Sightseeing of Kathmandu Valley

After having breakfast, proceed on a full day sightseeing tour to Kathmandu city, Swoyambhunath stupa, and Patan city.

Kathmandu city: The seat of royalty until the last century, Kathmandu Durbar Square is a wondrous cluster of ancient temples, palaces, courtyards, and streets. Kumari, the living Goddess, the stone carved statue of ferocious Kal Bhairav, erotic carvings glorifying the artworks in the temples, the giant temple of the Goddess Taleju and image of Shiva and Parvati peering outside through the window are just a few of the most noteworthy attractions in the area. One can't help but admire the exceptionally attractive woodcarvings, statues, and buildings that are a cluster in the area.

Swoyambhunath stupa: A golden spire crowning a conical wooded hill, Swayambhunath Stupa is the most ancient and enigmatic of all the holy shrines in Katmandu valley. Its lofty white dome and glittering golden spires are visible from many miles and from all sides of the valley. Historical records found on a stone inscription give evidence that the stupa was already an important Buddhist pilgrimage destination by the 5th century AD.

Patan city: Nowhere else can be seen such a compression of marvelous monuments within a limited space like in the Patan Durbar Square. Besides the old royal palace, which dominates all others in grace and grandeur, here is the 17th-century Krishna Mandir. Entirely made of stone, this shikhara-style structure with 21 pinnacles is dedicated to Lord Krishna, a savior deity in Hindu pantheon, and is equally noted for rare stone carvings on its walls, which depict various episodes of the epic wars of Ramayana and Mahabharata. Other landmarks within the Square are Tusha-hity (water spout), Sundari Chowk, Taleju Temple, and the Keshav Narayan Chowk. The Hiranyavarna Mahavihar (Golden temple), Rudravarna Mahavihar and the terra-cotta temple of Mahabouddha are other highlights in the vicinity.

Overnight at the hotel in Kathmandu.

Fly to Jomsom & Trek to Kagbeni [2780m]

Transfer to the airport to connect the flight to Jomsom. We take the spectacular early morning flight to Jomsom (famous for its apples) where we will be met at the tiny airstrip by our trek crew. After some initial preparation of loads, we begin our trek to the pretty village of Kagbeni. Just out of Jomsom we cross a small suspension bridge and then walk along the riverbank of the Kali Gandaki. The trail is flat and quite barren, with craggy rocks and sand littering the trail. This makes it very easy going. We will get magnificent views of huge peaks such as Dhaulagiri, Tukuche, and Nilgiri, whilst to the south can be seen the entire Annapurna massif. Kagbeni with its narrow alleyways and tunnels, irrigation canals, fields of wheat and barley and a large red Gompa, give us a preview of scenes that we would come across in Upper Mustang. At the north end of the village is the police check-post. Here we will complete our paperwork before entering this long-forbidden region of Nepal.
Overnight at Tented camp.

Trek to Samar (3290m)

There is a distinct change here, not only in the topography, but also in the culture, lifestyle, and people, and the settlements become more scattered, smaller and more basic. The people of Lo or Mustang practice agriculture. But due to lack of rain and fertile soil, cultivation is limited to sheltered plots of land. This spots the brown landscape with patches of green. Continuing north, we reach the river. A steel bridge spans the river just in front of a tunnel and north from here the Kali Gandaki becomes impassable by foot. The trek now leaves the valley and climbs steeply up a rocky gully to the village of Chele. Watch out for the ferocious Tibetan mastiffs here, which are chained to many of the houses. From Chele, you climb a steep spur and then continue ascending along the side of a spectacular steep canyon to a pass. Beyond the pass, we descend on a pleasant trail to Samar, situated in a grove of poplar trees. This is a major place to stop for horse and mule caravans.
Overnight at tented camp.

Trek to Ghami (3460 m)

From Geling, the trail climbs gently through fields, up the center of the valley, passing above the settlement of Tama Gun and an imposing Chorten. We then begin a taxing climb across the head of the valley to the Nyi La [3840m]. The descent from the pass is quite gentle and about half an hour further on we come to a trail junction; the right trail is the direct route to Charang, the left trail leads to Ghami. Ghami is a large white-washed village sheltered by overhanging cliffs.
Overnight at Tented camp.

Trek to Lo Manthang (3730 m)

We will spend part of the morning exploring the interesting village of Charang and its large monastery, before setting out for Lo Manthang. We climb gently above the valley to a large isolated Chorten that marks the boundary between Charang and Lo Manthang. The trail then broadens and eventually we get our first view of the walled city of Lo Manthang. The city has only one entrance so we circumambulate the wall to the gate on the north-east corner.
Overnight at tented camp.

Trek to Lo Gekar

We begin our return journey from Lo Manthang, taking the upper highland route. This highland route offers dramatic views of Lo Manthang and the Charang Valley, with snow-clad peaks in the background. Just past the settlement of Lo Gekar, we reach the oldest monastery in Mustang, the Ghare Gompa.
Overnight at tented camp.

Trek to Chhuksang (2920 m)

Now we must retrace our route back over the Nyi La to Chhuksang.
Overnight at tented camp.

Fly to Kathmandu via Pokhara

We take a spectacular early morning flight along the Kali Gandaki gorge to Pokhara and catch a connecting flight back to Kathmandu. Receive upon arrival in Kathmandu and escort to the hotel.
Overnight at the hotel in Kathmandu.