Upper Mustang Trek is a less crowded hiking area in the northern part of the Annapurna region. If you are interested in the mountain people and their way of life, the Bon culture, and the Khamba history, then surely the Upper Mustang trek is the place that you have to visit.
The Upper Mustang Trek is an alternative similar to the Tibetan plateau. It was officially opened in 1992. A particularly limited number of trekkers are allowed every year. The capital city is called Lo Manthang at an altitude of 3,840 m. The royalty fee of 500 USD is collected from every trekker for the improvement of the education, health, and sanitation of local people. It is a Himalayan rain shadow region, and the best time of the year is from May to September. The rest of the month is cold and harsh weather. The accommodation is well maintained nowadays and serves good food. The occupations of locals are husbandry work and harvesting some potatoes, wheat, Barley, and Horse keeping. Mustang treks require a minimum of 10 days from Kagbeni until return to Kagbeni or Muktinath.
Lo Manthang, the old capital, is reached in four days, and at least one extra day should be spent here to soak in the sights and sounds of this unique walled settlement. Ponies are available for hire if you so desire. The return trip can either follow the same route as the one you took to enter or take an alternative route along the eastern bank of the Kali Gandaki, which Global Adventure Trekking suggests in the itinerary. Once you are in Lo Manthang, you will have a day trip to Knchok Ling, founded in 2007, which is a remarkable series of caves sheltering some fine and extremely old paintings. It is 6 hours of walking to go and four to get back. Now you can take a jeep drive to Kanchok Ling and back.
The Upper Mustang Trek in Nepal starts after taking the short mountain flight to Jomsom from Pokhara in the morning. Trek through the Kali Gandaki Holy River, where you may find Saligram and fossils along the Kali Gandaki riverbank. From Kagbeni, follow the popular Annapurna Circuit trek and take a left turn from Kagbeni for the Lo Manthang trek. Every year, the Tiji festival is celebrated in Lomanthang of Upper Mustang on the 16th, 17th, and 18th in the courtyard of the Royal Palace. The road service is extended towards the Tibet border, so you can have an Upper Mustang Overland Tour to Upper Mustang around the year.
Note: We can surely tailor a different Upper Mustang trek itinerary to make the loop with changes in services that best assist your travel requirements. Please feel free to contact us to know about my guide, porter services, and my company queries. We will be delighted to respond to your queries.
Tiji Festival Departure:
The Tiji Festival will be celebrated on the 16th, 17th, and 18th of May. Our Tiji festival trip departs from Kathmandu. Please contact us for details. The Tiji Festival is an annual 3-day festival celebrated in Upper Mustang, performing a Tibetan ritual and mask dance. Global Adventure is ready to organize your trekking and tour to Upper Mustang with a guide, permit, porters, necessary transport, and logistics.
Highlights
- Trek through trans trans-Himalayan region of Upper Mustang
- Visit the palace in Lo Manthang and Chumig Gyatsa (Muktinath)
- Visit the Thakali towns of Kagbeni and Jomsom
- Learn about the culture of Thakali, Bon, Khambas, and Tibetan tribes
- Spectacular views of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri Himalayan ranges
