Upper Mustang Alternative Trek – 15 Days

Yes, This trekking route is safe for tourists. This area has not been affected by the earthquake in 2015. Also, there is no burst of epidemics or viral diseases or covid -19 in this region. The government and other respective bodies are continuously are trying to facilitate accessible communication, comfortable and safe internal travel, proper healthcare facility, and services of accommodation for tourists.

Although it is not a high pass trek, some days, trails pass through the steep lanes with climbs and ascents that can be demanding and tiresome, so it is beneficial for all travelers to exercise daily for a month before their trip. This helps the body get accustomed to the physical work required during the journey.

Participants with pre-existing medical conditions such as heart, lung, and blood disease should inform us before booking the trek and are advised to seek medical advice or consent from their doctors before the trek.

The best season to trek this route is during autumn (September to November) as the weather is stable, dry, and clear. Also, the atmosphere is merry during these seasons, as autumn is the major festive season of the country. Another favorable season for trekking is during spring (March to May) as the trails become more vibrant and pleasing with the blooming of different wildflowers and Rhododendrons. The days are clear and perfect for trekking.

Exceptionally, Upper Mustang is beyond Himalayas, so this is a rain shadow area. Even during Monsoon ( June-August) can be good weather here. You will have an opportunity to explore local people’s daily lives during this time of the year. It is the best time to farm in Upper Mustang area .

Even though this trip has pre-fixed group departure dates, we can tailor it to accommodate your specific requests and schedule. Please review our designated departure dates, and if they do not suit your timeframe, let us know your preferred timing so that we can manage your itinerary accordingly. We organize this trek as per your wishes and convenience.

This group package is designed in such a way that they suit single travelers too. It is a great way to get to know new people with similar interests, and most people find that group dynamics are very friendly and comforting. Single trekkers will share accommodation with other individual trekkers of the same gender on our group journeys.

If you are a single traveler wishing for a private room, we can manage that as well, but you will have to inform us about it while booking the trip. Also, please note that you may have to pay some additional charges for single rooms.

As you ascend, the atmospheric pressure decreases. Hence, the amount of oxygen available also decreases. When your body is unable to acclimatize adequately to a rapid decrease in oxygen volume, altitude sickness occurs. Its symptoms are nausea, vomiting, headache, lack of appetite, exhaustion, muscle aches, rapid pulse even at rest (+/- 120 beats per minute), and insomnia.

To avoid AMS, our itineraries include acclimatization days in between. You should walk at a slow and steady pace, eat enough carbohydrates, and drink plenty of water. You could eat chocolates and toffee while walking and avoid alcohol and smoking.

You always have some chances to get AMS on the trek if the trail ascends above 3000m in general. The highest elevation is 3900m. you will reach on this route and you will have enough acclimatization to avoid it. So you have just a little risk of AMS and you can drive down from any place of this itinerary. So, you are in safe side.

Our guides are well-trained to handle emergencies like AMS and other sicknesses. They know how to use an oxygen meter to monitor blood oxygen saturation levels at high altitudes. They can facilitate you with other medical kits (First Aid) and health check-up as per necessity.

If you happen to have symptoms of AMS or the feeling of being sick, you have to report it to your guide immediately. You must not ascend any further, take rest, and take medicines like acetazolamide or Diamox. If symptoms persist, you must descend to a lower altitude and visit a doctor immediately. If the condition seems to worsen, we shall coordinate with your insurance company for helicopter evacuation.

No, you won’t be able to change money along route. We recommend changing money at Thamel or Pokhara. Credit card and foreign currency is not accepted along the route. You are better to take enough cash from Kathmandu/Pokhara.

Usually, we arrange one porter for two trekkers, and one porter carries weights up to 20 kilograms. Hence, each trekker’s luggage should weigh only up to 10 kilograms. However, if your essentials weigh more than that, we can provide you a personal porter with some additional costs.

You can carry a maximum 10Kg of luggage (two pieces) and a maximum 5kg of hand-carry for Jomsom flight . You will have to pay  $ 1 around for excess baggage.

Our package includes three meals per day, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Dinner and lunch include the authentic Nepali Daal-Bhat (rice and lentils) along with seasonal vegetables, spinach, and pickle. If you do not like it, you can choose any item from the wide range of menu offered by the lodges.

