Today, you travel to Pokhara, Nepal’s popular lakeside city. The trek can be flown by scenic flight or 6-7 hours to drive through terraced hills and river valleys. Once you reach Pokhara, you will get to enjoy the panorama of Machhapuchhre and the Annapurna range. During the night, you have a chance to rest at Phewa Lake, taste the local food, or get ready to trek in the following days. This day helps your body adjust as well as gives you time to enjoy the peaceful surroundings.

Overnight: Pokhara (Hotel)

The third day is the exciting beginning of your trek to Mustang. Following a spectacular flight out of Pokhara, you arrive in Jomsom, a unique mountain town with a dry, windy climate and spectacular panoramas of the massive Nilgiri and Dhaulagiri mountains. From here, the walk starts along the Kali Gandaki River, followed by the rocky riverbed and rising cliffs. The scenery here is visibly very different from the green of the lower hills, highlighting the desert-like semi-arid beauty of Mustang. As you continue, you will see a first glimpse of the Tibetan culture in mani walls, prayer flags, and traditional architecture.

Kagbeni is a beautiful village on the approach to the Upper Mustang, and when you arrive there, you enter an other-worldly place. Its origins are reflected in the village's narrow alleys, mud-brick houses, and centuries-old monastery in Mustang. Kagbeni is not merely a passage, but a gateway to the cultural and geological beauty that lies further in this forbidden kingdom.

Walking Distance: ~8 km (3-4 hours) | Overnight: Kagbeni (Teahouse)

The path leads you further into the forbidden area of Upper Mustang, following the Kali Gandaki River and crossing suspension bridges. Along the way, you pass eroded cliffs and ancient caves. Traditional chortens, mani walls, and prayer flags in the villages along the way give an impression of the powerful Tibetan Buddhist culture. The hike slowly climbs up, and there are some rocky parts before encountering Chele, an attractive village with steep hills. This is the first village where you experience the remoteness of Mustang with a barren yet fascinating landscape and a desert-like landscape.

Walking Distance: ~12 km (5-6 hours) | Overnight: Chele (Teahouse)

The day trek is very strenuous, with sharp climbs and drops over two high passes, Taklam La (3,624m) and Dajori La (3,735m). Throughout the day, you enjoy panoramic views of Mustang’s dry valleys and distant snow-capped peaks. You pass small villages, cave sites, and windy ridges decorated with prayer flags. Eventually, after 6–7 hours, you reach Syanbochen, a peaceful village set among dramatic cliffs, offering a quiet place to rest. The rural beauty of this distant village will offer you a serene night's stay as you relax in one of the traditional teahouses.

Walking Distance: ~15 km (6-7 hours) | Overnight: Syanbochen (Teahouse)

It starts to ascend gradually through Yamada La (3,850m) and Nyi La (4,010m), and you will get breathtaking panoramic views of the rough terrain of Mustang. This path winds through villages, stone-made houses, old Buddhist shrines, and colorful mani walls and presents a rich cultural heritage of the region. On the road, you will pass great plateaus and dry cliffs with rare herds of yaks and horses. After descending Ghami, one of the largest settlements in Upper Mustang, you experience warm local hospitality. Ghami has long mani walls and whitewashed houses to give you more spirituality during your stay.

Walking Distance: ~14 km (5-6 hours) | Overnight: Ghami (Teahouse)

After breakfast, you cross a suspension bridge and climb to a high plateau. As you walk, you encounter ancient mani walls and fluttering prayer flags. The landscape has spectacular red and ochre cliffs contrasting against the barren land. Soon you reach Tsarang, a village rich in culture with an old monastery with five stories and an old palace of the kings, back in Mustang. An overnight stay here gives you the opportunity to visit these historic sites and feel the ancient traditions of Mustang.

Walking Distance: ~12 km (4-5 hours) | Overnight: Tsarang (Teahouse)

Day 8 is the highlight of the trek, where anticipation culminates as you reach the ancient walled city of Lo-Manthang. The journey to Lo-Manthang takes you over the scenic Lo La Pass (3,950m). This pass provides spectacular panoramas of Mustang and its arid valleys, with the Himalayas covered in snow. As you descend the pass, the whitewashed walls of the city appear. This indicates that you have reached the former capital of the Mustang Kingdom. The medieval atmosphere of Lo-Manthang can be observed in the lanes, mud houses, and the typical Tibetan Buddhist architecture.

As a result, visiting Lo-Manthang is like traveling back in time. Its isolation and protection policy of the government has kept the city in a remarkably preserved condition. Here, you may observe a culture and way of life that has changed very little in centuries. Moreover, lovely spiritual energy and the historical richness of Lo-Manthang make this day unforgettable.

Walking Distance: ~14 km (5-6 hours) | Overnight: Lo-Manthang (Teahouse)

A day in Lo-Manthang will immerse you culturally in many ways. First, you will head to the Royal Palace, which was once the seat of the former rulers of Mustang. Here, centuries-old artifacts will narrate the rich history of Mustang. Local monasteries, including Jampa Lhakhang and Thubchen Gompa, display the most beautiful murals, statues, and traditional Tibetan Buddhism. While walking through the alleys of Lo-Manthang, you find the community that exists in harmony with its traditional spiritual traditions.

