- Length
- 12 days
- Highest point
- 3,840 m
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Best months
- May–Oct
- Starts
- Jomsom (fly from Pokhara)
- Group size
- 2–10 People
- Sleeping
- Tea House / Lodge
Step into the forbidden Kingdom of Lo — Upper Mustang's walled city of Lo Manthang, ancient cave monasteries, and Tibetan culture thrive in Nepal's finest monsoon-season trek.
- Lo Manthang — the walled medieval capital of the ancient forbidden Kingdom of Lo
- Cave monasteries carved into ochre cliffs: Chhoser, Jhong, and Tsarang Dzong fortress
- Rain-shadow Tibetan Plateau: arid canyons and badlands unlike anywhere else in Nepal
- Restricted area permit limits visitors — pristine culture and uncrowded trails
- Tiji Festival (usually May) — three-day sacred masked dance ceremony in Lo Manthang
- Kagbeni — medieval fortress village at the threshold of Upper Mustang
- Nilgiri (7,061 m) and Annapurna II back-drop the entire circuit
- Lo-pa horse culture — local communities still traverse passes on horseback
- Deepest gorge on Earth: Kali Gandaki divides Annapurna from Dhaulagiri
The climb, day by day
Day 1Arrive Kathmandu (1,400 m)1,400 m
Arrive in Kathmandu and transfer to your hotel. Evening briefing covering Upper Mustang's restricted area regulations, the mandatory Rs 500/day Upper Mustang Restricted Area permit (one of Nepal's most expensive), and cultural etiquette in the ancient Lo Kingdom.
- Distance
- –
- Walking
- –
- Meals
- –
- Night
- Hotel
Day 2Fly Kathmandu → Pokhara → Jomsom (2,720 m)2,720 m
Morning flight to Pokhara, then connect to the short but spectacular mountain flight to Jomsom in the upper Kali Gandaki valley. Jomsom is the administrative headquarters of Mustang district — Annapurna and Dhaulagiri frame the horizon. Upper Mustang restricted area permit checked here.
- Distance
- –
- Walking
- Flight
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Hotel
Day 3Jomsom → Kagbeni (2,810 m)2,810 m
Easy walk north along the Kali Gandaki floodplain to Kagbeni, the gateway to Upper Mustang. This medieval walled village with its red-painted gompa and ancient streets marks the beginning of the restricted zone — checkpost here. The wind typically picks up strongly by midday.
- Distance
- 10 km
- Walking
- 3–4 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 4Kagbeni → Chele (3,050 m)3,050 m
Enter the Upper Mustang restricted area from Kagbeni checkpost. The trail climbs steeply out of the Kali Gandaki gorge onto arid, wind-sculpted plateaus with extraordinary eroded badlands. Chele perches on a cliff edge with commanding valley views.
- Distance
- 14 km
- Walking
- 5–6 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 5Chele → Samar (3,660 m)3,660 m
Cross the Taklam La pass (3,624 m) through wind-eroded canyons of red and ochre rock — the lunar landscape is utterly unlike the rest of Nepal. Samar is a compact village sheltered in a side valley with apple orchards and a small monastery.
- Distance
- 16 km
- Walking
- 5–6 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 6Samar → Ghami (3,520 m)3,520 m
Cross the Nyi La pass (4,010 m) with sweeping views of the Mustang plateau, then descend to Syangbochen and continue to Ghami. Ghami is notable for its long mani wall — one of the longest in the world at over 400 metres — and a well-preserved 15th-century monastery.
- Distance
- 17 km
- Walking
- 6–7 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 7Ghami → Lo Manthang (3,840 m)3,840 m
Cross the Ghami La pass (3,760 m) and descend to the Charang Valley, passing the cliff-hanging monastery of Ghami before the final climb to Lo Manthang. The walled city appears suddenly from the barren plateau — its whitewashed ramparts, four-storey palace, and four major gompas are breathtaking.
