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Tightly sealed off to the outside world until 1992, the tiny kingdom of Mustang preserved within its boundaries a culture and a way of life little changed over the centuries. Still presided over by its hereditary dynasty, this unique kingdom-within-a-kingdom has Tibetan Buddhist monasteries that predate any monasteries within Tibet, and a well-preserved Tibetan Buddhism that has thrived with little influence from the Chinese to their north or the Nepalis to their south. In fact, it is said by many that there is more of Tibet in Mustang than there is in today's Tibet. On top of all this, the trekking here is fabulous, and only moderate in its difficulty. This is truly a connoisseur's trek.
The trip begins with a flight to Pokhara, and a connecting flight to Jomsom, the latter taking us through the spectacular Kali Gandaki River gorge. Our first day's trek is a short one, to Kagbeni, previously the northern limit for trekkers. A side trip the next day to the sacred pilgrimage spot of Muktinath gets our legs in shape for the trek ahead, and more importantly, provides us with the opportunity to acclimatize successfully in the rarefied air of the high altitudes to which we'll soon be trekking.
As we leave Kagbeni the following day, we'll be entering an area that was virtually untrekked until early 1992. After a full day beside the Kali Gandaki, we climb up onto a shoulder above the river and enter Mustang proper. For those who have trekked in Nepal previously, this world bears almost no resemblance to the rest of Nepal. The faces, clothing, architecture, language, and especially the desert landscape, all bespeak the Tibet of old.
As we work our way up the river, each day seems to bring us back several decades or more. The gorge above Tsaili is dramatic, with the wide cliffside trail snaking its way upward in the cool morning shade. Once atop the gorge, we cross the first of many passes, affording us our first wide-angle panorama of this incredible landscape: high altitude steppe on all sides, gnarly mountains east and west, the imposing Annapurna massif to our south, and the vast expanse of Tibet luring us northward. Even at this point in our journey, we are aware of the siren-like walled citadel of Lo Manthang, always before us, drawing us like pilgrims ever onward in our quest.
Our camp at Tragmar is in a lush green meadow, directly beneath the cave-studded red cliffs that give the place its name. The physical setting here makes this the most stunning campsite of the trek. The caves that dot the sheer cliffs were once used by meditating monks, and several of them are accessible easily on foot. Sunset on the Himalaya from here is a highlight of the trip for the mountain afficionados in the group. There are monasteries to visit each day, with Gemi, Lo Gyekar, and Tsarang among the more notable ones. But the best is saved for last: Luri Gompa.
Luri dates to the 7th century, which predates Samye, the oldest standing monastery in Tibet. It sits perched astride crumbling red sandstone cliffs, and is in genuine danger of falling to its demise. Due to its situation, away from any village, it is also in a state of neglect, and the theft of several artifacts since tourism began only endangers the monastery's future further. We will camp by the monastery, the first group ever to do so, and spend a full morning exploring this magical place.
It's then time to push on to our final destination, Lo Manthang. After a full morning walk through this high-altitude desert, we pass below some prayer flags and behold the walled city before us for the first time. We have time here to visit all three of the monasteries and thoroughly explore this well-kept remnant of the 16th century. We will attempt to get ourselves atop the 30' wall, from where we have a bird's eye view of the city, fluttered over by hundreds of prayer flags. With luck, we may be able to arrange an audience with the king, and/or the local rinpoche. The finale of this great adventure is as thrilling as one would expect for a trek this great: a helicopter ride from Lo Manthang all the way back to Kathmandu. Given the alternative—walking back along the same route to Jomsom with the wind and sand in our faces, and depending on the infamously unreliable departures out of Jomsom,this is also the only exit that makes any sense.
Grade: Moderate.
Land Cost: (includes special Mustang permit fee of $700)
$4,200 (11-15 members)
$4,500 (6-10 members)
$4,750 (3-5 members)
Single Supplement: $300
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