Upper Mustang Lomanthang and Muktinath Jeep Tour - 11 days

Good morning Kathmandu. After having breakfast, the road trip begins through the winding route of Prithvi Highway. On the way, we will stop in a couple of places for snacks and lunch. The beautiful Trishuli River valley looks amazing. Arriving in Pokhara, transfer to the hotel and stay overnight. 

Note: Your hotel will be just at the Lakeside, Which is an amazing town with a wide footpath for amazing walking. The town remains awake till midnight with rock and roll music, Nepali dance, and many more. 

Having breakfast, the jeep drive begins through a wonderful and wide road, which is itself picturesque. You keep on exploring the sites on the way. After 3 hours of driving, you reach Beni and now, it's truly a journey to the wonderland, following the Kali Gandaki River. The route includes a mind-blowing waterfall- Rupse Waterfalls (310 meters). It's great to stop and take pictures. The adventurous section begins right after driving from the waterfall part. It is because of the landslide area. The border part of Mustang begins from Ghasa, where you need to check in permits. 

Welcome to Mustang. The road is amazing along with the surrounding scenery. On the way, there are various attractive villages like Lete, Kobang, Tukuche, and finally, Marpha welcome you. Overnight at the hotel.

Marpha is a picturesque town, which is an amalgamation of traditional culture and lifestyles to the modern style of tourism. Spending quality time exploring around Marpha offers you a great memory. It is dominated by apple orchards, and traditional houses, has a monastery, and the Himalayan views offer blessings.

After a yummy breakfast, drive to Jomsom, which is a district center of Mustang. There are banks, ATMs, bakeries, hotels, government offices, and many more. Its tiny airport serves air travelers from Pokhara. 

From Jomsom, we will drive towards Dhumba Lake via Thini. Dhumba Lake is also one of the best attractions of this tour, at the bosom of Mt. Nilgiri. Spend quality time near the Lake, and drive to Kagbeni. It's a spiritual center, located at the juncture of two Rivers. Hindu people perform the Shraddha ritual in memory of dead ancestors. Well, Muktinath is on the way, which is about a 40-minute drive further. This beautiful Himalayan town is a spiritual center for the Hindu and Buddhist devotees around the globe.  is a globally renowned Visnu temple. It is believed that if you pay homage to the temple, your sins will be washed away. There are 108 water sprouts and 2 sacred ponds. 

After Muktinath, drive down to Kagbeni, an ancient town, which is the gateway to Upper Mustang. Overnight at the hotel.  

A good morning walk at Kagbeni fills you with nectar to explore more impressive towns in Mustang. Kagbeni is a spiritual town for Hindu and Buddhist devotees. The drive begins after breakfast through the wide and never-ending valleys. First you pass Tangbe, which is near the road-side and it has impressive Chhortens. Driving further, we reach  Chhusang, which is a border point to the controlled region of Upper Mustang. There is a cave just close to the road. After completing the formalities at the police checkpoint, we proceed further. The magical scenery of Upper Mustang begins to entice you right after passing Chhusang. 

We pass Chaile and drive uphill through the winding road to Samar, Syangbochen, and Ghiling. On the way, we will see beautiful Chhortens. We stop at a beautiful settlement beside a River, named Ghami. It is an impressive town with a monastery. Also, this is a town where the Royal family stayed. Overnight at the hotel.

A wonderful morning offers you a good vibe for the rest of the tour. After having breakfast, start the drive crossing the River and driving through the winding road. After about an hour, we reach the beautiful town of Tsarang. First, we drive towards Yara Ghara, and Luri Gompa. Luri Gompa is a beautiful monastery located at the top of the hill. It is home to the last remaining cave frescoes and the mystery of how its extensive tunnels and caverns were created is indeed still a mystery. The entrance lies through a man-made tunnel and up, an old ladder. Only two of the interconnecting chambers remain intact. The second of which is so filled with a large Chhorten that there is little room to walk. 

Driving back to Tsarang is another 1-hour trip. Tsarang village has a couple of impressive monasteries. Exploring them, we drive to Lomanthang, which was once a separate Kingdom of Ama Pal, established in the 15th century. Overnight at the hotel.

Having breakfast at Lomanthang, drive to Choser, where a bundle of mysteries is waiting for you. The first attraction is the sky cave, named  Shija Jhong Cave.  This Five-storied Jhong Cave has 40 rooms inside the cave in total. Then visit the Lowo Nyiphug Namdrol Norbuling Monastic School-Chhoser. Then drive back to Lomanthang. 

It's great to explore the ancient palace and the typical houses at Lomanthang. Although there is no more monarchy in Nepal, the local people from Upper Mustang still have high respect for the royal family. Exploring the Lomanthang palace is like going back to centuries in the time machine. Inside the stone-walled town, there are three impressive monasteries: the Chode Gompa (Dragkar Thegchen Ling), the Jampa Monastery, and Thupchen Gompa. These monasteries date back to the 15th century, when  King Ama Pal established this separate Kingdom. Even the Museum museum is located there.  

Having breakfast at Lomanthang, we drive downhill. From Tsarang Khola, we leave the main road and drive towards Lo Gekar Monastery (aka Ghar Gompa). Built in the 8th century, before the Samya Monastery of Tibet, which can be claimed as the oldest monastery in the world. This is a sacred Buddhist pilgrimage destination for all the devotees around the world. The story is connected with the arrival of Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava). On the way back, we also enjoy the beautiful red-cliff view at Dhakmar. Again, the mystery is connected to the slaying of Lady Demon by Guru Rinpoche. Then we drive back to Syangbochen.

From Syangbochen, drive towards the Chungsi cave. Sometimes, you may need to hire a horse from here. The 8^th Century Ranchung Chungsi Cave of Upper Mustang is the epitome of the Buddhist cultural heritage.  It is the cave of Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava), who meditated and spent his spiritual life while he was chasing a demon from Tibet.

An amazing view welcomes you at Chaile. The rocky cliffs shine with the sunrise and Chhusang can be seen beside the widespread Kali Gakdaki River. Having breakfast, drive downhill via Chhusang, check out from the police point, and drive further. On the way, pass through Kagbeni, Jomsom, Marpha, Lete, and arrive at Tatopani. Overnight at the hotel. 

There will be just 5 hours driving to Pokhara from Tatopani and the road is amazing. So, no rush is required. Enjoying the view of Mt. Dhaulagiri, drive back to Pokhara, and check in at the hotel. In the evening, explore the local market at the lakeside. overnight at the hotel. 

Pokhara has abundant attractions for tourists: Lakes, caves, temples, boating, paragliding, and many more. Wonderful sightseeing in Pokhara covers various places, including David Falls, Gupteshor Cave, International Mountaineering Museum, Peace Stupa, Phewa Lake boating, and so on. If you also love adventure, Pokhara Bungy, Paragliding, and Hot Air Baloon Ride are available. Spend quality time at the Lakeside with a cultural dinner. Overnight at the hotel. 

The last day of the trip is a reverse journey from Pokhara to Kathmandu. On the way, we will arrange a short visit to the Siddha cave, if you prefer. Arriving in Kathmandu, transfer to the hotel and stay overnight.