The Upper Mustang Trek is a captivating adventure that takes you through the remote and mystical region of the Upper Mustang in Nepal. Known as the “Forbidden Kingdom,” Upper Mustang offers a unique cultural and natural experience, with its distinct Tibetan-influenced culture, ancient monasteries, and breathtaking landscapes.
Upper Mustang Trek is a moderate-level trek that typically starts and ends in the vibrant city of Pokhara. It is a restricted area trek, requiring a special permit due to its remote location and preservation of Tibetan traditions. The trek usually lasts around 12-16 days, covering a distance of approximately 150 kilometers.
Upper Mustang is the upper part which was formerly the Kingdom of Lo lies in the Mustang District of Nepal. This area was a restricted kingdom making it one of the most preserved regions in the whole world. This area was demilitarized until 1992.
Here the majority of the population speaks their traditional language which is Tibetan. Tibetan culture and religion are well preserved by the people there. The life of these peoples revolves around tourism, trade, and animal husbandry.
Upper Mustang, Muktinath, and Kagbeni are believed to be the place where most holy gods and goddesses reside in the sacred mountains. These are the famous and important Hindu and Buddhist pilgrimage sites and are popularly known as sacred or holy places for Hindus and Buddhists and also important places for adventurous mountain trekking.
To reach Mustang, we take the flight from Pokhara or can also drive. From Pokhara, we can either take a bus, taxi, reserved jeep or rent a bike at Pokhara to reach Jomson. This is the only way you can reach Jomsom which takes around 9-10 Hours. Jomson is the starting point to reach the Upper Mustang (Kingdom Of Lo).
The cost of the Upper Mustang Trek can vary depending on several factors, such as the duration of the trek, the services included (guide, porter, accommodation, permits), and the trekking agency you choose. On average, the cost ranges from $1,800 to $2,500 per person. It’s important to book with a reputable agency that ensures safety, experienced guides, and proper arrangements.
Thamel Marga Central Thamel Kathmandu (Google Map)
Our guide will receive you from the airport and help you accommodate in jeep or car and transfer you to the hotel. You can have breakfast or brunch at some of the famous cafes and restaurants around the city and try authentic Nepali cuisine.
You can also roam around nearby places to buy some souvenirs and prepare yourself for the trek by buying essential types of equipment and gear.
Overnight in Kathmandu.
You will have the whole day to explore the beautiful city of Kathmandu. We will take you to the famous places of the valley “Pashupatinath Temple” and “Bouddhanath Stupa”.
Pashupatinath temple is a famous, sacred, and holy place for Hindu people. We can see the arati at night and explore the temple in more depth.
Bouddhanath Stupa is the largest Stupa in the world and is the holiest Tibetan Buddhist temple outside Tibet. You can buy handicrafts gifts and souvenirs made by the locals and gift them to your friends and family.
After spending a day in the capital, we will get back to the hotel where you will be briefed about the trek.
Overnight in Kathmandu.
After having breakfast at Katmandu, we will leave for Pokhara which is about a 25-minute flight. You will get to see majestic Mountain View from the flight if the weather is clear. After reaching Pokhara you can explore the city in depth yourself.
You will have enough time to experience the nightlife and popular places around Pokhara like Lakeside, David’s Fall, and many more.
Overnight in Pokhara.
After having breakfast in Pokhara, you will be set on a flight for Jomsom. You can either take a flight or go by road. It will take about 25 minutes on a flight or 7-8 hours of drive to reach Jomsom. You will be thrilled to view the amazing scenery of the natural diversity of Nepal.
Along with this, you will see the Annapurna I (8091m), Machhapuchhre (6997m), and Nilgiri mountain ranges from the flight. You will also witness the beauty of glaciers, rivers, and Georges. After reaching Jomsom you will have to trek for about 3-4 hours to reach Kagbeni.
Overnight in Kagbeni
After spending a night at Kagbeni Village we will set out for Chele. Today will be your first day of hiking which will take about 5-6 hours. We will have to travel through various ridges and walk alongside the river Kali Gandaki.
You will also come across the beautiful village of Tangbe where you can see various whitewashed houses, wheat, apple fields, and buckwheat fields. In the southern part of the skyline, you will get an amazing view of Nilgiri peaks as you keep walking further. After we leave Kali Gandaki River behind us we will reach Chele.
Overnight in Chele.
Today’s hike will be a little harder than before, as we start our day with a steep rock climb that will lead to a gradual descent and again a steep climb.