Tea houses and lodges serve Nepalese, Asian, and Continental food, and even pizzas. The food is prepared hygienically, but the taste of western food might not meet your expectations as there are minimal resources available. We usually suggest eating vegetarian food to avoid falling ill. We ensure hygienic food and clean kitchen to avoid food poison and enough nutrition and immunity needed for the mountain walk.

Bottled plastic water is readily available along route at USD 1 per liter. However, we recommend you carry your own water bottles. You can fill them up with filtered water wherever possible and purify it using chlorine or iodine. We shall provide water, purification drops, and tablets. You can fill up safe drinking water stationed by Annapurna Conservation Area.

An average day of trekking involves around 6 to 8 hours of hiking, including breaks for meals as needed. The average distance covered depends on the terrain and altitude, but ranges from 12 to 18 kilometers on average. But some of days will have to walk 9 to 10 hours .

Along the way, you will have many chances for photography and other personal interests such as bird watching and discovering local areas of interest like natural springs, hot water ponds, and even exploring flora and fauna.

• A copy of passport,
• Passport-sized photos,
• Flight details,
• Copy of travel insurance (it has to cover Heli rescue and medical evacuation) and other documents required to claim it.

Upon Arrival :

• We need an original passport with Nepal visa to obtain Upper Mustang special permit .

In this trekking trails, the accommodation options are teahouses and lodges only. Nepal Alternative Treks generally manages your accommodation in the best available teahouses or lodges that provide single or double rooms, mostly in dormitory-style. The bed has a mattress, pillow, and blanket. Very few teahouses offer a room with a heater, and the blanket provided by the teahouse alone will not be enough to withstand the cold. So, it would be better to carry a warm sleeping bag. You can buy or hire one at the rental shops in Kathmandu.

Lodges and teahouses in this trekking route have excellent infrastructure and are likely to have western-style toilets, and sometimes even attached toilets. Finding toilet paper is costly in these areas, so we advise you to carry plenty of your own.

If you need to use the toilet while trekking, we will try to find the nearest lodge, if possible; otherwise, you will have to manage it somewhere in the forests. Please respect the environment by placing the used toilet paper in a plastic bag so that you can dispose of it later.

Usually, Nepal Alternative Treks arranges accommodation with proper shower facilities. Please understand that it becomes difficult to arrange running showers and hot water facilities as the altitude increases. So, in remote mountainous regions, showers cost some extra money.

Yes, there are plenty of shops around Thamel and Pokhara that sell as well as rent all the necessary gear for trekking. These shops have great varieties of goods ranging based on their brand as well as price. We will help you with buying or hiring all the necessary equipment.

You can easily find different types of alcoholic beverages of international as well as Nepalese brands in this trekking route. In villages, however, you can either find local (home-made) drinks like Chyang, Raksi,  and Tongba or other packaged drinks of Nepalese brands and Chinese brands. However, we do not suggest you consume alcoholic beverages often during treks as it causes difficulties in trekking the next day.

Nowadays, all kinds of facilities, including recharging batteries and electronics, are available in Upper  Mustang route and also have electricity and recharging facilities available for a minimal service charge.

Also, note that the Nepalese plugs are of Type D, and the voltage is about 220-240 V. So, make sure that your devices are chargeable. Otherwise, you shall require adapters and voltage stabilizers.

There are mobile networks, internet data, and Wi-Fi available in some parts of this region, and you can connect to your friends and family back home.

For mobile network and internet data, you will require a Nepalese SIM-Card. If you wish to buy a Nepalese SIM-Card, we will assist you in getting it. You can buy a SIM-Card from local distributors easily with some fees. We recommend Namaste SIM to have better network coverage and 4G data uses.

Guides and porters will always walk together with you, but, sometimes in case if there is no communication available to reserve lodge in advance, your porter may have to go ahead to book a room in an excellent lodge for the night. Our guides /porters will not leave you behind otherwise.

If by any chance such a circumstance occurs, you have to contact us immediately. We will then connect to our guides/porters and get back to you. We assure you.

The temperature could range around and above 20 degrees Celsius in summers and decrease below -10 degrees Celsius in winters. During autumn and spring, temperature ranges around 10 to 15 degrees Celsius, making it suitable for trekking purposes.