Nepal has a district known as Mustang. The ancient Himalayan Kingdom is located in Nepal’s northern central region, above the Kali Gandaki River. The district is located in northern Nepal’s Gandaki Pradesh, in the Dhaulagiri zone. Jomsom, a bustling town on the way to the Himalayas, is where Mustang’s administrative center is located. Over 13000 Nepalis and Tibetans live in Mustang, which has a 3573 km2 area. The Tibetan culture has been preserved for countless years due to Mustang’s isolation and remoteness.
One of the main draws of Nepal’s upper Mustang treks is the opportunity to experience the Mustang trip. The historic city, also known as Lo Mangthang, asserts to have the best trekking paths. Historical significance is attached to a city that was once part of Tibet. The city walls themselves have a history. Because of this, the journey is undoubtedly regarded as both a historical and a magical adventure. The following points will be discussed as we examine various aspects of the Mustang Trek.:
Where is Mustang located?
Places to visit in Mustang Trek
How can you reach Mustang?
Best time to take the Mustang trek.
Where is Mustang located?
Nepal has a district known as Mustang. The ancient Himalayan Kingdom is located in Nepal’s northern central region, above the Kali Gandaki River. The district is located in the northern Nepali province of Gandaki Pradesh in the Dhaulagiri zone. Jomsom, a bustling town on the way to the Himalayas, is where Mustang’s administrative center is located. Over 13000 Nepalis and Tibetans live in Mustang, which has a 3573 km2 area. The Tibetan culture has been preserved for countless years due to Mustang’s isolation and remoteness.
Upper and Lower Mustang are the two divisions of Mustang. The major fortified city in Upper Mustang is where you can start your journey to the Nepalese hidden kingdom. The landscape resembles Tibetan regions in that it is desolate. More trees and sacred sites can be found in Lower Mustang. Both Mustang parts have a clear view of the Himalayan landscape.
How can you reach Mustang?
Kathmandu, the Nepalese capital city’s initial point. Then we may fly or drive to Pokhara for 6 hours. Due to the early morning Jomsom flight, we stop in Pokhara for the night at a hotel. The following day, we take a flight to Jomson, or you can drive to Kagbeni village.
We hike from Kagbeni to Chele, where we stop for the night. The next stop on the itinerary is Syanboche village. After passing through the vibrant settlement of Syanboche, we move on to Ghemi. The next day, we depart for Charang, which served as Mustang’s previous capital prior to Lo Manthang. The second-largest village in Mustang is Charang. The following day, we move in the direction of the fortified city of Mustang. After staying at Lo Manthang for an additional day.
Places to visit in Mustang?
Today involves a brief flight. Then, after breakfast, we head to the airport. After that, from Pokhara, take a 20-minute flight to Jomsom. The Dhaulagiri and Annapurna range may be observed throughout the flight, which is pretty impressive. To go to Kagbeni (2800m), we hike from Jomsom. To reach Kagbeni hamlet, we do the short 3-hour hike uphill along the Kali Gandaki. You can access Upper Mustang from the little yet beautiful settlement of Kagbeni. From the south of Kagbeni, there is a breathtaking view of the mighty Mount Nilgiri.
We start the day with breakfast before moving on to the east of the Kali Gandaki River. Today, we head toward Chele (3050 meters). The walk lasts seven hours in total. Before arriving at Tangbe, we hike across a number of ridges. It is a charming village with winding, tiny lanes and whitewashed stone homes. Additionally, there are numerous apple trees and buckwheat farms around the hamlet. After eating there, we move on to Chhusang village to visit a cave. We cross the Kali Gandaki’s decreasing waters and ascent the enormous red conglomerate. We proceed uphill to Chele after crossing the Kali Gandaki Valley.
We then go towards Syanboche (3800m). The trail follows a rocky, inclining terrain alongside the copper-red canyon. This is a characteristic that contributes to Mustang’s notoriety. We arrive at the lovely village of Samar as we descend a hill. Here, amidst stunning scenery, we eat lunch. We pass near Chortens as we leave Samar village. Till we reach Syanboche, the hiking track takes us up and down hills. Before we arrive at our sleeping site, we pass through a few villages surrounded by stunning scenery and Chunsi cave inhabitants. We stay the night in Syanboche.
