Everest
Everest Base Camp Trek
12–14 days
5,545 m
Challenging
The most famous walk in the Himalaya, up through Sherpa country, across swaying suspension bridges, to the foot of the highest mountain on Earth.
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Mustang region
Upper Mustang Trek
Beyond the Himalaya into the walled city of Lo Manthang: a forbidden desert kingdom of cave monasteries, red cliffs and living Tibetan culture.
10–13 daysDuration
4,010 mNyi La (passes)
ModerateDifficulty
Mar–Nov (great in monsoon)Best seasons
Overview
Cost details
About this journey
North of the main Himalayan wall, in the rain shadow of Dhaulagiri and Annapurna, lies a high desert that belonged to the forbidden Kingdom of Lo until 1992. Wind-carved canyons in ochre and rust, whitewashed villages around crimson gompas, and sky caves dug a thousand years ago into sheer cliffs.
The prize is Lo Manthang, the walled capital, still home to royal descendants and some of the finest Tibetan Buddhist art anywhere. Because the monsoon barely reaches here, Mustang is Nepal's great summer trek, and as a restricted area, we arrange the special permits from start to finish.
Trek highlights
- Enter the walled medieval city of Lo Manthang
- The 2,500-year-old sky caves of Chhoser
- Moonscape canyons of the upper Kali Gandaki
- Monasteries of Ghar Gompa, Thubchen and Jampa
- Trekkable all monsoon thanks to the rain shadow
Your itinerary
This is our tried-and-tested general plan. After our first chat we fine-tune every day around your dates, group, pace and fitness, and send you a dedicated, real-time itinerary that matches your trip exactly.
Fly or drive to Pokhara; permit checks and a lakeside briefing.
A dawn flight between two 8,000-ers, then an easy walk up the Kali Gandaki to the mud-walled gateway village of Kagbeni. The door to Upper Mustang.
Into the restricted zone: red cliffs, sky caves overhead and the river winding through the desert.
Up canyon staircases and over the first passes; the scale of the landscape here is hard to describe politely.
Cross Nyi La (4,010 m), descend to whitewashed Ghami and walk Nepal's longest mani wall.
Through a painted desert of red and grey gorges to Tsarang's huge fortress-monastery.
A short day over Lo La, and there it is: the white walled city, unchanged in outline for 600 years.
Royal palace, the towering Buddhas of Thubchen and Jampa, and a side trip to the cliff caves of Chhoser you can actually climb inside.
Return along the western route past the oldest gompa in Mustang to the blood-red cliffs of Drakmar.
A long, beautiful descent through Ghiling back toward the river world.
Rejoin the windy Kali Gandaki for the final leg; celebration dinner in Jomsom.
Morning flights out of the mountains and onward transfers, or add a Pokhara rest day, on us to arrange.
What's included
Included in your price
- Upper Mustang Restricted Area Permit (USD 500/10 days) and ACAP. All handled by us
- Pokhara–Jomsom–Pokhara flights and all ground transfers
- Airport pickups, drop-offs and all listed transfers
- Licensed, experienced English-speaking guide
- Porter support (1 porter per 2 trekkers)
- Guide & porter wages, insurance, meals and lodging
- Teahouse accommodation for every trek night
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner on trekking days
- First aid kit and pulse-oximeter monitoring
- All government taxes and service charges
Not included
- International flights and Nepal visa
- Travel insurance with high-altitude helicopter rescue (mandatory)
- Meals in Kathmandu and Pokhara (welcome dinner is on us)
- Drinks, hot showers, Wi-Fi and device charging on the trail
- Personal trekking gear (rental help available)
- Tips for your guide and porter
Good to know.
Ready when you are
Mustang can also be done as a 4WD overland tour for non-trekkers, or timed for the spectacular Tiji Festival in Lo Manthang each spring. Ask us about dates.
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Ready to walk the Upper Mustang Trek?
Tell us your dates and we'll send back a clear, all-inclusive plan within a day.