Mustang is the surroundings enriched with mainly barren ridge lands, deep canyons, eroded cliffs and Moraine valleys. It is scenery is unrivalled for it has an amazing wildernesses, perfect scenery, snow capped peak, stunning 16th century’s monastery’s and many other unique magnetism. The view of wind-swept Kali Gandaki valley, vast spaces around Kagbeni and vast ridges that straggle high mountains provide mind blowing information. Nepalese Mustang area preserve a life about unchanged for centuries. Mustang lies in the rain shadow of the Dhaulagiri and Annapurna, you walk in a complete desolate landscape, surrounded by rocks in all kind of colors and bizarre formations. In this barren landscape the villages with their bright colored fields are like oases. It is hidden behind the Himalayas, and Tibetan plateaus. Mustang is an old Kingdom of Lo. In reality the capital of the Mustang district is Jomsom, but the actual Tibetan style district lies north of Kagbeni and is typically refer to as Upper-Mustang. The real capital, Lo Manthang, where the present king lives, is a fantastic square walled town sitting on the ‘Plain of Prayers’.
The most convenient way to get to Upper Mustang, is to drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara, fly from Pokhara to Jomsom and start the trek from there. The flight is an attraction in itself, flying through the deepest gorge in the world, between the Dhaulagiri and the Nilgiri. You will walk along the famous Kali Gandaki River upstream, partly walking in the river bed itself, to Kagbeni. Upper Mustang starts from Kagbeni the restricted area. However, it is worthwhile to pay a visit to the famous pilgrim destination of Muktinath before heading north into Upper Mustang.From Kagbeni the trek goes norhtwards, and brings you in 4 to 5 days to Lo Mangtang. You cross over the pass after the pass, which are all between 3,500 and 4,000 m. You can optionally use a different way via Dhakmar, crossing 2 passes of around 4,200 m. Close to Dhakmar you can find the oldest Tibetan monastery in the world, the Lo Gekar Monastery. Lo Gekar Monastery was built in the 8th century AD, by the famous Tibetan magician Guru Rinpoche. He had to kill a powerful demon first and the blood of the demon has painted the rocks around Dhakmar bright red.
The flight is an attraction in itself, flying through the deepest gorge in the world, between the Dhaulagiri and the Nilgiri. You will walk along the famous Kali Gandaki River upstream, partly walking in the river bed itself, to Kagbeni.
