There are various reasons to do the Upper Mustang Trek; the Upper Mustang is the land of wonder and mystery. Trekking to this wonderful and mysterious land is known as the Upper Mustang Trek. Upper Mustang used to be an isolated Himalayan Kingdom till 2016 BS (Bikram Sambat); the ruling king was Gigmae Dorje Palbar Bista. And it was unified since then into the greater Nepal. Still, there is the king, and he is of supreme ruler of the region. And needs to be in the special ceremonies as the head of the region.
This wonderland used to be untouched by modernization and commercialization, but nowadays it is becoming commercial and modern. Because there is a road connection with modern cities like Jomsom, Beni, Pokhara, and Kathmandu. However, still, some parts of this amazing region are very far away from modern lifestyles and technology. So still there are still many reasons to do the Upper Mustang Trek once in your lifetime.
Mustang is the trans-Himalayan land and lies in the shadows of Mount Annapurna and Mount Dhaulagiri. These two mountains are considered the top 14 world’s highest peaks. And this area is surrounded by many other snowy peaks as well. Due to the weather and atmosphere, this region has different landscapes as well. The completely different atmosphere and landscapes are the reasons why you should do the Upper Mustang Trek in Nepal.
The Upper Mustang was opened in 1990; before that, this region was forbidden for foreigners. And still, this is a restricted trekking area and requires a special trekking permit. Also, mandatory to have a minimum of two people in a group and led by a licensed trekking guide. These are all the things that make this trek a wonderful and lifetime trek for hiking lovers. Here are the 10 reasons to do the Upper Mustang Trek in Nepal.
Upper Mustang is a region with a diverse landscape, where you can find greenery in the lower Mustang and very dry and treeless land in the upper Mustang. So the diverse landscapes are one of the reasons why you must do trekking there once in your life. The windy Mustang valley has a landscape that you can not find in other parts of Nepal. Beautiful barren land with some dots of greenery, in some parts of Mustang where people live, makes this the holiday I will remember in my whole life.
On the other hand, the outstanding mountain views such as Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, Nilgiri, and many more snowy peaks are just out of your imagination. The combination of the gigantic mountain peaks and stunning geography is the first reason to do the Upper Mustang Trek. Because you will have the opportunity to witness these elements is the point what makes Upper Mustang the land of wonders and mystery
Upper Mustang is a part of Nepal, and although the people are similar to Tibetans and they follow the Tibetan culture. So that the Unique culture and the tradition are the reasons why you should do the Upper Mustang Trek. The living people of Mustang are Thakali, Bhote, Gurung, Serchen, Bista, etc, and they all have their own unique types of cultures and lifestyles. These cultures and traditions are centuries-old and they follow as same as centuries ago.
When someone dies, the Lama checks what their body should do? Aagni (to burn), (Gamin)to bury, (Bayu) to give wind, bird, and (Pani) to put in water. One of the most unique and special cultures and traditions of the Upper Mustang is giving the dead body to the vulture as following the ritual determined by the Lama. Similarly, they will follow the culture and tradition as the main lama determines what to do for a dead person.
When we study Himalayan Buddhism and the first name will comes to mind the Upper Mustang because this was the holy land traveled by the great Guru Rimpoche (Guru Padmashamvaba). And who built the first Buddhist Monastery that was in Upper Mustang and at the Lo Gyaker (Ghar Gumba Monastery). Since then, many monasteries have been built in Mustang, and they are very historical and chronological.
Visiting the Upper Mustang involves exploring the beautiful historical monuments that are located there. Those monasteries are examples and universities for the Buddhist people to observe and learn about Himalayan Buddhism. Most of the monasteries are 1200 to 1000 years old, and the statues and other materials inside those monasteries are very antique.
The Mustang Tiji festival is one of the most popular festivals in Upper Mustang. This festival will be celebrated annually and celebrated for 3 days. The walled city of Lo Manthang is the place where this festival will be commemorated, and all the local people from nearby will travel there to glimpse this festival. Nowadays, even foreign travelers also travel there during this festival, and usually, this celebration takes place between May and June.
Yartung is another celebration that is celebrated in Mustang by the local Mustangi community, and this festival is celebrated in Muktinath. This is also a three-day celebration celebrated at the end of the summer season as they say goodbye to summer. The main attractions of this festival are the horse race, Achary (Aero) Monks dance, singing, and dancing by the local people.
Upper Mustang used to be an isolated Himalayan Kingdom till 2016 BS, and still, they have a king, and people will respect and follow the king. The King will be the head of the attraction of the special ceremonies, such as the Tiji Festival and Yartung. In the history of Nepal, the Mustang Kingdom is the last Himalayan empire.
In the Lomanthang, the capital of Mustang, there is still a royal palace standing in the middle of the Lomanthang Village. This mighty royal palace and other royal palaces in the villages like Ghami and Tsarang represent that Upper Mustang is the last kingdom of Nepal. The recent king Jigmi Palbar Bista died……. and now his son represents the King of Mustang.
