Nepal - The Kingdom of Lo

OCTOBER 2019

After two nights in Patan, Kathmandu, we said goodbye to Glenn and Guylaine. Now just four of us, we headed for Kathmandu domestic airport and our flight to Pokhara. As we were flying north towards the Himalayan Mountains we weren’t surprised to be delayed by two hours due to bad weather in Pokhara. However, by the time we arrived the weather was clear, warm and sunny. This was just an overnight stop as the real adventure started the next day.

The following day was an early start, our guide CP, who we had met the night before, collected us from the hotel at 6:00 am and we all proceeded to Pokhara Airport. Our flight to Jomsom was due to depart at 7:10 am, but again bad weather delayed us, this time by a couple hours. The plane was a small propelled Twin Otter and the flight was incredible, we didn’t go over the mountains, we went through them. Sheer cliff faces appeared to be only a matter of meters from the wing tips, glacial rivers flowed beneath us, hillside tree tops were barely cleared and 8000m peaks rose ahead of us, it was a great start to our next adventure.

Leaving Pokhara for Jomsom

Inside the twin otter

Flight to Jomsom

Flight to Jomsom

View from plane arriving in Jomsom

Welcome to Jomsom

Once in Jomsom we were ready to start our expedition into the Upper Mustang (see below), an area only recently accessible to tourist and with permits restricted to 1000 a year. The Upper Mustang is in the Annapurna Range of the Himalayan Mountains, and from its base at 2700m in Jomsom, it stretches’ all the way to the Chinese Tibet border in the north with passes at well over 4000m in between.
Once CP (our guide) had secured our transport for the day, a Mahindra Scorpio 4x4 Jeep with driver, we headed off up a glacial valley to our first overnight stop in a hamlet called Chele. It wasn’t long before we realised what the journey had in store for us. The roads were in a terrible state, massive rocks to drive over, jeep swallowing holes and tracks shared with rivers. These kept the speed of our progress down to a sedate pace, which gave us the opportunity to soak up the scenery whilst being rattled around all over the place inside the jeep. A few photo stops along the route allowed us to stretch our legs and really see the environment we were now entering. Then by mid-day we were at our hotel for the night.

From Jomsom to Chele

Road cut through the hillside

The Himalaya

Local crop of apples in Chele

View from Chele towards Jomson

View along the river

Our accommodation in Chele was basic and rustic, but very welcoming and traditional for the region. Our rooms consisted of twin beds with mattress and pillow, and we would sleep inside our sleeping bags. There was a shared bathroom with a hole in the floor toilet and a shower dispensing only cold water. Once you got the knack the toilet was perfectly usable but we passed on the cold shower, especially with daytime temperatures barely getting in the teens Celsius and dropping below zero at night. Food was taken in an attractive but small dining area and the options on offer were surprisingly varied and of good quality.
With most of the afternoon to spare we went for a short walk around Chele and the surrounding area, watching locals go about their business and generally being in awe of where we were.

View from our hotel terrace in Chele

Kitchen sink in Chele

Chele bedroom

Chele Dining room

The following day we awoke stiff from the hard beds, to clear blue skies and snow capped mountains all around us. Today we would have a longer drive ahead of us, together with a different vehicle and driver (another Mahindra Scorpio 4x4 Jeep though). The destination was the slightly larger but even more remote town of Charang. What followed was three and a half hours of challenging driving, along mountain roads barely wide enough for one vehicle and with a sheer drop to the side, across shallow but fast flowing rivers and along roads that were even worse than the day before. We even encountered herds of goats being driven to market along the same roads we were driving, careful negotiating them to ensure none were knocked over the cliff edge. The route took us through the mountains, past tiny communities surviving on the crops they grow and livestock they raised. Every so often we would pass a giant stupa’s or a temple in the middle of nowhere, positioned to provide safe passage for travellers, and all the time surrounded by magnificent scenery. Finally we arrived at Charang, shaken but not stirred and in time for lunch.

The road in the Upper Mustang

Cliff Road

Changra or Pahsmina goat

Hikers and local transport

Mountain pass

The red in the rock is fossilised coral formed many millions years ago

Isolated shorten or stupa

Road cut between the mountain side

Colourful rock strata

Stupa lucky totem for travelers

local wildlife

Crop terrace

More changra (goats) on the road

Changra, the softest and most expensive pashmina is made from the hair under the chin of the goat

Stupa

Our accommodation in Charang was similar to that of Chele, or maybe a bit more upmarket as western toilets were available and the dining area was beautifully decorated with period furniture and traditional carpets.

