For the Mustang trek
(Damodar Kunda) we take a morning flight to Jomsom,
the district headquarters of Mustang. The sound of jingling
horse and pony bells as the Mustangi people pass by
with their loads becomes an omnipresent aspect of the
trek from now on. We trek up the windy Kali Gandaki
valley to Kagbeni. The wide trail along a sandy, saligram-filled
riverbed provides views of the surrounding peaks of
Dhaulagiri, Tukuche and Nilgiri, and to the south the
entire Annapurna Massif. Kagbeni, spectacularly situated
atop a cliff overlooking the confluence of the Kali
Gandaki and the Jhong Khola rivers, is the last village
in Lower Mustang and guards the entrance into Upper
Mustang, visible across the Kali Gandaki riverbed. It
is an oasis of patchwork fields in the midst of rocky,
arid mountains. This ancient and partially ruined citadel
town provides us with a taste of scenes to come in upper
Mustang, with its narrow alleyways and tunnels, irrigation
canals, green fields of wheat and barley and its imposing
and newly-restored brick-colored gompa. Here we go through
the police check, after completing our paperwork we
enter Upper Mustang, the long-forbidden region of Nepal.
Lo Monthang, aptly named
the ''Plain of Aspiration." The fabled walled city
of Lo, with a single entrance through which only the
king is allowed to ride (all others must walk), is a
welcome sight! The king, "Lo Gyelbu", named
Jigme Palbar Bista, still resides at his four-storied
palace inside the city walls ... that is, when he's
not in Kathmandu. He is an avid horseman, and keeps
his own stable of horses, some of the best in Mustang,
it is said. Stay away from his Tibetan mastiffs, though!
Today the king plays a somewhat ceremonial role, although
he is well loved and respected throughout the kingdom.
In the 1380's, King Ame Pal, established his reign in
Lo, with the walled city of Lo Monthang as its capital.
Within the walls of Lo Manthang are about 150 houses
built among narrow streets, and some of the largest
and finest Tibetan Buddhist gompas in Nepal.
The Damodar Kund (lake)
is famous for Hindu religion, it is situated rain shadow
are of High Himalayas north of Annapurna range. The
elevation of the Damodar Kund is just 4890 meters; it
is cold and windy place. We will recommend to you visit
during the full moon of August every year, because every
year there is a big festival up there many pilgrimages
Hindu and Bhuddist visit full moon of August. Usually,
you can visit April to September every year. Festival
time will be grate for visit Damodar Kund.
From Damodar Kund, the
views are great from some viewpoints a bit higher than
the lakes, just a short climb up some of the hills offer
the Tibetan plateau & Damodar Himal to the north
and the Annapurna Himalayan massive to the south.
Muktinath, one of the
holies temples in Nepal and a very popular pilgrimage
site, contains an elaborate temple complex which includes
108 cleansing water spouts and an eternal flame lodged
inside a small Buddhist temple. This complex combines
Hindu and Buddhist traditions gracefully. From Muktinath,
we have outstanding views of the colorful valley and
neighboring villages.Trekkers carry only day pack and
walk at their own pace. Average hiking per day will
be 6-7 hrs.
Outline Itinerary
Day 01 : Drive to Pokhara (900m) /Hotel
Day 02 : Fly to Jomsom (2710m) & Trek to Kagbeni
(2800m)
Day 03 : Trek to Chele (3050m)
Day 04 : Trek to Geling (3570m)
Day 05 : Trek to Tsarang (3560m)
Day 06 : Trek to Lo Manthang (3809m)
Day 07 : Rest & explore Around Lo Manthang
Day 08 : Trek to Dri/Yara (4000m)
Day 09 : Trek to Bas Khola (4500m)
Day 10 : Acclimatization day
Day 11 : Trek to Damodar Kund (lake)/ camp at 4890m
Day 12 : Trek to Ghechung Khola (4000m)
Day 13 : Trek to Tange (3240m
Day 14 : Trek to Tetang (2900m)
Day 15 : Trek to Muktinath (3760m)
Day 16 : Trek to Jomsom (2710m)
Day 17 : Fly to Pokhara /Hotel
Day 18 : Fly to or by bus to Kathmandu /Hotel
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