Upper Mustang Trek “Into the Forbidden Land of Lo Manthang”
Upper Mustang is located north of Annapurna and at an average altitude of 4,000m is geologically and culturally part of the Tibetan plateau. The valleys are arid and dry with colourful rock formations containing many cave dwellings high up in the cliffs. The first trekking parties were allowed into Upper Mustang in 1992 and there are still very few people (about 700 trekkers each year) visiting Upper Mustang as a result it is one of the few places left where one can see undisturbed Tibetan culture.
Mustang is a remote semi-independent Tibetan Kingdom with a walled capital called Lo Manthang. Upper Mustang was once part of Tibet and was used by the salt caravans crossing the Himalaya into Nepal. It became an independent kingdom in 1380 and the current royal family can trace their lineage back to this time.
Upper Mustang Trek which offers a spectacular trekking into the remote Trans-Himalayan mountain area with Tibetan influence culture. The high desert region of the Tibetan influence, Kaligandaki, from the Tibetan border south to Kagbeni is generally referred to as Upper Mustang. Explore the thousand years of old monastery, caves, local tribes and scenic beauties of the different landscapes. Make an adventure starting from world’s deepest gorge Kaligandaki Region into world’s highest regions of Lo-Mangthang Valley that passes through an almost tree-less barren landscape, a steep rocky trail up and down hill and panoramic views of Nilgiri, Annapurna, Dhaulagiri and several other peaks. The trek passes through high peaks, passes, glaciers, and alpine valleys. The thousands years of isolation has kept the culture, lifestyle and heritage remain unchanged for centuries and to this date. The houses in Mustang are mostly made from stone and sun baked mud bricks. The city wall and the four storey palace in Lo-Manthang are some of the beautiful architectures of Mustang region.
Upper Mustang Trek begins with a spectacular scenic flight of 20 minutes over the mountains with views of 8,000ers such as Annapurna & Dhaulagiri, brings you at Jomsom. This trek allows us to explore a weird and wonderful landscape of eroded conglomerate cliffs, colored by natural earth coloring – red, yellow, brown and blue. Trekking across passes of up to 4100m, we also trek through a succession of picturesque white painted Mustang villages and Tibetan monasteries, set against a backdrop of the distant snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas. We have a day to explore our ultimate destination for excursion in Lo Manthang, a fairy-tale walled city and the capital of Mustang. This enlightening trekking adventure to Mustang in Nepal entices to them who love to explore special part of the Himalaya and finally by flight from Jomsom to Pokhara.
Anil Blon 