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The Valley of Mustang

Nepal Tours - Child at Kagbeni

CHOICE OF ACCOMMODATION - See price grid below

18 days from £2390

excluding international flights

DAY 1 – Depart UK.

DAY 2 – Arrival in Kathmandu.

On arrival in Kathmandu, capital of Nepal, you will be met by a representative of World Discovery outside immigration and customs. You will then be taken by private car direct to your hotel. Recommended flight from London: Qatar Airways from London Heathrow via Doha (see below). If you are travelling from a country other than the UK we would be happy to give you guidance on your flight options.

EVEREST MOUNTAIN FLIGHT

This experience of a lifetime offers you the chance to view the mighty Himalayan peaks including Everest, the highest mountain on earth.  This is the closest one can get to the peaks without having to trek or climb.  Everest Mountain flight details.

DAY 3 – Kathmandu.

Your World Discovery Nepal tour begins after breakfast, when you meet your private guide and spend the morning visiting the highlights of Kathmandu. The afternoon is at leisure, with the opportunity of taking an optional excursion to Patan.
Meals included: Full breakfast.

DAY 4 – Fly to Pokhara.

In the morning fly to Pokhara, gateway to the Annapurna region.  In the afternoon enjoy a tour of the city and a short boat ride on scenic Phewa Lake.
Meals included: Full breakfast.

DAY 5 – Fly to Jomsom to begin the trek.

Early morning flight to Jomsom.  You will be received by your trekking team at the airport.  After a short preparation, the trek starts.  Three and half hours of walking direct north of Jomsom is the little pretty village of Kagbeni. You will cross a small hanging bridge just out of Jomsom and then walk northwards along the banks of the Kaligandaki River.  The trail is barren with rocks and sand and is mostly flat, making is very easy, enjoyable as well as picturesque.  Your within sight of the imposing peaks of Dhaulagiri (8167m), Tukuche (6920m) and Nilgiri (6940m) and the entire Annapurna massif to the south and south west.
3 to 4 hours walking.
Meals included: Full breakfast, lunch, dinner.

DAY 6 - Kagbeni to Cheley.

The 'Restricted Area' begins from this point.  With your permit for upper Mustang, your Liaison Officer will complete formalities here.  There is a trail up the east bank of the Kaligandaki that climbs over many ridges as it heads north. When Lo people (from Mustang) bring their horses to Kagbeni, they travel straight down the centre of the river valley, jumping on horseback to cross the river. The village of Tangbe is situated alongside the east bank trail above the river at an elevation of 2930m.  Nilgiri peak. which dominated the southern skyline at Kagbeni continues to loom massively at the foot of the valley.  Pictured: the Kaligandaki Valley.  Chhuksang village is about 1 and a half hours beyond Tangbe; this is the area where the Gurung peoples live.  The trek now leaves the Kaligandaki Valley and climbs steeply up a rocky gully to Cheley at 3030m.  The culture changes from Gurung to the Tibetan culture of the Lo.  Houses have sheep horns above their doorways and you will see many twigs in the shape of a cross with threads in 5 colours woven in a diamond-shaped pattern.  These are called zor and are supposed to capture evil spirits that threaten the population.
5 to 6 hours walking.
Meals included: Full breakfast, lunch, dinner.

DAY 7 – Continue to Geling.

The climb from Cheley is up a steep spur to a cairn at 3130m. The climb continues - a long steep, treeless, waterless slog, along the side of the spectacular steep canyon to a pass and cairn of rocks at 3540m.  Here the trail makes a long gradual descent to some Buddhist chortens on a ridge, then descends further on a pleasant trail to Samar, situated in grove of popular trees at 3290m.  This is a major stopping place for horse caravans. The Annapurna range, still dominated by Nilgiri (pictured left), is visible far to the south.  Climb above Samar to a ridge, then descend into a large gorge past a chorten painted in red, black, yellow and white - all pigments made from local rocks. The trail goes into another valley filled with juniper trees, crosses a stream and climbs up to a ridge at 3800 m. and a cave with self-emanating statues of Guru Ringpoche and Padmasambhave.  Snellgrove translates the cave’s Tibetan name as “self produced place of Promenade”.  It is believed that if any part of statue is broken off it will grow back by itself.  From the cave, it is possible to climb a steep gorge to Shyangmochen and avoid backtracking to Samar. The trail climbs gently from Shyangmochen to a pass at 3770m and enters another huge east-west valley.  Geling, today's destination, sits at 3774m.
5 to 6 hours walking.
Meals included: Full breakfast, lunch, dinner.

