Mustang, or Montang in Tibetan, means fertile plain; Upper Mustang trekking takes you into the hidden world of the former kingdom of Mustang, also called Lo. Lo shares its border with Tibet, and for decades, it has had close connections with the region. Because of this reason, there are lots of similarities between the language and culture followed by the people living in these two areas.
The two religions that are widely practiced here are Bon-Po and Tibetan Buddhism. While the former one is rooted deep within Tibet, the latter one emerged from Nepal. The southern part of the area is called Thak and is the homeland of Thakali, who speak their own mother tongue. The language is different in a lot of ways from other more popular dialects spoken in Nepal. Nepal offers trekking, expeditions, food and cultural tours, Jungle safari and other exciting travel packages.
In the region, you will also witness quite a few physical elements that combine the Tibetan and Nepalese way of life. For instance, in the villages of Mustang district, houses are built in Tibetan style. You will find washed houses, with firewood tucked on every roof. Mustang is not only similar to Tibet in terms of culture, but also in terms of climate and landscapes.
Upper Mustang Trekking Itinerary
Upper Mustang lies in the rain shadow of Mt. Dhaulagiri. During your trek in the Mustang region, you will often find yourself surrounded by desolate landscape, white-mountain peaks, and fantastic cultural structures. The region is more of a Himalayan desert. You will notice dryness all around yourself with the least amount of vegetation. Strong winds blow in the afternoon making it impossible for anyone to stand on their feet. Needless to say, since the region is impacted deeply by two religions, you will find quite a few religious structures scattered throughout the route. These could either be big gompas or chortens covered in prayer flags.
Upper Mustang Trekking is a 12 days long journey. It starts and ends at Jomsom, which is the capital town of Mustang district. On the trek, you get to visit places like Ghilling, Dhagmar, Kagbeni, and so on. The major attraction of the trek is Lo Manthang. Long time back, it stood tall as the walled capital city of Lo. The royal palace of the then king can still be found here. On the trek, you slowly transition from Lower Mustang to Upper Mustang. While the former region is filled with greenery, the latter one is quite dry and full of deserts.
The Last Forbidden Kingdom
The Upper Mustang is often known as the land beyond the Himalayas, as, to enter the region, you’ll have to walk around the mountains. So, for the rest of the country, the mountains are towards the north, whereas for Upper Mustang, the mountains are to the north. One of the best things about Upper Mustang trek is that it can be modified up to a great extent. You could either extend the journey to venture deep into Upper Mustang, and explore the Nar Phu valley of the Annapurna region, or you could start your trek from Nayapul and explore the lower region.
This way, you get to explore a small portion of Annapurna Circuit trek, which includes villages like Tatopani, Marpha, and so many others. By choosing this extension, you will also be able to explore Muktinath, which is a major religious heritage for both Hindus and Buddhists. You will also cover the villages of Ghorepani and Ghandruk, and explore Poon Hill. It is one of the most amazing viewpoints in the entire Annapurna region. Needless to say, by adding these extensions to the core journey, you make your Upper Mustang trek more exciting.Himalayan Trails Trekking can prove to be an ideal trekking partner for you if you’re looking to walk in the hills of Nepal.
