Upper Mustang /Lo Manthang Trek

Arrive in Kathmandu and transfer to your hotel. Welcome dinner and Upper Mustang Trek 2027 briefing with your AltiPro guide. Gear check and preparation for the days ahead.

Full day in Kathmandu for Restricted Area Permit (RAP), ACAP, and TIMS Card processing. Comprehensive gear check and cultural briefing on Upper Mustang history, customs, and Lo Manthang. Free afternoon for personal preparations.

Fly or drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara. Afternoon at leisure around Phewa Lake. Jomsom flight briefing in the evening. Pokhara offers stunning Annapurna and Machhapuchhre views on clear days.

Take the spectacular 20-minute mountain flight from Pokhara to Jomsom, landing in the wide Kali Gandaki valley. Drive or walk (2–3 hrs) north to Kagbeni, the medieval village at the confluence of Kali Gandaki and Kak Gad rivers. RAP permit check at the restricted zone entry post. The landscape immediately changes — ancient and dry, unmistakably Tibetan.

Enter the restricted zone from Kagbeni and head north through narrowing valley walls of deepening ochre and red. Pass the dramatic cliff village of Chhusang at the confluence of the Kali Gandaki and Jhong rivers. Arrive at Chele (3,050 m), the first major stop inside the restricted zone, framed by ancient chortens. 5–6 hrs walking.

Cross the first major high pass of the Upper Mustang trek, Taklam La (3,624 m), for the first true revelation of the Mustang plateau — vast, wind-shaped, extraordinary in colour and silence. Descend to Syangboche (3,800 m) set atop the plateau with grand views of the desolate landscape stretching toward Tibet. 6–7 hrs.

Cross the plateau to Ghami (3,520 m), one of the most visually striking villages in Upper Mustang. Ghami is home to one of Mustang's longest mani walls — several hundred metres of carved prayer stones at the village edge. The local monastery contains old frescoes. Wind, clay architecture, and a community that has lived this way for centuries. 5–6 hrs.

One of the most culturally rich stops on the Upper Mustang trek — Tsarang (3,560 m) is dominated by a tall red dzong (fortress) rising above the village on the cliff edge. The large monastery holds impressive 15th-century wall paintings. The last major cultural hub before Lo Manthang. Anticipation builds here. 4–5 hrs.

Cross Lo La Pass (3,950 m) for your first sight of Lo Manthang spread across the plateau below — the whitewashed walls of the medieval capital glowing against the rust-red cliffs. Descend and enter through the main gate. Explore the central square, royal palace exterior, and first impressions of the walled city. 5–6 hrs.

Full day exploring Lo Manthang — Jampa Lhakhang (the oldest monastery in Mustang), Thubchen Gompa, Chodey Gompa, Namgyal Gompa, the five-storey royal palace, and the labyrinthine laneways of the old city. Optional morning hike to Luri Gompa cave monastery (45 min above Lo Manthang) for 14th-century mandala frescoes. Full cultural immersion.

A full day of exploration beyond Lo Manthang. The Choser Sky Caves north of the city — a remarkable multi-storey complex of ancient cliff dwellings and an ancient gompa carved into the rock face. Continue to Tingkhar village, the last settlement before the Tibetan border, for a glimpse of the most remote community in Upper Mustang. Return to Lo Manthang.

Begin the return journey via a completely different route through the eastern valley, avoiding retracing the outward path. The trail to Yara (3,650 m) passes through different canyon landscapes with different perspectives on the plateau. Yara has a small but active Tibetan monastery. 5–6 hrs.

Trek through Tangge village and on to Dhakmar (3,820 m), home to one of the most iconic landscapes in all of Upper Mustang — the towering iron-red cliff walls rising above the small Tibetan village. The contrast of the rust-red rock against the blue sky and the whitewashed houses below is extraordinary. 6–7 hrs.

Descend through Chhusang and return to the restricted zone exit at Kagbeni (2,810 m). Final RAP permit checkpoint on exit. The last night inside the Mustang valley before returning to the wider world. 5–6 hrs.

Transfer from Kagbeni to Jomsom by jeep (30 min) or on foot (2 hrs). Fly from Jomsom to Pokhara on the morning flight. Transfer to hotel. Celebration dinner in Pokhara — Upper Mustang Trek officially complete.

Return to Kathmandu by road or domestic flight. Farewell dinner in Kathmandu. Upper Mustang Trek completion certificate presented. Time for souvenir shopping and final preparations before departure.

Buffer day built into the itinerary to accommodate Jomsom flight weather delays, which are common in mountain conditions. If your departure coincides with the Tiji Festival, this day may be used for extended Lo Manthang festival attendance. AltiPro monitors conditions and advises accordingly.

Second buffer day for any remaining contingencies. Use for Kathmandu sightseeing — Pashupatinath Temple, Boudhanath Stupa, Thamel, or the Tibetan markets at Swayambhunath. AltiPro can arrange a guided half-day cultural tour of Kathmandu on this day.

Transfer to Tribhuvan International Airport for departure. AltiPro team sees you off. Journey home from one of Nepal's most extraordinary restricted-area treks.