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Nepal & Upper Mustang Photo Tour | 15 – 27 April 2029
Full Price: €7,995 | £6,795 | $9,195
Pay the full price now or a €400 deposit, with the balance payable 8 weeks before the workshop start date.
15 – 27 April 2029
Places Available
Full Price: €7,995 | £6,795 | $9,195
Pay the full price now or a €400 deposit, with the balance payable 8 weeks before the workshop start date.
15 – 27 April 2029
Places Available
Max 5
12 nights/ 13 days
Medium
Marshyangdi Hotel, Tibet International + others
Arrivals lounge at Kathmandu Tribhuvan (KTM)
Join me for an unforgettable Nepal & Upper Mustang photo tour in April 2029. The photo tour will start in Kathmandu before we move to Upper Mustang in northern Nepal. This little-visited area of Nepal has much to offer photographers. From the high mountain peaks of the Annapurna range, which skirt the eastern edge of the area, to villages where it seems time has remained still since the Middle Ages, to street photography of the characterful local people.
Only opened to outside visitors since 1992, access to Upper Mustang is heavily controlled. During the first days of our Nepal and Upper Mustang photo tour, the permits required for our entry into the Upper Mustang region will be prepared for us.
Nepal offers many photographic opportunities from the cultures of both the Hindu and Buddhist religions, to the stunning mountain landscapes and the people that we’ll meet during our photography tour.
During April, the mornings can be cold in Upper Mustang, and the daytime can be a pleasant 20°c or so. The area is also at an altitude of around 4000m, and we will be monitoring every person to ensure that altitude sickness doesn’t strike. We will make the very best of the morning and evening light. You will be taken to some of the very best photography locations for the first light and sunset. Our local guide will also be on hand to help with the street photography that we will encounter.
Our stay in Kathmandu is based in both 3- and 4-star hotel accommodations, where the hotels provide us with breakfast in the morning. In Upper Mustang, the accommodation is basic but comfortable with Western-style facilities. All accommodation is provided on a single-occupancy basis (no single supplement).
Transportation during the photography tour will be in the form of 4×4 jeeps when we are in Upper Mustang. The roads are mostly unmade, so the jeeps will help us easily navigate the terrain that we’ll be encountering. The road network is definitely a challenge, but your comfort during the photography tour is my priority.
During the Nepal photography tour, which encompasses Kathmandu and some of the surrounding towns, we will either be on foot or transport will be provided by our ground agent.
Arrival into Kathmandu
It’s the arrival day of our Nepal and Upper Mustang photo tour. We meet you at the airport, check in at our hotel and head off for some street photography in the surrounding area of Kathmandu.
Our ground agent will collect our passports to prepare the necessary permits required for us to enter the restricted area of Upper Mustang.
Kathmandu
An early start is in store as we head out to Kathmandu Durbar Square. The streets around the area are bustling with life early in the morning from street vendors to worshipers so there is ample again for some street photography before heading back to our hotel for breakfast.
In the afternoon we head to Bhaktapur and then onto Pashupatinah.
A Hindu temple, Pashupatinath is a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the bank of the Bagmati River and is considered one of the holiest pilgrimage sites for Hindus.
We’ll spend some time photographing the many temples as well as the Sadhus that live here.
From Kathmandu to Lower Mustang
Today we fly out to Pokhara where we’ll meet our driver and guide who will escort us up to Upper Mustang.
We stay overnight in Marpha in a local hotel.
Marpha to Kagbeni
After a well-deserved rest from our long drive up to Mustang, we head out after breakfast for a walk around Marpha. Our journey continues north towards Kagbeni.
On our way, we will discover the small village of Lupra hidden away at the foothills of the Annapurna range.
After checking in at our hotel we’ll head back out to photograph the stunning mountain scenery that towers above us.
Kagbeni and Muktinath
Waking up early we head up high to photograph the scenery of the Dhaulagiri range on the road to Muktinath.
Our hotel will serve us a well-deserved breakfast before we head north towards Chhusang where we spend the night.
But that’s not the end of the day as we’ll head out for the afternoon and evening light raking across the high Annapurna range.
Upper Mustang – Day 1
An early start is required to get us up on the road that we visited the evening before. Watch the sunrise across Annapurna’s mountains and the Nilgiri Himal mountain range that is ever present during our journey.
Having dispensed with breakfast we head north again to Ghiling. A small village nestled amongst the high mountains we’ll visit the local monastery before continuing our drive to Ghami.
Upper Mustang – Day 2
Sunrise will see us photographing the stunning Ghami Himal range that towers above Ghami.
From here we say goodbye to Ghami and head to the Dhakmar red cliffs.
Continuing on with our journey, we will photograph the stunning landscapes on the road to the Ghar Gumba Buddhist Monastery.
