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ABOUT NEPAL
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OUTSIDE NEPAL
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MUSTANG-The Hidden Kingdom
(Spring - Autumn; duration: 18 days)
The Mustang district of Nepal is situated north of two Himalayan ranges Dhaulagiri and Annapurna and surrounded on three sides by the autonomous region of Tibet. This is land of amazing extremes. It is ameeting place for the world's two largest and oldest Religions. Hinduism and Buddhism; two ancient civilization, Indian and Chinese, and two distinct races Caucasian (Aryan) and Mongoloid .even the physical aspects of eastern and western Himalayan and its changing pattern of mountain environments ,makes it a junction of bio-diversity... more
ITINERARY
Day 01 KATHMANDU
Arrival and transfer to the hotel.
Day 02 KATHMANDU
Full day sight seeing of Kathmandu valley: Boudhanath Stupa, Swoyambunath, Pashupatinath, Budanilkantha, Patan Durbar Square and Kathmandu Durbar Square.
Day 03 KATHMANDU
Half day sight seeing of Bhaktapur city. Rest of the day preparing for the Mustang Trek.
Day 04 POKHARA
Early morning drive to Pokhara after breakfast. The drive takes 7 hours which is 200 kms. Arrive Pokhara and hotel check in.
Day 05 POKHARA
Pokhara sight seeing: Devi's fall, Mahendra cave, Seti River Gorge, Bindabasini Temple, Tibetean Refugee Camp and Boating in Fewa Lake.
Day 06 AUSTRIAN CAMP
Drive to trek starting point at Phedi. Trek begins amid lush hillsides and rice paddies to Dhampus ridge for lunch and on to the Austrian camp, a magnificent first campspot on a ridgeline.
Starting from pokhara the expedition follows the southern slopes of Machapuchare and the Annapurna range soaring 26,000ft above, travelling through fertile land inhabited by Nepalese tribal people Chetri, Pun and Gurungs.
Day 07 BENI
Spectacular views of the whole Annapurna massif from the ridge top camp then descend an house to karre, and by coach their hours to district headquarter. Beni lodge early at Galeshor.
Day 08 TATOPANI
Riverside trails ascending to tropical Tatopani. Part day rest to visit the hot spring.
Day 09 GHASA
Entering the worlds deepest gorge an age-old pack animal trade link to Tibet, on to Ghasa.
Day 10 KAGBENI
Through pinewoods the valley opens out under the awesome Dhaulagiri icefall to become a spectacular alluvial plain and we are beyond the Himalayas.
In passing north of the Himalayan crest the expedition now enters a different world. The tropical Hindu lowland are left behind and we emerge info spectacular canyonlands, on the border of the Hidden Kingdom of Lo, where the cultural influences are Tibetan Buddhist and the people are Thakali, Bhotia, Lo, ba Tibetan and Manang ba. There are gompas to see in the villages of Khobang, Tukche Marpha, Shang and Kagbeni, before entering the entering the long forbidden Mustang.
Day 11 MARPHA
From Tukche merchant center of the old Tibet trade in the Kali Gandaki valley, to the refugee camp at Tserok and on to Marpha. Grand merchant houses of the traders, and fortress-like Tibetan villages perched on Cliffside, replace the thatched Hindu tribes houses of the fertile south.
Day 12 EKLI BHATTI
Marpha to Ekli Bhatti via Jomsom and arid canyonlands. Lodge early to avoid high winds.
Day 13 CHELE
Past Kagbeni checkpost and into Mustang, following the alluvial plain of the Kali Gandaki River to Chuksang opposite magnificent eroded cliffs Camp at Chele in side valley bank.
Day 14
Steep climbing up a well englneered cliff trail to a pass at 3550m descend into Samar. Several side canyons are passed on route to a pleasant campsite at Elkli Bhatti, "Lone cafe"(3820m)
Day 15 GHAMI
Superb Views of colorful canyons from the nearby pass. On past Geling and than a climb to Nyi la pass (3950). Descend to camp at Ghami.(3520).
Day 16
The trail passes long lines of mani walls opposite a huge fluted red cliff, heavily wind-eroded and climbs to a highpoint descending to enter Tsarang through its beautiful Chorten gate.
Day 17 LO MANTHANG
After climbing through a side canyon there is a long arid plateau and cliff caves approaching Mustang capital Lo Manthang .The magnificent medieval walled town is suddenly glimpsed in the valley beyond, after a narrow gully highpoint on the trail/like a mythic entrance to another world.
Day 18 LO MANTHANG
Visit the fine gompas, built in a medieval period of affluent control over the Tibet trade. Explore in the afternoon beyond the walls of Lo Manthang to Namgyal monastery and Tingkar.
Day 19 LO MANTHANG
Visit Nyphu Cliffside gompa and Garphu, returning for a last night at Lo Manthang.
Day 20
Retun to the Kali Gandaki canyon, leaving the kingdom after Tangbe.
Day 21
Return to Tsarang via Lo Gekar monastery (optional long day, with Sherpa guides.)
Day 22/23/24
Return to the Kali Gandaki canyon leaving the kingdom after Tangbe.
Day 25 POKHARA
Fly to Pokhara from Jomsom. Rest of the day relax.
Day 26 KATHMANDU
Flight to Kathmandu in mid afternoon. Arrival in Kathmandu and hotel check in. Free day.
Day 27 KATHMANDU
Free day or shopping
Day 28 DEPARTURE
Departure as per flight schedule after breakfast.
Note: Group leaders may have to adapt day-by-day itineraries during an expedition to allow for bad weather, or group member preferences, keeping the trip flexible to suit the needs of the party.
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