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Mustang Circuit Trekking

Upper Mustang
Trip Grade
Hard
Trip Type
Trekking
Maximum Elevation
4230M
Accomodation
Local Guesthouse
Destination
Upper Mustang
Best Time
May-October
Trip Start
Jomsom
Trip Ends
Jomsom

Overview

Mustang Circuit Trekking

Mustang Circuit Trekking is an extraordinary adventure in Nepal that takes you to the forbidden Upper Mustang, a land of preserved nature and culture. Despite opening to trekkers in 1992, certain areas of Mustang remain restricted, making this trek a unique and special experience. It combines beauty and adventure, with its dry and barren yet mesmerizing landscapes and picturesque villages that leave you speechless. Along the trekking trail, you will discover hidden caves, canyons, and valleys, and ancient monasteries that showcase intricate paintings. Crossing passes over 3000m, you will enjoy breathtaking views of snow-capped mountains and barren hills. The vibrant deserts of Lo-Manthang, a walled capital of the former Kingdom of Lo, feature traditional Tibetan settlements and offer a horse-riding journey to the amazing Chooser Cave. As you walk through the quiet and solitary paths of Mustang, you will immerse yourself in the authentic culture and visit sacred places like Luri Gumba and Muktinath, giving you a glimpse into the practices of the Hindu and Buddhist people living in the region. Mustang Circuit Trek is the perfect choice for adventurous travelers looking for a unique and authentic experience in Nepal’s wilderness.
GFT, with over a decade of experience in travel and tourism, offers carefully crafted travel packages that cater to your needs. We ensure the safety and comfort of our clients, as our guides are friendly, outgoing, and trained in first aid. Let us take care of all your worries so that you can focus on having the best travel experience in Nepal. Book your next vacation with us and explore the hidden beauty of Mustang Circuit Trek.

Itinerary

Upon your arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport, we will welcome you and then transport you to your hotel. Overnight in Kathmandu.

 

From Kathmandu drive to Pokhara whilst enjoying the pleasing countryside view. Driving on the black-topped road Highway, you will pass many settlements and clear streams until reaching the beautiful lake city. As you arrive in Pokhara, you will be transferred to the hotel so that you can rest and freshen up. Later, you can stroll around the lakeside area and enjoy the cool breeze along the bank of Fewa Lake.

 

Early in the morning, you take a scenic flight through the Kali Gandaki Gorge to reach Jomsom, the headquarters of Manang district and the starting point of this trek. You trace your way along the banks of Kali Gandaki River and ascend through the sand dunes to reach Kagbeni, also known as the gateway to Upper Mustang.

 

Continuing to follow Kali Gandaki River, you ascend through the dry and barren land to reach the Gurung village of Tangbe, which is adorned with black, white and red Chortens. You make a gradual descend from Tangbe to reach the village of Chhuksang. Throughout the trek, the gorgeous peak of Nilgiri (7061m) keeps you company. O/N in Chhuksang.

 

Once again, descend to the bank of Kali Gandaki River and then follow the river upstream until reaching the village of Chele. You then leave the river behind and climb steeply to cross the passes of Taklam La (3624m) and Dajori La (3735m), from where you make a short descend to reach the village of Samar. Contrasting with the brownish hills of Samar, the peaks of Nilgiri (7061m) and Annapurna-I (8091m) shine brightly at you.

 

Crossing a Chorten situated a little further from Samar, you start to ascend along the barren hills to reach the cliff above Syangboche River. On the cliff is the Chungsi Cave, decorated with prayer flags and worshipped by the local Buddhists. You then follow the route along the cliff to reach the village of Syangboche. Ascend to cross Syangboche La (3850m) and then descend alongside Chortens to reach the barley fields acting as an entrance to the village of Ghiling. Overnight in Ghiling.

 

Today’s trek begins with a steep ascend to reach Zaite. Ascend around Nyi La (4010m) and then descend through the sand dunes to cross a river, from where you ascend once again to cross Ghami La (3765m). The village of Ghami welcomes you with its ancient monastery at the entrance. Thereafter, you cross the longest Mani wall in Mustang and ascend steeply to reach the village of Dhakmar.

 

The trail from Dhakmar goes steeply uphill to cross Mui La (4170m), from where you descend steeply to reach the age-old Ghar Gumba, revered by the locals of Mustang. You then follow Charang Khola for a short while before ascending through the less traversed trail that takes you to Marang La (4230m). From this high pass, you will be able to catch the views of the Mustang Himal range. Afterward, you descend on an easy trail along the picturesque deserts to reach the fortress city, Lo Manthang. Overnight in Lo Manthang.

 

Today is an exciting day as you will be exploring the village of Choser on a horse. Situated about half an hour away from Lo-Manthang, one of the tall brown cliffs of Choser houses a 3000 years old cave, which has now been turned into a sacred site. Choser cave has many rooms within and stands out in architecture as well. You can also explore the village of Choser and visit other monasteries in the area before returning to Lo Manthang.

