Upper Mustang Motorbike Tour

12 Days

Are you someone who loves riding motorbikes? Do you want to go for a thrilling and adventurous ride to the Upper Mustang on a bike? If your answer to both of these questions is YES, this is the perfect blog for you. We are here with one of the most adventurous and satisfying motorbike ride packages to the forbidden kingdom of Lo Manthang (one of the most loved motorbike riding destinations in the Himalayas).

Before continuing with the bog, we recommend you check some vlogs and photos of Upper Mustang and Lo Manthang. Doing so will increase the excitement of reading the full blog and makes the blog even more sensible for the riders.

This is a 12 days package where you will travel to Muktinath (3,760m/12,333ft) from Kathmandu. If you want to know about the distance from Kathmandu to Upper Mustang, you will ride for approximately 426km one way. The Upper Mustang motorbike tour will be the best option for experienced riders who love to ride off-road and have thrilling motorbike riding experiences.

Highlights of the Tour

To make you more excited about the tour and let you know some of the best things that you can experience during the Kathmandu to Upper Mustang motorbike tour, here are some of the scenic highlights of the tour.

  • A thrilling and adventurous motorbike ride across the mountains to the ancient kingdom of Lo Manthang in Upper Mustang.
  • Sightseeing some outstanding tourist destinations of Kathmandu Valley, including Changu Narayan Temple, Bhaktapur Durbar, and Nagarkot.
  • Visiting one of Nepal’s holiest and most worshipped temples, Muktinath Temple in the Upper Mustang.
  • Ride through complicated offroad, stony ways, and waterfalls, making the tour even more challenging and adventurous.
  • Visit some of the major attractions of the Lomanthang, such as Namgyal Gompa, Champa Lakhang, the five-storeyed King’s palace, Thubchen Gompa, Chodey Gompa, and many more.
  • Experience the unique lifestyle, culture, and tradition of the people living far away from the urbanized cities.
  • Last but not least, the feeling of accomplishment after crossing such challenging routes and reaching the Upper Mustang on a motorbike.

Now that we have informed you about almost all the details for the Upper Mustang Motorbike trip, it’s time for you to know about the itinerary. Before hopping into the detailed itinerary, here is the outline of the itineraries that the riders will follow during the Upper Mustang Motorbike Tour.

Day 1: Arrival at Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport (1,400m/4,592ft)-Transfer to Hotel and Trip Planning

Day 2: Test ride to Nagarkot, Changu Narayan, and Bhaktapur – 70 km

Day 3: Ride from Kathmandu to Pokhara (800m/2,625ft) – 200 km

Day 4: Drive 110 kilometers from Pokhara to Tatopani Hot Spring (1,190m/3,904ft).

Day 5: Drive from Tatopani to Muktinath (3,760m/12,333ft) through Marpha, Jomsom, and Kagbeni.

Day 6: Muktinath to Lo Manthang (3,730m/12,235ft) – 46 km

Day 7: Lo Manthang Excursion

Day 8: Lo Manthang Excursion Day continues

Day 9: 82 km ride from Lo Manthang to Tatopani

Day 10: Tatopani to Pokhara (110 km)

Day 11: Pokhara to Kathmandu (200 km).

Day 12: Departure from Nepal

Detailed Itineraries

Did you read the outline itineraries? If yes, let us give you detailed information about each day of the itineraries. After reading all the itineraries in detail, you will learn more precisely about every day of the Upper Mustang Motorbike tour.

Day 1: Arrival at Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport (1,400m/4,592ft)-Transfer to Hotel and Trip Planning

First of all, Great Adventure Treks welcomes all tourists into the land of the magical Himalayas. After a beautiful flight from your respective countries, you will enter the territory of Nepal, where you will see the great hills, green forests, and high mountains. Finally, you will land at the International terminal at Tribhuvan Airport. Then you will be escorted to the hotel where you will stay overnight.

While you are resting, we will also discuss the plan for the whole tour. This day will also be a Kathmandu Durbar Square tour, where you can visit the Hanuman Dhoka Museum. This museum showcases the long history of Nepal. AlsoThe best thing about this day is trying the Nepali delicacies in the hotels of Thamel and DurbarMarg.

Day 2: Test ride to Nagarkot, Changu Narayan, and Bhaktapur – 70 km

Kathmandu to Upper Mustang is a long distance to cover. So, your bikes must be well-maintained and perfect for you to ride. So, on the second day, you will get the bikes for the first time and then head out for a test ride to some famous places in Kathmandu Valley. The first destination of the test ride will be Nagarkot, a renowned hill station located 30 kilometers east of Kathmandu.

