Description

After exploring Kathmandu we drive to Pokhara in our private coach, and stay a night, before flying to Jomsom to begin our classic trek to Mustang.

It is a short trip, with spectacular views of the Annapurnas and Dhaulagiri, and we land on the tiny airstrip of Jomsom. We head North of the village of Kagbeni and cross a small hanging bridge, walking along the bank of the Kaligandaki River. There is an abundance of beautiful big peaks all around us, such as Dhaulagri, Tukuche, Nilgiri (the awesome mountain above Kagbeni) and the entire Annapurna massif to the southwest dominates. Taking high trails and river bank paths, we come to Chussang. The trail remains interesting with the passing of mule trains carrying goods from Mustang and Tibet. The breathtaking views of the Himalayas to the north are always there to encourage us to continue to our destination. The five villages in this area, Chele, Gyakar, Chussang, Tangbe and Tetang are culturally unified and their populations closely related to the Managis people. As in all the settlements of Mustang, most houses are constructed out of mud and stones with rooves made out of twigs, straw and a mixture of mud and pebbles, usually painted in bright white or ochre colors.

The path to Samar provides us not only with a change in topography but also a distinctive culture, lifestyle and people. Throughout our journey the landscapes are amazing, with brown hills, few trees and some Apple orchards. We walk to Tsarang where we view a huge five storey monastery fortress perched on the edge of the Kali Ghandaki gorge, to the east of the village. The Gompa houses house an excellent collection of statues and Thankas. After exploring the Tsrang valley, we gently climb above the valley to a large Chorten that forms the boundary between the Tsrang and the Lo. Exploring the Lo-Manthang for two days enables us to witness a city which is the Kingdom of the Mustangi King. His Palace is an imposing four storey building in the center of the town, which is an absolutely fascinating place to wander around, with narrow streets and houses adjoining the city walls. The lifestyle of the people in this region is really something to reflect upon. We have reached the halfway point of the trek and return to Jomsom following the same route. In Jomsom we’ll enjoy the local culture and a folk dance, before rising early the next morning and flying to Pokhara where we enjoy the day, shopping, and exploring the city. The following day we catch our flight to Kathmandu .