Upper Mustang Trek: 15-Day Forbidden Kingdom

What's included

• Airport transfer (arrival and departure) in a private vehicle
• All meals throughout the trek (breakfast, lunch, dinner) plus all drinks except deluxe teahouse rooms with bed heater throughout
• 1 expert Nepal government-trained guide for trekkers
• Private vehicle for all road transfers (Kathmandu–Pokhara and return)
• SIM card duration of the trek
• ACAP (Annapurna Conservation Area Permit) and TIMS permit
• Upper Mustang restricted area permit
• 24/7 emergency support
• Trekking certificate on completion
• Enter Lo Manthang, the walled capital of the ancient Forbidden Kingdom
• Trek the Kali Gandaki, Earth's deepest gorge, to ancient Tibetan villages
• Explore the Chhoser Cave Complex — tunnels carved into cliffs 3,000 years ago
• Visit Muktinath, one of Asia's holiest Hindu and Buddhist pilgrimage sites
• Trek Nepal's restricted zone with 1 guide per 2 trekkers, all permits included

What's not included

• International flights to and from Kathmandu
• Nepal visa (obtain on arrival or in advance)
• Kathmandu hotel accommodation (arranged separately during online briefing)
• Alcoholic beverages
• Personal travel and medical insurance (required)
• Personal trekking gear (sleeping bag, trekking poles, etc.)
• Tips for guides and porters (customary but at your discretion)
• Meals in Pokhara (breakfast included at hotel; other meals at own expense)

Itinerary

1. Day 1 · Upper Mustang is unlike anywhere else in Nepal. Located in the rain shadow of the Himalayas, this high-altitude desert remained closed to outsiders until 1992 — earning it the name the Last Forbidden Kingdom.
2. Day 2 · While the rest of Nepal changed with the decades. Mustang preserved its Tibetan Buddhist culture in near-perfect form. Ancient monasteries, whitewashed walled villages, medieval cave complexes, and a royal palace in Lo Manthang still stand exactly as they have for centuries.
3. Day 3 · This 15-day journey takes you from Pokhara through the deepest gorge on Earth. the Kali Gandaki valley — and north into the restricted zone of Upper Mustang. The landscape transforms dramatically as you gain altitude: lush river valleys give way to eroded ochre cliffs, wide wind-blown plateaus, and a vast sky that feels closer than anywhere.
4. Day 4 · The mountains of Dhaulagiri. Annapurna, and Nilgiri frame the horizon throughout. At Lo Manthang, the walled capital of the ancient Lo Kingdom, you explore the Royal Palace, Thubchen Gompa, Jampa Gompa, and the extraordinary Chhoser Cave Complex — a honeycomb of man-made tunnels carved into the cliffs thousands of years ago.
5. Day 5 · The living culture of the Loba people. descendants of Tibetan settlers, gives this trek a depth that pure mountain routes cannot match. If your dates align with the Tiji Festival, you will witness one of the most spectacular Buddhist ceremonies in the Himalayas.
6. Day 6 · The return route passes through Ghami. with its famous mani wall, and descends through Muktinath — one of the holiest pilgrimage sites in Asia, revered equally by Hindus and Buddhists. The special restricted-area permit for Upper Mustang is included in your package.
7. Day 7 · Your luxury private vehicle. expert guide (1 per 2 trekkers), and fully supported teahouse accommodation make this one of the most complete cultural trek experiences available in Nepal. All meals, unlimited data SIM, ACAP and TIMS permits, and airport transfers are included.