What this journey covers

This jeep safari drives you from Kathmandu all the way to Lo Manthang, the historic walled capital of Upper Mustang. The terrain beyond Kagbeni turns into an arid, rugged high-altitude desert, so a private 4WD jeep and an experienced mountain driver are mandatory. Foreign and Indian travellers need a special Upper Mustang Restricted Area Permit processed through a registered local agency.

Highlights

• Private 4WD Land Cruiser or Scorpio jeep
• Drive through the Kali Gandaki, the deepest gorge on Earth
• Apple orchards and monastery walk in Marpha
• Kagbeni, the official gateway to Upper Mustang
• Red-cliff landscapes, Chungshi Cave, and Ghami village
• Lo Manthang royal palace and ancient monasteries
• Chhoser sky caves and the Tibetan-influenced culture

Itinerary

• Day 1: Kathmandu to Pokhara Drive roughly 200 kilometres along the Prithvi Highway beside the Trishuli river valley. Reach Pokhara by afternoon and relax by Phewa Lake. Overnight in Pokhara.
• Day 2: Pokhara to Marpha Drive about 110 kilometres past Beni into the Kali Gandaki valley, flanked by Dhaulagiri and Annapurna. Stop in Marpha, a whitewashed village famous for apple orchards and its local monastery. Overnight in Marpha.
• Day 3: Marpha to Kagbeni and Chhusang Drive up to Kagbeni, where your restricted area permits are verified. Explore the medieval alleyways, then cross into Upper Mustang and continue to Chhusang. Overnight in Chhusang.
• Day 4: Chhusang to Ghami via Chungshi Cave Cross dramatic red-cliff landscapes and old suspension bridges. Visit Chungshi Cave Monastery, where Guru Rinpoche is said to have meditated. Continue over high passes to Ghami, home to one of the longest Mani walls in Mustang. Overnight in Ghami.
• Day 5: Ghami to Lo Manthang Drive past wide desert plateaus, ancient chortens, and wind-carved canyons. Arrive in Lo Manthang and explore the royal palace, Thubchen and Champa Lhakhang monasteries, and the local Tibetan-influenced culture. Overnight in Lo Manthang.
• Day 6: Exploration day around Lo Manthang Take a day excursion by jeep to Chhoser village to see the multi-tiered sky caves carved into vertical cliffs. Visit Tinkar monastery near the Tibetan border. Overnight in Lo Manthang.
• Day 7: Lo Manthang to Jomsom Begin the return journey south, retracing the route through familiar valleys down to Jomsom bazaar. Overnight in Jomsom.
• Day 8: Jomsom to Pokhara Drive down the Kali Gandaki corridor past Tatopani, returning to the lush green hills of Pokhara. Overnight in Pokhara.
• Day 9: Pokhara to Kathmandu Morning departure along the Prithvi Highway. Your driver drops you at your Kathmandu hotel by late afternoon.

What is included

• Private 4WD jeep with experienced mountain driver
• Upper Mustang Restricted Area Permit and ACAP
• Licensed local guide for the restricted zone
• Twin-sharing lodges with breakfast
• Kathmandu airport pickup and drop-off

What is not included

• Lunch and dinner
• Monument and monastery donations
• Tips, travel insurance, and personal expenses
• International flights and Nepal visa

Private 4WD jeep, Upper Mustang RAP, ACAP, licensed guide, twin-sharing lodges with breakfast, Kathmandu transfers.