Upper Mustang Trek | Best Place To Visit During Upper Mustang TrekKing In Nepal.
The land of Upper Mustang formerly (Kingdom of Lo) was restricted to Kingdome until 1992 which makes it one of the most preserved regions in the world. The Last official and later unofficial King were Jigme Dorje Palbar Bista (1930 – 2016) who drawn his lineage directedly back to Ame Pal the warrior who founded his Buddhist kingdom in 1380. Ame Pal oversaw the founding and building of the Lo and Mustang Capital of Lo Manthang a walled City. Foreign visitors have been allowed to the Mustang since 1992 and still travel to Mustang is regulated. Travel to Mustang or visiting Mustang needs to obtain a special permit. Trekking or travel to Mustang following the trade route used in the 15th century. From the 15th to the 17th century its considered location granted Mustang controlled over the trade between the Himalayas and India. At the end of the 18th century, the kingdom was annexed by Nepal and became a dependency of the Kingdom of Nepal since 1795.
Kagbeni village and Kali Gandaki valley Upper Mustang Nepal.
Upper Mustang Trek | Best Place to Visit During Upper Mustang TrekKing in Nepal.
Mustang is rich in Buddhist Culture, Similar to the area of the Tibet Autonomous region. Upper Mustang is the alternative way to experience Tibetan Culture and Landscapes. In Upper Mustang Majority of the population still speaks traditional Tibetic languages, Tibetan Culture has been preserved by the relative isolation of the region from the outside world. Tiji Festival is celebrated every year month of May in Upper Mustang in the walled City of Lo Manthang. This three days Annual Buddhist festival is the best way to learn and see the pure traditional culture. The Yartung festival in Lo-Manthang is another popular destination for tourists in the area seeking to experience the native culture. The Yartung Festival Horse Riding Festival (Horse racing festival) is celebrated during the full moon of August every year.
Jomsom is headquartered in the Mustang district where Upper Mustang Trek begins following the old traditional route along the Kali Gandaki Nadi. Kali Gandaki River is popular for its great quality of fossil stone. The Upper Mustang Trek starts from Jomsom, we can get to Jomsom by Plane taking about 25 minutes flights, or drive to Jomsom from Pokhara for about 8 hours and start the walking journey from there. Driving road connected all the way to Lo Manthang and Kora La border is a highway between Nepal and China. However, it is absolutely possible to trek following the traditional upper Mustang trekking routeavoiding the road. That will provide new opportunities to include such an untouched village that was not touched earlier trekking route. Our first-day trekking lead us to the beautiful village of Kagbeni one of the beautiful local settlements located at an elevation of 2820 meters where we will stay our first night of the trek at the Lodge.
Reaching the Kagbeni we will also explore the local village and beautiful Buddhist monastery. Kagbeni is the entrance point to Upper Mustang where the checkpoint will check our Upper Mustang restricted area entry permits. Continually trek along the Kali Gandaki River valley, passes through the villages like Tangbe village 3060 meters, Chhusang village 2980 meters, Chele 3050 meters, Ghyakar village 3562 meters, Samar village 3660, Syangboche also called Shyangbochen 3800 meters, Ghami, (Ghemi) 3520 meters, Dhakmar 3820 meters, Ghar Gumba 3950 meters, Tsarang village 3560 meters and Lo Manthang 3810 meters. From Jomsom to Lo Manthang will take about 6 days trek. Each day we will walk about 8 to 12 kilometers 5 to 7 hours walk each day. Visiting Chungsi Cave and Ghar Gumba is the highlight of this 6 day’s journey to Lo Manthang.
The most attractive places and monasteries, and caves around Lo Manthang like Jhong Cave, Konchok Ling Cave, and Viewpoint, Niphu Monastery, Garphu Monastery, Kimalinga local village, Thinggar local village Namgyal monastery. After visiting all these beautiful places continue to visit Luri Gumpa which is located in eastern Lo Manthang. Getting Luri Gumpa from Lo Manthang will require 2 trekking days. During the trekking course, we will also visit Tangge village the old and traditional local village located in the Upper Mustang.
Chungsi Cave (Ranchung Cave ) in Upper Mustang Nepal.
Chungsi Cave (Ranchung cave)
People from Upper Mustang believed that Guru Rinpoche meditated in the Chungsi Cave early 8th century. Where Chungsi monastery is located the guru Padmasambhava meditated as well.
Lo Ghyekar Gompa (Ghar Gompa) is Probably the oldest monastery in the world.
Lo Ghyekar Gompa (Ghar Gompa) Upper Mustang Nepal.