Communication with the locals makes it clear that people are very welcoming and committed to their traditions. The Tibetan-influenced lifestyle can be seen in the form of festivals, prayer ceremonies, and traditional crafts. It is not only a day of sightseeing but an opportunity to know the people of the Upper Mustang and their timeless heritage.

Walking Distance: ~8 km round trip (2-3 hours) | Overnight: Lo-Manthang (Teahouse)

Day 10 offers you a visit to the remarkable Chhoser Cave Monasteries situated on the cliffs of Lo-Manthang. These rock dwellings are hundreds of years old. They are carved out of solid rocks that people have used as meditation rooms, living rooms, and even refugee camps. Here, you gain special insight into the religious and everyday lives of ancient residents of Mustang. The cave complex is a sacred, mysterious place with a history and legends.

Additionally, the trek to Chhoser also touches villages in far corners, where the traditional way of life remains uninterrupted. The serene and harsh beauty of the environment enriches your spiritual engagement with the spiritual landscape of Mustang. A visit to these cave monasteries is an amazing experience, which represents a marvelous combination of archaeology, spirituality, and adventure.

Walking Distance: ~8 km round trip (3-4 hours) | Overnight: Lo-Manthang (Teahouse)

On Day 11, you depart Lo-Manthang to hike to Drakmar, a village well-known because of its spectacular red cliffs and cave houses. Along the trail, you enjoy spectacular views of the Nilgiri and Dhaulagiri mountain ranges. The geography near Drakmar has a surreal feel to it, with sunlight rays producing sharp, colored reflections on the surrounding cliffs. This is the landscape to walk a, a kind of open-air museum of nature and human history.

Moreover, the caves of Drakmar, which were occupied by hermits and monks, give additional spirituality to the trip. The village itself has traditional architecture and culture of the Mustangs, offering a feel of the actual rural Himalayan life. This day perfectly blends stunning scenery with cultural heritage. So, it one of the most memorable sections of the Upper Mustang Trek.

Walking Distance: ~12 km (5-6 hours) | Overnight: Drakmar (Teahouse)

The hike of the day will take you across arid plains and mountainous tracks, which will challenge your stamina but still provide you with impressive views. Scattered along the route are prayer flags, chortens, and the occasional herd of yaks in the arid fields. This is a place of strong winds in the afternoon, and it is highly necessary to start early. Eventually, you arrive in Ghiling, a small village surrounded by large valleys and steep hills. Here, you can have a peaceful rest and have traditional Mustang food cooked by friendly locals in a good teahouse.

Walking Distance: ~14 km (5-6 hours) | Overnight: Ghiling (Teahouse)

Today you will further descend to the lower Mustang region, going through beautiful villages and open countryside. As you continue, trail becomes easier, and you do not encounter the high passes anymore. On the road, you will come across locals ploughing, stone houses, and religious sites that shows rich Buddhist culture in Mustang. The arid nature slowly creeps into the greener valleys. Finally, you reach Chhuksang, a scenic village where the Kali Gandaki River meets dramatic cliffs. This peaceful village is an ideal spot to spend a day off before the last day of trekking.

Walking Distance: ~15 km (5-6 hours) | Overnight: Chhuksang (Teahouse)

The last day of trekking covers the same track to Kagbeni, walking through the broad riverbed of the Kali Gandaki Valley. The route is generally flat and smooth. So, there is time to think about an amazing visit to the Forbidden Kingdom. When you arrive in Jomsom, you find both Mustang and Thakal culture, but in modern facilities compared to remote villages. Here, you can celebrate with your trekking group over stories and adventures, experiences of past days of trekking.

Walking Distance: ~14 km (4-5 hours) | Overnight: Jomsom (Hotel)

In the morning, you fly back to Pokhara by a plane through the Mustang dry land, once again getting welcomed by the green pasture. During the flight, you enjoy one last aerial view of Mustang’s dry landscapes and the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges. Once in Pokhara, you can relax by Phewa Lake, ride a paddleboat, or visit nearby attractions such as Davis Falls and the Peace Pagoda. Having spent days in rural Mustang, you can see Pokhara as a relaxing escape, a place to relax and process the vastness of the Himalayan journey.

Overnight: Pokhara (Hotel)

You fly to Kathmandu today, either on a spectacular drive or by an hour flight. Finally, you can shop last-minute in Thamel, visit UNESCO World Heritage sites, or just rest in your hotel in the capital. Thereafter, in the evening, you can have a farewell dinner and experience traditional Nepali food in Nepal, as a successful completion of your Upper Mustang Trek. It is a comfortable start to the change to city life before actually going home.

Overnight: Kathmandu (Hotel)

Departure Day

Your 17-day journey through Nepal’s mystical Upper Mustang region concludes. If time allows, you can have some free time to walk around Kathmandu or purchase some souvenirs, depending on your flight dates, and finally be taken to Tribhuvan International Airport. Leaving Nepal, the memories of the ancient walls of Lo-Manthang, the unique desert wilderness of Mustang, and the warm hospitality of its people will truly be unforgettable to you, and a once-in-a-lifetime trekking adventure in the Himalayas.