Trekking is one of the most popular activities in Nepal. Among the many popular destinations, Upper Mustang is one of them.
Upper Mustang is popular as a mystique valley and the last forbidden kingdom of Nepal. And, is also known as a ‘Mini Tibet of Nepal’. This heavenly place has many things on offer. You can do many things on the Mustang trip.
Upper Mustang is also known as the district beyond the Himalayas. It has its own preserved ancient cultures and traditions.
Mustang lies in the altitude of 3,840 meters in the North-West part of Nepal. Annapurna and Nilgiri mountain range extends across the northern part.
This beautiful land has two major divisions ie. Upper Mustang and Lower Mustang. Upper Mustang Trek is popular for adventurous trekking while the lower Mustang is famous for its natural scenery.
Along the entire journey to Mustang, the travelers can enjoy the breathtaking landscapes, local villages, and historical Buddhist shrines.
Mustang is famous for its Thakali and Newari food as well as local wines, apples, Tibetan bread, Khapse, Marpha, dried food and beers.
Now, let us give you a guideline of things that you can do while visiting Upper Mustang.
Trekking and Hiking
Trekking in the region of Mustang takes you through a different landscape of Nepal. It shows you a different culture, landscape as well as the scenery of Nepal. There are different treks and day hikes you can do in the region of Mustang, Nepal. Some of the most popular treks are:
Upper Mustang Trek
The highest elevation you reach on this trek is 3840m. You can do upper mustang trek as a tea house trek as well. The region has tea houses run by the locals of the region. Hence, it is not a difficult trek and anyone with reasonable fitness can do this trek.
Trekkers do need special permit to trek in the Upper Mustang region. ACAP and TIMS are common permits to trek through the Annapurna Region in Nepal. But, for visiting Upper Mustang, one should also get a restricted area permit from the Tourism Board under the name of a government-registered trekking agency.
Lower Mustang Trek
Lower Mustang offers a short trek allowing you a glimpse of the fabled region of Mustang, often referred to as a “forbidden kingdom” deep in the Himalaya, bordering Tibet.
As well as the incredible mountain scenery of the deep Himalaya with a backdrop of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri this trek offers one of the best experiences of genuine Tibetan culture. Historically the regions were closely linked by culture, religion and a vibrant trade network.
The Lower Mustang trek allows you to explore a fascinating corner of the Himalaya, visiting the local monasteries and the settlements on the banks of the Kali Gandaki River.
Lower Mustang Trek is accessible and doable throughout the year. It experiences a dry summer and not so cold winter. Hence, it is the perfect trekking destination at any time of the year.
Trekkers do not need any special permit to trek in the Lower Mustang region.
Tiji Festival Trek
Tiji festival is celebrated in Lo-Manthang, Upper Mustang which is one of the unique festivals celebrated according to the Tibetan Calendar in the Mustang district.
Trekking to the remote Himalayan region of the Upper Mustang is the most adventurous and beautiful trekking experience. The incredible landscape, ancient Tibetan culture, breathtaking sceneries, and wonderful Himalayan panoramas make one of the iconic trekking destinations in Nepal.
Tiji Festival is the cultural asset of the mustang region. But, nowadays Tiji Festival has become a milestone to boost the tourism of this region. The date of the Tiji Festival differs from year to year.
It is because the local Monk and Lamas fix the date of the Tiji Festival according to their rituals and norms. But in 2023, the Tiji festival dates will have observed from May 16 to 18.
Explore Amazing Wall and Sky Caves
Each village has at least one monastery and many Chortens. You can see them while traveling the upper Mustang.
This is a restricted area because of the historical and religious monuments. The natural and geographical diversity are under protection because of their cultural and historical significance.
There are many sky caves that are built on various cliffs of Upper Mustang. They stand tall in the sky and are new things to explore around. These caves were built by the ancient people of the place.
It is believed that they were built to get rid of threats from enemies during war and also is a burial chamber. But the real purpose and secret of the caves are still mysterious till now.
Horse Riding to Upper Mustang
Mustang area is famous for horse riding for a long time because of the isolation. Upper Mustang is an ideal and popular destination for horse riding tour in Nepal.
Horse riding is one of the unique things to do on the high Himalayan desert of Upper Mustang.
The locals organize an excursion day tour from Lo Manthang to Chhoser in a horse during the upper mustang trek. Horses are tourist-friendly and you can ride them slowly.
All horses that we arrange are tourist friendly they never throw you from back. Horseman led the trip to Kagbeni village for first day and continues to Lo Manthang.
Trekking guide and porters follow the caravan from the beginning to end to support the travelers.
From Kagbeni you will have lots of ups and downs to reach Lo Manthang and Chhoser the final destination of tours
Try Local Cuisines
Thakali food is a famous meal throughout the country which you can enjoy at its home place- Mustang. You can also enjoy the different local products of apples such as wine, beer, dried items, etc.
All the travelers try some local cuisines of upper mustang like Tibetan bread, Khapse, Marpha, local tea mixed with salt and butter during the trek.
Traveling Overland to Upper Mustang
A lot of travelers travel to Upper Mustang via Jeep as they find it pain-free. Not everyone enjoys hiking. So, if you don’t feel like exhilarating yourself with long tiring walks, a comfortable Jeep Safari to Upper Mustang is the best alternative. After a flight to Jomsom, you ride to Muktinath, a religious site in Mustang.
Then, you drive to Lo Manthang in a 4WD Off-road Jeep Tour. Finally, after you explore the last forbidden kingdom of Nepal with a Toyota Land Cruiser Safari, you then drive back to Jomsom, and we again take a flight back to Pokhara. This way, you can also visit the mountain village with your family effortlessly.
