A tiny piece of land in the rain shadow of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri, Upper Mustang is itself a heaven within the planet. Trekking to Upper Mustang is not only an opportunity to peep into rich Tibetan culture, it also offers the best views of Tibetan landscapes. Rarely trodden trekking trial in Western Nepal is a tranquil destination where every expectation during a trekking holiday in Nepal gets fulfilled.

The major hydrographic feature of the region, Kali Gandaki River bisects Mustang forming some of the world’s deepest gorges in the River Valley of Southern Mustang

Upper Mustang, which lies in the rain shadow of Dhaulagiri and Annapurna was once upon a time, a major stopover point in the salt trading route between India and Tibet because of its strategic location

The walled city- Lo Manthang built by King Ame Pal in 1380 AD has surprisingly changed its appearance however, this isolated Himalayan town has lot to offer in its palace and gompas to the visitors

Trekking to Upper Mustang- the forbidden kingdom requires a special permit which costs 50o US Dollars for ten days to all foreigners and additional charge for additional number of days costs 50 US Dollars per day

Tiji Festival which lasts for three days is one the major highlights of Upper Mustang Trek during the end of May 2014

Upper Mustang is the land of caves- A shepherd in 2007 discovered 55 cave paintings depicting Buddha’s life

Upper Mustang Trek winds through the amazing trail cross passing beautiful villages and savoring views of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri are  the   bonus rewards

Tibetan culture at its traditional best still lives here in Upper Mustang.

Not only the culture, Upper Mustang Trek offers the landscapes identical to the Tibetan ones- In fact this part of Nepal in a way offers Tibetan flavor of ancient times

Deserted landscapes in the lap of Himalayan giants and rich Tibetan Buddhist culture are the prime highlights of Upper Mustang Trek

Trek to Mustang

Boudhanath Stupa

The largest stupa in Asia, Boudhanath reflects the Tibetan lifestyle at its traditional best. Everyday myriad of Buddhist devotees gather around this dome shaped stupa to circumambulate the shrine clockwise, which is ritualistically a holy act in Tibetan culture. Right below the dome, colorfully marked eyes of Buddha , seems like taking care of the city with a parental watch.  Maroon robed Tibetan monks stroll around the adorned streets with colorful prayer flags. The view of pilgrims spinning the prayer wheels and amassing yak butter and roasted barley flour which is also one of the typical Tibetan cultures,  adds life to this tiny Tibet within Nepal. One of the few places in the world where Tibetan Buddhist culture can be observed without spending much time and money, Boudhanath is an UNESCO enlisted World Heritage Site.  The vicinity around Boudhanath is pack to capacity with monasteries and outlets producing and selling essentials to live a normal life of Tibetan Buddhist.

Young monks learning the values of Buddhism

Boudhanath has an important historical significance which was once upon a time a prominent stopover point on the trade route between Tibet and Kathmandu. Travelers on this silk route offered prayer at Boudhanath for the safe journey to Tibetan capital Lhasa, through the high passes in the Himalayas. Descendants of Tibetan refugees to Nepal since 1959, dominate the place now whereas, maroon robed Western students influenced towards Buddhism can also been seen in the backstreets of Boudhanath.

The ancient heritage, Boudhanath can be best observed on the full moon evening, when the entire plaza surrounding the shrine, lightens up with hundred thousand butter lamps.

Cultural Tours in Nepal