DAY 8 - Geling to Charang.

From Geling, the trail climbs gently through fields up the centre of the valley, passing below the settlement of Tema Gung and a chorten.  It becomes an unrelenting climb across the bead of the valley to the Nyi La Pass at 3950m, the highest point reached on the trek.  This pass is the southern boundary of the Lo country.  About half an hour from the pass is the trail junction; the left trail leads to Ghami, while the Charang Trail descends below blue-grey and red cliffs across the valleu to a steel bridge across the Tangmar Chu River, and then climbs past what is perhaps the most spectacular stretch of mani wall in Nepal (pictured - a mani wall incorporates prayer-stones inscribed with the Tibetan Buddhist chant Om mani padme hum).  Climbing over another pass at 3600m, the route makes a long and gentle descent to Charang at 3520m.
5 to 6 hours walking.
Meals included: Full breakfast, lunch, dinner.

DAY 9 - Charang to Lo-Manthang (Mustang Town).

The trail descends about 100m from Charang, crosses the Charang Chu River and climbs steeply up a rocky trail to a cairn on a ridge opposite the village at 3580m, then enters the Thong Valley. A short descent leads onto the 'Plain of Aspiration' at 3780m.  Cross a stream, then climb up onto the plateau of Lo-Manthang itself, crossing an irrigation canal at the south wall of the city.
3 to 4 hours walking.
Meals included: Full breakfast, lunch, dinner.

DAYS 10 AND 11 - Break from the Trek in Mustang.

Two days to rest your legs and explore the area in and around Lo-Manthang (Mustang Town).  Until recently Mustang was off limits to tourism but is now accepting a small number of intrepid explorers prepared to walk there along the trails (the only way to get there).  In and around Lo-Manthang are a number of Buddhist sites, including Champa Langhang, dating back to 1420, the red-coloured Thugchen Gompa, and the Gompa of Namgyal (Monastery of Victory).  The picture is of Lo-Manthang viewed from the Gompa of Namgyal.  The barren, treeless landscape is typical of this crossroads of High Asia on the old trading routes to Lhasa in Tibet.
Meals included: Full breakfast, lunch, dinner each day.

DAY 12 - Lo-Manthang to Ghami.

A long walking route today as you begin the return journey.  There is an opportunity to vary this return route, visiting two villages that you did not see on the trek northwards.  From Lo-Manthang the trail to Charang heads south, to reach Gekar.  Turn east along an indistinct trail that passes the irrigated fields of the city. The trail climbs steadily to a pass marked by a cairn, offering a last glimpse of Lo-Manthang. After descending to the valley floor, the route heads to the right up the centre of the valley to its head.  Cross a ridge and traverse across the heads of two indistinct passes.  Climb to a ridge, then across a valley to a cairn and a pass 200m above Gekar.  The route crosses some alpine meadows to a crest, then drops down an eroded gully to the upper part of the village of Tahmar ('Red Crag').  Most of the surrounding hills are pastel shades of grey and yellow.  The trail descends alongside the stone walls and fields of the extensive village, then climbs to a ridge.  It is then a short descent to Ghami at 3440m. 
Pictured: Horsemen in the village of Ghami.
6 to 7 hours walking.
Meals included: Full breakfast, lunch, dinner.

DAY 13 - Ghami to Samar.