We will cross the Taklam La pass (3,624m) and the Dorjori La pass (3,475m). As you keep walking you will realize that Mt.Nilgiri (7061) looks even more amazing alongside the Annapurna ranges.
Amazing mountain ranges, caves, and monasteries will distract your mind and keep you off your hard-working legs. You will also come across numerous prayer flags, Gompa, Buddhist Chortens, and lush popular trees. We will descend into the village of Samar from where we walk to a ridge and walk further into the steep trail to reach Syanboche.
Overnight in Syangboche.
After having breakfast at Syangboche, we will head out to Dhakmar which will take about 5-6 hours of hike. We will start our trek with gentle incline walks through fields and valleys that will lead us to a steep rocky climb to pass. We will come across another big pass that is the Yamada La (3850m). As we keep walking, we will see the barren lands and the diverse landscapes of the Mustang region.
Overnight in Dramkar.
After overnight in Dramkarr, we will start our route with a little ascent where you can catch the last glimpse of this place. Today we will trek longer than usual, but you will see plenty of exciting things on your way. So don’t worry!! We will head past the highest point of the trek which is Chogo La (4280m).
As we keep walking, we will see the barren lands and the diverse landscapes of the Mustang region. We will make our way through Lo Gear (century-old Gompa) which has some stunning rock paintings. We will have time to explore this place before heading toward Lho Manthang. After a few hours of walking from Lo Gekar, we will reach Lho Manthang.
Overnight in Lho Manthang.
It’s a rest day, and you’ll spend almost the whole day in Lho manthang discovering more about the magical place. In the afternoon, you can begin taking a trip to Tingkhar’s western valley and take in the panoramic views of the Himalayan Mountains. On the day, you should go to Kimling, Phuwa, and the Namgyal Gompa, among many other places. The four-story building of Raja’s palace, home of the contemporary raja, Jigme Parbal Bista, and the Rani (queen), who is from the noble family of Shigatse on the route to Lhasa, is another attraction for the day. Residing the night at the Lodge
Overnight in Lho Manthang.
Leaving the highest Lho Manthang, we will cross the Lho (la) pass. The trail returns to Tsarang via the same route until it reaches the Sungda Chhorten. We trek towards Yaragaon after having crossed the still bridge, getting passed through Dhigaon and Surkhang villages.
The Dhi village is loaded with farming fields; you can stop there for lunch and a village excursion. After a small break, we will cross a river and move ahead along the path on the river’s left bank until we reach Yara Gaon.
Overnight in Yara Gaon.
From atop the Yara hills, it appears to be a natural sandy citadel in front of you. Yara offers an excellent opportunity to visit 13th-century monasteries, and mysterious caves, and enjoy the captivating scenic beauty. We can also go to Luri Gompa, which was built in the 13th century and is also known as the Kagyukpa cave monastery. Here you can discover golden-written lama books. The path continues up to the Duyung River, which originally comes in Damodar Kund. This spot is also well-known among Hindu pilgrims. It is a swath of land from which water flows into the Kali Gandaki River. This location is well-known for the availability of black ammonite fossils. Pilgrims gather these fossils to worship with the belief of the embodiment of God Vishnu.
Overnight in Yara Gaon.
We walk away from Yara on a high, winding path. This soon leads to the Dhechaeng River, which originates in the Damodar Kund. The trail simply crosses a small river of melting ice water before ascending for about 2 hours to DHI village via the winding desert mountain path to Tangya’s Lo-Pa village. The villagers are mostly Buddhists who work in local businesses; the small foothills roll away to distant horizons, sheltering the villagers from the gentle winds that blow in from the valley. Turning north from the village, we see some sandy cliffs that are several hundred years old. Finally, we arrive at the small Tangbe village.
Overnight in Tangbe village.
We leave Tyangbe, after packing our lunch, and climb some steps before crossing a suspension bridge and following the trail to the right. We soon arrive at the Yak River before climbing 4,210 meters to a terraced hill station. It is the highest point of the Upper Mustang trek, which takes approximately 2:30 hours. Damodar Himal and Saribung Himal can be seen from here. There are no houses left here, only ruins, but drinking water is available. As the trail descends the hill, you can see the village of Chhusang or Tetang, where we will spend the night.
Overnight in Chhusang.
Today, we gradually ascend to the Gyu La pass. It’s one of those perfect days, so we take it easy on our walk. We will pass through Kharkas, where we will see both domestic and wild mountain goats grazing. As we approach the top of Gyu La, it is peaceful up the valley. Panorama views of Thorong Peak, Nilgiri, Tukche Peak, and the lovely Muktinath Valley can be seen from the pass. We travel to Muktinath through the village of Chhenkar.