Following breakfast, we travel to Ghemi (3500m). We cross two passes while hiking through a curved landscape. We begin at Syanboche Pass (3850m), where there is a breathtaking vista of Upper Mustang. Following this vista, we descend to Gelling while passing various Chortens. The Nyi La pass, at 4020 meters, is then reached and crossed. You ascend to Nyi La Pass, and then we drop to a fork in the road. We keep descending till we arrive at Ghemi. As you leave the town, you will pass one of the 1000-foot-long mani walls in Mustang. Then we make our way uphill to the red cliffs of Dhakmar.
Next on the list is Charang (3560m). After that, we continue our ascent through a pass at 3820 meters, from which you can see Mustang. From this vantage point, Mustang appears to be a barren desert with no flora. It’s a beautiful sight when you come upon Tsarang’s palace and monastery. Prior to Lo Manthang, Charang served as Mustang’s capital and is the second-largest hamlet in the region.
We begin our walk toward Lo-Manthang today, which is at 3840 meters. One of the oldest monasteries in Nepal, Lo-Gheghar is a Ningmapa Buddhist monastery through which we begin the hike from the inn. Following that, we cross the Cherang River, which separates Cherang from Lo. Before getting to Lo-Manthang, we have to traverse the Lo Pass. The unrecognized kingdom of Mustang’s capital was called Lo Manthang. With the kings’ descendants also residing there, the palace of the King still remains as impressive as ever. In Lo-Manthang, the “Tiji Festival,” the largest festival in Mustang, occurs once a year.
We have the whole day to explore after breakfast. The Mustang King’s Palace is the city’s principal draw. The King of Mustang and his family are still residing in the five-story palace. On top of a hill, we may also go to the Namgyal Gumba. For the local populace, it functions as the courthouse in the outlying areas. Another well-liked location is the Jampa Lhakhang, which also houses a sizable Buddha statue and wall murals. We can also go on the Chosar excursion, where you can visit the Jhong Sky Cave and the Nyphu Cave Monastery. The cave is almost 2500 years old and contains over 44 spaces. Visit the Kancholing cave before leaving Lomangtang if you have the time.
We continue on our way to Yaragara Gara in the morning. We choose to hike along the upper highland trail, which offers breathtaking views of the Charang Valley and Lo-Manthang with the mountains in the distance. Moving forward, we pass the Dhi Pass (4100 m) till we arrive at the village of Dhie, after which we cross the river and continue upward to the village of Yara.
You can make up for any areas you might have missed on this tour. The Luri Gumba, one of Mustang’s holiest sites, is another spot you can go. Here, we make our overnight stop. The following day, we go via Tangway to Chhusang (2980m). The Kali Gandaki Valley is well renowned for the powerful, ferocious wind that blows through this settlement, which is sandwiched between two hills.
We retrace our way back to Jomsom (2720m). We will follow the trail to Muktinath. And explore the Jharkot monastery and Lupra gumba. On our way downhill, we come across splendid views of Nilgiri and the wide stretch of Kali Gandaki Valley. We make our way back from the Upper Mustang area and reach Kagbeni. After lunch, we head towards the current capital of Mustang, Jomsom.
Best time to take the Mustang trek.
The entire year can be spent traveling to Mustang. The ideal times to travel are still, however, in the spring and fall. These times of year offer bright skies and dry roads. At various times of the year, the weather is also at the hikers’ advantage. Summer is also a viable option if you want to avoid crowds during the two seasons. In contrast to many areas of the Himalayan range, Upper Mustang does not frequently get summertime rainfall. In actuality, the summertime environment is a warm and beautiful landscape.
You should consider visiting Mustang in the winter as well. If you don’t mind sleeping in a tent and are used to the cold. The only thing that worries me is that because it’s so cold, many tea shops might stay closed. Due to the area’s high cold, the majority of passes may therefore close during the region’s busiest winters.
