One of the easy ways to explore semi-deserted lands of the Mustang region and a plethora of monasteries, gompas, mane walls, prayer flags, chortens, and famous temples.
The Upper Mustang Overland Tour lets you completely inundate yourself in the story and legends of the locale's set of experiences, its current culture, and the individuals' traditions and ceremonies that are profoundly attached to their tribal conventions and safeguarded astoundingly sufficiently to date.
The excursion commences officially from Kathmandu, traveling on a grand jeep to see the transitory wonders of natural beauty, including terraced fields, lustrous greeneries, mountain views, and giant rivers, until we reach Pokhara.
Continuing the journey through the region that includes some of the maximum striking and multicolored vales of blemished hills and mountains with remarkable Himalayan views accompanied by rich ethnic villages and far-off isolated settlements on the crevasses and foothills of tall peaks, the vehicle enters the Kali Gandaki river valley leaving Tatopani-Natural Hot spring, Kali Gandaki gorge-the deepest gorge in the world, Marpha-the apple orchids, and Jomsom-the administrative headquarter of Mustang district facilitated with an airstrip and Kagbeni- the religious pilgrimage and entry point to Upper Mustang.
After the formalities at Kagbeni, we enter a restricted area of the Mustang district, experiencing the ancient villages like Chella Village, Samar Village, Syangboche village, China, Ghiling, Ghami, and a couple of others before landing at our dreamed destination- Lo-Manthang.
Once we land in Lo Manthang, we can explore a plethora, including the ancient walled kingdom capital of Mustang, which is a mysterious place isolated from the modern world, and only a few tourists ramble around each year and reveal more insights into the ancient culture and tradition of people of Lo.
While archaeologists started uncovering this place, they also discovered paintings, sculptures, and manuscripts related to Buddhism and Bon religion.
Apart from the royal palace, various Buddhist artifacts, Chortens, monasteries, Buddhist schools, sky caves, old stone houses, cafes, and welcoming people are other attractions in Upper Mustang.
Afterward, we delve into the religious ambiance of the holy Muktinath Temple, passing the desert-like terrain of distinctly tall and fascinating rock formations. Then, visit other sacred shrines where ancient tantric practices and shamanistic rituals were performed.
Relishing this thoroughly electrifying, enjoyable adventure jeep tour that performs marvelous landscape, moraine gorges, deep valleys, windswept cliffs, fertile edges, world’s deepest George of KaliGandaki, we drive back to Pokhara and further to Kathmandu before the final departure.
Upper Mustang- is one of the restricted destinations that needs a special permit to enter. These days, although its gaining popularity and is facilitated with several services, it was closed till 1991 for foreign travelers. Well-marked routes, availability of transportation facilities, and plenty of locally run teahouses and lodges have made the excursion easier in this region.
The entry permits (both trekking and tour) for Upper Mustang costs US$ 500 each for ten days, beginning and ending at Kagbeni. Beyond ten days, you need to pay an extra US$ 50 per day.
Being the restricted area, you can not travel alone; you must be accompanied by a group of at least two people. A single permit won’t be allowed from immigration.
Upper Mustang situates in rain-shadowed areas and receives the least precipitation throughout the nation. The trip does not summit above 4000m above sea level; hence it is possible to travel in the chill winter. So, traveling around Mustang is possible throughout the year regardless of months and seasons.
| Day | Highlight | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Day 1: Kathmandu Arrival (1350m) | Kathmandu |
| Day 2 | Kathmandu Valley Sight Seeing Tour | Kathmandu |
| Day 3 | Kathmandu to Pokhara (895m) | Pokhara |
| Day 4 | Drive Pokhara to Kagbeni (2,804 m) | Kagbeni |
| Day 5 | Kagbeni to Charang/Tsarang (3500m) | Charang/Tsarang |
| Day 6 | Charang – Hike to the Luri Cave | Charang |
| Day 7 | Charang to Lo Manthang (3600m) | Lo Manthang |
| Day 8 | Lo Manthang – Explore the Chosar Cave and the Chosar Village – Drive to Charang (3500m) | Charang |
| Day 9 | Charang – Hike to Ghar Gompa – Return to Charang | Charang |
| Day 10 | Charang to Chhusang(2980m) | Chhusang |
| Day 11 | Chhusang to Muktinath (3800m) | Muktinath |
| Day 12 | Muktinath to Pokhara | Pokhara |
| Day 13 | Pokhara to Kathmandu | Kathmandu |
| Day 14 | Farewell |
Welcome!
