Upper Mustang trek and cultural tour in Kathmandu

Upon your arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, one of our representatives from Aarya Village Travel shall meet, assist and transfer you to your hotel. You will enjoy welcome drinks while you will be briefed about your Nepal Travel Itinerary. The rest of the day will be at your leisure.

After Breakfast start full day sightseeing at UNESCO Heritage sites; Sightseeing at Patan Durbar Square can be a very unique experience for visitors as they witness a distinct place for arts and architecture that is reflected on each temple, monument and palace building that were mostly built during the Malla period between the 16th to 18th centuries.

We will explore its unique Durbar Squares. In every corner & alley of Patan you can see Thangka painters, filling color to ancient Gods and Goddess on canvases, fine metal shops that offer Buddha's exotic, handmade brass sculpture at very reasonable prices. You can taste local cuisine as well in Patan's alleys.

From there, the tour is directed towards Boudhanath. This is one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites and is one of the most imposing landmarks in Kathmandu. It is the largest stupa in Kathmandu Valley. The 36-meter-high stupa of Boudha is massive and dominates the skyline in the area, it is one of the largest unique structures in the world. With countless monasteries around it, Boudha is the center of Tibetan Buddhism in Nepal. From above, Boudhanath Stupa looks like a giant mandala, or diagram of the Buddhist cosmos and as in all Tibetan mandalas, four of the Dhyani Buddhas mark the cardinal points, with the fifth, Vairocana, enshrined in the center (in the white hemisphere of the stupa).

Then onward, the tour is headed towards Swayambhunath- A Monkey Temple from where you can see the magnificent views of Kathmandu Valley. The stupa, a tribute to Buddhism, consists of a dome at the base representing the entire world. Painted eyes of Buddha represent wisdom and compassion. A curly symbol, symbolizing the nose represents the unity of all things existing in the world. Prayer wheels surround the whole dome. The evening views of Kathmandu valley and sunset from the hilltop will be a memorable experience for you.

Our day begins with a drive to Pokhara right after breakfast which may take approximately 6 hours of drive. Located 210 km west of Kathmandu, this beautiful lakeside city is a prime tourism destination in Nepal offering with spellbinding and hypnotic natural beauty, stunning panoramic views of Himalayan peaks. The drive on the way itself is going to be an amazingly unique experience as you travel beside the mighty river with some strong current almost throughout your journey with scenic greenery on both sides of the road along with human settlements thick and thin at different places. After you reach Pokhara you check in to your hotel, get yourself refreshed and have some rest. During the evening you might enjoy walking along the bank of Phewa Lake, admiring the stunning reflection of the Fish Tail Peak over the bluish Phewa Lake water. Here you can also indulge in some adventure activities.

Today early in the morning, we fly to Jomsom. Where you can taste its famous apple whilst admiring the stunning landscapes. On this tour, you will experience cold temperatures and strong winds so it is advised to dress appropriately.
Our trek starts along a trail beside a beautiful Valley. We head through Ekkle Bhatti and head towards the beautiful village of Jomsom as the soaring peaks of Dhaulagiri and Nilgiri form the backdrop. We spend the night at Kagbeni

Today we start by having our permits checked then we head upstream along the banks of the Kaligandaki River. The route is sandy and windy offering stunning views. The route consists of gradual uphill and downhill portions. We then reach the quaint village of Tangbe, with its whitewashed walls and narrow alleyways. Here you will see buckwheat, barley and wheat farms including apple orchards. We then head to Chhusang, surrounded by gigantic red, orange and silver-gray cliffs spotted with cave dwellings, and further cross the river and head to Chele Village.

After a hearty breakfast, we head out and climb the Taklam La Pass at (3,624m/11,923 ft). Walking through narrow passes and plateaus with views of Tilicho Peak, Yaskawa Kang, and Damodar Danda. We descend to Samar. What does down must come up, so we climb again on the trail above Samar Village to a ridge then we head down again to a stream. As we navigate through similar terrain we reach Syanboche after another 3 hours. In the air you might smell incensed which is lit by the locals, made from the Juniper trees, to offer to deities.

