A representative from Himalaya Trekking Team will welcome you at Tribhuvan International Airport upon your arrival and transfer you to your hotel.

After a short briefing with our trekking guides, you begin your sightseeing tour, using private transportation. The Kathmandu Valley is home to no less than seven World Heritage sites. Accompanied by your guide, you visit four of them: the famous Swayambhunath, Boudhanath and Pashupatinath temples, and Durbar Square in Patan.

Early in the morning, we fly to Pokhara [884m]. After landing, your guide will transfer you to your Lakeside hotel. You will then have the rest of the day to relax and explore Nepal’s second largest town, wandering along the shores of Phewa Lake and absorbing magnificent views of the entire Annapurna range, Manaslu [8156m], Machhapuchhare [6993m] and Dhaulagiri [8167m].

Flight time: 20 minutes.

Early in the morning, we take a 25-minute scenic flight to Jomsom [2720m], Mustang's administrative headquarters. There we meet our porters and begin our trek, walking on slowly rising, sometimes windy paths along the Kali Gandaki River, past the small settlement of Ekle Bhatti [2740m] and all the way to Kagbeni [2800m]. Lying at the confluence of the Kali Gandaki and Jhong Khola, Kagbeni was originally surrounded by a defensive wall. Two female and male clay khenis or ghost eaters, remains of ancient Bön traditions, still guard its gates at each end of the village. Kagbeni is also home to an impressive Buddhist monastery and the ruined Kag Khar fort, which once housed 108 rooms.

Flight time: 25 minutes
Trekking: 3 hours.
Overnight at trekking lodge.

At the northern end of the village, a police checkpost marks the beginning of the restricted area. We have our special permits stamped and take our very first steps into the Kingdom of Mustang, climbing along the east bank of the Kali Gandaki until we reach the village of Chhuksang [3050m], with spectacular views of red organ-pipe eroded cliffs and inaccessible caves. After crossing the river, we head towards a huge red chunk of conglomerate that has fallen from the cliffs above, forming a tunnel through which the Kali Gandaki flows. We keep on going, leaving the Kali Gandaki Valley, and climb steeply up a rocky gully to Chele [3100m].

Trekking: 6 hours.
Overnight at trekking lodge.

We continue our trek and climb through plateaus and narrow stretches to the Taklam La [3624m], with breathtaking views of Tilicho Peak [7132m] and Yakawa Kang [6482m]. After crossing the Dajori La [3630m], we descend slowly to the village of Samar [3620m] where we have lunch. We then climb above Samar to another ridge before descending steeply to a stream. A further 3-hour walk through similar up-and-down terrain, across the Bhena La [3830m] and Beg La [3840m], takes us to Syangboche [3850m].

Trekking: 6-7 hours.
Overnight at trekking lodge

After breakfast, we start our trek with an uphill walk to the Syangboche La [3850m]. Passing typical Tibetan villages, houses and imposing chortens painted in red, yellow, black and white, we climb to the highest point of our trek thus far, the Nyi La [4020m], and descend steeply to the village of Ghami [3510m] where we break for lunch. The trail then drops to the Ghami Khola. We cross it and continue uphill past a spectacular 305-metre-long mani wall, one of the longest in Nepal, to the Choya La [3870m]. Here we begin a pleasant, gentle descent to Charang [3560m], with its spectacular gompa, chorten and five-storey dzong.

Trekking: 7-8 hours.
Overnight at trekking lodge

Crossing a stunning desert-like landscape, we follow an easy trail to the recently restored Sungda Chorten and climb across the Lo La [3950m]. Finally, we catch our first sight of the ancient walled city of Lo-Manthang [3840m] and its imposing four-storied palace, home of the last King of Mustang (Raja) or Lo Gyelbu, Jigme Dorje Palbar Bista (d.2016). A descent through the plateau of Lo-Manthang takes us to the city's only entrance. We spend the afternoon at the Tiji Festival, which begins today.

Trekking: 4-5 hours.
Overnight at trekking lodge.

There is so much to see in and around Lo-Manthang. We many options today and tomorrow. The town, founded in 1440 by the first King of Lo, Amedpal (1388-1447), is surrounded by a 6-metre-high and 725-metre-long wall with massive square towers. Within these walls are some of Nepal’s finest and largest Tibetan Buddhist gompas. In the morning, we can visit Thubchen Lakhang, Jampa Lhakhang, Chhoede Gompa and Choprang Gompa, as well as the royal palace. Or we can make an excursion to the nearby Chhosar Valley to see the Jhong cave complex, an amazing multistorey structure of interconnected dwellings reached by ladders and thought to be 2500 years old, and Nyphu Gompa [3760m], carved into the side of a soaring cliff near the village of Garphu [3897m]. The afternoon will be spent in Lo-Manthang, to watch the masked monks of Chhoede Gompa perform ritual dances at the Tiji Festival.

Overnight at trekking lodge.

Again, plenty of options this morning. We can visit the King’s summer palace in Thinggar [4030m] or Mustang’s largest monastery, perched on a hillside above the village of Namgyal [3870m], known as the Monastery of Victory. Alternatively, we can climb to a viewpoint on a hill just north of Lo-Manthang for stunning panoramas of the entire valley. In the afternoon, we say put in Lo-Manthang to watch the final celebrations of the Tiji Festival outside the King’s palace and then outside the city walls, where demons will be banished amidst loud cries and the firing of muskets.