One of the representatives from Holy Mountain Treks will welcome and greet you upon your arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu, Nepal. They will transfer you to your hotel via the windy streets of Kathmandu valley and explain further plans and programs. Checking in your hotel, you can relax the rest of the time.
Kathmandu is famous as the city of temples and comprises 7 of 10 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Today, we visited four of them, including Swyambhunath, Kathmandu Durbar Square, Pashupatinath Temple, and Boudhanath Stupa.
The Swayambhunath is a gorgeous stupa positioned atop a peak and is famous as “the Monkey Temple”. Visiting this stupa, travelers can witness the view of the whole Kathmandu valley and art and architecture from 4/5 centuries to the date.
The Kathmandu Durbar Square consists of old royal palaces of the ancient kings who ruled over the city for several centuries, along with many architecturally intricate buildings and temples.
Along with the durbar square, visitors can ramble around antique temples and architecture, including The Big Bell, Kastamandapa, Kal Bhairab, and Bhagwati Temple, along with many architecturally intricate buildings and temples.
At the southern corner of Durbar Square is perhaps the most curious attraction in Nepal, the Kumari Chok. This antique building contains the Raj Kumari; a young lady picked through an old and mysterious choice cycle to turn into the human manifestation of the Hindu mother goddess, Durga.
She visits the city during the celebration of Indra Jatra; during these celebrations, she is hauled around here and there in her chariot. She likewise unveils appearances during a few different celebrations; in any case, her enthusiasts can visit and love her for a charge paid to her watchmen. Unfortunately, destruction has arrived on the off chance that she will not allow you to venerate her.
Pashupatinath Temple is Nepal's most sacred Hindu temple, where thousands of devotees from the entire world pay a visit. Along with the most religiously reverent temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, travelers can observe the cremation ritual of the Hindu people by the bank of the holy river Bagmati.
Boudhanath Stupa, for many years, has stood up as an image of harmony, excellence, and concise eyes. Arranged in Kathmandu, this religious shrine for Buddhists draws in a large number of travelers consistently.
The enormous focus mandala compensates for the most significant round stupa on the planet. Loaded up with a rich design, the spot is supposed to be the best spot to investigate the mix of Tibetian and Buddhist culture. After the trip, we head back to the hotel and prepare for the journey; you can do last-minute shopping in the shops nearby.
Our journey begins driving towards Pokhara; a heavenly sight and a city of lake. Of course, we can observe some of the wonderful landscapes, terraced farmlands, lush greeneries, occasional views of the Himalayan peaks, the frisky rush of the meandering rivers, isolated valleys low-lying among the gargantuan hills and rocky gorges.
More or less, it takes 6-7 hours to bring off Pokhara from Kathmandu. Upon reaching Pokhara, we shall check-in at the hotel. In the late afternoon, we shall head for a beautiful boat-ride at Fewa Lake where you can see the silver-tongued reflection of Mt. Annapurna and Machhapuchre in the sparkling surface of the water on the clear days.
In the evening, stroll around the lakesides testing Nepalese cuisines observing the crystal views of waters in the Phewa lake. Visiting around the city of Pokhara is another choice which h reflects the typical lifestyles of Nepalese people.
Commence your journey upward leaving Pokhara towards Kagbeni. From Pokhara valley, passing a couple of districts, diverse landscapes, and several settlements, we reach Kagbeni today. Initially, we drive via blacktopped 4 lanes' road till Beni- the administrative headquarter of Magdi district. Now, we enter the Himalayan region where the road now gets a bit bumpy and scenic and a speck of dirt too.
The journey encounters several turns and twists and passes several Thakali villages as Larjong, Kobang, Kalopani, Tukuche, and Marpha village, reach Jomsom and further to Kagbeni. On the way, we shall stop for visiting apple orchids, viewing some spectacular views, a natural hot spring, and the world's deepest gorge.
