Upper Mustang Forbidden Trek
Sixteen unhurried days walking north into the old Kingdom of Lo, where ochre cliffs, cave gompas and the walled city of Lo Manthang sit in Annapurna's rain-shadow.
Into the old Kingdom of Lo, walked the way it asks.
Upper Mustang was closed to outsiders until 1992, and it still feels held apart from the rest of Nepal. North of the Annapurna massif, in the deep rain-shadow of the Himalaya, the green hills give way to a high Tibetan desert of wind-carved ochre cliffs, eroded canyons and walled villages where Lo's Buddhist culture has carried on largely undisturbed for six centuries.
We walk it slowly, the way the terrain and the altitude ask to be walked. From Kagbeni we follow the old salt-trade trail up the Kali Gandaki through Chele, Syangboche, Ghami and Tsarang, never pushing the climb, building proper acclimatisation into the rhythm rather than racing for the gate of Lo Manthang. Days are spent crossing wide passes, dropping into hidden hamlets and pausing in courtyards where life moves at the pace of the seasons.
Lo Manthang itself, the still-inhabited walled capital at 3,840 m, earns a couple of full days. There is time for the 15th-century frescoes of Thubchen and Jampa gompas, the sky-caves of Chhoser cut into vertical cliff, and quiet hours simply being present in a place few travellers ever reach — led throughout by local guides whose families have lived this landscape for generations.
How the sixteen days unfold.
Days 1–2Pokhara & the flight to Jomsom, on to Kagbeni+
We gather in Pokhara, run through kit and permits, then take the short mountain flight to Jomsom (2,720 m). An easy first walk up the Kali Gandaki brings us to the medieval village of Kagbeni (2,800 m), gateway to the restricted area, where we settle in and let the altitude register.
Days 3–5Into Lo: Kagbeni to Chele and Syangboche+
Past the checkpost we enter Upper Mustang proper, the river canyon widening into ochre and grey badlands. We climb gently to Chele (3,050 m), then over windy passes toward Syangboche (around 3,800 m), keeping the days short and the gains modest so bodies adjust to the thin, dry air.
Days 6–8Ghami, the long mani wall and Tsarang+
We cross high ridges into Ghami (3,520 m), passing one of Nepal's longest mani walls and the red cliffs of Dhakmar. A measured stage brings us to Tsarang (3,560 m), once a royal seat, where an old fort and gompa look out over the valley and there is time to wander before the final push north.
Days 9–11Lo Manthang — the walled city, unhurried+
A morning's walk lifts us to Lo Manthang (3,840 m), the still-walled capital of the old kingdom. Two full days here: the 15th-century frescoes of Thubchen and Jampa gompas, the royal palace, the morning rhythm of the lanes, and unhurried time to simply be in a place that stayed closed to the world for so long.
Days 12–14Sky-caves of Chhoser & the return south+
We ride or walk out to Chhoser to climb the multi-storey sky-caves carved into the cliff, then begin the journey south on a varied route through villages such as Dhakmar and Ghiling, the light and the eroded country looking entirely different on the way back.
Days 15–16Back to Jomsom, fly to Pokhara+
A final stage down the Kali Gandaki returns us to Jomsom and the edge of the restricted area. We fly back to Pokhara for a hot shower and a last evening together, trip notes and farewells before onward travel.
What's included
- Upper Mustang restricted-area permit (RAP) and ACAP entry permit
- All trek accommodation and Pokhara nights on a twin-share basis
- Licensed local Lo/Mustang guide and porter support throughout
- Pokhara–Jomsom–Pokhara flights and all ground transfers in the itinerary
- All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) during the trek
Not included
- International flights and Nepal visa fees
- Travel and high-altitude evacuation insurance (mandatory)
- Meals in Pokhara other than where specified, and all drinks
- Tiji festival supplement and extra nights from flight delays
- Tips for guides and porters, and personal expenses
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