Upper Mustang and Muktinath Trekking

Upper Mustang is a delicate land, which is substitute of Tibet. This part is escapes with many windy passes as well as cultivated arid land. Many villages based on Tibet culture & about 20 Monasteries and picturesque flight between Mt. Annapurna 8091mtrs. & Dulagiri 8067mtrs,

The north of Kagbeni villages generally referred Upper Mustang. The capital of Mustang “Lo-Manthang” was attached into Tibet ,centuries of 14^th.

It is identity since through out centuries autonomous kingdom. It is a walled city where about 150 houses, with their own king and people are still mainly Tibetan. This is the reason rather restricted, which required special permit.

The landscape of  Upper Mustang is barren moonscape of  sandstone pillars and discontinuous moraine terraces which together present a colorful mosaic made up principally of an earthen brown, yellow and red. It is easy trekking along the permitted route to Lo Manthang which lies in the very heart of Mustang. The trek to Upper Mustang is through an almost treeless barren landscape and strong wind across the area in the afternoon. Being called “Upper Mustang” is rain shadow of the Himayaya of Nepal. In reality, this kingdom gets rain much less than rest places of Nepal.
Legally allowed to be trek to Upper Mustang is in March 1992. The population of this kingdom was 15869 as year of 2008. They are ethnic group, specially Tibetan-Thakali as well as Buddhist religion. 
 By the way, Tiji festival is one of the most important events in Mustang (the ancient kingdom of Lo).  “Tiji” is an ellipsis of the word “Tempa Chirim” which translates as “Prayer for World Peace. It is celibreat for 3 days with Lamas mask dancing and more ativities. It is going to be celebrate on May 06, 07 & 08 2013.

Route to  Muktinath via Luri gompa is an interesting option route. It takes across some impressive canyon ridges. It leads through narrow canyon to the banks of Kathi Gandaki and green sanctuary of Dhi/Surkhang and Yara. The caves ate the most an dramatic at Luri Gomba. There is Newari style Buddhist chorten in side the Luri gompa and 13^th century chortens are hidden in a fantastical landscape of fluted and weather-beaten cliffs. The caves are one of several recent discoveries of cave paintings dating from 12^th century.

For this route leads east through narrow canyon to the banks for the Kali Gandaki across the green field of Dhi. From Luri you can head back down across the Kali Gandaki to Ghami or Tsarang if you get tired. According this itinerary, trekkers follow contunue Sourth to Tyange from the juction of Kali Gandaki, Tsarang river{khola} and Dhechyang river{khola}. In this route, villages are far each other part,  limited water and no shelter except caves. It would be better to walk a lot as long as about 9/10 hours to Tetang or Chhuksang from Tyange because of limited water at the campsite of Pah.