Today we trek uphill to Yamda La (3,850m /12,667ft) passing a few teahouses, chortens. We also pass villages with their distinct Tibetan architecture, homes with open verandas. Along the way, we cross several passes, fields of barley and avenues of poplar trees. The climb to Nyi Pass (4,010m/13,193ft) is much longer. We finally descend to Ghyami, the third largest village in the region where we spend the night surrounded by large barren fields.

Along the trail, you have the opportunity to get a glimpse of the daily lives of the people in this remote region. Today, as usual, after a healthy breakfast, we cross Ghyami Khola (river), climb a plateau and come to a very long Manne wall, which was constructed by the locals who are followers of Buddhism. The wall is considered sacred. Heading east we come to Charang, with its maze fields and picturesque willow trees. Here the houses are separated by stone walls, at the top of Charang Canyon, Here you can visit the Red Gompa with a white dzong.

With amazing views of Nilgiri, Tilicho, Annapurna I and Bhrikuti peak along the tour we trek to Lo-Manthang. Descending to the Charang Chu Canyon, crossing the river we then head uphill. Further ascending gradually we reach the Lo Pass at 3850m, from here you can see Lo-Manthang Valley. As we descend, lo-Manthang appears magnificent with its walls and the hills of the Tibetan border. We spend the night here at Lo-Manthang.

Today we explore this ancient town and its surrounding area. We will visit Namgyal Gompa and Tingkhar. Namgyal Gompa situated on a hilltop serves as an important monastery of the local community and it also serves as a local court. We then head to Tingkhar, a village to the north-west of Lo-Manthang. You can head back to the hotel to rest and relax or if you would like we could visit the Tall Champa Lhakhang "God House" the red Thugchen Gompa, Chyodi Gompa and the Entrance Hall which are the main attractions of this town. Another highlight is the four-story Raja's Palace of this forbidden kingdom. From here the view of the Himalayas is breath-taking.

On our return journey, we take a different route. We trek to Drakmar via Gyakar where we can visit the Ghar Gompa, famous for its rock painting, was built 1200 years ago, with Guru Rinpoche as its primary figure. If legends are true, wishes come true for anyone who makes a wish at the Gompa. As there is a likelihood for dusty winds we should travel in the morning.

Our journey today will take around 5-6 hours. Once we reach Ghiling, where we spend the night, we have a well-deserved lunch after the long walk, then later we explore the area, which should be done during the evening as the winds pick up a lot of dust during the afternoons.

We trek back to Chhuksang for the overnight stop after a 5 hrs walk.
As we are approaching the end of our journey, take in as much of the scenery as possible as you will not find anything similar to this experience elsewhere. We spend the night at a Tea-House.

As the day today will be a long one, it is best we start early in the morning and head to Kagbeni and stop for lunch.
Our Upper Mustang trail ends here and we join the Annapurna Circuit trail. We then head to Jomsom where we will spend the night.

If you have a day to spare, our guide can arrange for a visit to Muktinath as well. Muktinath is one of the world's highest temples at an altitude of 3800m, sacred to both Hindus and Buddhists

We take an early morning flight to Pokhara. The airplane flies through a gorge between Annapurna and Dhaulagiri mountains making the flight itself an amazing experience. After arriving in Pokhara, you can spend the rest of the day at your leisure. Overnight in Pokhara

After Breakfast drives back to Kathmandu. After we arrive at Kathmandu, you check into your hotel for some hard-earned rest and relaxation.
In the evening, you will be taken to an authentic Nepali restaurant for a Typical Nepali Dinner along with a living cultural show performed by different ethnic groups. It may last for 3 hours.

Approximately 3 hours before your scheduled flight a representative from Aarya Village Travel will transfer you to the airport for your onward journey.