Overland Manang & Upper Mustang

Morning start the drive to Pokhara, Pokhara is an pictures town at 884 meters above sea level and is an ideal vacationer’s paradise. With its crystal-clear lakes, magnificent views of the Annapurna Mountain Range, and bustling but quaint lakeside Bazar, it is a major tourist attraction. Upon arrival at Pokhara check in to the hotel and after resting for a while free for the sightseeing tour.

After an early breakfast, leave Pokhara and drive towards Beni (70 KM) on the Baglung Highway. This section of the drive provides fantastic mountain vistas, picturesque terraced farmlands, and an opportunity to walk on one of Nepal’s famous suspension bridges. Ascend gradually through the Kali Gandaki gorge, the deepest gorge in the world. There is a continuous change in the topography with every twist and turn until Tatopani.  En route, there are fantastic views of Mt. Dhaulagiri (8167 m), Tukuche (6920m), and Nilgiri (7061m). As we pass between the Dhaulagiri and the Annapurna Mountain range, a dramatic change in vegetation is witnessed from green forests, to dry arid desert.It takes gradual acclimatizing to the surroundings. Continue the ride towards Jomsom through the dusty gravelled “off” road passing smaller settlements and apple orchards. This day’s journey is a tough one but the scenic views of the rugged landscape, beautiful cascading waterfalls, orange and apple orchards, scattered roadside villages, and ancient Buddhist monasteries all make it ‘One Hell of a Ride”. From here continue the ride passing through the village on the desert plateau brings us to Muktinath “Place of Salvation”. Upon arrival at Muktinath, we check in to the guest house. Late PM: Visit Muktinath Temple. A sacred place both for Hindus and Buddhists and is located at an altitude of 3,710 meters at the foot of the Thorong La (5416 m Pass).

After breakfast, drive backtracking all the way to the outskirts of Kagbeni and then turn northeast and ride to Chhuksang Village, the entry point of the restricted Upper Mustang region. Restricted area permits are checked here at the Police Check post. After completing the permit work, we continue our ride to Gelling. As we pass Kagbeni village we will be riding on the bank of Kali Gandaki River. Kali Meals (Black) and the water of the river are black in color. In Chele, we will be able to see the river tunnels.  Upon arrival at Samar, we rest for a while and take lunch. After lunch continues our ride to Lo-Manthang. Lo-Manthang served as the capital of the ancient Kingdom of Mustang, which survives as the Kingdom of Lo or “Upper Mustang”. Lo Manthang was founded in 1380 by Ame Pal, who oversaw the city wall construction and many of the still-standing structures in the early 15th century. The monarchy officially ceased to exist on October 7, 2008, by Nepali Government order. The last king (raja or yellow) is JigmeDorjePalbarBista (born c. 1933), in the direct line of the historic monarchy dating back 25 generations to 1380. The population includes ethnic Lhobas.  Upon arrival at Lo-Manthang we check in to the lodge and the rest of the evening is free to relax and explore the kingdom of Lo-Manthang.

The major Temples inside the walls are Champa Lakhang (God House) which houses the massive 45 ft. statue of Maitreva, the future Buddha, and the red Thugchen Gompa with several large images of Sakyamuni, Avalokitesvara, and Maitreya, and the Chyodi Gompa of the Sakya sect which has several monks in residence and is the site of the annual Mani Rimdu festival in many which is referred as ‘tegi’ in Lomanthang. They are all supposed to have been built in 1420. Despite the apparent squalor of Lo Manthang, the city is prosperous and maintains a strong sense of community. Though the people call themselves Lobas- people from Lo, they are very much Tibetan and practice a sophisticated culture and economy. After a leisurely breakfast, we get ready for the day’s adventure. Today we are going to visit one of the most interesting sites of the pre-human settlement in this unexplored valley and famously known   Caves of Chhoser and the magnificent landscape and Nymphu monastery built on the cliffs. On our way back we can also visit the Namgyal village and monastery. As you approach the Chhoser village, you could see numerous caves in the front of the cliff that once use to be the home of the prehistoric Loba’s and the monks. After the sightseeing tour, we back to the city of Lo, for hot lunch. Rest of the day at leisure or free to explore the walled village.

After breakfast, we ride backtrack to Kagbeni (2800 m) which is a fascinating medieval village with closely packed mud brick houses, dark alleys, and imposing chortens lying along the trekking route and is the gateway to Upper Mustang. This village also boasts a Monastery. From Kagbeni continue to drive to Jomsom and on to Marpha Village. Here we stop for Lunch. Marpha is famous for its apple orchards and apple products. After lunch ride another 2 hours to Tatopani. “Tato” means ‘hot’ and “Pani” means ‘water’, a name earned courtesy of the hot springs and is a popular place for trekkers to relax and dip their weary bodies in the natural hot springs. Upon arrival at Tatopani, we check in to the Lodge. The rest of the day is free to relax or explore the village or dip their weary bodies in the natural hot springs.

Descend from Tatopani to Pokhara and then on to Beshishar the gateway to Manang. With the subtropical atmosphere and deciduous backwoods, Besisahar is the passage to the celebrated Annapurna Range journey.

After breakfast, we will continue our journey around 34 km to Jagat. It is an undulating climb on a dusty road. we will hike a bike through a steep, rocky, trail crossing the villages. we will continue riding throughout the Marsyangdi river bank for Manang. Wonderful experience of subtropical forest mixed with arid barren landscapes, lots of old Buddhist monasteries, rich culture, as well as the breathtaking beauty of the Manang and Marsyangdi Valleys and high peaks Himalayas. They also say a piece of heaven falls in the Manang district. you can expect amazing scenery throughout the tour. we will be traveling 63 k of offroad trails at an altitude of 3519 meters to Manang. you can expect amazing scenery throughout the tour. we will have an overnight stay in the guesthouse at Manang. Manang village is a hidden treasure of Nepal. The high peaks around Mustang halt the rainy clouds to enter the territory of Manang which causes the low rainfall in this region. This is the barren land of Nepal, also known as the Desert of Nepal. It feels like heaven to be here, the astounding sceneries and local lifestyle consolidate more beauty to this rural land. Compared to other nearby regions, Manang is more wealthy due to the incredible natural resources, artifacts, herbs and gems, culture, and traditions. There are many monasteries in the Manang region. The influence of ancient Tibetan Buddhism practices and devotion can be seen in this place. Manang is the real heaven of Nepal. The local settlement, mountains, and glaciers, the surrounding make an unforgettable experience in this wonderland.

After breakfast, Explore the pristine Gangapurna Lake and Manang Bazar. Gangapurna lake is very close to Manang, which takes around an hour to walk. The lake is attractively blue because of the sedimentation of water from Gangapurna Glacier. It says beautiful views come only after a hard walk, the walk from Manang to this stunning Gangapurna Lake and surrounding views prove it. Back to Manang for lunch and ride back to Bhartang 25 Km via the same route. Bhartang is a small village before Chame. At 2650 m above sea level and with the magnificent fusion of numerous mountain peaks, glaciers, passes, valleys, and human settlement make it a wonderful place.

After breakfast, we will continue our journey. we will be traveling offroad trails along with some amazing scenery and the welcoming nature of the sherpas who are the local residents. after traveling the whole day, we will have an overnight stay in Bandipur. It is one of Nepal’s most beautiful yet astonishingly less traveled hilltop settlements, historically Bandipur was an important stop on the India–Tibet trade route for centuries. Overnight at the old Inn resort, the 18th-century buildings are well-preserved and motorized. Vehicles are not allowed in the village; it is nice and quiet.

Drive back to Indian vis Sonali border End of Tour.