Tour Itinerary
Mustang Trek
The small isolated kingdom of Mustang occupies just over 3000 square kilometers with an average altitude of 4000m just below the Photu -La pass(4600m,which is itself only 75 metres above the Tsangpo plain of Tibet.Geographically,culturally & climatically,this region belongs with Tibetan Platue.Now it is with some autonomous belongs to Nepal.The Thak Khola/Kali Gandaki originates here & flows out of the Mustang valley in a series of deep gorges.The place is described as Lost Kingdom by a French anthropologist,Michel Peissel.
Mustang is said to have existed as an independent state as early as the fifth century AD,but was absorbed into Tibet under Songtsenampo in the seventh century.Later it achieved a degree of independence,becoming an important centre of the Lamaistic Sakyapa sect.After the disintegration of Gumthang in the early 15th century,Gayalpo Ame Pal(1380-1450) founded a dynasty that has survived until the day of today.The Jigme Palbar Bista is the present king,the 25th after Gayalpo Ame Pal,was born in 1930.Nearly 6500 people living in this desert.
Trial head - Jomsom
Duration 12 days
Altitude 5000m
Equipments-Tents,sleeping bag,manpower like cooks,guide,porters
Permit - USD 500 for 10 days & USD 50 thereafter per day and additionally,USD 30 for conservation permit per person
Group size- Minimum 02
Maximum 10
Organization-Organized escorted group only.
Itinerary
Day 01 Kathmandu to Pokhara-(900m)either by flight or by overland-Driving takes nearly 7 hours journey for 200 km.Evening Pokhara city,lake exploration.Overnight rest at hotel.
Day 02 Pokhara to Kagbeni - (2800m)Morning fly to Jomsom and hike to north called Kagbeni.The route crosses a short hanging bridge just out of Jomsom,then follows the Kali Gandaki river.The route is desert with rocks and sand,though the surrounding peaks-Dhaulagiri(8167m),Tukuche peak(6920m in the western Nilgiri and the whole Annapurna Massif to the south and southwest surround it.Overnight at camp.
Day 03 Kagbeni to Chhuksang-(3000m) Kagbeni is a beautiful village of traders resident who have been a link in the supply of foods & essentials between Mustang and the land of Lo & the rest of Nepal.The Nilgiri View is the first himal which can be encountered while arriving in Kagbeni from the south.then trial goes to the widening path due north,crossing endless stretches of sand,pebbles and boulders.Mule trains on long distance routes passes frequently.Much of the first half of the trial is uphill,sometimes quite steep and depending on the season,you can either walk along the dry river valley occasionally traversing tributaries of the Kali Gandaki.The trial stops at Tangbe Village for lunch and path heads for two hours to Chhuksang,a large settlement populated by a mixture of Gurung,Thakali and some families from the land of Lo.The small mud & stone made Buddhist Gompa lies just right here.Overnight Camp.
Day 04 Chhuksang to Samar -(3400m) This long valley offers a sharp change,both in topography and in culture,lifestyle and landscape.The houses are more scattered,smaller & more basic.The place is very dry and much of the soil is poor,so farming is restricted to isolated patches creating a brown and intermittently green landscape.A little walk from Chhuksang the trek crosses a small bridge over the Mustang River.Explore out for attractive caves hollowed in the magnificient red cliffs along the river.The trials veer northwest climbing steeply.Just north of the Chele is a spectacular view of the earth-walled village of Ghyakar over a wide canyon.The day is hard walk with 5 hours to the village Samar for Campsite.
Day 05 Samar to Ghiling (3500m) - The path is uphill for an hour then undulates,passing through some relatively fertile valleys and climbing over ridges before descending to the village of Shyangmochen where Nepali refreshments available.The environment is largely arid with occasional Oasis-like villages typical of Mustang.The trial then climb over a further ridge leads to a temporary separating of the path:the left fork is the more direct route to the north via the tiny village of Tama Gaon towards the Nyi La pass,while the right fork leads to the place for overnight camp at Ghiling.Ghiling is an hour descent from this junction,nestled in a valley between two hills.
Day 06 Ghiling to Ghami(3500m) - Morning time Ghiling can be explored.The trial is a steep climb up to a ridge(the Nyi La pass) at nearly 400m,above two hours walk.After this pass,you can enter Mustang or also known as Lo.A comfortable thirty minutes descent from here and you reach another junction from where a short walk to the west brings you to Ghami for overnight camp.This is a small village sheltered by overhanging mountain cliffs and beside a clear stream.Many Buddhist monuments can be explored along the trial.
