Upon arrival in Kathmandu, you will meet other participants and check into a hotel in the tourist area of Thamel. In the evening, you’ll gather to get to know each other and discuss the details of the trip.
Today we’ll wake up early to start exploring the capital of Nepal. During the walking tour, we’ll see the most iconic sights of Kathmandu: the Boudhanath stupa, the Pashupatinath Temple, where funeral rites are held, the Monkey Temple, located on a hill with a magnificent view of the city. We will also visit the residence of a living goddess—the Kumari Ghar Temple.
After breakfast we will board a flight to Pokhara—the second largest city in Nepal and a popular resort destination. Pokhara is located on the bank of the picturesque Phewa Lake, offering impressive views of the Himalayas.
We'll check into a hotel in the Lakeside—a cozy district of the city—and then go enjoy the views of the numerous colorful boats moored along the shores of the lake.
Today we have another flight ahead—from Pokhara to the town of Jomsom. On a small plane we will fly over mountain valleys, gorges and tiny villages.
After getting off the plane, we’ll set off to our overnight stay—a lodge in the village of Kagbeni. We will walk about 10 km on foot, have lunch and have a stroll around the streets of the local fortress.
Note: In case of unfavorable weather conditions for the flight, we’ll be transferred to Jomsom by jeeps.
In the morning we will have a unique experience—we’ll attend a Buddhist prayer ceremony in an ancient temple. Then we’ll have breakfast and go to the legendary kingdom of Mustang. We’ll walk about 12 km and climb to a pass of 3,100 m. Along the way we’ll enjoy magnificent views of the Himalayan Mountains.
We’ll reach the town of Chhusang, where we’ll visit an old cave temple, and then we will watch a colorful sunset at an ancient settlement surrounded by fabulous red rocks.
In the morning we’ll continue our way along the Gandaki River. We’ll pass through small mountain villages, watch how the locals live, and get some thrill by crossing the suspension bridge over the gorge. Then we’ll overcome the Dajori La Pass (3,735 m) and arrive at our overnight stay in the village of Samar with the amazing views of the snow caps of the Himalayan seven-thousanders.
Along the path among the peach trees, we’ll go up to the Chorate Pass (3,980 m), and then descend into the picturesque canyon, where the sacred Ranchung Chungsi Cave is located. Since the 8th century, buddhists from different parts of the world have come here to meditate, find harmony and fill up their energy reserves. It is believed that in ancient times the stones from this cave were used to treat back pain.
In the afternoon we’ll arrive in the village of Ghiling, where we’ll spend the night in a lodge.
In the morning we’ll get into the jeeps and head towards the village of Tsarang, the ancient capital of Mustang. The road will be exciting: we’ll go up to the Nyi La Pass (4,010 m), visit the relatives of the last king in Ghemi village, see the longest prayer wall and visit the oldest Buddhist monastery in Nepal—Ghar Gompa.
Upon arrival in Tsarang we’ll go for a walk around the village to see the famous royal palace. As legend says, the hands of its architect were cut off by the order of the king who wished that his palace was unique. We’ll also visit the local monastery, where more than a hundred sacred books written in gold ink are kept.
In the morning we’ll have breakfast, and then the jeeps will take us to the current capital of Mustang—the city of Lo Manthang. We’ll leave our things at the lodge and go explore the local streets decorated with colorful prayer flags. Old clay walls, ancient monasteries and Buddhist stupas will take us a few centuries back. And only foreign tourists and the numerous souvenirs on trays will remind us that we are no longer in the Middle Ages.
In the morning we’ll go for a stroll around the outskirts of Lo Manthang. The jeeps will take us to the Chhoser Valley, and from there we’ll go to the Jhong cave. This is an amazing place where there are more than 40 rooms at different levels inside the rock. We’ll walk along the narrow stone corridors and immerse ourselves in the mystical atmosphere of antiquity.
Next points on our route are the Lo Niphu rock monastery and the Royal watchtower, which we will climb to take a look at the Martian landscapes of Upper Mustang.
To get to the next point, we’ll have to travel about 90 km along mountain roads. But upon arrival in Muktinath—a place of pilgrimage for many Buddhists and Hindus—we’ll take part in a unique experience! We will be able to participate in the karma cleansing ritual in the temple of the god Vishnu. All the pilgrims that come here take ritual baths in 108 holy springs flowing from the faucets in the shape of bull heads. It is believed that this sacred ritual can liberate a person from all sins.
Today we head back to Pokhara. You can spend the day as you want—relax in the hotel after a busy schedule of the previous days or get to know the city a little bit closer.