After experiencing the panoramic view, majestic sunrise (if you reach here early in the morning), and the sight of Langtang and Ganesh ranges, we will head out to Changu Narayan. Changu Narayan is a two-storied pagoda-style temple of Lord Vishnu, also known as the oldest temple in the Kathmandu valley. This temple is located half an hour to the west of Nagarkot. Furthermore, you will also visit the Bhaktapur Durbar Square, and finally, we will return to our hotel.

Day 3: Trip to Pokhara from Kathmandu (800m/2,625ft) – 200 km

On the third day, we will set off for the longest ride of the whole trip. Yes, we will cover a distance of 200 km while reaching Pokhara from Kathmandu. We will go slow and steady because it is such a long journey. Per our experience, the ride from Kathmandu to Pokhara takes 6-8 hours. Throughout the first half of the trip, Trishuli River will accompany you with breathtaking views of the hills and beautiful villages. You should remember that you must cross several offroad during this trip, so you must maintain a slow and steady pace.

Once the Trishuli River leaves your company, you will pass through the majestic views of the Annapurna and Machhapuchhre, which indicates that we have reached Pokhara. Throughout the trip from Kathmandu to Pokhara, we will stop at some places and eat some local delicacies in that area. After we enter the city of lakes, the first thing that we do is visit the island temple of Barahi (TalBarahi). You must take a boat ride on Phewa Lake to reach this temple. Finally, to end the day, we will have a perfectly prepared dinner at a hotel near the Phewa Lakeside in Baidam.

Day 4: Drive 110 kilometers from Pokhara to Tatopani Hot Spring (1,190m/3,904ft).

Reaching Pokhara is like coming halfway near Upper Mustang. After experiencing the nightlife at Pokhara, our riders set off for a 110 km long journey that leads them from Pokhara to Tatopani hot spring. This is near the border of Nepal and Tibet. What is the meaning of “TatoPani.” The English translation of Tatopani is “Hot Water.” and the name of the place is literally what the area is famous for.

Tatopani is a place in Nepal where natural hot water springs are found. Many people visit this place to bathe in the natural spring. However, this 110 km trip is the most challenging part because of the rough terrain we experience after crossing Beni. Before reaching Tatopani, you will ride under waterfalls through the narrow roads. The roads might be graveled, but most of the roads you go through will be off-road. At Tatopani, you will stay in a lodge, rest, and you can also test some Tibetan as well as Nepali cuisines. After that, you will visit the Narchyang waterfall, stay for the night in a lodge at Tatopani, and regain energy for the next day’s ride.

Day 5: Drive from Tatopani to Muktinath (3,760m/12,333ft) through Marpha, Jomsom, and Kagbeni.

Wake up early morning, have breakfast, and get ready, as today we will set off to our destination, Muktinath Temple. A hardly challenging ride will lead you to today’s first checkpoint, Lete. Lete is a village in the Mustang region that gives a scenic view of the Annapurna and Nilgiri ranges that surround the town. We will stay there for a while and take some pictures along with experiencing its majestic wind and outstanding natural beauty. Then we will head out to another checkpoint, Marpha (aka, the Village of Orchards), the apple factory in Nepal. This village is famous for its tasty apple and apple brandy, which you need to taste once if you want to taste the natural sweetness of Nepal.

Finally, we will leave Marpha and travel toward Muktinath via Kagbeni. This part of the trip contains several old caves, stony mountains, and beautiful residencies. The road takes you to Muktinath (one of the world’s highest temples). You will witness several national and international pilgrims in the Muktinath Temple, and the area is full of several hotels and shops. If you enter the Muktinath temple, you will see people running around under 108 natural taps, believed to wash all our sins. So, you can also try that, even if you think you have not done any sins until now. Finally, the night will be spent in one of the lodges at Muktinath itself for acclimatization.

Day 6: Muktinath to Lo Manthang (3,730m/12,235ft) – 46 km

On the sixth day, we will finally reach the tour destination, Lo Manthang, after a short hike to Muktinath and bathe in the holy water of one of the most sacred temples of Nepal.

Lo Manthang is the walled city of Upper Mustang, located in the North-West of the Muktinath temple. The trip from Muktinath to Lo Manthang will be full of rocky roads and off-roading experiences. The bikers who love adventures and off-roads. Furthermore, you can also witness several Tibetan settlements and deserted landscapes of the rainshadow area of the Mustang region. However, you need to take care of yourself because there are chances of altitude sickness as you ascend toward Lo Manthang.