Muktinath is a difficult and beautiful location that connects with the Annapurna round trek. Pilgrims from all over the world come here on Hindu and Buddhist pilgrimages. The holy temple has 108 waterspouts that look like taps and enigmatic natural gas fires.
Overnight in Muktinath.
We trek down a steep all the way to Jomsom all along Kaligandaki River valley, also known as the windy valley due to the obvious strong gusts of wind every day, and stay overnight in Jomsom. In the late afternoon, you can explore the Jomsom bazaar.
Overnight in Jomsom.
After spending a night at Jomsom we will catch an early flight to Pokhara. You will see different angles and views from the mountain flight.
We will reach Pokhara within 20 minutes. Our guide will accommodate you in a nice hotel. If you have not explored the city of Pokhara then you can explore it by yourself on this day.
Overnight in Pokhara
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Free and easy morning, after breakfast transfer to Pokhara International Airport and then fly back to Kathmandu. On arrival in Kathmandu, we shall pick you up from the airport and transfer you to the hotel. You can also take time to have your lunch and relax for the day.
Furthermore, you have several choices concerning what to do for the rest of the day. There are numerous activities to do in Kathmandu you can explore more, go on sightseeing tours, take a spa, or even get some rest if you are tired. If you have activities to perform or destinations to explore in Kathmandu, this is perhaps the best time to accomplish them.
Overnight at Kathmandu.
Meals: Breakfast
This will be your final day in Nepal. We will transfer you to Tribhuvan Airport for your flight back home. We hope this trek has enriched your experience and left you with happy memories.
The Upper Mustang Trek takes 12 to 16 days with Nepal Mountain Adventure, flying from Pokhara to Jomsom and trekking through the ancient walled city of Lo Manthang at 3,840 m, the capital of the forbidden kingdom of Mustang, before returning to Jomsom for the flight back.
The Upper Mustang Trek with Nepal Mountain Adventure starts from USD 2,499 per person including the Upper Mustang Restricted Area Permit (USD 500 for 10 days), a licensed guide, porter, teahouse accommodation, three daily meals, and Jomsom flights.
Upper Mustang was completely closed to all foreign visitors until 1992 by the Nepal government to protect its ancient Tibetan culture and political stability near the Tibet border. It was known as the Forbidden Kingdom because its ruler, the King of Mustang, maintained a semi-autonomous kingdom that was off limits to the outside world for decades after Nepal opened to tourism.
Yes, Upper Mustang requires the Upper Mustang Restricted Area Permit which costs USD 500 for the first 10 days and USD 50 per additional day. This is one of the most expensive trekking permits in Nepal and is strictly enforced at multiple checkpoints throughout the trek. Nepal Mountain Adventure handles all permit applications in Kathmandu.
Lo Manthang is a fully walled medieval city at 3,840 m and the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Mustang. It contains the royal palace of the Lo King, four ancient Buddhist monasteries, hundreds of whitewashed traditional Tibetan style mud brick houses, and some of the best preserved 15th century Buddhist murals and thangka paintings found anywhere in the world.
Late spring (May to June) and autumn (September to November) are the best seasons. Uniquely, Upper Mustang is one of the best treks during the Nepal monsoon (June to August) because it sits in the rain shadow of the Annapurna range and receives very little rainfall making it one of the only high quality Nepal treks accessible during the wet season.
The Upper Mustang Trek is rated moderate in difficulty. The maximum altitude of 3,840 m at Lo Manthang is manageable and daily walking is 5 to 6 hours on well maintained trails through dramatic canyon and plateau terrain. The main challenge is the wind and dust of the high Mustang plateau rather than extreme altitude.
Three permits are required which are the Upper Mustang Restricted Area Permit (USD 500 for 10 days), the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP, USD 30), and the TIMS card (USD 20). All must be arranged in Kathmandu or Pokhara before departure as none of these permits can be issued on the trail.
The Tiji Festival (Tenchi) is a 3-day Buddhist exorcism ceremony held at Lo Manthang every May celebrating the victory of the deity Dorje Jono over a demon that threatened the Kingdom of Mustang with drought. It is one of the most spectacular and least visited traditional festivals in the Himalayan world and Nepal Mountain Adventure plans special departures timed around the Tiji Festival dates.
Both options exist but the trekking experience is far superior for cultural immersion, remote village access, and the dramatic walking experience through the canyon landscapes of the Kali Gandaki headwaters. The jeep tour covers the main road but misses the side valleys, remote monasteries, and off road villages that only trekkers with an experienced NMA guide can access.
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