Ride to Upper Mustang

Ride to Upper Mustang

Time Frame: October til April

Duration:
13 Days

Terrain: Jeep Tracks/
Highways

Max altitude: 4700m

Region: Upper Mustang

Experience the High Altitude Desert of Upper Mustang…

Come for a ride to one of the most remote corners of Nepal on our Upper Mustang Motorcycle Tour. The area is most likened to a high altitude desert. Tibet sits only a few miles from here. Venture to the capital of Upper Mustang, Lo Manthang, previously known to outsiders as the Forbidden Kingdom,  the King of this region only opened the gates to foreign tourists in 1992.

Start your ride in the bustling capital city of Kathmandu. Visit the historic settlement of Gorkha, where the first King of Nepal started the unification of the country. It is also the home of the mighty British Gurkhas. Ride between the 8000m+ peaks of the Annapurna mountain range. Traverse through the deepest gorge in the world, the Kaligandaki Gorge and onto the barren planes of the high Himalaya.

The roads are a mixture of paved and unpaved, some days at an altitude of 4000m+. Accommodation will be a mixture of hotels and lodges. This will be a memorable and treasured ride in the Himalayas.

Highlights include visiting Muktinath temple, sat at 3840m, We will also take the time to visit ancient Buddhist monasteries, and a beautiful lake with mountains views. Riding at an average of 4000m for a number of days makes this a challenging , but rewarding ride. 

Day by Day Itinerary

Once you arrive at Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport we will pick you up directly from the airport and transfer you to your hotel. Amidst all the chaos lies ancient stories of warriors, rivaling dynasties and great spiritual masters. This legendary capital city is home to an eclectic mix of people, shops, restaurants, temples, stupas, myths and legends! *Remember usually flights are overnight so you should allow an extra day for the journey to Kathmandu.

Familiarisation with bikes and Nepali riding style. Mixture of mountain roads, paved, unpaved, gravel and sandy tracks. 

Ride local jeep tracks to Gorkha, home of the Gurkhas. From here we can see glorious views of Mt. Manaslu and other Himalayan peaks as we check in to our hilltop hotel to relax for the night.

Continuing on local jeep tracks besides the Daraudi River. In the afternoon we briefly join the main Pritvi highway, before heading north to Naudanda where we can enjoy views of the Annapurna range of mountains. 

We continue to head north to the friendly mountain village of Kalopani. Time slows down as we ascend into Lower Mustang and closer to the mountains. 

We ride along the Kali Gandaki Gorge, the deepest gorge in the world.  We head to  Muktinath, one of the highest Hindu temples, nestled in the Himalayas 3850m. There are 108 freezing cold water spouts that the brave can run through. Then we descend to Kagbeni (2840m) staying overnight in a handpicked Teahouse.

From Kagbeni we will enter Upper Mustang and increase our altitude, reaching 4000m in some sections. A shorter ride today as we acclimatise to the barren landscapes and thin air. We take the time to visit some remote mountain villages and spend the night in Ghami.

Today we ride to Nepal’s last forbidden Kingdom. On the way we stop off at the mysterious Zhong Sky Caves. Lo Manthang is a a foritified old kingdom with monasteries dating back over 1000 years. It is a  fascinating place to explore on foot after an epic ride.

Today is a rest day, you will have the option to either explore local trails by motorcycle or take a walk through Lo Manthang and visit the working Monasteries and local tea shops. 

Heading south with views of Mt. Dhaulagiri and Annapurna in front of us, the ride down will seem quicker than the climb.  We descend to Marpha, famous for it’s Thakali style Dhal Bhat, known to be the tastiest in Nepal.

Retracing our route we ride to the laid back tourist town of Pokhara. 

We ride back to Kathmandu along the main highway connecting Pokhara to the capital. The highway is usually busy with tourist and local buses as well as loud and colourful TATA trucks. 

Time to say farewell to Nepal. Your transfer back to the airport will be arranged for you in time for your onward flight. Bon Voyage and see you soon!

Average Riding Hours
6 hours per day
Total Distance
1100km
Max Altitude
4700m

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