Being Here Now
The Art & Practice of Travel PhotographyTM



Evening Descends on the Kali Gandaki, Village of Kagbeni, Lower Mustang


Lo Monthang
Upper Mustang, Nepal

Adventure Travel & Photography Trip

May 5 – 21, 2023
(the festival is Lunar dependent so dates vary)

circa 17 Days


Photography "has little to do with the things you see
and everything to do with the way you see them." – Elliott Erwitt




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Skill & Physical Level: MODERATELY ACTIVE to STRENUOUS hiking skills with a good level of fitness required; no technical difficulties, but an ability to walk around, when acclimated, in altitudes between about 2743 meters /9000 feet up to 4135 meters /13,566 feet. (If you are adding the Manang horse trek via Thorong La Pass you will need to go much higher: 17,769 feet /5416 meters.)


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Our tours and workshops are open to photographers who desire to hone their skills in capturing content and developing a style – all in the beautiful and mysterious environs of Cuba, Mongolia, Venice, Santa Fe, Mustang, Papua New Guinea, Scotland and East & Southern Africa – preferably (but not required) using a digital camera suited to the classic image-making activity in which we engage: travel and street photography/ portraiture, documentary work, an occasional landscape and the ability to lend 'presence' to static objects like buildings and monuments.

Just as Buddhism attempts to get one to live in the present, in the now (as that is all we really have), your picture-making will begin to focus on the image you have in front of you at right at this given moment. The idea is to make the best, most interesting photograph you can with this one chance. Digital has made many of us move this idea to the rear of our consciousness: we know we have hundreds of images to freely burn, forgetting it is this one, right now that is the most important image we will ever make – at least until we approach the next image! Take your time and concentration with this photo.




Happiness does not come from doing easy work but from the afterglow of satisfaction that comes after the achievement of a difficult task that demanded our best. – Theodore Isaac Rubin




Visit the web site for our other photo tours




The Details

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The Spiel

Hope You Caught That - My Finest Hour! Photographer's Tour of Upper Mustang

Travel through the awe-inspiring mountains of the central Himalaya. We will follow the Kali Gandaki River, home to the deepest gorge on the planet, making our way to the capital of the formerly restricted, demilitarized Mustang Kingdom of Lo, the last culturally-intact Tibetan Buddhist society on earth.

Once in the capital, Lo Manthang, we will view and photograph the annual three-day Buddhist festival of Tiji within the old walled city. Tiji is a spring-renewal rite ushering in the life-giving monsoons. As importantly, in a ritual called 'chasing the demons', it celebrates the triumph of the forces of light over those of darkness.

The dirt road from Mustang's Sino border onward south thru the realm to Jomsom is now finished and fully navigable. This rough thru-way (and, now, the electricity and spotty mobile cellular service the road has allowed) will forever alter not just the landscape but Upper Mustang's 5,000 inhabitants and their culture. What, for the last 1000 years has been at least a week's trek at high altitude can now be done in a one or two day (sometimes dizzying) drive -- if one does not stop to smell the roses.

Join up to six photographers, our guides, sherpas and drivers (as we take our time slowly gaining elevation to properly acclimiiaze) and move through this incredible landscape for a life-altering journey to this Tibetan cultural area in its last years of sparse tourism. Our route will take us up the new SUV-negotiable road, following the Kali Gandaki river gorge between the towering massifs of the Dhaulagiri range to the west and the Annapurna range to the east. We will be using the sturdy and appropriate Indian-manufactured Mahindra 4-wheel drive 'jeeps' instead of the former 7 days trekking at altitude. (But! There is still arduous trail walking from road-heads to sites inaccessible to vehicles.)

A bonus of our trip is that arrangements and lodgings are organized by members of the once-royal family, 26th generation descendants of the Kingdom's founder, warrior-king Ame Pal!

Whereas our urban street photography tours encourage participants to use prime lenses, this tour will have opportunities to use zoom lenses, too. We usually have permission to use the second-story roof of the palace's animal pens fronting the intimate public square in Lo to view and photograph the Tiji Festival. Here the distance will allow the use of longer focal lengths to great advantage. However, we do encourage participants to choose one fixed (prime) lens at some point each day to practice working with the restrictions such lenses bring with them; therein often lies the roots of increased creativity and experimentation. Zooms are great tools: you always get a photo of some sort, but they do not always force one to think in the most creative way about the potential photo at hand. With a zoom most photographers begin to shoot by pondering, "Do I want to take this at 28mm or at 50mm?" After this decision you still have the rest of the picture-taking process to figure out.

Alternatively, a simplified position might posit, when faced with a picture opportunity, prime, fixed lens at the ready, "How can I best frame this image with what I have at hand?" "What angle of view will create the most dynamic photo?" "What f-stop will give me sharpness through the whole scene or create the out-of-focus surroundings (bokeh) I need to isolate this subject?" You will begin to think about this image before you and only this image instead of thinking, "If this first photo doesn't do the trick I can always zoom in or out to better advantage!" You will begin to practice being in the present with your photography.

There may be instances where you will have to react quickly to get the picture (though, with time, you will come to anticipate it) but just as often you will have extra seconds to do the job right. A 50mm, or wider, fixed lens also gets you into the action (which will show in your Point Of View) rather than let you stand outside the action, clicking from afar (a 'distancing' that almost always shows in the final, finished image.

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All modern cameras have the ability to create excellent photographs. And, in the final analysis, viewers of your images (other than other photographers!) won't give a fig whether your tool was a $9000 Leica or a $100 plastic Holga. What they will care about is that your photographs are engaging, emotion-generating, thought-instilling creations. Otherwise, why bother? We might as well buy the postcard.

While we welcome any DSLR, rangefinder, cell phone or so-called mirror-less model in this adventure, we gear it with the Leica M, SL and Q cameras and Fuji X-camera systems in mind. These are clean, somewhat pared-down systems without the instrument clutter of most modern cameras. More bells and whistles only distract from the task at hand. Really, all we need on our chosen tool is a way to adjust ISO, lens aperture and camera shutter speed. We used to think all the rest was 'gravy' but, increasingly, many have come to see and understand that this 'gravy' is a system-clogging, artistic distraction from the central focus of our craft. Adding functions ought not be confused with increasing functionality!

With the above said, we will still be taking a large number of shots during our in-country stay. Not from nowhere do we have the old saying "practice makes perfect".  The great photographers that we all admire paid their dues in time and shooting to reach their iconic status. Malcolm Gladwell, after studying success in various fields (his book Outliers), found that about 10,000 hours of actually doing a thing are required before the hard work of practice - paying one's dues so to speak, truly starts paying off. Gladwell found this was true for the 'naturally gifted' as well as those who were... well... more ordinary in their talents. What the research really means is that there are basically no shortcuts to fluency; one must Do The Work.** Henri Cartier-Bresson was on the right track when he said, "the first 10,000 pictures are your worst." (What 10,000 hours boils down to is forty hours a week for five years, or twenty hours for ten years, etc.) And remember, Ansel Adams once said that if he got twelve really good photographs during the course of a year he was pleased!

 

* Everything in Mustang, and Nepal in general, is, at all times, in flux. While we make every effort to stick to the schedule of the day, things can happen to make improvisations with comparable alternatives necessary! Come prepared for the delightfully unexpected and serendipitous. The flexible – and prepared – good traveler takes such events in stride and makes the most of any opportunity.

** I would encourage you to read Gladwell's book as well as Steven Pressfield's Do The Work! Overcome Resistance and get out of your own way.

 

 

 

 

Lhakdoen Being Carried By His Mother - Ghami   Tour Cost

     Total cost for the photo tour is US$4995 per person, double occupancy. (Note: If we have only 4 participants the price will increase a bit as much of our total cost is fixed regardless of our numbers.) In Kathmandu and Pokhara (if required by flight conditions) we stay in really great hotels. The hotel in Jomsom is simple but adequate. Traveling up the road to Lo Manthang we stay at Teahouses made to accommodate tourists. These range from spartan to spartan minus! Our meals are taken in these establishments, too. These lodgings are expensive by Mustang standards (and are included in your Tour price) but are the only recourse except for tent camping.

We require an initial deposit payment of $1000 within a week of you making your reservation with us. Your balance must be paid at least 90 days before the start of the Tour.

A transaction fee of 3.5% will apply if you pay your balance by credit card. This is what my service provider charges me for payments paid with a card I do not actually have in hand to run through my machine. If you live near Santa Fe, NM we can meet and I can run your physical card to save you this fee.

Our group will contain up to 6 participants/photographers.

All prices on this site and in any promotional and informational material are listed in US dollars.  Prices while we are on the Tour may be in either US dollars or Nepalese rupees.


     Your tour price includes and pays for:

     Upper Mustang Restricted Area Permit, $500 (1 or 2 passport photos required)

     ACAP Permit, $?? (1 passport photo & 1 passport Main Page copy required)

     Double rooms for every night (Single, if I can get a good rate).
            Rooms in Kathmandu, Pokhara, Jomsom & Lo Manthang have en suite toilets/showers.

     Drivers for each SUV and our Guides/Porters plus their Medical & Life Insurance

     Almost all breakfasts, lunches & dinners. (ca. 43 of 49 meals are included)

     Airfare Kathmandu-Pokhara-Jomsom & Return

     Transfers to/from Kathmandu-Pokhara-Jomsom and our lodgings

     Group SUV transport for Tour activities that need it

     3-Day Tiji Festival Event & Still Photography Pass

     Entrance fees for most sites we visit

     Some years horse transport for part of the journey up the Kali Gandaki is available for those who would like to switch from SUV to horses for a day or two

     Sight visits in Kathmandu and surrounding villages

     Pre-Tour instructions to prepare you for Nepal and Upper Mustang (as well as dozens of photography books & articles on a USB drive)

     Essentially, we include all accommodations, most meals every day with drinks, flights inside Nepal, SUV transport with local driver, and a guide. US$50 of every participant's fee is donated to Mustang's Lo Gyalpo Jigme Foundation for Cultural Conservation.

 

NOT included in your tour cost is:

–   your airfare to Kathmandu from your home base*

–   Nepal multiple-entry visa (US$50 cash! for 30 days)

–   airport-related taxes

–   baggage charges as well as excess weight fees

–   meals in Kathmandu before & after the tour

–   drinks (after the first, included, one) during meals

–   alcoholic drinks

–   personal outings and entertainment and incidentals (music/dance, gifts, etc.)

–   some monastery admissions

–   medical expenses incurred before, on, or after the Tour**

–   expenses arising from situations beyond our control. These include flight cancellations, road closures, landslides, mechanical breakdowns, weather events, etc.

–   money exchanging fees

–   travel insurance

–   medical, & evacuation insurance - REQUIRED!

–   any optional activites not required by the Tour

–   a single room with en suite bath (may be available for extra cost in the cities & Lo Manthang, probably not in the Upper Mustang villages)

–   tips for meals, guide services and monastery services

–   a possible 10% increased trip cost if we have 4 or 5 people instead of 6 participants.


–   While this reads as a long list the actual amount of money is quite small - unless you splurge on fancy meals and alcohol. NOTE: We recommend you limit your alcohol consumption in the high altitude areas we are visiting. Consider yourself to have been warned!


–   Do ask about any other items if you have questions.

 

* You must arrive in Kathmandu at least ONE day before we head out to the Mustang region. NO exceptions! Arrival two days before is better in case your flights are delayed or there are unanticipated problems in your journey. As well, Kathmandu offers lots to see and photograph!

** Your regular U.S. medical insurance policy may cover you in Nepal if the policy is a global policy. Do check to find out whether this is the case with your medical policy. If you are not covered we have suggestions for good options for our participants as medical AND Med-E-Vac insurance is a requirement for your participation in this tour.

 

 

 

 

Pema Nyudup Firing the Muzzleloader   Tour Dates

     Our tours are generally scheduled near or during the week of a full moon to provide night illumination that can be used to great advantage by photographers. As we are bound by the dates of the Tiji Festival, however, this is not always possible.

      Please confer with us before making reservations and paying for any flights or hotels! Also, plan on arriving at least one day before the trip to avoid un-forseen delays with your travel.

 

    Our 2023 Tour will be undertaken in May 5 to 21. The festival is a lunar-based event so can happen anytime between the last few days of April to the first few days of June. The dates are set in January by Upper Mustang's head/chief lama.

 

 

 

Choser Village Ancient Caves      Accomodations

  On most of our tours we stay in lodgings that are among the best available to us consistent with the kind of travel we do. But! In many, if not most cases, these accommodations are quite different from what those of us in Western countries are used to.

  In Kathmandu and Pokhara (if required by flight conditions) we stay in great hotels. The hotel in Jomsom is simple but adequate. Traveling up the road to Lo Manthang we stay at Teahouses made to accommodate tourists. These range from spartan to spartan plus! Our meals are taken in these establishments, too. These lodgings are expensive by Mustang standards but are the only recourse except for tent camping. Rooms are based upon double occupancy. If you require a single room - AND if one is available - you will have to pay an additional supplement for the full cost of the room. In Lo Manthang the King* has built a luxury hotel with all the creature comforts of any first-class inn. The price add-on is quite substantial: around $450 per night! Call or email us for more info.

     Participants coming alone will be teamed (for accommodation purposes) with another traveler as a roommate. A single room may, or may not, be available.

     * The Maoist government in office in Nepal abolished all monarchies 28 May 2008, tho they let the King/Raja of Mustang keep his title and position for the remainder of his life. His successor is not, officially, a King but the people still treat him as one.

 

 

 

A      Physical Requirements & Dietary Info

      Skill & Physical Level: moderate hiking skill with a good level of fitness required; no technical difficulties, but an ability to walk around in altitudes between about 2743 meters / 9000 feet up to 4135 meters / 13,566 feet. (If you are adding the Manang horse trek via Thorong La Pass you will need to go much higher: 5416 meters /17,769 feet AND have the ability to ride a horse.) Talk to us if you have ANY questions about your ability to do this trip or if you have high altitude, lung, heart, blood pressure or other conditions that might compromise your ability to successfully complete this journey.

     Even though we will have SUVs at our disposal there will be lots of walking (if you want to see and photograph the many sites we go to that are off-trail/road.) The ability to walk an hour or so in the mornings and in the afternoons - at a minimum - is a necessity. Anyone who can get around any large city at street level with ease should have no problem in Lo Manthang as we gain elevation gradually. Do note, though, that many of the off-trail/road places we visit require walking for up to an hour or more at fairly high elevations. These walks to caves, monasteries and ruins are not required and one can stay with the SUVs (or horses, if applicable) if one so desires. If you have never traveled at high altitudes you may not know how you will fare until we actually arrive on site. But! If you have ambulatory issues you must let us know as this trip is probably not for you!

     Obviously, mountain travel can be a minefield of rough trails, rapidly changing elevations and other challenging issues. Walking any distance with a camera to your eye is a recipe for physical disaster. Look down frequently and don comfortable and stable footwear for our daily activities.

     Spring weather in Upper Mustang varies from cold (freezing temps) at night to sunny days where it rises (usually) to 65F to 68F between the hours of 1:00 p.m. to 3 or 4:00 p.m. which feels warm with all the thermal radiation. Layering your wardrobe is key. Sunblock is a good idea as we are at high altitudes. The days get windy so staying hydrated with plenty of water is a necessity.

     NOTE: most of the trails we walk are in good condition and are not much different than hiking and scrambling in any wild, mountainous, high-altitude terrain. However, you must understand that common sense and caution are factors that cannot be 100% built into our tours but must be supplied by you, our participants!

     Almost all evenings will be free after about 6:00 p.m. for individual exploration – music, dance clubs, restaurants, etc. in Kathmandu but almost nothing by way of social events in Lo Manthang and while in-transit on the trail/road except sitting over long dinners conversing and drinking tea with other travelers. Whatever you decide to do in the evenings is fine as long as you are ready for our activities at 9:00 a.m. (and earlier!) the next morning! When you are late you hold all your companions up! In 1986 Nepal advanced their clocks by 15 minutes, creating their year-round Nepal Standard Time (NPT) as UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) +05:45. For example: New York City is 10.45 hours behind NPT; noon NYC is 1:15 am Kathmandu.


     Nepal is one of the world's poorest countries economically. The restaurant scene in Kathmandu is fine, however, and we will eat our meals in a variety of excellent local restaurants. Vegetarians have no fear, there is selection aplenty in this Hindu and Buddhist country!

     The situation in even poorer Mustang is a little different with rice, potatoes, daal bhat (lentils), Tibetan momos (dumplings), soups, Indian-style breads and sometimes chicken, predominating.

     If you have any dietary issues or requirements please let us know before you sign up for this Tour. For those with gluten-free and other dietary needs the country may be a bit of a challenge, not in eating elementary meals but in getting much diversity during your trip. Vegetarians ought to be okay; vegans?

     Finally, do not expect to buy any medications while in Mustang! Bring whatever you need with you, in its original, labeled container. Kathmandu is not a problem for normal meds - in fact, they may well be orders of magnitude much less expensive than at home!

 

 

 

Painted Windows as Protection from Malevolent Spirits      Insurance

  We REQUIRE tour participants to have both evacuation and medical insurance. Your regular U.S. medical insurance policy may cover you in Nepal if the policy is a global policy. Do check with your carrier to find out whether this is the case. If your medical policy will not cover you in Nepal we can provide information on a carrier whose coverage is very good and whose cost is reasonable.

  Medical evacuation is a valuable tool in the kit of the traveler who heads to remote places. Some insurers provide this or it can be purchased as an add-on. In all cases READ THE FINE PRINT. Some evacuation insurance only evacuates you from a hospital, NOT off the mountains! Med-e-vac from the region we are traveling to costs US$25,000.00 and the heli will not take you until you provide proof of insurance OR let them charge the full cost to your credit card(s). We will ask to see your medical and evacuation policies BEFORE we head off into the Himalaya so bring your paperwork proof of insurance (which you would also need in the event of an illness or accident requiring evacuation.)

Prudence dictates that you investigate other insurances, too. We do not require travel insurance but, depending on your circumstances and location (a snow belt where airport closures are possible, for example), it may be wise to purchase it. We will not provide refunds to you if you call us in Nepal and say you are stuck in a snowstorm in Boise and cannot get to Kathmandu for at least three days! There are many providers of travel insurance so you may wish to consult a travel agent as to one that meets your needs. Before you purchase, read the whole policy; the big print giveth, the fine print taketh away!

If you are coming on our trip with lots of expensive gear it ought to be insured. If it is stacked under your Homeowners policy be certain you are covered abroad. Note that if you - or your site provider, offer to sell your prints on your photography web site you are categorized as a "professional" and your insurance company will not pay out a settlement on your loss even if you have been paying premiums as an amateur under a Homeowner's Policy Rider. A savvy underwriter's agent will look for this after you make a claim and it applies even if you have never sold a single print!

Here are some carriers issuing insurance in the areas discussed above. Note we have no affiliation to them nor do we get any kickbacks from them for listing them here. Obviously, we also do not endorse them in a formal way, either. We have used them but never made a claim – the real test of any coverage.

 

 

 

 

 

Washing Clothes in Freezing Water      What to Bring

  Comfortable footwear is more important than a fancy camera!

  Comfortable clothes that you can get dirty and that are easy to wash in a sink or shower are a must! Quick-drying (a relative term) fabrics are best. There are no laundromats in Upper Mustang; a washerwoman is the only recourse. Your clothes will be soaped and beaten in a stream used by horses, yaks, goats, sheep and people for ALL their needs! I have had clothes washed this way and they do get clean but lots of sand needs to be shaken out of the fabric.

Details on what to bring – and what not to bring here.



 

Rebuilding Washed-Out Bridge      Who Should Come

  The ability to get on well with a group is of crucial importance. This is your photo tour but you are also a member of a group; a group where everyone has a strong personality and an urge to do certain, specific things. Some may want to get more comfortable approaching potential photo subjects on the trail while others may want to refine their technique and vision. Tour leaders will address your concerns and questions in areas you wish to explore and provide practice tips for you.

This tour is for those photographers who already have good working familiarity with their equipment. No formal basic instruction on cameras or photography is included in this tour.

We require at least one in-person or online interview with each person unknown to us who wishes to join our trips. No exceptions.

We seek a good, hassle-free experience for these fairly informal interviews and if in-person is not feasible we use Skype, What’s App, Zoom or some other service. Variables like server traffic, internet provider speeds, and both your and our hardware can contribute to issues during interviews. As well, the Internet can throw unforeseen obstacles into the mix. We do try to minimize these annoying problems.

With only 6 participants in the tour we will usually stay together as a group but if interests diverge you may go off on your own while we are in Lo Manthang - providing you can do so safely! Remember, altitude and actual heights and cliffs can be ever-present dangers.

 

 

 

 

Street photography is 99.9% failure. – Alex Webb

 

 

 

 

First Satellite Dish!      Staying in Touch With Home

  The internet and mobile usage is easy in Nepal's big cities. Two different companies offer SIM cards for cell phones in Nepal. Service in Mustang may - or may not - be available! Wi-Fi is available at the fancy expensive hotel in Lo Manthang.

 

 

 

 

 

Hindu Baba Scurrying to the Buddhist Monastery      Payments & Refunds, Cancellations

  Within 7 days after you make your reservation (by telephone, email, facsimile or other means) we require an Initial Payment of $1000 per person to hold your place for the Tour. We will send you an invoice for this Initial Payment and then one afterward that includes the payment and your balance due, with the sequence of due dates for your other payments. The final payment for your place in the Tour will be due in full 90 days before the start of the Tour.

  Your place in the Tour may be cancelled without notice if you have not paid any fees upon their due date.

  If you find you cannot go on the Tour after you have made a reservation/payments to us, you can cancel your participation. To do this you must notify us in writing. An initial email and/or a telephone call concerning your intent to cancel will also be helpful as this is a small group endeavor and your cancellation will affect the whole Tour.

Please read this page carefully as it describes our Cancellation Refund policy in full.

 

 

 

 

Tour Leaders

Below is a list of the photographers/guides who will be leading this trip. Both have many years of experience as photographers and adventure travelers in Mustang and other remote areas of the world.

Go to this page to see their work.

 

 

Wilbur Norman is a Santa Fe writer and photographer who studied social anthropology and has owned rare book and tribal art galleries. His first camera was his father's bakelite 120/220 Ansco Panda but has ‘upgraded’ over the years to his current image-making tools: the Leica M11, Leica M10R, Sony A1 and several Fuji X-cameras; kit chosen for the beautiful rendering produced by their companion lenses. He still owns and uses his first great camera, a Leica M4 Black Paint film body purchased when he was 16 years old.

 

 

 

Tsewang Jonden Bista is the nephew of the Late King of Mustang and was born in the village of Charang, Mustang. He is a tourism entrepreneur and social worker and conducts specialized tours in his homeland. He has been working in Mustang for the last 26 years and has in-depth knowledge of its locales, customs and practices. He has worked with The National Geographic, Discovery Channel and WGBH USA. He is also a founding member of the non-governmental organization (NGO) called Lo Gyalpo Jigme Foundation for Cultural Conservation, working in Upper Mustang to uplift the life of the Loba people and conserve the rich cultural heritage of his ancestors. He authored a booklet in collaboration with UNESCO on the important and famous Tiji festival of Mustang.

 

 

 

 

Pema Sherpa is our fantastic guide and cook. Most everyone has heard about the incredible warmth, cheer, initiative and strength of Nepal's sherpas upon whom expeditions depend. Pema is an exemplar of these heroes of the Himalaya. Pema knows every nook and cranny of Upper Mustang and is friends with the royal family. He also knows what Westerners need in terms of dietary hygiene and fills in as cook; not a single person has ever gotten sick from food on our trips when traveling with Pema and his watchful eye. As if guide and cook are not enough he also fills in as Wilbur's camera sherpa; a useful helpmate for switching lenses and bodies. Four hands good, two hands not as good!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are often fortunate to have the company and advice of Luigi Fieni. Luigi has many awards and publications to his credit. He has worked in Upper Mustang for over 20 seasons training local artists in the conservation, restoration and preservation of ancient monastery paintings found throughout the kingdom. His knowledge and good cheer are always a plus.

 

 

 

 

 

Happiness does not come from doing easy work but from the afterglow of satisfaction that comes after the achievement of a difficult task that demanded our best. – Theodore Isaac Rubin

 

 

 

Typical Tour Schedule

Please confer with us BEFORE making your flight reservations!
Arrive at least one day early (May 4, or, better May 3) in the event your travel encounters un-forseen changes.

Itinerary particulars?  More detail here.

Exciting NOTE: On the journey to Lo we will visit a monastery that has not previously been opened to foreigners!

 

Note! In the places we conduct our trips, schedules and itineraries are always in a state of flux.  We follow the sometimes varying schedule of those activities we have traveled to witness and NOT the other way around.  Upper Mustang is no exception.  Patience and an open mind are two important keywords of our trips.  Throw in serendipity with a smile and you have the makings of a lifetime experience!
Day 1
Friday May 5		 Check into our lodgings.  Meet at our hotel in Kathmandu to make certain we are all present and ready for the Tour.  Evening dinner together.// Walking tour of the Thamel area of Kathmandu.  Buy any last minute supplies you may need or have forgotten to bring.
Day 2 A morning visit to Boudhanath Stupa and a late afternoon Photo Walk.
Day 3 Morning visit to Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple).  Afternoon trip to Pashupatinath (Cremation grounds) or Thimi traditional village.
Day 4 EARLY morning flight - Kathmandu to Pokhara. Explore Pokhara.
Day 5 Early morning flight - Pokhara to Jomsom.  Drive to Kagbeni village via Kutsab Ternga monastery.  Check into Teahouse in Kagbeni (2900 m/9199 feet).
Day 6 Jeep to Muktinath (3710 meters).  Overnight at Teahouse in Kagbeni village (9199 feet).
Day 7 Jeep to Tsele via Chuksang, visit 13th C. Mentse Lhakhang cave monastery.  Side trip to Tetang Village.  Teahouse in Tsele village. 
Day 8 Jeep to Ghemi village (via a trek to Padmasambhava's Chungshi Rangjong cave).  Teahouse in Ghemi village.
Day 9 Tsarang village via Drakmar (red cliffs) village.  Visit 8th C. Lo Gekar Monastery.
Day 10 Jeep to Ghara Village, Luri Monastery (12-13th C. paintings).
Day 11 Jeep to Lo Manthang.  Jeep north to Choser Village 5-story caves & paintings.
Day 12 A morning exploring the town of Lo Manthang.  Just after lunch the Tiji Festival Day 1 begins.
Day 13 Morning local trip. Tiji Festival Day 2.
Day 14 Early morning visit to Trenkar summer palace or Ketcher Dzong Fortress.  Tiji Festival Day 3.
Day 15 Long day's jeep ride to Jomson ($4K Option: chopper to Pokhara).  Teahouse/Explore Jomsom village.
Day 16 Early morning flight Jomson - Pokhara.  Connecting flight to Kathmandu.  Check into lodgings.
Day 17
Sunday May 21		 Transfer to Tribhuvan International Airport for, alas, your Flight Home!




Trip Extensions

There are many additional activities and places one can go in Nepal.
One possibility is a trip south to visit the bodhi tree where the Buddha gained enlightenment.
There are also game parks for wildlife viewing. Chitwan National Park for rhinoceros is an idea!
Ask about these opportunities if you wish to extend your stay at either the beginning or end of the Tour.

 

 

 

The important ancient chorten group between Ghami and Dhakmar      Events Subject to Change

  Much in Nepal is, at all times, in flux. While we make every effort to stick to the schedule of the day, things can happen to make improvisations with comparable alternatives necessary. Come prepared for the delightfully unexpected and serendipitous. The flexible – and prepared – traveler takes such events in stride and makes the most of any opportunity. As we will be a small group, activities may be amended with the consensus of participants.

 

 

 

Just Sitting in the Sun      Photo Release / Tour Review

  Camera Treks may ask you to submit a few of your photographs from the Tour to use on its web site or in promotional/publicity materials. We will always give attribution for your photographs if and when we use them!

  We will ask you to submit a brief blurb on your opinion of the Tour to use on our web site or in promotional/publicity materials. Also, after your return home, we will ask you to fill out a brief questionnaire rating us and the trip – both the positive and the negative.

 

 

 

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