It is amazing how a good rest, sleep and food can banish the pain and anguish from the previous day!  A short climb from the tea house to the pass was polished off quickly and then we had a glorious, gently descending, walk with fine views east down to the gorge of the Kali Gandaki.  The traditional route goes through Geling but the jeep track has opened up an alternative route that stays higher and avoids the descent and subsequent club.  We took the easier route which passes through a couple of tiny hamlets (Tamagaon and Chhunggar). The old route rejoined us at Jhaite and we took this as it took the more direct route up to the Nyi La and our first time over 4000 metres (4020m).  This was quite a pull, climbing 200 metres in just over 500 metres of distance!  The good thing about Nepalese passes however, is that there is always a large pile of prayers stones and places to rest at the top.

Fully rested, and with a few flurries of snow in the air, we began the long and pleasing descent to our lunch stop at Ghami, a chance to stretch the legs and not have to worry about whether the lungs were going to burst or not!  Ghami is home to the longest Prayer Wall in Mustang and impressive structure some 250 metres (?) or so long.  After lunch we had the obligatory descent, river crossing and climb before the path passes the wall (walk with it to your right) before turning east and heading up to the next pass (the Tsarang La).  From here, it’s another lovely long descent into Tsarang with fine views ahead.

On the outskirts of Tsarang stands the impressive Chorten gate.  Tsarang is a sprawling (in Mustangy terms) settlement dominated to the east by the palace and the monastery, both of which are worth a visit if your guide can arrange it.  Beyond the village across the valley stand some impressively eroded cliffs in various colours which in the evening light gave us an impressive end to a good day.

Day Five – Tsarang to Lo Manthang