Lo Ghyekar Gompa is an ancient monastery popular among Tibetan Buddhists. It is located at an altitude of 3934 meters in Lo Ghyekar. Ghar Gompa is the only monastery representing the pure virtual of the Lo Nyingma sect Monastery in Upper Mustang. Which was built during the 8th century even before Samya Gompa in Tibet.
Walled City Lo Manthang Upper Mustang Nepal.
Lo- Manthang Upper Mustang Nepal.
Lo Mathang is the walled capital city of the kingdom of Lo Upper Mustang. Walled City Lo Manthang was founded in 1380 by Ame Pal who oversaw the construction of the city wall and many of the still-standing structures. After the Shahs of Gorkha forget the numerous Petty kingdom in the 18th century, Lo become dependent but kept the genetic rulers. This arrangement continued as long as Nepal remained a kingdom until the country was declared a republic in 2008 and Jigme Dorje Palbar Bista (c.1933–2016) was stripped of his title. Inside the walled City, there are 4 popular monasteries that we can visit during our travel journey. Besides 3 monasteries another attractive place to visit is Mustang Royal Palace.
Jampa Lhakang Monastery has constructed a 15th-century old Buddhist monastery located inside the walled city in Upper Mustang. The monastery has ancient wall paintings drawn with hues of turquoise, malachite, cinnamon, and gold. These walls were damaged but restored later by King Mahendra Trust for Nature and Conservation and American Himalayan Foundation in 1999.
Thupchen Gompa was constructed in the 15th century one of the oldest monasteries in Lo Manthang located inside the walled city in Upper Mustang. The monastery is decorated by Thupchen, Namgyal, Chhorteen, Chen Tejik, Jampalyang Guru Rinpoche, Dhristrarastra, Baishnawan, and Birudhak Birupaksya. Thupchen Gompa is the Sakyapa Sect monastery.
Chhyode Gompa constructed 1757 century another Sakyapa Sect monastery in a walled city in Mustang Lo Manthang. The monastery is decored Dorje Sonnu, Dorje Dhhang, and Sange Thukpa.
Side trip to around Lo Manthang Mustang. It is an absolutely good idea to explore Lo Manthang, by taking a jeep or riding a Horse. Most of the popular place to visit around Lo Manthang is Jhong Cave, Niphu Monastery, Garphu Monastery, Choser local traditional village, Kimalinga local village, Thingggar local village, Namgyal monastery are the best place to visit while trekking and tours in Upper Mustang. We suggest having at least 2 additional days to visit around Lo Manthang.
Luri Gumpa Upper Mustang Nepal.
Luri Gumpa Upper Mustang nepal. In the desert east of Lo Monthang, sandstone cliffs, and bluffs have been fluted by wind and weather into fantastical formations, like serried, tapered pillars or organ pipes. These cliffs are pitted with caves, and such a cave forms the inner sanctum of Luri gompa, a small jewel of Buddhist art. The gompa, covered with a red wash, perched on a ledge on a one-hundred-meter-high cliff, stands out against the sand and bone-colored sandstone pillars. (A newer gompa is found below on the valley floor; although more easily accessible, it is of no art-historical interest.) The part of Luri gompa visible from the valley below is its mud-brick superstructure, perched on a ledge on one of these sandstone pillars. Photographs make it appear that entrance to the gompa is obtained by scaling this pillar, yet a winding footpath climbs one hundred meters to a door in a lower cave, inside which a notched log leads up to the gompa itself. A single entrance door opens into the outer chamber.
Although no documentation has been found pertaining to this gompa, its paintings appear to be of earlier date than those in Jampa and Thubchen, perhaps by a hundred years, which would set them back to the fourteenth century, or even earlier. While the later paintings of Jampa and Thubchen belong to the later, more fully developed Tibetan style, a classical style with elements of Chinese influence, the Luri images reflect the influence of the Indian and Kashmiri styles. The small lama portraits may possibly reflect Persian or Byzantine influence. Helmut F. Neumann has offered identifications of many of these images.
Muktinath Temple Mustang Nepal.
Muktinath Temple in Mustang Nepal. Muktinath is a Vishnu temple, sacred to both Hindus and Buddhists. It is located in Muktinath Valley at the foot of the Thorong La mountain pass in Mustang, Nepal. It is one of the world's highest temples. Within Hinduism, it is one of the 108 Divya Desams. Muktinath-Chumig Gyatsa is one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Nepal for both Buddhists and Hindus. It is a great example of our world as a sacred place shared in harmony by devotees of two world religions. Muktinath means 'Place (nath) of Salvation (mukti)'. The local people as well as the Tibetan-Buddhist pilgrims call the holy site "Chumig Gyatsa" meaning 'Hundred Waters' named after the 108 sprouts at the site.
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