Ultimate Trans-Himalayan Trek in Nepal. Trek to remote vilalges of Naar & Phu, visit to forbidden kingdom of Upper Mustang & Sky Caves, experience the culture of Lo & Last Nomads of Mustang.
This is an adventurous trek and a fascinating journey through an area which was, until recently, closed to foreigners: it offers an introduction into the remote and widely unknown Damodar Himal Mountains and follows in the footsteps of the legendary Bill Tillman who explored this area in the 1950’s. It is Nepal’s most recent trekking challenge.
The first part of the trek, after a road journey from Kathmandu to Besisahar, follows the classic Annapurna Circuit route to Chame. After which the trail passes through the isolated village of Naar and then crosses the rarely-travelled Teri La pass (5,595m) to enter Upper Mustang.
An exceptional landscape, with terracotta rock walls, polychromatic canyons and dramatic forms of erosion, characterizes this desert- like alpine terrain in Upper Mustang, located on the border of Tibet; with its ancient villages, age-old castles, antique palaces and Tibetan monasteries, Upper Mustang affords a comprehensive insight into the centuries-old Tibetan-Buddhist culture.
The visit to Mustang is followed by a challenging crossing of the so-far, seldom-crossed Teri La pass (5’577m) to the hidden valleys of Naar Phu, a trekking area that was opened for foreigners only in 2002.
Seen from far away through the swirls of the mountain mist, the Himalayan Mountains appear remote, forbidding and awe-inspiring. Crossing over the Teri La pass affords the chance to see the splendour of some of these mountains, close up, and to enjoy the beauty of remote and sparsely populated valleys while getting an insight into the life and ancient culture of the mountain people.
Officially Mustang is the name of the entire district along the Kali Gandaki River, from the Tibetan border in the north, to Ghasa in the south. The district headquarters is located in Jomsom, a couple of miles south of Kagbeni, the access town to the restricted area of Upper Mustang, also called the Kingdom of Mustang. Its long, complex and rich history are a key element in making the “Forbidden Kingdom” one of the most interesting and picturesque trekking destinations in Nepal. The trek to the Kingdom’s capital Lo-Manthang takes us through a nearly tree less and barren landscape where strong afternoon winds are howling regularly across the wide open plateaus and through the small villages. Being located in the rain shadows of the Himalaya, Lo-Manthang gets considerably less rain than the rest of Nepal. Only during the monsoon season there is some slight rain fall with occasional cloudy skies. During the winter the ground of the Kingdom of Mustang is usually covered with up to 40cm of snow and the region suffers from freezing temperatures. The capital of Lo-Manthang and the whole area of Mustang looks like the Tibetan Plateau, characterized by endless expanses of grey rolling hills eroded by strong winds. Farming is the primary source of food and income for the people of Mustang, they herd yaks and raise sheep or goats, most families also tend their own fields of barley, wheat and mustard. Due to the harsh climate conditions cropping can be done only once a year with planting taking place in April and May. In September the whole region is busy with harvesting.!
After leaving Lo Manthang the trek continues down the Kali Gandaki valley, en route to Kagbeni, where the trail joins the Annapurna Circuit. Jomson, is the culminating point of the trek, and the onward journey to Pokhara may be taken by air, or on foot, where time allows.
A few days in Pokhara are an ideal way to unwind from the exertions of this exciting trek, after which a short flight to Kathmandu is taken.