Overnight at trekking lodge.

Our day begin with a steep climb to the Lo La [3950m]. Here we leave our inbound route behind and head south-east along a stunning ridge overlooking a dramatic canyon, a geologist’s dream. The trail gets steeper and looser as we descent, requiring care, but the green oasis of Dhi [3400m] soon comes into view. A major stopping place on the old salt-trade route from to Tibet, Dhi is where we stop for lunch and relax for the rest of the day.

Trekking: 4-5 hours.
Overnight at trekking lodge.

After breakfast, we climb out of the village and descend all the way to the Kali Gandaki, which we cross. Trekking along the Puyung Khola (keep an eye out for saligrams in the riverbed) with spectacular views of fluted cliffs, sculpted canyons and inaccessible caves, we reach Yara [3650m] an hour later and head out to Luri Gumba [4005m]. Luri’s complex of caves, some still accessible, others no longer due to erosion, dates back to the mid-14th century. According to locals, one of the older Kings of Lo married a Bhutanese princess here. The key keeper will lead us to the upper prayer room and to another cave housing a beautifully preserved khabung stupa, carved out of the rock, with intricately detailed Tibetan Buddhist frescoes of the Kagyupa saints Tilopa, Naropa and Marpa. The newer gompa lies further down by the riverbank. From there, it is a short hike to Tashi Kabum. This recently discovered cave temple, reached via a steep scramble, contains an amazing painted chorten as well as exquisite wall paintings. Access may be difficult due to erosion and damage caused by the 2015 earthquake. If you prefer not to walk today, we can hire very docile horses in Dhi and do the whole excursion on horseback.

Trekking: 5 hours.
Overnight at trekking lodge.

Today will be a very long day. Sandals would be a better idea than walking boots: we will need to ford rivers several times. First we descend to the Puyung Khola and return to Surkhang [3400m], a small administrative centre just south of Dhi [3400m] . We then climb to a viewpoint above the village overlooking the Kali Gandaki. Twenty minutes later, we are back on the riverbank and keep going for an hour and a half until we reach the Dhechyang Khola. Crossing and recrossing it several times (again, keep an eye out for saligrams!), we walk till the Tangge Khola. Here we turn left and trek along the pebbly, windy floodplain for another hour or so. Climbing slightly, we pass colourful chortens and a long mani wall and eventually reach the stunning whitewashed village of Tangge, partly wiped out by a massive mudslide some years ago.

Trekking: 6-7 hours.
Overnight at trekking lodge.

It is another challenging day. We leave Tangge [3360m] with a packed lunch and plenty of drinking water, passing chortens, and cross a suspension bridge across the Tangge Khola to catch a rather long uphill trail to the Soya La [3400m] and then a hilltop called Pa [4218m]. But we are rewarded with unbeatable views. Below us stretches one the deepest gorges in the world between Annapurna I [8091m] and Dhaulagiri [8167m]. From there the path follows a spectacular ridge above the truly breathtaking fluted organ-pipe features of the Narsing Khola canyon, offering one of the most unbelievable sights of the entire trek. We eventually descend on a rough, sometimes slippery trail, dropping all the way to the picturesque village of Tetang [3040m].

Trekking: 8-9 hours.
Overnight at trekking lodge.

** Alternative route from Dhi [3400m] to Tetang [3040m]

If you prefer, there is an easier two-day route out of Dhi [3400m]. On the first day, we trek back to the village of Ghami [3510m] that we passed on Day 07, with its long mani wall said to represent the intestines of a demoness, via Charang [3500m], and stop overnight.

Trekking: 6-7 hours.
Overnight at trekking lodge.

After a good rest in Ghami [3510m], we take a jeep to Chhuksang [3050m] on the second day. And from there, we trek the remaining hour to Tetang [3040m], where we spend the night.

Driving: 3-4 hours.
Trekking: 1 hour.
Overnight at trekking lodge.

After two long days, it is only a short downhill trek to Chhuksang [3050m]. There we hop on a jeep and drive south along the Kali Gandaki, all the way to Jomsom [2720m]. If you want to see more of Mustang, there is the additional option of visiting monasteries nearby. Or, if you have an extra day, your guide can also take you to the ancient pilgrimage site of Muktinath [3800m], a sacred place for both Hindus and Buddhists.

Trekking: 5-6 hours.

Driving: 1 hour.
Overnight at trekking lodge.

After an early morning breakfast, we walk to the airport and check in for our return journey to Pokhara, a dramatic flight between two huge mountains: Annapurna [8091m] and Dhaulagiri [8167m]. Provided we are not delayed, we catch the connecting flight to Kathmandu and transfer you back to your hotel.

Flight time: 20 minutes + 25 minutes
Overnight at hotel.

If delayed in Jomsom, we fly back to Kathmandu today. Otherwise, the day is free for you to further explore the bustling city of Kathmandu or do last-minute shopping. In the evening, we get together to celebrate the successful completion of our Upper Mustang journey around a farewell dinner.

Your Nepali adventure comes to an end today. Approximately two hours before your scheduled international flight, a representative from Himalaya Trekking Team will escort you to the airport and bid you farewell, until your next visit!