NARPHU TO THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM OF MUSTANG – NEPAL

A  HIGH AND WILD TRAVERSE TO THE ANCIENT WALLED KINGDOM OF LO-MANTHANG

• Remote traverse to the Kingdom of Mustang
• Travel through the lost valleys of NarPhu
• Adventurous crossing of the Teri La pass

Hidden by swirls of mountain mist, the magnificent panorama view of Annapurna massif appears remote and forbidding. Our first destination is Naar Village located in the extreme northern reaches of the Manang district. The remote villages of Naar and Phu have about 500 combined permanent inhabitants whose livelihood depends on raising livestock (yak), growing potatoes and barley and trading with villages located in the regions of Lower Manang. The Nepal government’s recent decision to open up NarPhu to trekkers has evoked little impact to the pastoral lifestyle of this area. Apart from the occasional researcher and climbing expedition permitted to climb Himlung, Ratnachuli and Gachikang, few foreigners have entered this area and tourism infrastructure is almost non-existent. From Besisahar, we will gradually ascend the Marsyangdi River Valley to Koto. Here, we head northwards and enter the NarPhu Valleys of Upper Manang.

Passing through the chorten gate that designates the entrance to NarPhu, it’s as if we’ve been transported into a land where time has stood still. The Himalayan Pine quickly gives way to high plateau, remote Tibetan villages built of stone, ancient Buddhist monasteries and grand views of the Annapurna Range. This magical area is known to have one of the highest concentrations of snow leopards per square kilometer of anywhere in the world. After several days of exploration, we regrettably exit this mystical valley on a route that follows the Labse Khola and leads beyond the Chulu peaks into the virtually unknown Damodar Himal. The high point of our route is the generally snow-bound Teri La (18,235 feet), a pass ‘discovered’ by Bill Tilman in 1950. The heart and soul of our long and varied route is a spectacular week of trekking through a wild and uninhabited area between the Teri La and the upper Kali Gandaki Valley, with camps at elevations of between 13,000 and 16,500 feet. We enter the Kali Gandaki Valley at the beautiful village of Tangge and spend another delightful week exploring the ‘Forbidden Kingdom’ of Mustang, including a visit to the walled settlement of Lo Manthang.

The Lost Valleys of NarPhu to the Forbidden Kingdom of Mustang Trek is part of our Epic Himalayan Journey Series! These trips are led by one of our experienced trekking guides and represent the gourmet trekking adventures of the great Himalayan Range. We are able to arrange this incredible trek starting on any day of the week during the months of mid-March to late May and August through October for groups of 2 to 10 people. Please contact us with any questions or to receive a detailed day to day Trip Itinerary.

During the trek, we will follow the ‘New Annapurna Trekking Trail’ (NATT) where possible. This new series of trails will not keep us off the dirt roads 100% of the time, but does significantly reduce the amount of time we have to walk on the dirt roads along the main Annapurna Trail.

From Days 11 to 16 we will travel on a recently-opened and remote track, over the high and wild Teri La Pass, which connects the “Lost Valleys” of NarPhu with the “Forbidden Kingdom” of Mustang.

Day 11: Into the Lapse Khola Valley. 6-7 hours of trekking. 14,000 feet. Camp.
Day 12: Trek to the Teri La Base Camp. 5-6 hour trek. 14,800 feet. Camp.
Day 13: To Teri La High Camp. 5-6 hours of trekking. 16,830 feet. Camp.
Day 14: Cross the Teri La and descend to Pasphu Khola. 6-7 hour trek. 15,015 feet. Camp.
Day 15: Trek to Yakpa. 7 hours of trekking. 14,040 feet. Camp.
Day 16: Trek to the riverside camp at Bheda Kharka. 6 hour trek. Camp.
Day 17: Trek to Tangge Village. 3 to 4 hour trek. 10,545 feet. Camp or Lodge.
Day 18: Trek to Dhi. 7 hours of trekking. 11,400 feet. Camp or Lodge.
Day 19: To the Forbidden Kingdom of Lo-Manthang! 7-8 hour trek. 12,500 feet. Lodge.
Day 20: Day excursion to Choser Village. Return to Lo-Manthang. Lodge.
Day 21: Exploration day in Lo-Manthang. Lodge.
Day 22: Jeep journey to Jomsom. 8,925 feet. 7 to 8 hour scenic drive. Lodge.
Day 23: Fly Jomsom to Kathmandu (via Pokhara). Hotel.
Day 24: Free day in Kathmandu or contingency day on trek. Hotel.
Day 25: Transfer to the Kathmandu International Airport for our departure.