Summary
This camping trek into the stark lunar landscape of the forbidden enclave of Mustang offers a true contrast to the conventional treks offered in Nepal. The barren landscape of the Tibetan plateau throws up a fascinating concoction of medieval culture, monastic charm and spiritual purity unparalleled elsewhere in the Himalayas. For many, Mustang is the very essence of the Himalayan experience.

Trip Description
After a day in the Kathmandu valley and seeing some of its many attractions, we take a spectacular flight west along a range of massifs to Pokhara where we will stay the night. The following morning, we fly into the heart of the Annapurna region to the gates of the Kali Gandaki River, landing at the mountain strip of Jomsom (2,800m). 

From here we embark into a different world as the moonscape of the Tibetan plateau presents hues of gray, red and brown. The view from our tents is one of a deserted wasteland dotted with sporadic settlements, and frequented by people who work hard in the dry soils to eek out a living. The people of the valley were once very prosperous from a busy trade in salt between Tibet and India, but nowadays, times are harder. 

Up high in the sandstone cliffs above the trail, giant towers of rock have been eroded into fascinating shapes by the wind, and hermit caves are testament to the dedication of many monks of the region. Fossils underfoot remind us that the high plateau we’re trekking to was once a seabed. From time to time the wind plays as messenger for the yak caravans up the valley, and from the Buddhist monasteries, the prayer horns can seem haunting in the thin air. The lonely lammergeyer soars high above, perhaps searching out the next sky burial. It is an eerie sensation to be in these mountains, yet utterly captivating.

The trail leads up the Kali Gandaki river valley towards the capital of the Kingdom, Lo Manthang - a city with a royal palace, temples, monasteries and a thriving culture. The people in this city are surprisingly sophisticated.  But it is the many villages on the route into and out of Mustang which make this journey such a rewarding one.  With several passes over 4,000m, it is also a demanding trek.

On our return, we stay in the Jomsom Mountain Resort before catching the return flight back to Kathmandu.