An Adventure In Upper Mustang | Part II
Trek Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Kathmandu and Flight/ Drive to Pokhara
Once you land in Kathmandu, our team shall transport you to our hotel. After checking in, you can rest for a while before pursuing further. A flight to Pokhara is at an average of 15 minutes, whereas a drive ranges between 6-8 hours. A flight to Pokhara allows you to visit a few sights in Kathmandu. It also exempts you from a long bus journey.
Day 2: Flight to Jomsom and Trek to Kagbeni
Trek time: 3 to 4 hours
The flight to Jomsom from Pokhara is approximately 20 minutes. The real journey begins here. After you land at the airport, you are greeted with a teaser of the trek and views ahead. Your first destination is the mystical town known as Kagbeni. Firstly, you shall cross a small bridge. After that, the trail is well marked and relatively easy compared to the road ahead. When at Kagbeni, walled passages greet you with an archaic feel. The walls feature clay effigies and decorations. The stone houses transport you to a different realm altogether.
Day 3: Kagbeni to Chele
Altitude: 3050m
Trek Time: 6 hours
After spending a beautiful night at Kagbeni, the trek to Chele begins after a hearty breakfast. The trail follows the winding Kali Gandaki river. You get to witness the absolute depth of the valley gorges during this hike. The village of Tanbe is an oasis on the trail. You can stop here to catch your breath and admire the white-washed houses and the beautiful fields of buckwheat and barley. This landscape also features splendid apple orchards.
Did you know the apples of this region are prized for their rich taste? The locals also create various drinks and snacks with the apples. You should definitely grab a few to indulge during your trip. Further in the hike, you follow a ridgeline which takes you to Chele village.
Day 4: Chele to Syangmoche
Altitude: 3475m
Trek Time: 6 hours
The previous hikes seem easy compared to the trail ahead. During your journey to Syangmoche, you shall cross your first big pass- Taklam pass. The pass stands tall at an altitude of 3624m. As soon as you’re done with Taklam La pass, you are greeted with Darjori La pass at 3737m. Every risk comes with its reward. The trail offers breathtaking mountain views and glimpses of peculiar caves. As you walk further, you decend into Samar Village. You need to follow a ridge and cross a narrow steep trail during the final mile of Syangmoche.
Day 5: Synagmoche to Ghami
Altitude: 3500m
Trek Time: 5 hours
After a hearty breakfast, you shall embark on another challenging trail. You shall cross two passes in this leg Yamada La at 3850m and Nyi Pass at 4010m. As you embark further stunning landscape views of stone villages with lush barley fields greet you. Before you descend down to Ghami, you need to cross the second pass- Nyi Pass at 4010m. The village of Ghami is a picture perfect village. After refreshing yourself, you can indulge in a brisk village walk.
To be continued in the next blog…