Upper Mustang Trek

On arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport, you are met and transferred to your hotel. Kathmandu sits at around 1,400 meters in a broad valley surrounded by hills, with historic sister cities nearby that form the cultural heart of Nepal. The rest of the day is free to rest, stroll through local neighborhoods, or simply recover from your journey. Overnight in Kathmandu.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for a short flight to Jomsom. Landing here is dramatic, a small airstrip surrounded by rugged ridges and wind swept valley floors. Jomsom is the administrative center of Mustang, positioned near the Kali Gandaki river, which cuts between Dhaulagiri and Annapurna and forms one of the deepest gorges on Earth. After meeting your trekking team and organizing equipment, you begin the walk toward Kagbeni, following the river on an open, arid trail of sand and stone. Peaks such as Dhaulagiri, Tukuche, and Nilgiri rise sharply, while the Annapurna range stretches across the southern horizon. Kagbeni, with its narrow alleys, irrigation channels, barley fields, and striking red gompa, offers a first glimpse of the architecture and rhythm of Mustang. After completing local entry formalities, you continue onward to Chhusang. Overnight in a lodge in Chhusang.

You climb above Samar to a ridge and descend into a gorge marked by chortens and juniper growth. The trail crosses a stream and rises to a pass before dropping toward Shyangmochen, a small hamlet where the vastness of the landscape begins to feel truly remote. Nearby, a sacred cave site holds natural formations revered by locals, adding a quiet spiritual layer to the day. The path then continues through wide open valleys before reaching Ghiling, where barley fields spread out below clusters of white and ochre houses built from stone and mud. The southern skyline remains dominated by Nilgiri, its presence constant and imposing. Overnight in a lodge in Ghiling.

Today brings one of the most memorable approaches of the trek. The trail crosses high points and ridgelines, moving steadily toward the old capital of the Kingdom of Lo. A large isolated chorten marks the transition into the Lo Manthang area, and soon the first view appears, a walled city rising from the plateau like a mirage. You circle the outer walls to reach the entrance gate, stepping into a place that feels preserved in time. Overnight in a lodge in Lo Manthang.

Today you venture beyond the city to explore the mysteries of the Upper Mustang landscape. A walk toward Choser leads to the famous multi level cliff caves, often called the Sky Caves. Built into sheer rock faces, these chambers raise questions that historians still debate. Over time they may have served as burial sites, shelters, meditation spaces, and even monasteries. You explore selected sections and absorb the silence of the surrounding lunar like terrain before returning to Lo Manthang. Overnight in a lodge in Lo Manthang.

You trek toward Luri Gompa, one of the most remarkable cave monasteries in Upper Mustang, built into a dramatic cliff near the village of Ghara. Reaching it requires a steep climb, but the reward is extraordinary. Inside, centuries old murals cover walls and ceilings, creating an intense, almost intimate experience of Himalayan sacred art. The monastery’s stupa and iconography reflect deep spiritual symbolism, and the setting itself, suspended above the valley, adds to the feeling of quiet reverence. Overnight near Luri Gompa in a lodge.

You retrace your route southward, crossing high ground and returning through desert like stretches dotted with thorny shrubs and small streams. The openness of the landscape offers sweeping mountain views and a sense of scale that is difficult to describe until you are inside it. You eventually reach the Kali Gandaki corridor again and arrive back in Chhusang. Overnight in a lodge in Chhusang.

A long final day of walking brings you back toward Jomsom, passing through Kagbeni once again before following familiar trails to the valley’s wider paths. Returning to Jomsom feels like closing a circle, and the comfort of a hot shower and a final evening with your trekking team is especially welcome after weeks on the trail. Overnight in a lodge in Jomsom.

After breakfast, you fly back to Kathmandu. The rest of the day is free for final shopping, café time, or a last walk through the old city. Overnight in Kathmandu.