Kagbeni situates at the borderline between Lower and Upper Mustang. It is an antique township with the old monastery and Hindus sacred ghat riverbank, a great view of Mt. Nilgiri and Tilicho mountain with a dramatic view of the Upper Mustang.
As it is a windy village, travelers witness the dramatic winds blowing from south to north carrying dust particles. The Goat and Ship caravan evening and morning passing the road and their tradition.
A drive to Tsarang (Charang), is a journey via white hills and following diverse topographies that advocates the wilderness leading a village lying just below the town of Lo-Manthang. On the way, we shall pass a plethora of stupa Monasteries, Chortens, Gompas, and dotted with numerous stupa structures and other religious shrines.
Upon arrival at Tsarang, we shall visit the monastery nearby. The inner walls of the monastery are decorated with murals depicting the deities of the Medicine Buddha Mandala The depictions and rituals of the Medicine Buddha are taken as the distinct substances of devotion in the Mustang periphery. You can find such religious performances and objects in every village.
From Charang, we shall climb to the Luri Cave. The Luri Gompa situates at the southeast of Lo Manthang and is viewed as an old cavern framework that has next to no thought about its foundation.
In the desert east of Lo Monthang, sandstone precipices and feigns have been fluted by wind and climate into fantastical developments, as serried, tightened columns or organ pipes. These bluffs are hollowed with caverns, and such a cavern frames the internal sanctum of Luri Gompa, a little gem of Buddhist craftsmanship.
The gompa, covered with a red wash, roosted on an edge on a 100-meter-high precipice, contrasts the sand and bone-hued sandstone columns. (A more up-to-date gompa is found beneath on the valley floor; albeit all the more effectively open, it is of no craftsmanship chronicled interest.) n The piece of Luri gompa obvious from the valley underneath is its mud-block superstructure, roosted on an edge on one of these sandstone columns.
Photos cause it to create the impression that access to the gompa is acquired by scaling this column, yet a winding pathway climbs 100 meters to an entryway in a lower cavern, inside which an indented log paves the way to the gompa itself. A solitary passage entryway opens into the external chamber.
The external chamber, containing a sanctuary, is painted roughly, evidently sometime in the not-too-distant future than the compositions inside. This external chamber leads into the inward room, the cavern inside the stone.
The fortune of Luri is the inward chamber, an adjusted space that was burrowed out or broadened and smoothed inside the cavern. One little window gives some regular light.
In the focal point of this chamber is a Chorten, six meters high, with painted figures on all sides of its rectangular base, on its arch, and underneath the custom parasol on the vault.
The domed roof is embellished with eight painted pictures of Mahasiddhas, hovering over the Chorten. Along one divider is a bunch of painted figures, or more them a line of nine little pictures of lamas.
Although no documentation has been found relating to this gompa, its compositions seem, by all accounts, to be of prior date than those in Jampa and Thubchen, maybe by a hundred years, which would interfere with them to the fourteenth century, or significantly prior.
We shall ride to Lo-Manthang today. A short ride is ahead; however, it offers panoramic views of the core Lo Manthang- a walled city that locates just a few kilometers away.
Traveling via some high passes, we shall get the picturesque snaps of the forbidden city keeping the moonlike landscapes in the background. Enjoying the moments, we ride downhill and arrive at Lo Manthang.
Upon arrival at Lo Manthang, we check-in a clean guest house that offers delicious food and a homely atmosphere. After lunch, the whole afternoon will be explored around the walled city, two antique monasteries, a photo gallery, a Tibetan Medicine museum, and so forth.
We shall spend the day exploring Lo Manthang. We make our way north toward the Tibetan border to visit some of the settlements and cave complexes around Chosar.
Some 10,000 man-made caves are found throughout the area, many dating back 3,000 years. Such caves were used for living purposes and still have been used for meditation purposes. Some of the caves are still being used for living in nearby villages.
Our vehicles bring us up to the Lo Dela, a mountain pass, for a lovely ridge hike. On a clear day, we should have wide-open views southward toward the Annapurnas and the Dhaulagiri Himal. Exploring the paintings and sculptures around, we drive back to Charang to stay overnight.
