...with our 8 mules...
...and started our climb up onto the Tibetan Plateau.
After 6 hours and a climb of 1400 m to 4200m we crossed this saddle, unofficially declaring ourselves on the "plateau".
...and this was what lay in front of us.
We continued across lower Mustang, passing deep ravines..
..some of which had to be crossed...
...along narrow ledges..
..working ever upwards..
..til we faced the final climb the next day to Kerala Pass at 4900 m...
...then down and up again to Jungben Pass at 5550 m..
...leaving Mustang and entering the Dolpo region.
We wound up river valleys...
...passed lots of mani walls...
..to our next pass Mo La at 5027 m
..only to plunge onwards and downwards.
We now swung North towards Upper Dolpa and Tibet..
...passing a paticularly nice river canyon, with Tibetan graffiti - Om Mane Padme Hum
The landscape remained harsh..
...although the valley down from our northernmost point in Nepal, was somewhat more vegetated and appealing with its white granite boulders.
Turning south, it was more passes..
..and more hard country..
...before we got to Shey Gompa, where things were a little greener.
From here we continued south, crossing our last major pass, Nagdalo, at 5250 m..
..and dropping quickly down...
...to "Switzerland"
...and the brilliantly turquoise Lake Phoksumdo
The world had changed, we were walking along crystal clear rivers through pine and birch forests...
...albeit with a few ups and downs.
We started seeing lots of Nepalese villages.
...and tea houses
...and terraced fields..
..and finally arrived to a hotel in Juphal, the end of our walk...
...and the traditional farewell dinner.
From here it was flights back to Kathmandu. First a small charter to Nepalgunj - our plane arriving in Juphal..
...no sky bridges here.
We overnighted in Nepalgunj at Hotel Batati
Went to Satishes uncles where we got a warm welcome and tikas...
..before doing a brief town tour by tuk tuk.
The Indian border..
..the main temple..
..the shops.
Next morning it was off to Kathmandu on a proper commercial flight.
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