View from the loo in Charang

Bedroom in Charang

Hotel in Charang

Corridor where you wash your hand in Charang

Our afternoon activity was very memorable, not only for what we saw but also for the monk that showed us around. In Charang there are two imposing buildings, both sitting on top of a small hill at the edge of town. The oldest is a 14th century palace and next to it a slightly more recent monastery. Both are under the custodianship of the monastery monks, so it is to them that we looked for our guided tour. Our guide was a monk barely out of his teens and with lots of energy to spare, even at this altitude. We first visited the palace, a pretty much ruined shell with a few artefacts in a couple of the rooms. However, the young monk’s enthusiasm brought the whole place to life. He would use the ancient, and possibly priceless, artefacts to demonstrate how the king and queen would dress and how the royalty would defend their realm, often throwing in a Michael Jackson dance to inject some energy to the tour. He also found our hats, my ponytail and belly a source of amusement.

The palace in Charang

With the palace tour complete we moved across the hill to the monastery, but not in a sedate stroll that is usual at this altitude, the young monk insisted on a conga dance for at least part of the way. Once at the temple (Buddhist) he had to become more dignified, this tour was equally interesting but far less fun.

Stairs to the monastery in Charang

Charang monastery

The monastery in Charang

By the time the tours were finished the light was fading and the temperature dropping towards zero degrees, it was time to go back to our accommodation and warm up before dinner.

Before we could continue our journey the next day and after a short stroll around town, our hostess insisted we look around her shop. This was not any ordinary shop, but one packed with old every day items and some exquisite local jewellery. Off course we couldn’t leave without buying something, so Anne purchased some nice earring and a bracelet and I bought a wooden tea-caddy that caught my eye.

Dzo is an hybrid between a yak and domestic cattle

It was a shorter drive today, with another different driver and vehicle (Mitsubishi Pajero 4x4), but with no improvement in the road conditions. Our destination this time was the capital town of the Upper Mustang region, Lo Manthang. We passed stunning scenery as usual before stopping on a hill just before the town to get an aerial view of the place that would be home for the next two nights.

Prayer flags at the pass before arriving at Lo Manthang

View of Lo Manthang from the pass

Accommodation in Lo Manthang was at the Lotus Holiday Inn, a little more upmarket than the previous accommodation, especially when we finally got the rooms that had been reserved. We now both had en-suite room with western toilets, although there was still no reliable hot water for a shower. A short rest before lunch, then a look around town in the afternoon provided some very memorable images.
The first of those images was some rudimental dentistry being performed in the hotel lobby, it looked pretty painful but the patient seemed very pleased with the outcome.

Dining room in our hotel in Lo Manthang

Bedroom in Lo Manthang

Mobile dentist

The next was some household activities going on at the hotel entrance. In front of the hotel was a narrow canal where glacial water rushed through on its way back to the river. The speed of the flow provided an acceptable level of cleanliness, so this was where the hotel staff washed the dishes, cutlery, pots and pans. Rather disconcerting to begin with, but as all the utensils appeared sparkly clean afterwards; our fears were put to rest. However, we were less confident about the cloth washing being undertaken further down stream.

Washing cloths in the canal

Further from the hotel there were more unusual sights to behold. Tucked away in the old walled quarter a small herd of cattle formed a road bloke and refused to move until their owner started to take a tougher approach. There was the elderly gentleman inviting people to see the view over the town from his roof top, no health and safety in force here, then guiding them into his shop on the way down. Cattle munched on cardboard in the street when they couldn’t find any food to steal. There was something unusual around every corner. Then once more as the sun went down and the temperature dropped we retreated to the warmth of the hotel for dinner and to reminisce about what we had seen on our tour of the town.

