NikonGear'23
Images => Nature, Flora, Fauna & Landscapes => Topic started by: atpaula on September 21, 2017, 05:34:26
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Mustang (from the Tibetan möntang (Wylie: smon-thang), Nepali: मुस्तांग Mustāṃg "fertile plain"), formerly Kingdom of Lo, is a remote and isolated region of the Nepalese Himalayas. The Upper Mustang was a restricted demilitarized area until 1992 which makes it one of the most preserved regions in the world, with a majority of the population still speaking traditional Tibetic languages. Tibetan culture has been preserved by the relative isolation of the region from the outside world.
The Upper Mustang comprise the northern two-thirds of Mustang District of Dhawalagiri Zone, Nepal. The southern third of the district is called Thak and is the homeland of the Thakali, who speak the Thakali language, and whose culture combines Tibetan and Nepalese elements. Life in Mustang revolves around tourism, animal husbandry and trade.
Mustang's status as a kingdom ended in 2008 when its suzerain Kingdom of Nepal became a republic. The influence of the outside world, especially China, is growing and contributing to rapid change in the lives of Mustang's people.
I've covered a distance of 173km to visit the area, from Jomsom to Lo Manthang and back, mostly walking. Some parts I've ridden a horse, occasionally in scary exposed trails.
It was an unforgetable experience due to the awesome scenery and the contact with people and ancient history.
I had a D4s & 70-200mm f/4G and a D5 & 16-35mm f/4G with me.
1
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af237/atpaula/aD5S_6664_zps6u2kcivx.jpg) (http://s1011.photobucket.com/user/atpaula/media/aD5S_6664_zps6u2kcivx.jpg.html)
2
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af237/atpaula/aD5S_6501_zpslnccate4.jpg) (http://s1011.photobucket.com/user/atpaula/media/aD5S_6501_zpslnccate4.jpg.html)
3
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af237/atpaula/aD5S_6761_zpsqarbt1bi.jpg) (http://s1011.photobucket.com/user/atpaula/media/aD5S_6761_zpsqarbt1bi.jpg.html)
4
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af237/atpaula/aD5S_6790_zpsyebtmfaz.jpg) (http://s1011.photobucket.com/user/atpaula/media/aD5S_6790_zpsyebtmfaz.jpg.html)
5
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af237/atpaula/aD4S_6828_zps3jx9ujeh.jpg) (http://s1011.photobucket.com/user/atpaula/media/aD4S_6828_zps3jx9ujeh.jpg.html)
6
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af237/atpaula/aD4S_6938_zps5qteyojq.jpg) (http://s1011.photobucket.com/user/atpaula/media/aD4S_6938_zps5qteyojq.jpg.html)
7
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af237/atpaula/aD4S_6954_zpsfycug4dk.jpg) (http://s1011.photobucket.com/user/atpaula/media/aD4S_6954_zpsfycug4dk.jpg.html)
8
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af237/atpaula/aD5S_7200_zpsitir5qvm.jpg) (http://s1011.photobucket.com/user/atpaula/media/aD5S_7200_zpsitir5qvm.jpg.html)
9
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af237/atpaula/aD5S_7125_zpsjrydyzt7.jpg) (http://s1011.photobucket.com/user/atpaula/media/aD5S_7125_zpsjrydyzt7.jpg.html)
10
(http://i1011.photobucket.com/albums/af237/atpaula/aD5S_6945_zpsfvkizogi.jpg) (http://s1011.photobucket.com/user/atpaula/media/aD5S_6945_zpsfvkizogi.jpg.html)
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It's great to see the images from the place I dream of in your style!
The dark blue-gray sky suggests the high altitude. They live really close to the divinity.
Hope you are getting enough oxygen!
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Very nice. Thank you so much!
I particularly like 1, 3, 8 and 10. I'm puzzled by 9, what's the object?
Dave
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Aguinaldo, great images, I am so envious. Back in 2000 I was supposed to go (as part of a Documentary film crew, the guy leading was a friend) unfortunately the permissions were cancelled a couple of months before we were supposed to go. I hear rumours that the locals are not particularly happy with the influx of "outsiders" and cost of living has sky rocketed.
Always enjoy your images and my armchair travel :)
Tom
ps We had several "Team" meetings at Leopold's in Mumbai which were good fun ;) . I keep trying to get back to Ladakh but the situation is in constant flux on the borders where I want to go. Getting the Permits has become more of a problem since most of my Senior Army contacts have retired.