We shall hike one of the most renowned Ghar Gompa from Charang. This Gompa is said to be the eldest monastery in Mustang, dating from the 8th century. It has the greatest historic connection is with the Nyingma-pa sage Guru Rinpoche.
His image was found in great profusion in the shrine. Ghar Gompa has strong links to Samye in Tibet, another shrine linked to Guru Rinpoche.
Ghar monastery is surrounded by many long lines of prayer wheels, and a separate prayer wheel chamber. The four Lokapala graduates are in evidence before the main chamber along with Mi Tsering, the wise man.
The entrance of the Gompa is flanked by the Four Guardian Kings and the inside of the gompa is filled with excellent painted carved stones and statues of Guru Rinpoche, Palden Lhamo on horseback, and Vajrapani.
There are many Tsa Tsa carvings as well as surrounding the prayer wheels on the side of Ghar Gompa. After exploring around the Gompa, we will then hike back to Charang.
It will be a pleasant drive to Chhusang today. We shall pass through more like deserted lands that encounter frequent dotting pf colorfully corroded hills. This village situates between the settlements of Chele and Tangbe on the confluence of Kali Gandaki and Narsingha. The Nursing is used for irrigation for the villages nearby.
An active farming community, the hamlets of the Narsingha River is used for irrigation. Much like the rest of Mustang, Chhusang has a very strong Tibetan influenced society blending with Nepali culture.
Still untouched and isolated, it remains secluded and flourishes in the perseverance of its tradition. The people here are very slowly moving towards modernization.
Till a few years ago, the only way to get to Chhusang was on foot and the only way to transport goods was by pony or yak caravans. Life is peaceful and serene in the village and moves on slowly as it has always done over the years. We can explore the village and see the sights of amazing rock formations.
We continue our excursion to Muktinath- the Place of Liberation or Moksha today passing spare greeneries that occur on frequent intervals, Jarkot monastery, and a couple of other religious shrines.
A sacred place-Muktinath is popular among both Hindus and Buddhists. In spite of the fact that the sanctuary of Muktinath has a Vaishnava origin-the Hindu god, it is additionally adored in Buddhism too. For Tibetan Buddhists, Muktinath is a significant spot of Dakinis, goddesses known as "Sky Dancers", and the temple resembles one of the 24 Tantric spots.
The little sanctuary of Muktinath contains a human-sized brilliant sculpture of Lord Vishnu as Shree Mukti Narayana.
Notwithstanding the sculpture, the sanctuary likewise has a bronze picture of BhooDevi (The Earth-Goddess type of Lakshmi), the Goddess Saraswoti, and the princess Janaki (Sita). Sculptures of Garuda (the mount of Lord Vishnu) are likewise present.
The sculpture of Lava-Kusa, the children of Lord Rama and Sita is perfectly etched and presents a boldly eerie feeling to the sanctuary. We likewise investigate the mass of 108 spigots behind the sanctuary that spouts super cold water of the Kali Gandaki River from stiff-necked mouths.
Leaving the amazing vistas of mountains, gorge, river valley, and the forest along the way, we drive back to Pokhara today. Some of the remarkable villages of Jomsom, Marpha, Kalopani, Tatopani will be passed through in course.
Following the same road of Prithivi Highway, we shall drive back to Kathmandu today. It approximately takes 6 hours to reach Kathmandu. On the way, we shall pass some the beautifully decorated settlements, rivers, gorges, vistas, occasional views of the mountains and rice fields.
Upon arrival at Kathmandu, will be transferred to the hotel; you can relax your exhausted body. Optionally, you can purchase some mementos for your beloved ones rambling around the Thamel. In the evening, we all meet in one of the cultural restaurants for the farewell dinner organized by Holy Mountain Treks.
It is time to depart from Nepal. With the memory of the journey to the Upper Mustang, you will fly to your destination. One of the representatives from Holy Mountain Treks shall transfer to the airport 3 hours before your scheduled flight. Have a safe flight!!!!!
Upper Mustang Trek is an off the beaten
In a simple sense, Jomsom Muktinath Trek
