Welcome at the airport and transfer to the hotel.

Kathmandu to Pokhara by tourist bus. Time for sightseeing around Pokhara and its beautiful setting by Phewa Lake.

An early flight to Jomsom gives us our first taste of the magnificent mountain scenery that awaits us on this incredible journey through the long-hidden kingdom of Mustang. After our landing, we head out through the astonishing Kali Gandaki Gorge and follow the river north until we reach the village of Ekle Bhatti, with Dhaulagiri, Nilgiri, and Tukuche keeping us company on our hike. We finish the easy day with our arrival at Kagbeni, the traditional gateway to the Mustang region, with plenty of time to wander the village and explore its temples and monasteries.

A series of scenic passes, including the highest, Taklam La (3624m) provides us with an undulating passage towards the pretty villages of Samar and Syanbochen, with the peaks of Tilicho, Nilgiri, and Yakawa Kang standing tall over the valley.  We pass by the Chungsi cave along the way, long reputed to have been a place of meditation for the legendary Guru Rinpoche.

The pass of Yamda La (3850m) greets us soon after our morning departure, and a series of villages and chortens mark our passage through the scenic and culturally rich and diverse valley, culminating in our climb over Nyi La pass (4010m) to round out our day before arriving at Ghami and its dramatic setting.

Our journey continues across a suspension bridge and climbs steeply along the trail towards a panoramic ridge top, after which we continue on a path by the Ghaymi Khola and a long series of fascinating Mani walls that mark our passage. The day finishes with our arrival at Charang, a historic village renowned for its imposing gompa and venerable palace.

We exit Charang and steadily climb to a ridge that presents us with our first views of the magical capital and former royal residence of Lo-Manthang, and as we descend towards the village a chorten greets us as a marker seemingly highlighting our passage into a distant time and place. The white-washed walls greet us from afar as we climb the plateau and approach the solitary entrance and enter within to find our accommodation for the night.

If one day on a journey of numerous highlights could be cited as the standout, this could possibly be the one. Walking through Lo-Manthang feels like a time portal has opened up and whisked us back through the centuries, leaving us wandering upon mysterious gompas and down myriad laneways lined with prayer wheels, stupas, and chortens, the overwhelming feeling of an ancient Buddhist culture alive and well and greeting you with every step. At the village’s heart lies the palace, modest by European standards yet exuding its own aura and sense of place in this mystical cultural outpost.

Our journey moves on through the semi-arid wilderness, passing numerous caves en route, with mani walls marking our passage as we head back towards the south. A climb takes us steadily upwards at day’s end to Ghiling, with ample time left over to explore the village before bedding down for the night.

The day’s hike offers up fine views of the Himalayas as we trek downhill over a rolling landscape of hamlets and picturesque scenery, the entire region exuding its Tibetan influences and culture. By mid-afternoon, we arrive at Chhuksang in plenty of time to explore the village at our leisure.

We take an early morning flight back to Pokhara and explore the picturesque city. It’s a free day to sit back and enjoy all that the city and its beautiful lakeside setting have to offer.

A long day’s drive by bus that gives provides numerous scenic opportunities — and thrills — along the way.