Ever wondered how life functions in the hidden and most preserved places of Nepal? The Upper Mustang trek is a fantastic opportunity to explore this expansive desert-like region, which lies on the outskirts of the Tibetan plateau and imitates the geographical features of Tibet. Hence, the rare privilege of trekking to Upper Mustang offers almost the same feeling as trekking in Tibet. The opportunity expands in exploring Lo-Manthang, previously called the Kingdom of Lo at 3,730m, which carries valuable artifacts like cave paintings that reflect the life of ancient civilization. Furthermore, the town encapsulates the essence of Buddhist culture.

The Upper Mustang trek is a journey of 17 days. It begins at Kathmandu with a quick tour and then a drive to Pokhara, from where you fly to Jomsom. Enjoy the majestic sights of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri peaks. The actual trek begins in Jomsom (2,700m) and leads to Kagbeni (2,810m). Along the way, echoes of prayer chants by the Buddhist monks can be heard from several monasteries. The ancient monasteries, like Kag Chode Gumba in Kagbeni, are said to be almost eight centuries old. Kagbeni leads to a small town called Chele (3,050m), where stony white houses are scattered in an almost aesthetic manner. Syanbochen (3,457m) is filled with sufficient tea houses to rest. The next day introduces similar towns of Ghami and Tsarang. Finally, you reach the acclimatization point and the highest ground, Lo-Manthang. This rural municipality is stretched like a desert, isolated, and enchanted with many small gumba-like temples and prayer flags across the town. The trek descends gradually after the exploration of Lo-Manthang. The trail passes Drakmar (3,810m), Ghiling (3,808m), and Chhuksang (3,050m) to arrive back in Jomsom.

This trek is relatively easy and you can visit Upper Mustang all year round as it lies in the rain shadow region. During most of the months, the weather is dry and the region appears desert-like. However, winter brings harsh weather with strong winds and heavy snowfall. Apart from November to January, other months are well-suited to visiting Upper Mustang. Due to the region bei...