With lunch filling our stomachs, we then head onwards to Lo Manthang, where we will spend the next 2 nights.
Upper Mustang – Days 3 to 4 – Lo Manthang
The next two days will see us discovering the ancient capital of the Kingdom of Lo. A small town that has its roots deep in Tibetan Buddhism. Visits to some of the monasteries are the order of the day and, if we can, we’ll try to set up a shoot with the monks and the huge traditional horns that they use during ceremonies.
After breakfast on day 9, we head back towards Tsarang.
Return to Lower Mustang
Checking out from our hotel in Tsarang, we begin the journey back to Jomsom.
On the way, we’ll visit the stunning hidden valley of Yara before lunch in Ghami, then onwards towards Lower Mustang.
Return to Kathmandu
Day 11 sees us drive back to Pokhara, where we take a well-deserved rest in a 4-star hotel.
We take an early morning flight on Day 12 back to Kathmandu, where we spend time taking in such sights as Patan Durbar Square, the Monkey Temple and, of course, Boudhanath Square.
Departure day from Kathmandu
It’s our final day and we depart from Kathmandu. We’ll get you to the airport in good time for your flight home.
I’m here as a professional landscape and travel photographer to help you get the best from the Nepal photography tour. You can expect:
The two inevitable questions before any photography tour are “what camera gear do I bring and what clothing?”
Kathmandu Tribhuvan (KTM) airport is served by a multitude of international flight operators from budget airlines to the more commercial airlines such as Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airlines and Air India.
We will all meet at the arrivals lounge at Kathmandu Tribhuvan on 15 April 2029. Our driver will then take us to our first hotel, where we will rest, ready for the photo tour to start.
Once we know all attendees’ departure flight times, we can coordinate drop-offs at Kathmandu Tribhuvan Airport (KTM).
Yes, you will likely need to apply for a visa before going to Nepal. Only a handful of countries can access the country visa-free or with a visa on arrival. It is recommended to apply for your visa online before departure so that the arrival process is quicker.
Altitude sickness occurs above 2500m or around 8200 feet. If your journey goes up too quickly, then there is the risk of altitude sickness occurring, which is why the itinerary takes us up at a gradual pace. Each day, participants’ oxygen levels will be checked to ensure that no one has to be taken back down.
If you’re worried about the effects of high altitude sickness, then you are strongly advised to consult your doctor before going.
Diamox is what many people are prescribed before ascending to altitudes above 2500m.
A wide-angle lens (16-35), medium zoom (24-70) and a longer zoom (70-300) will be ideal to cover most compositional eventualities. Ideally though your longest focal length should be 400mm as well as an extender. The most used will be in the 24-70 range as a super wide-angle doesn’t always translate, so make sure this focal length is covered. It’s best not to weigh yourself down, so why not bring an airport-style bag for all your kit and a smaller day bag, which you can decant equipment into throughout the day.
Although not essential, it’s a great idea to bring a laptop computer with you so you can discuss imagery with me and others in the group. It really is a great learning experience, so it’s highly recommended to bring a laptop to learn and for personal entertainment.
I try to make a point of tutoring digital photography to all my clients, to help complete the learning process. It really helps to have a computer session when tiredness takes hold, or inclement weather persists.
My Upper Mustang photography tour uses local drivers who have the extremely hardy Scorpio Jeeps.
Each jeep is limited to three photographers per vehicle. You are guaranteed to have a window seat so you can take in the stunning views and be able to quickly get out when there is something you want to photograph.
The seats in the Scorpio Jeeps are generous and comfortable. Each seat is big enough to keep your camera bag close at hand and safe.
What’s included in the Nepal & Upper Mustang Photo Tour?
Photo tuition from Julian Elliott
Double or single room. Single-occupancy (no single supplement)
Breakfasts
Transport during the tour
Airport transfers on arrival and departure
Nepalese tour guide
Ground transportation in private air-conditioned vehicles for listed activities
Bottled water
Site entry fees (if applicable)
Model fees (if applicable)
Domestic flights to and from Pokhara
What’s not included in the Nepal & Upper Mustang Photo Tour?
International flights to and from Kathmandu
Airport taxes
Entry visa, if required, to Nepal
Early/ late check-in/ out service at hotels
Meals not mentioned
Travel insurance and trip cancellation (highly advised)
Tips for guides and drivers
Any excess baggage charges on internal flights
Medical expenses
Personal expenses such as telephone charges, laundry etc
Tips and gratuities for drivers, guides and hotel porters
Services and transportation are for listed activities only
Charges will be applied for any additional requests
All other services which are not mentioned in the Inclusion section
My tours fill up quickly but sometimes spots open up due to cancellations.
If the tour you are interested in is currently full and you would like to be added to the waiting list then please fill out this form