In the morning you will have free time. You can finally sleep as long as you want, walk around the city, go to a panoramic cafe, or even take a ride on one of the colorful boats on Lake Phewa.
Another option to spend a couple of free hours is to go to one of the local attractions, the World Peace Stupa. It is located on a hill above the city and is decorated with 4 gilded Buddha statues brought from different countries.
In the afternoon we will fly to the capital of Nepal.
We kept this day as a reserve in case the weather affected our route. If everything goes according to the plan, on this day you can take a walk around Kathmandu or go to neighboring Patan, which is famous for its extraordinary temples and numerous souvenir shops with aromatic spices, incenses and luxurious carpets.
Special prices are valid until 29.10.2024!
We’ll meet at the airport of Kathmandu (KTM) on the first day of the tour. You need to arrive before 20:00. Our guide will meet you with a “Strannik” sign at the exit from the arrivals area according to your arrival time.
On the last day of the tour you’ll be transferred to the airport of Kathmandu.
The meeting of the group will take place on the first day of the tour at 20:00 at the airport of Kathmandu (KTM).
The lowest prices for the flights usually appear 5-7 months before the trip. We monitor tickets and notify tourists who have applied for the tour.
Note: We kindly ask you not to purchase the tickets until the manager sends you a confirmation and guarantees that the tour will take place.
In Kathmandu and Pokhara — in hotels in double rooms with private facilities.
During the trek — in lodges in double rooms.
A lodge is a small house equipped with everything we need for an overnight stay: usually it has several rooms with beds, a kitchen, and a common dining room where we will eat. High-altitude lodges usually have stoves. There is no other option for accommodation in Upper Mustang, since the infrastructure of the region is not adapted to a large tourist flow. Be sure that we have selected the best possible options.
Note: The price of the trip is based on double accommodation in hotels. If you are traveling alone, we will try to find a roommate for you from the tourists of our group, but we cannot guarantee this. Usually there is a roommate, but if there is not, you will need to pay extra for single accommodation.
If you need a single room and don't want to stay with anybody, specify this in the comments to your application.
From +30 °C in Kathmandu to +5 °C in the mountains of Upper Mustang.
Most of the time we will travel by jeeps.
There will also be flights: small Boeings and ATRs fly from Kathmandu to Pokhara; small aircrafts fly from Pokhara to Jomsom.
To participate in this tour, you should have good physical shape and be ready for long daily walks. We recommend consulting a doctor in case of problems with the heart, blood vessels, respiratory system.
Children are allowed to participate from the age of 16.
The checklist #6 will help you prepare for this hiking trip.
Some of the equipment can be bought in Kathmandu.
Personal belongings and equipment will be packed in sealed bags and transported along the entire route on the roofs of our jeeps. Participants will carry small backpacks with essentials.
If you bring US dollars, please note that the old-design banknotes (older than 1996) are NOT VALID in Asia!
Travel insurance is not included in the price of the tour. You should get it yourself from the insurance company you trust.
To participate in the tour, you will need travel insurance which includes trekking / hiking / active leisure (each insurance company has a different name for this option) and being at an altitude of more than 4,000 meters.
The price includes breakfasts in the hotels in Kathmandu and Pokhara. The rest of the time we will have breakfast, lunch and dinner in the lodges and cafes along the route (for additional fee).
Note: Since this is a group tour, the food is the same for all participants. Unfortunately, we cannot prepare an individual meal for you. If you have an intolerance or allergy to any of the products, please notify the manager in advance. We will pass this information on to the guide or accommodations. However, we kindly ask you to follow up on this matter during the trip. If you have strict dietary restrictions, we recommend bringing suitable food with you or buy it on the spot.
Mustang is an isolated area in Nepal, which is often called the Forbidden Kingdom. This region was inaccessible to tourists for years, and only in the 1990s the tourism began to develop. Thanks to these years of isolation, Mustang has preserved its authenticity and culture. Tiny mountain villages that hold the secrets of centuries, a mixture of traditional religions with ancient beliefs in spirits and demons, and stunning mountain views that resemble Martian landscapes.
One of the undoubted advantages of the Kingdom of Mustang over other regions of Nepal is that it's still not overcrowded by tourists. We’ll be able to quietly discover its most interesting corners with no rush.
For accommodation, we have selected the best possible options: in cities we’ve found comfortable hotels, in mountainous areas—traditional lodges.This journey includes a lot of mountain trekking, but we will travel lightly, as all our things will be carried by cars.
In 2 weeks of travel we will: