Wake up early to a beautiful morning, take breakfast and start the walk of the day to Jharkot – an uphill walk and you gain quite a bit of elevation, so it’s nice to stop here and take the afternoon to explore this old fortified village. The main feature of the village is the striking red Gompa (monastery) of the Sakya sect of Buddhism that sits prominently at the front of the village. This Gompa is more than 500 years old and has an active Tibetan Medicine school. There are stunning views down the valley and up towards the famous Thorong La (pass) which is the highest point of the Annapurna Circuit trek.

Visit to Muktinath – a significant pilgrimage place of both Buddhists and Hindus, and a great example of religions interfaith. Local Buddhist nuns care take the site, thousands of Indian devotees, Tibet, and Nepal come here on pilgrimage for purification and salvation. It is said that throughout history many kings throughout Asia did the same. Visiting a local Bonpo Monastery. While you have to ascend the mountain again for a short way to get back on the trail, it is a great route that trekkers on the Annapurna circuit miss out on, so you will be far away from the crowds and the jeep trail to Jharkot and Muktinath. Overnight in Lupra village – a less traveled place

Follow the middle way to the village of Phalyak. Once you arrive at the bank of the Kaligandaki River, continue towards the confluence point of the river where several small tributaries fuse to form a rapidly gushing Kaligandaki River. Cross a bridge and then, walk parallel to the Kolungba Khola, originating from the Tashikang peak and its surrounding glaciers. Within a short while, you will be at Phalyak, a rarely explored pristine village of the Mustang region. Because of the isolation of the village from the main route, only a few put their eye to it. This place is perfect for enjoying the unblemished Tibetan cultures and rituals

Catch the side trip trekking route to Jomsom (as highlighted in the Upper & Lower Mustang map of Himalayan Map House). A pleasing trail as the brownie mountain keep tracking your footsteps. Yet, on this isolated segment, you will come across some Chortens on the way, wrapped by the prayer flags. This shows the influence of Buddhism in higher regions of Nepal. Within a couple of minutes, you will show up at Hadigaon, after crossing a bridge. Then, continue towards the Thinigaon.

After checking and having lunch; go for an hour of a side trip to Dhumba Tal (Lake), the exquisite lake to release all the samsaric pressure. The water is pristine and looks untouched for centuries. Enjoy the moments at the lake and return to Thinigaon.

From here, the way to Chimang gaun goes through the impressive stone settlements. The place is exquisite, and the alleyways are formed by placing the flat stone slabs below. The people of this village are also called Chimba. Most of them are Buddhists, so you may as well catch an insight into their lifestyle and cultures. Young kids of the village will come after you for a photograph and they look amazing ahead of the mountains. Take time out to visit the Tibetan Refugee Camp, where they sell their handmade handicraft items and souvenirs.

From Chimanggaon, descend to the Kalapani. The more you progress on the trail, the better the views become. The snowy pinnacles, rising above the northeastern Himalayas, accompany throughout the trail, particularly the peaks of Dhaulagiri and Nilgiri (meaning Blue Ridge). The path is completely off-the-beaten and leads you through some of the exquisite locations on the planet. Once you arrive at Kalapani, stroll around the villages and monasteries as it is fun doing that.

Walk down hill from Ghandruk to Syauli Bazaar then flat pleasing walk to Nayapul and drive back civilization, Pokhara. Rest and relax after 5 days hiking.

After creating some of the exquisite and living memories at Larjung, head towards another wonderful village of Marpha for lunch break. At a glance, Marpha looks like a rainbow, but all of the same colors- black. The houses are stone-made, and the flat slabs, placed on the alleys, create an intriguing atmosphere. From this village, the astounding peak of the Nilgiri dominates the views and they appear simply fabulous. At Marpha, explore the local hamlets and spend some time talking with the locals then head to Jomsom for last night in the trekking.

Catch the early morning flight to Pokhara from Jomsom and spend the rest of the time exploring the natural sites of Pokhara. It is a lot of fun doing that.

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