View from the roof over Lo Manthang

Street of Lo Manthang

Prayer wheels in Lo Manthang

Lo Manthang

Spinning Changra wool in Lo Manthang

Spinning

Street view in Lo Manthang

Windows of the palace in Lo Manthang, visits are note allowed until earthquake damage is repaired

Tourist information building in Lo Manthang

Street in Lo Manthang

Lady in Lo Manthang

Hungry cow

Lo Manthang street with cows

Prayer wheels

Tourist bus

Lo Manthang street

Delivery truck

The following day we visited the near by town of Chhoser. The first stop was its famous cave dwellings. Although no longer in use these mountain homes once housed many families, keeping them warm and safe. Our visit required climbing wooden ladders to get from room to room and almost bending double to allow for the low ceilings. Cooking and storage areas were still visible as were sleeping platforms in some rooms.

Cave Dwellings

Cave dwellings

Inside the cave dwelling

Inside the cave dwelling

Inside the cave dwelling

Inside the cave dwelling

Road in Chhoser

From the caves we walked into town and visited a tiny monastery where a monk was reciting mantras. We listened and watched for while then left to visit a local home.

Chhoser monastery

Monk reciting mantra

Monastery in Chhoser

We felt extremely privileged to be invited into the home of a local lady and her daughter. Their house was quiet new as the previous one had been badly damaged during the 2015 earthquake. It was adobe with wooded supports, and had a large kitchen area, a dining room, storage room and two bedrooms. A wooden ladder led up to the roof, but we didn’t go up there. When we arrived the lady was making yogurt by pummelling a milky liquid in a tall bamboo tube. We were each allowed to have a go but unsurprising made more mess than yogurt. We were then invited to take tea and biscuits in the dining room. A simple room with nicely decorated tables and chairs, and a wood burner in the middle. Whilst chatting with the lady, via our guide’s interpretation, we drank many cups of milk tea, receiving a constant top-up until the thermos flask was empty. We then thanked her for her hospitality and continued our walk through the town.

Making yogurt

Preparing tea

Preparing tea in the kitchen

Entrance of the temple

A quick look in at a small temple completed our visit to Chhoser. It was then back to Lo Manthang and our hotel for lunch. An afternoon stroll around town with some local jewellery purchases completed our day and our stay in Lo Manthang.

Chhoser delivery from China

Chhoser street

Coming back from Chhoser toward Lo Manthang

Day five was the longest drive yet as our journey was from Lo Manthang all the way back, almost to where we started. Today we were back with the driver and vehicle we had the day before last. When were last with him, his Mitsubishi Pajero wasn’t in the best of heath, we guessed it was a battery problem. However, off we went, initially with no problem, but when he tried to change the 4x4 into high the car stalled. He turned the ignition key a few times but the battery was almost dead, then just when we thought about a bump start or calling for help the engine fired up, it must have been down to the sacred Stupa we passed, as they are supposed to provide travellers with a safe passage. The rest of the journey went smoothly, through the magnificent scenery, along cliff edge roads, across rivers and circumnavigating goat herds, until we reached our destination for the day, Kagbeni.

Leaving Lo Manthang after yesterday snow fall on the mountains

Gate to Lo Manthang

Road scenery

Goats on the road, view from the car windscreen

Goats herd on cliff road

Our unpredictable Mitsubishi vehicle

Road side cafe between Lo Manthang and Kagbeni

Our accommodation in Kagbeni went by the name of Hotel Yak Donald’s and it served the best burgers in Nepal, obviously a play of words directed at the famous US fast food establishment. This was the best accommodation of the whole trip and the food was very good too. Needless to say I managed to have two Yak Burgers during our short stay and they were delicious, McDonalds eat your heart out. Anne, Carole and Olivier all managed one Yak Burger and confirmed my assessment.

Yac Donalds

Yac Donalds Hotel

Although it was quite late when we arrived at Kagbeni, Anne, Carole and Olivier managed a quick look around town and visited the local monastery, whilst I took a shower and digested my first Yak Burger.

Very old monastery in Kagbeni

Kagbeni

That brought us to our last day in the Upper Mustang, and another amazing one to boot. The plan was to visit the sacred Hindu Temple at Muktinath in the morning then travel to Jomsom, our final destination, in the afternoon. However, things didn’t quite go to plan as, surprise surprise, the battery was flat on the Mitsubishi. This caused a couple of hours delay whilst a new one was fitted and then we were off.
Muktinath wasn’t far from Kagbeni, but the unusual thing was the road surface, this was the only bit of paved road in the Upper Mustang. To reach the temple you have to start walking from the car park just outside Muktinath town. Walk through the town, then up some steep steps to reach the temple gate and finally more steps to the temple itself. Some people, who didn’t fancy or couldn’t manage the walk, were able to rent a horse at the car park and be carried up the gate.