 

Bidding Lo Manthang a heartfelt goodbye, you ascend to Lo La (3950m) once again. You then trek downhill through impressive deserts to climb another pass, Dhi La (3950m). A steep descend from the pass takes you to Dhi, where you cross Mustang Khola on a bridge and then follow Puyung Khola upstream to reach Yara.

 

Following Puyung Khola upstream for a while, you reach the ancient Luri Gumba. Perched inside a cave amid an artistic desert cliff, the monastery is adorned with prayer flags on the outside and with Buddhist sculptures and paintings on the inside. After spending some time at the Gumba, you head back to Yara for the overnight stay.

 

Through the arid and quiet landscape, you make way out of Yara Village as you head towards Tangye. We kindly suggest you to haave enough drinking water and dry foods, cereal bars or something to eat on the way. Simply, we cross Dhechyang Khola and reach a temporary settlement. Afterward, you cross many small streams to finally reach the small village of Tangye. A monastery and a Chorten adorn the beautiful desert village of Tangge.

 

The trail from Tangye to Chhuksang goes through an abandoned trail and you must always remember to carry enough drinking water and some pack lunch for the day. If you have some Energy bars, Choco-bars, cereal bars or dry fruits, would be very useful. Walking on the ridgeline, the trail goes through many uphill and downhill paths to finally reach the settlement of Chhuksang. A beautiful Mani wall welcomes you back to the Kali Gandaki Valley. Overnight in Chhuksang

 

Taking the alternate route from the main trail, you make your way through quite desert trails once again. The trail ascends at first to reach Gyu La (4077m), from where amazing views of the Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, and Tukuche ranges can be seen. You then descend steeply to reach the holy site of the Hindus and the Buddhists, Muktinath. Also known as the God of Salvation, a visit to Muktinath and a bath in its 108 water taps is believed to free the pilgrims of their sins. A settlement sits below the temple of Muktinath, where you will be staying for the night.

 

As you prepare to leave Muktinath, once again you are presented with many paths. You descend through the quieter path dotted with monasteries via Ranipauwa. The trail then takes you to the Thakali village of Lupra where you can visit the ancient Bon Po Monastery. Afterward, you descend to the banks of Kali Gandaki River to follow its trail until reaching Jomsom, the administrative center of Mustang. Overnight in Jomsom.

 

Bidding Mustang goodbye, you take an early morning flight to Pokhara. The scenic flight provides you with amazing views of the hills and the mountains. Upon arrival in Pokhara, you can rest at the hotel for a while and later hire a mountain bike and cycle around the beautiful city. You can also go for boating in the Phewa Lake where the views of the Annapurna massif (8091m) and Machhapuchhre (6997m) peaks accompany you. Overnight in Pokhara.

 

Today you head back to Kathmandu via a scenic drive along the Prithvi Highway. Following the beautiful Trishuli River for the most part of the journey, you can relish amazing views of verdant hills, swift rivers, and countryside settlements. After arriving in Kathmandu, you will be transferred to your hotel for the overnight stay. Overnight at the hotel in Kathmandu.

 

Home to many historical monuments, a day without sightseeing is an incomplete day in Kathmandu. You start the day the day by visiting the UNESCO world heritage site Swayambhunath. Enjoy a panoramic view of Kathmandu from the top of the hill where Swayambhunath stands firm and proud. You then drive to Seto Gumba, which lies near to Swayambhunath. There is a beautiful garden in front of the monastery, and from the porch, you can get great views of Kathmandu. Afterward, you visit the Nunnery Gompa where the female monks learn the practices of Buddhism. As the sightseeing tour is over, you drive back to the hotel for the overnight stay.

 

Today is a free day for you in Kathmandu to spend the day as you please. Today is also an ideal day to go shopping around Thamel and Basantapur areas so that you can take back authentic Nepali gifts you’re your friends and family back home. Do not forget to try some authentic Nepali food as

 

The time has come to bid you goodbye. Our office representative will drop you off at the airport to connect you with your scheduled flight back home.

What's Include in Cost

    • Airport pick up and drive according to itinerary and plan.
    • Hotel accommodation in Kathmandu and Pokhara.
    • Trekking permits according to itinerary.
    • TIMS Cards: Trekking Information Management System.
    • Food and accommodation during the Trekking.
    • Hot drinks- Teak, Coffee, etc during the trek.
    • Flight: Kathmandu-Pokhara-Jomsom-Kathmandu for clients or as per your program.
    • Flight for guide: KTM-POK-JOM-POK or, according to your program .
    • Porters and guide with their wages.
    • Insurance for local staffs: Guide-Porters.
    • Entry fee of Annapurna Conservation Area Trekking.
    • High altitude chamber as per requirement.
    • Wages and Equipment for climbing guide.
    • Land transportations according to program.
    • Applicable Nepal government tax.

What's Excluded in Cost

    • Nepal entry visa.
    • International flights and airport tax.
    • Travel insurance.
    • Personal expenses, Hot or Mineral water
    • Laundry service and Bar Bills.
    • Internet and Battery charge.
    • Cake and Fanta, Sprite, Beer.
    • Alcoholic drinks with mineral water.
    • Rescue in emergency.