Day 07 Ghami to Charang - This day's trek passes through perhaps the driest region of Mustang.After passing Tangmar Chu river bridge,the trial passes soft dry soil which is particularly when going uphill.The hardness of walking is compensated by superb magnificient views,with gentle slopes to the north contrasting with rugged mountains to the east & west.The climb from the Tangmar Chu River passes one of Nepal's longest maani walls,built of stone and inscribed with the Buddhist mantra-Om Mani Padme hum.The walking is nearly 5 hours to Charang.This village is a large spread out inhabited by the people of Lo.This village is perched on a cliff overlooking a canyon.It has some gompas,a ground for campsite and hydro electricity plant for villagers.Overnight rest at camp.
Day 08 Charang to Lomanthang(3800m) - Charang village with its large old monastry and secluded village of Dhakmar can be explored on first & foremost time.The trial for today is about 4 hours mainly towards uphill.As the path widens,it passes through a barren wilderness of pale pastel rock and earth where even occasional shrubs dotted along valleys and on slopes carved like organ-pipes struggle to survive.The first sight of Lomanthang,the capital of Mustang,is from s ridge about thirty minutes' walk from the walled town,with the plain of prayerful aspiration in the foreground.This town consists of nearly 110 houses.
Day 09 Lomanthang Excursion - The town is arranged around the Palace,built of stone like the other houses,next to the main street just east of the centre and the monastry and religious buildings which occupy much of the northern and western quarters,while Lomanthang's residential area of some 150 households is concentrated to the south.There is small & basic clinic just to the north of the wall and a school & police station are located just in front of the entrance.The four storeyed palace dominates the central area of the town and is home of Lo Raja & rani.There are also four Gompas,but access to these is highly discretionary.Some excursions are possible from Lomanthang,but traveling north is especially to restriction which are enforced by police.May be two more days excursion can be extended to Nhejung & Nyamdo and Thinker.Overnight at camp.
Day 10 Lomanthang to Ghami -The different trial can be used while return from Lomanthang.The route headings in a southwest direction from this town.This is little longer and less clear than the eastern trial but much more interesting while returning with new path.After two ridges you come to the Ghar Gompa and the nearby Logekar village beside the Charang Khola river.Further south and situated in a small but relatively fertile valley is the attractive village of Dhakmar from where a short walk to Ghami.Overnight at Camp.
Day 11 Ghami to Ghiling - Five hours descending walk after crossing Nyi-La pass along mostly flat trials to Ghiling.One can have a gentle walk with superb view and exploration of local lifestyle.Overnight at camp.
Day 12 Ghiling to Kagbeni - A long day's walk about 8-9 hours,stopping at Chhuksang for lunch before continuing south along the Kali Gandaki river to reach at Kagbeni.Overnight at camp site/Lodge.
Day 13 Kagbeni to Jomsom - The descent to Jomsom is rapid,through dramatic arid lands.It is a most famous village on the Kali Gandaki trading route. The trial is barren with rocks & sand,though the surrounding peaks give an attraction to a tired life.The glittering snow peaks like Nilgiri,Tukuche and holy temple Muktinath.
Cost includes:
1. 3 nights in Kathmandu & two night in Pokhara at three star hotel with Bed & Breakfast(Arrival day,rest day in Kathmandu for permit preparation,and return back from Pokhara and at the trek beginning night in Pokhara)
2. Permit fee for upper Mustang
3. Equipment: Trekking tents, Dining tent, Kitchen Tent, Toilet Tent, Table, chairs,Mattresses during the trekking
4. Annapurna Conservation Permit fee
5. Food- Food for trekking & Peak climbing (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
6. Staff- 1 Guide, 1 Cook, 1 Kitchen helper, 1 climbing guide & necessary porters
7. Local transportation Airport - Hotel - Airport
8. Transportation: Kathmandu-Pokhara
9. Flight: Jomsom-Pokhara-Kathmandu
10. Trekking crews insurance
11. Trekking allowance, food allowance for trekking crew
Cost does not includes:
1. Personal equipment for Trekking
2. Travel insurance to Nepal
3. Meals(Lunch & dinner) in Kathmandu & Pokhara
4. Emergency Rescue evacuation
5. Trekking Sleeping bag
6. Personal expenses
7. Tipping (Tips)
8. Bar bills, Mineral water
9. Departures taxes