Muktinath

Gate to the entrance of Muktinath temple

Holly man

The temple complex wasn’t very big, but was a hive of activity. Worshipers seemed to have to complete a three part activity, which, not being Hindu’s, we weren’t allowed to do.
The first, once suitably dressed, was to walk or run underneath multiple spouts delivering glacial cold water from the mountains.

Muktinath temple, holly water spouts

The second, now already wet, was to wade through two pools of the same glacial water. Submerging yourself in the process to collect a lucky coin, of which there were many amongst the muck on the bottom of the pool. It appeared that men and women had to enter and exit the pools separately, which was probably a good idea as one guy had a wardrobe malfunction whilst climbing out, providing onlookers with a moony.

Muktinath temple, holly dipping pool

Finally, and after a bit of drying off, the worshiper was able to enter the main temple building. What went on in there we do not know, as rightly, we weren’t allowed in.

Temple at Muktinath

It was all an amazing sight to witness and again we felt very privileged to be there. We also observed two other interesting things, one we were the only westerners there and two not everyone in the complex took part in the full worshiping process.
From the temple we crossed a hillside covered in prayer flags to visit a giant Buddha and get a great view of Muktinath town below us.

Hill of prayer flags

Muktinath Buddha on a hill

Lunch in town then followed, washed down with my favourite Nepalese beer, Sherpa Red, then back to the Jeep for the drive to Jomsom. The drive however wasn’t direct; we stopped at Muktinath’s “Selfie Park”. Perched on top of a hill a platform had been constructed to allow people to take a selfie with the town of Kagbeni below them and the Himalayan Mountains in the background. There was also a strange concrete structure that you weren’t allowed to step on; we think it was supposed to be a fossil.

favourite beer in Nepal

Gate to the selfie park with instruction of entry

Selfie park, warning to photographers

By the time we reached Jomsom the light was fading, but it was still clear enough to have a nice view out of our bedroom window. After the relative luxury of Hotel Yak Donald’s, our Jomsom accommodation was a bit basic, and with a party going on upstairs, we decided to explore the Jomsom nightlife after dinner. As you would expect nightlife is a bit thin on the ground in such a remote place, but we did find some. A bar called “Cravend” caught our attention so we went in. A local band was playing, and they were quite good, and a comprehensive drinks menu wetted our appetite. However, although the band continued to perform well, we soon found out that most items on the menu weren’t available. So we ordered some local Whisky and Brandy and settled down to an enjoyable evening, listening to the music, watching cows pass by the window and feeling part of the local crowd. We felt even more at home when a local guy invited us to try some of his homemade maize wine, it was a bit rough for our liking but we drank it to be sociable.

Jomsom shop

View from our bedroom window early morning Jomsom

Band in Jomsom

That was our last night in the Upper Mustang as we flew back to Pokhara the following day. We were sad to leave this incredible environment, but pleased in the knowledge that our creature comforts awaited us in the next hotel.

Flight arriving into Jomsom airport

Personal Observations & Interesting Facts

Upper Mustang
Mustang, formerly the Kingdom of Lo, is a remote and isolated region of the Nepalese Himalayas. The Upper Mustang was a restricted demilitarised area until 1992, which makes it one of the most preserved regions in the world. The majority of the population still speak a traditional Tibetan language, as this area was once part of Tibet. The people also appear to be more closely related to their Tibetan neighbours than the Nepalese they are part of now. In fact this is a little bit of Tibet without the Chinese cultural, political and economic influences that exist across the border.
The area is sandwiched among some of the Himalaya’s highest mountains and forms part of the Annapurna Conservation area. To the north is the border with Chinese Tibet and to the south the more lower lying Lower Mustang. Through the middle flows the Gandaki River as it cuts a path between the mountains that surround it.
Life is tough in this part of Nepal, with mostly only subsistence farming being practiced. However, with the slow arrival of tourism life is beginning to change for some. The provision of accommodation and food for the tourist, together with some artisan crafts for sell means that household incomes are improving. But it is still a very poor region and makes you feel you are stepping back in time.

Map of our route in the Upper Mustang

Lo Manthang