara to Jomsom (2710 meters) and start trek to Kagbeni (2800 meters) , 20minutes flight and 3hours walking approximately We take the spectacular early morning flight to Jomsom (2710 meters) meet with our crew and after some initial preparation of loads, we begin our trek to the pretty village of Kagbeni (2800 meters). Just out of Jomsom we cross a small suspension bridge and then walk along the riverbank of the Kali Gandaki. The trail is flat and quite barren, with craggy rocks and sand littering the trail. This makes it very easy going. We will get magnificent views of huge peaks such as Dhaulagiri, Tukuche and Nilgiri, whilst to the south can be seen the entire Annapurna massif. Kagbeni with its narrow alleyways and tunnels, irrigation canals, fields of wheat and barley and a large red Gompa, give us a preview of scenes that we would come across in Upper Mustang. At the north end of the village is the police check-post. Here we will complete our paperwork before entering this long forbidden region of Nepal.
It is possible to trek right up the river valley, but we use a combination of the high trail and the riverbank pathways. The trail then widens significantly revealing an endless stretch of sand but the path is kept interesting by the passing of mule trains bearing goods from Mustang and Tibet. On the west bank of the river are some caves and Gompa Kang. Unlike most monasteries in Upper Mustang which are of the Sakyapa sect, Gompa Kang is of the Nyingmapa sect. We stop for lunch at the village of Tangbe, where we come across the first black, white and red Chortens that typify Upper Mustang. The little town is a labyrinth of narrow alleys among white washed houses, fields of buck wheat and barley and apple orchards. Nilgiri Peak continues to dominate the southern skyline. Chhuksang village is only about 2hrs walk beyond Tangbe at the confluence of the Narshing Khola and the Kali Gandaki. There are three separate parts to this village and some ruined castle walls on the surrounding cliffs. Across the river from Chhuksang are some spectacular red eroded cliffs above the mouths of some inaccessible caves. then we ahead to our next nitestop Chele on altitude of 3200 meters.
From Chele you climb a steep spur and then continue ascending along the side of a spectacular steep canyon to a pass. Beyond the pass we descend on a pleasant trail to Samar, situated in a grove of poplar trees. This is a major place to stop for horse and mule caravans.We climb above Samar to a ridge and then descend into a large gorge past a Chorten before entering another valley filled with juniper trees. We then cross a stream and after climbing to a pass, we descend along a ridge to Shyangmochen, a tiny settlement with a few tea shops. Nearby is Rangbyung, a cave containing stalagmites which have formed in the shape of Chorten and one of the holiest places in Mustang. The trail climbs gently from Shyangmochen and we enter another huge valley before descending to Geling, with its extensive fields of barley. Like in all settlements of Mustang, the white and ochre-painted houses in Geling are constructed using mud and stones. The roofs are made of twigs, straw and a mixture of mud and pebbles.
The trail climbs gently through fields, up the center of the valley, passing above the settlement of Tama Gun and an imposing Chorten. We then begin a taxing climb across the head of the valley to the Nyi La (3840 meters). The descent from the pass is quite gentle and about half an hour further on we come to a trail junction; the right trail is the direct route to Charang, the left trail leads to Ghami. Ghami is a large white-washed village sheltered by overhanging cliffs.
We would walk through the driest part of Mustang today, and much of our energy will be spent negotiating the loose, dry soil. However, the magnificent views of the countryside, from the gentle contours of the north to the rugged mountains in the east and west, more than compensates for the hard climb. Finally, we come to Charang, a large spread-out village 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 thangkas.
Exploring the interesting village of Charang and its large monastery in the morning, before setting out for Lo Manthang. We climb gently above the valley to a large isolated Chorten that marks the boundary between Charang and Lo Manthang. The trail then broadens and eventually we get our first view of the walled city of Lo Manthang. The city has only one entrance so we circumambulate the wall to the gate on the north-east corner.
Today, you are free to explore the fascinating city of Lo Manthang. The city contains about Hundred and Fifty houses, as well as residences for its many lamas. There are four major temples within the city and one of these, Champa Lhakang, contains a huge clay statue of Buddha as well as elaborates mandalas painted on the walls. The king's palace is an imposing building in the center of the city and is occupied by the current King and Queen. Although his duties are largely ceremonial, the King is respected by the people. Throughout the kingdom, the villagers continue to seek his advice regarding many issues. It is possible to hire horses to visit these valleys on your own extra costs.
Your return journey from Lo-Manthang-Tsarang (3500 meters) will more easily than going up.
Trekking from Tsarang-Syambochhen (3800m)
Trekking from Syambochhen- Chuksang (3050m).
Today is your last day of your trekking, so that it is being very long day.In route you passing back through Kagbeni. you register your permit of exit in Kagbeni and continue your trek to Jomsom. You can relax after shower and clean your self before your last day celebration with your trekking supporter crews.
Around half an hour flight back to Pokhara throughout the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri on your window. You either flight back to Kathmandu same day or overnight at Hotel in Pokhara.
By Tourist Bus or Flight back to Kathmandu.
Transfer for your final flight departure. The trip ends, our Airport Representative will drop you to the Kathmandu International Airport for your flight departure from Nepal.
Minimum 2 persons
Cost Includes :
Cost Excludes:
| Trip Starts | Trip Ends | Availability | Price USD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 26, 2013 | October 12, 2013 |  |
US$ 2030 |
 |
| October 7, 2013 | October 23, 2013 | |
US$ 2030 |
|
| October 18, 2013 | November 3, 2013 | |
US$ 2030 |
|
| October 29, 2013 | November 14, 2013 | |
US$ 2030 |
|
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