Fixed Departure

Equipment

  • Airport pick up and drive according to itinerary and plan.
  • 1 night hotel in Kathmandu on B/B plan.
  • 1 night hotel in Pokhara on B/B plan.
  • TIMS cards: Trekking Information Management System.
  • Tourist Bus: KTM-POK-KTM
  • Porters and guide with their wages.
  • Insurance for guide and porters.
  • Entry fee of Annapurna Conservation area.
  • Local airport tax and land transportations according to program.
  • Applicable Nepal government tax.

Advisory

  • Non-bio degradable materials are not allowed to dispose in the trekking route randomly.
  • Proper follow of the guidance provided by the leader/guide of the trek.
  • Alcoholic beverages and other intoxicating substances are highly discouraged.
  • There might be the chances of bad weather so be prepared for the inconvenience caused by the unpredictable weather.
  • Try to be mentally and physically prepared before this trek with few short hikes before this trek is highly recommended.

Inportant Things Required

  • Passport
  • Few passport size photos for TIMS and other official documents
  • Personal trekking equipment
  • Snow goggles
  • Personal handbag and luggage
  • Snacks and sweets like chocolate bar (if required)
  • Warm clothes, down jacket and multilayered clothes
  • Trekking shoes
  • Some personal items and sunscreen/sun cream
  • Water bottle and hat

FAQ

When you are up in the mountains in Nepal, we would suggest you to be ready for anything. Weather forecasts for Lukla are never correct and different sources will give you different information. If it is a really bad day in terms of weather, the airlines will themselves cancel the flight and you might have to wait till the weather clears. Yes, flying in high altitude is never easy, even on a clear sunny day, the plane might face turbulence because of the wind blowing from the mountains. But overall the flight to Lukla is very exciting and it’s an experience that you will never forget.

When you are up in the mountains in Nepal, we would suggest you to be ready for anything. Weather forecasts for Lukla are never correct and different sources will give you different information. If it is a really bad day in terms of weather, the airlines will themselves cancel the flight and you might have to wait till the weather clears. Yes, flying in high altitude is never easy, even on a clear sunny day, the plane might face turbulence because of the wind blowing from the mountains. But overall the flight to Lukla is very exciting and it’s an experience that you will never forget.

When you are up in the mountains in Nepal, we would suggest you to be ready for anything. Weather forecasts for Lukla are never correct and different sources will give you different information. If it is a really bad day in terms of weather, the airlines will themselves cancel the flight and you might have to wait till the weather clears. Yes, flying in high altitude is never easy, even on a clear sunny day, the plane might face turbulence because of the wind blowing from the mountains. But overall the flight to Lukla is very exciting and it’s an experience that you will never forget.

When you are up in the mountains in Nepal, we would suggest you to be ready for anything. Weather forecasts for Lukla are never correct and different sources will give you different information. If it is a really bad day in terms of weather, the airlines will themselves cancel the flight and you might have to wait till the weather clears. Yes, flying in high altitude is never easy, even on a clear sunny day, the plane might face turbulence because of the wind blowing from the mountains. But overall the flight to Lukla is very exciting and it’s an experience that you will never forget.

Review

  • star rating  Trekking through the mustang valley with the family. Dilu and his team made sure we had a life changing experience, and i would highly recommend it to anyone regardless of... read more

    Hando90
    January 30, 2019

    star rating  Dudh Kunda trek - flawless organisation, again ! - The Dudh Kunda trek was the second trek I have done with Dilu and his team, after the Langtang trek of 2008. My family has known Dilu for over 20... read more

    ronanroyer
    November 17, 2022

    star rating  Three passes and Island peak ascent - What an amazing experience... An explosion of nature, kindness (if you are advised and travelling with Dilu) and serenity.
    Thanks again Dilu, I really loved those days.

    CCdel555
    October 19, 2022
  • star rating  Trek from pokhara - The trek was amazing. We prepared it by Mail with Dilu, and he is very professionnal and he answered all the questions we had.
    We met him at the... read more

    Mafalda76380
    May 19, 2019

    star rating  It was one of the best and fantastique trekking in te Dudhkundo Lake trek with Dilu Rai our french speapking guide for second time in Népal.
    I think no... read more

    MaxNier67
    February 24, 2023

    star rating  Family trekking in the Annapurna Range - Kathmandu and Pokhara visit for a few days, and 14 days trekking in the Annapurna Range with our kids (7, 9 ans 11 years-old).
    Amazing trip.
    Dilu is really an... read more

    Pathfinder565510
    March 25, 2019
  • star rating  Five treks and soon a sixth - Five treks and soon a sixth one speak by themselves from 2007 till next March. Just wonderful treks in the Upper Mustang (winter/summer), around the Manaslu, in the Tsum Valley,... read more

    Laurent R
    January 15, 2019

    star rating  Family trek! - Great trek with the whole family in the mustang valley! Wouldn’t want to do this with anyone else! hope to do it again !

    Melissa S
    January 24, 2019

    star rating  Glacier Family Treks & Expedition - Perfect organisation. Great kindness and skillfulness of Dilu and his team. Dilu offers “a la carte” treks with great flexibility (altitude, hours of walking, regions...) according to the group. I... read more

    Treknepal
    January 15, 2019

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