Mustang consists of the real Buddhism in Nepal, there are huge historical monasteries in each village. The monastery in Ghiling village has its own specialty, and this monastery only allows ladies. The monastery in Tsarang has a history in the upper Mustang area. And the monastery in Low Gyakar the Ghar Gumba Monastery is the oldest monastery in Nepal.
Along the way, there are many Buddhist stupas, Mani walls, and hanging prayer flags. The monasteries, stupas, Mani walls, and prayer flags represent the value and significance of Buddhism in Mustang. In Mustang, there are all four sects of Buddhism standing Nyingma, Gelugpa, Kagyu, and Sakyapa. Even a part of the Mustang is preserving the Bon religion too. So the Upper Mustang is the paradise of Himalayan Buddhism.
The Mani Wall, opposite side of the Ghami and near Dhakmar, is the longest Mani Wall in Nepal. Meaningful Buddhist stupas along the way, such as at Tsarang, Dhakmar, Ghami, Syangbochen, Ghiling, Chhoser, and other villages, are evidence that Buddhism is the major religion of Upper Mustang. Therefore, observing the Buddhist religion, culture, and traditions is one of the best reasons to do the Upper Mustang Trek.
There are many mysterious caves in the Upper Mustang. When we enter the land of the upper part of Mustang, the distinct landscapes and caves in those landscapes make your trip to Mustang completely different than a trip to other parts of Nepal. Caves look man-made, but it’s mysterious how they built such a cave in that kind of place.
The most popular Caves in Upper Mustang are Zhong Cave, Tangbe Cave, Koncholing Cave, and cave monasteries in there. It’s said that the Zhong cave has 108 caves inside the cave, and all are interconnected and well managed. Inside the cave, we can see the water reserves in the food reserve places. In the history of Mustang, these caves were built when China annexed Tibet. And people from Tibet came to Mustang and stayed there.
Koncholing Cave is a cave monastery located in the human-isolated part of Mustang. The painting inside the cave shows us that Buddhism in the Himalayan region belongs to the ancient period. Similarly, there are many other caves and monasteries discovered by a research team from the Himalayan Foundation USA. And hope there are many more caves in the Upper Mustang and Dolpa region.
Nepal is the Kingdom of the Mountains and home to mountaineers. Here are hundreds of world-class trekking trails such as Everest Base Camp, Annapurna Base Camp, Annapurna Circuit Trek, Upper Mustang Trek, Dolpa Trek, and many more. So that every year, thousands of trekkers from all around the world visit Nepal to do one of the treks. The best time to do all the trekking in Nepal is in the spring and autumn seasons.
But the Upper Mustang Trek is a kind of three-season trek; this trek can be done in the spring, autumn, and monsoon seasons too. So the Upper Mustang Trek is one of the summer season treks in Nepal; this is the best summer season trek. This trek is best in the summer season because this land is located in the shadow of the two world’s highest peaks, Mt. Annapurna and Dhaulagiri.
Upper Mustang Trek is a trek for all the people who want to explore the nature and culture of the Himalayan region. Because the Upper Mustang trekking route is under 4000m and the highest pass during this trek is 4200m. If you are dreaming of doing a trek in Nepal, then the altitude is not a problem to fulfill your Himalayan journey because there is the Upper Mustang Trek for you. So the altitude is another factor that you can do the Upper Mustang Trek.
Although this trek starts with an elevation of 2800m in Jomsom and walks between 3000m to 4000m above sea level. Even you can start this trek at a lower elevation, like 1100m in Tatopani Myagti. In my trekking career, I did this trek with a 3-year-old German boy and his family. And the good thing is that he successfully accomplished this trek at that time. Similarly, I did this trek with an 81-year-old Dutch lady, and she also successfully finished this trek. So that the altitude is not the reason to avoid the Upper Mustang Trek.
Upper Mustang Trek can be combined with many other famous trekking routes inside the Annapurna Conservation Area. Trekking like Terila Pass, Thorong La Pass, Mesokantala Pass, Ghorepani Poon Hill, Annapurna Base Camp, Khopra Danda, and Mardi Himal Trek. Among these trekking routes, the Terila Pass trek with Upper Mustang is a very tough and heavy trek.
Thorong La Pass or Annapurna Circuit Trek is also possible to add with Upper Mustang Trek; the best option to combine these two treks is to first do the Thorong La Pass and then the Mustang Trek. The same options go for the Mesokantala Trek, first pass the Mesokantala, and then trek to Mustang. But trekking trails like Poon Hill, ABC, Khopra, and Mardi Himal are can do after exploring the Upper Mustang. So that the many options to make a longer version of the trek are one of the reasons to do the Upper Mustang Trek.
The natural and cultural beauty are the points to explore in this region. Upper Mustang has these things, which is why Upper Mustang Trek is a great trek inside the Trans-Himalayan Land. Listed various factors that are the reasons for doing the Upper Mustang Trek. Not only are these the reasons, but there are also many other points why you should do this trek. To have the best trekking experience, you have to choose the best time and the need to follow the best Upper Mustang Trek Itinerary. The cost-wise, this trek is a bit more expensive than other treks. You know that the best things are more costly and difficult to achieve, too. So mark your journey to Upper Mustang for one of the best trekking experiences in the Himalayas of Nepal.
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