- Distance
- 18 km
- Walking
- 6–7 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 8Lo Manthang — Explore the Ancient Kingdom3,840 m
Full day to explore Lo Manthang, capital of the former Kingdom of Lo. Visit Thubchen Gompa (15th century, magnificent murals), Jampa Gompa, the Raja's Palace (Rajhas still reside here), and Chodey Gompa on the northern wall. The town is a living museum of Tibetan culture.
- Distance
- 6 km
- Walking
- 3–4 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 9Lo Manthang → Ghami (3,520 m)3,520 m
Return south from Lo Manthang through the same magnificent arid landscape, choosing alternative trail variants where possible. The afternoon light on the red cliffs and white chortens is especially beautiful. Overnight in Ghami.
- Distance
- 18 km
- Walking
- 6–7 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 10Ghami → Kagbeni (2,810 m)2,810 m
Long descent back through Samar and the badlands to Kagbeni, retracing the outward route with stronger legs and clearer mountain views. Exit the Upper Mustang restricted area at Kagbeni checkpost — permit stamped.
- Distance
- 26 km
- Walking
- 7–8 hours
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Tea House
Day 11Kagbeni → Jomsom (2,720 m) · Fly Pokhara820 m
Short walk back to Jomsom along the Kali Gandaki floodplain. Afternoon flight to Pokhara (weather permitting — always book an early flight as afternoon winds ground aircraft). Evening at leisure in Pokhara.
- Distance
- 10 km
- Walking
- 3 hours / Flight
- Meals
- B, L, D
- Night
- Hotel
Day 12Fly Pokhara → Kathmandu · Departure1,400 m
Morning flight back to Kathmandu. Half-day free for last-minute shopping in Thamel or visiting Boudhanath. Transfer to Tribhuvan International Airport for your onward or departure flight. Your Upper Mustang odyssey ends.
- Distance
- –
- Walking
- Flight
- Meals
- B
- Night
- Hotel
The price includes
- Upper Mustang Restricted Area Permit (US$50 per person per day, about US$500 for 10 days)
- Annapurna Conservation Area permit
- TIMS card
- Government-registered English-speaking guide (mandatory for restricted area)
- Porter (1 per 2 trekkers)
- All teahouse accommodation on trek
- 3 meals per day (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
- Pokhara–Jomsom–Pokhara flights
- Jomsom–Kagbeni–Lo Manthang jeep (where road exists)
- Kathmandu hotel transfers
- All government taxes and service charges
You pay separately
- International airfare to/from Kathmandu
- Nepal entry visa fee ($30–$50 on arrival)
- Comprehensive travel insurance with emergency helicopter evacuation
- Meals not listed in daily itinerary
- Personal trekking gear and equipment
- Tips for guides and porters (recommended: USD 8–12/day guide, USD 5–8/day porter)
- Beverages, hot showers, and battery charging at teahouses (payable direct)
- Personal expenses and souvenirs
- Any costs arising from early departure, illness, or flight delays
The 12-day Upper Mustang Trek is a focused journey to the Forbidden Kingdom — reaching Lo Manthang, the walled medieval capital at 3,840 m, and returning via the scenic east-bank route in fewer days than the full 15-day programme. By using jeep transport between Jomsom and Kagbeni (eliminating the lower valley walking), 12 days is sufficient to experience the Mustang plateau's extraordinary desert landscape, cave monasteries, and Lo-ba Tibetan Buddhist culture.
The highlights remain the same as the longer itinerary: the ochre badlands and wind-carved cliffs above Chele and Ghami, the painted chortens and mani walls of Tsarang, Lo Manthang's 15th-century Thubchen Gompa and royal palace, and the cave monastery of Chhoser north of the capital. The 12-day schedule visits all of these with one fewer acclimatisation day in Lo Manthang — appropriate for trekkers who arrive well-acclimatised from a prior Annapurna or Pokhara altitude stage.
The restricted area permit (US$50 per person per day, about US$500 for 10 days), Pokhara–Jomsom mountain flights, all teahouse accommodation, guide, and porter are included.
Best season: Year-round (rain-shadow area). Access: Pokhara–Jomsom mountain flight included. Restricted area permit: US$50 per day, about US$500 for 10 days (included).