Edit: I was referring to the refugees coming across the borders as "outsiders" not the Tourists . I am sure they are happy to see Tourists. Love the clear skies and light in that part of the world.
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It's great to see the images from the place I dream of in your style!
The dark blue-gray sky suggests the high altitude. They live really close to the divinity.
Hope you are getting enough oxygen!
Thanks Akira.
This trek was mostly around 3800m altitude, with the higher pass at 4250m.
Should be easier than the Everest Base Camp I did 3 years ago (5400m altitude), but I woke up one night having breathing problems and it was very stressing. But this was the only episode, thanks God.
Very nice. Thank you so much!
I particularly like 1, 3, 8 and 10. I'm puzzled by 9, what's the object?
Dave
My pleasure David.
We find these structures on all the high passes where they attach the praying banners.
Aguinaldo, great images, I am so envious. Back in 2000 I was supposed to go (as part of a Documentary film crew, the guy leading was a friend) unfortunately the permissions were cancelled a couple of months before we were supposed to go. I hear rumours that the locals are not particularly happy with the influx of "outsiders" and cost of living has sky rocketed.
Always enjoy your images and my armchair travel :)
Tom
ps We had several "Team" meetings at Leopold's in Mumbai which were good fun ;) . I keep trying to get back to Ladakh but the situation is in constant flux on the borders where I want to go. Getting the Permits has become more of a problem since most of my Senior Army contacts have retired.
Thank you Tom.
I found the people extremely kind to us. No sign of irritation with tourists.
There is a quite expensive fee to be paid to enter at the Mustang region (US$ 500 for 12 days), so there is not much foreigners there.
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Lo Mantang thats very special, Tibetan tribes, many followers of the ancient Bon tradition,
Recommended reading the 'The snowleopard' by Peter Matthiessen.
The other himalayan kingdom in Nepal is Dolpo.
Thanks for showing, that has been a heavy bag with 2 professional bodies.
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very much enjoyed this trip with you albeit vicariously.
Mongo must say that apart from the subject matter of the images and their framing/composition, he was absolutely and instantly struck by the sheer quality of the sharpness, detail and colour in these photographs - simply outstanding !!
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Very nice series, documenting a fascinating part of the world - very well done. In all my travels in Nepal, I never managed to get into inner Mustang and I will always regret that.
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Wonderful images you brought back from that very remote part of the world!
I can only chime in, I would love to go to that area ;)
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thank you for sharing these! 1,5,and 6 stand out to me.
this is a crazy landscape to try to eke out an existence.
Brent
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I love your compositions, the contrast management and the colours. I travel with you.
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Lovely photos of a fascinating place.
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beautiful pictures in superb quality
how long did this trip take?
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Aguinaldo, thanks for sharing such outstanding images of this fascinating part of the world
really like 1,2 & 6
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A wonderful series of photographs, I thoroughly enjoyed them, thanks!
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Thank you all for the kind remarks.
I spent two weeks to cover the 173km of the trek.
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I really enjoyed going through these Aguinaldo.
I don't get to visit NG often enough these days, so it was a novelty to see colour images (your B&W work has always been one of your hallmarks and I never tire of seeing).
Great cross section of subjects. And for some of the landscapes you've captured an excellent balance between the beauty and the desolation of some of the mountain areas.
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Thanks Akira.
This trek was mostly around 3800m altitude, with the higher pass at 4250m.
Should be easier than the Everest Base Camp I did 3 years ago (5400m altitude), but I woke up one night having breathing problems and it was very stressing. But this was the only episode, thanks God.
Thanks, Aguinaldo, for the details. There is no place in Japan that reaches 3800m (the highest Mt. Fuji is 3776m low!).
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Thank you Colin for the comment. The b&w will come soon. 😛
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I thoroughly enjoyed your terrific photographs of Mustang in both this thread and also in your Black & White thread.
You certainly got your timing right with regards to the weather!
We were tied to school holidays and caught the tail-end of the monsoon when we took our children to visit both Anna Purna and Everest.
Both mountains behaved badly: Anna Purna refused to show her face; and it was only after driving to high ground at Dhulikel before dawn on three consecutive mornings that Everest gave us a momentarily peek at its peak.
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The color version do justice to the beauty of the landscape. Wonderful photos!
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Thanks Ann and Peter.
Curious that the forecast was showing rain for the first week of the trek, but we didn’t have a single drop for the whole trip.