A walk north from Jomsom up the dry Kali Gandaki valley, in the rain shadow of the Himalaya, to Lo Manthang, the walled former royal capital of the kingdom of Lo.
12–16 walking days · Challenging · Start and end: Jomsom · Protected area: Annapurna Conservation Area
Fly to Jomsom from Pokhara (flights run in the morning; strong winds stop them later in the day) or go by road. A road now reaches Lo Manthang, so some trekkers drive one way.
This is a restricted area: you need a special permit through a registered agency and a licensed guide. Since November 2025 the permit costs US$50 a day (it used to be US$500 for the first 10 days). Expect strong afternoon winds, dust, exposed terrain and altitude; road building has changed parts of the old trail. Because it lies in a rain shadow, it is one of the few treks walked during the monsoon.
Restricted area: the special permit is issued only through a government-registered trekking agency, and a licensed guide must go with you. Since March 2026 solo trekkers can get the permit too, still with a guide.
Most of these treks go above 3,000 m. The US CDC advises: once above 3,000 m, sleep no more than 500 m higher each night, add an extra day for every 1,000 m you gain, never go higher with symptoms (headache, nausea, dizziness), and go down if they get worse.
Fees and rules checked on 2026-11-02.
Trekking and sightseeing in Nepal
General guidance from the sources listed, not a guarantee. Rules, fees and trail conditions change; confirm with the official source or a registered trekking agency before you go.