Chhairo gompa and the Tibetan settlement

From the southern end of Marpha we walk down to the river and cross to the east bank, about 30–40 minutes on a level path through orchards. Chhairo sits among fields and willows, a small cluster of houses, chortens and prayer walls. It is easy to miss from the main road, and most trekkers walk straight past. Willows and poplars shelter the fields here, and the light in the morning is soft and low across the river.

Chhairo's gompa is described as the first Nyingma monastery established in Mustang district. Its old wall paintings are worth seeing slowly, with a torch. Ask your guide to find the caretaker if the door is locked. Nearby lives a Tibetan community that settled here after 1959; some families weave carpets and run the souvenir stalls you will see in Marpha. The gompa is small, so allow 20–30 minutes inside and keep a torch handy for the darker corners.

We return along the east bank and recross to Marpha, or carry on south towards Tukuche if you are walking down the valley. Chhairo is quiet and residential, so keep voices low, ask before photographing people and buy something small if you visit a workshop. Mornings are calmest; the afternoon wind on the open riverbed can be hard going. A walk here pairs well with the orchard visit later in the day.