Jomsom

Jomsom, also known as Dzongsam or New Fort, is a town located at an altitude of 2800m in Mustang, Nepal. It extends over both the banks of the Kali Gandaki River. Along the banks of Kali Gandaki river there are rocks holy to the Hindus. The soaring peaks of Dhaulagiri and Nilgiri form a backdrop. As the district headquarters, it is primarily an administrative and commercial center with government officials and merchants rubbing shoulders with the local residents of the region, known as Thakalis. A company of the Nepalese Army is stationed here. Nearby is Jomsom Airport from where there are regular flights.

A trail passes through the Lower Mustang region of Nepal, ending at the village of Kagbeni, a Tibetan influenced village filled with prayer wheels, chortens and a Buddhist monastery. The trail follows the Kali Gandaki River which forms the deepest ravine in the world; on one side lies the Annapurna mountain range and on the other side is Dhaulagiri. Between the two ranges, there are views of 8 of the 20 highest mountains in the world. The Kali Gandaki is a quarter of a mile wide river bed; during the winter the river will be dry, but during the summer and monsoon it fills with rain water and melting snow. The scenery of the trail ranges from forests of brilliant red rhododendrons to rocky cliffs and desert. The culture along the track is a rich mixture of Hindu and Tibetan Buddhism. The trail's highest point is Muktinath at 3800 m, a holy site of temples sacred to both Buddhists and Hindus for centuries.