From Ghami follow the direct route to Nyi la, climbing to a ridge and then contouring upwards to meet the trail from Charang.  Continue to the pass and descend steeply into the Geling Valley. Follw the trail that passes Geling to an isolated tea house and then descends gently to the three houses of Tama Gung.  A steep set of switchbacks leads to a stream, then the trailclimbs to a huge painted chorten.  The trail rejoins the Geling trailnear the ridge, just below the Chorten, and the remainder of the day is along already-travelled trails back to Samar.
5 to 6 hours walking.
Meals included: Full breakfast, lunch, dinner.

DAY 14 - Samar to Kagbeni.

Retrace the upward trail back to the Kaligandaki River and downstream to kagbeni.  Pictured: the path above the Kaligandaki River.
6 to 7 hours walking.
Meals included: Full breakfast, lunch, dinner.

DAY 15 - Kagbeni to Jomsom.

From Kagbeni walk further south along the Kaligandaki Valley to reach Jomsom.
3 to 4 hours walking.
Meals included: Full breakfast, lunch, dinner.

DAY 16 - Return to Kathmandu.

Fly back via Pokhara to Kathmandu.  The rest of the day is at leisure.
Meals included: Full breakfast, lunch, dinner.

DAY 17 - Kathmandu.  Special 6-course Nepali Dinner.

A final day at leisure. In the evening you will be taken (unless you are already staying there) to the unique Dwarika's Kathmandu Hotel for a special farewell Nepali dinner.
Meals included: Full breakfast, dinner.

DAY 18 – Kathmandu/London.

Private transfer to the airport for your international flight home.
Meals included: Full breakfast.

International Flights

There are no direct flights between London and Kathmandu. We recommend the services of Qatar Airways from London Heathrow to Doha with a good onward connection to Kathmandu. Flights are daily throughout the year. Current timings (subject to possible change) are as follows:
Heathrow/Doha. Depart at 15.05; arrive Doha at 23.89
Doha/Kathmandu. Depart at 01.05 (next day); arrive Kathmandu at 08.30
Kathmandu/Doha. Depart at 09.30; arrive Doha at 11.45
Doha/Heathrow. Depart at 12.30; arrive Heathrow at 17.55

Nepal Tours: The Hidden Valley of Mustang (Tour Reference: WDNP007)
2012 Departures
Price per person based on a minimum of two persons travelling together:

*Although it can get very cold, particularly at night, March, April, October and November are the best months for this trek.  The summer months are warmer but flights are occasionally disrupted by the monsoon, which leads to delays and possible extra accommodation requirements.

Standard Hotels
Kathmandu - Hyatt Regency
Pokhara - Temple Tree Resort & Spa

Superior Hotels
Kathmandu - Dwarika's Kathmandu Hotel
Pokhara - Temple Tree Resort & Spa

During the trek you will sleep in a two-man tent.

Single Room Supplements on request.

The price includes:

• Hotel accommodation as listed above in twin-bedded rooms with private facilities.  Two-man tents during the trek.
• 16 full breakfasts, 11 lunches and 12 dinners as shown in the itinerary.
• Scheduled flights Kathmandu/Pokhara/Jomsom and v.v., including taxes.
• Private transportation and the services of an English-speaking driver in Kathmandu and Pokhara.
• Full trekking crew (guide, cook, porters) during the trek.
  
• All sightseeing as shown (unless indicated as ‘optional’), including entrance fees.
• Your own private local guides in the Kathmandu Valley and Pokhara.
• Porterage at Kathmandu Airport.
  
• Permit for Mustang.  We will require 4 passport sized photographs of each participant at least 60 days prior to the commencement of the trek.  The Mustang permit costs US$700 per person.  Please bear this in mind when comparing prices as some companies quote this separately and do not include it in the main cost.

Not included in the price:

• International flights (see our recommendation above). We are happy to discuss the flights with you and give you further guidance.
• Optional sightseeing.
• International airport taxes.
• Tipping. We will be pleased to give guidance in this often sensitive matter
• A Nepal Visa. This can be obtained before departure from Embassy of Nepal in London, or alternatively you can purchase the visa (current price US$25) on arrival at Kathmandu Airport (recommended). 
  

A deposit of £500 per person is required at the time of booking. The balance of the price for your Nepal tour must be paid at least 3 months before your departure date.