In addition to the Tibetan settlements and deserted landscapes, you will also experience the majestic views of the Nilgiri and Dhaulagiri mountains. You can witness that the Tibetan lifestyle influences the overall settlement of Lo Manthang Village so that we can see many mud-brick walls and Gompas (meditation rooms without the attached living quarters). All these things are enough to relax your mind and body.

Day 7: Lo Manthang Excursion

Lo Manthang is famous for many reasons, so we will need at least two days to explore this beautiful city beside the Himalayas thoroughly. After resting for some time, we will visit the orange-colored beauty of Lo Manthang, also known as the great red cliffs.   Wait! That is not the end, as another beauty of this city carries a long history of Nepal. That famous destination is the five-storeyed King’s Palace, built by the first king of Mustang, King Ame Pal. In fact, you will be shocked to know that this palace was built in the 1400s around the settlement of Lo and King’s Palace.

You will witness the white lime paint on the walls, and the wall is also filled with sacred texts such as Kanjur. Moreover, the inscriptions are craved in Ranjana Script, a Newari writing script developed in the 11th century. The beauty of these destinations at Lo Manthang will fade away all the tiredness and exhaustion that your mind and body have gone through during the trip.

Day 8: Lo Manthang Excursion Day continues

After an overnight stay at a lodge in Lo Manthang, we will still be in Lo Manthag on the eighth day to explore more of this magical settlement. The first thing we will do today is to visit the Champa Lakhang. This is a sacred destination, especially for the Buddhist people. Besides this religious site also has a giant Buddha statue with walls full of religious paintings.

Wait, our day does not end here, as we will again set off on a short hike and reach the Namgyal Gompa. As mentioned above, Namgyal Gompa is a religious courthouse, but currently, it also acts as a local courthouse. Besides, several other courthouses, such as Thubchen Gompa, the Choprang Gompa (the New Gompa), and many more. Visiting these Gompas will provide a sacred feeling to your soul, and you will feel spiritually relaxed. Furthermore, there is a monastery school named Tsechen Shedrub Ling Monastery School where you can still see student monks taking education.

Day 9: 82 km ride from Lo Manthang to Tatopani

After two days of excursion and exploration in Lo Manthang, it is time to set off on a journey back to Kathmandu. We will start the trip on the ninth day and stop at Tato Pani. Again you can take a bath in the hot spring. We will complete an 82 km long way from Lo Manthang to Tatopani and then stay a night in Tatopani to prepare for another day’s ride.

We recommend you take a lot of rest and also check your bikes if there are any problems. The next day, we will be on a long ride, so the bike must be well-conditioned.

Day 10: Tatopani to Pokhara (110 km)

After a day’s rest at Tatopani, we are ready to head on a 110 km-long journey from Tatopani to Pokhara. The route will again take you into the Beni-Jomsom Road, accompanied by the Kali Gandaki. You will witness everything you experienced from Pokhara to Tatopani but from the other side of the road.

The ride will not be continuous, as we will stop at Beni Bazaar to buy some essential items required for the long journey. Other than that, the riders will also take a break at some places to have lunch and relax their muscles. Finally, after a long trip covering 110 km, the riders will reach Pokhara again. On this day, you can either rest in your lodge or stroll around the city of lakes. Pokhara is best known for its nightlife, so you can also visit some clubs or restaurants and experience the nightlife and street foods of the city.

Day 11: Pokhara to Kathmandu (200 km)

We hope that you enjoyed the nightlife of Pokhara to the fullest. Then it is our time to head back to Kathmandu, which is 200km far from Pokhara. As mentioned, this is the longest part of the trip, so we must be well-prepared and physically relaxed enough to ride such a long distance.

The Prithivi Highway, accompanied by the Trishuli River, will be with you from Pokhara until you enter the Kathmandu valley. The 200 km-long rides might exhaust the riders, and indeed, the riders will be fatigued. So, we will go to the hotel and take a rest. However, it is entirely up to you to do other activities in Kathmandu, like visiting clubs or taking a night stroll in Thamel and Durbar Marg.

Day 12: Departure from Nepal

After an overnight stay in the hotel of Kathmandu and sharing each other’s experiences about the whole trip, it is time for the tourists to say goodbye to Nepal. Yes, the twelfth day is the day of departure. However, before going to the airport, our agents will take reviews from all the riders. This helps us to know if there is anything to change in our service and the whole package. We request the tourists be frank about their experience throughout the trip.

Also, remember to pat yourself on the back for completing such an exhausting and long motorbike trip and return to your respective countries with a heart full of memories from the Upper Mustang and Lo Manthang.

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FAQs

Do I need prior experience with Himalayan rides for the Upper Mustang Motorbike tour?

Actually, the Himalayan ride experience is optional for the Upper Mustang Motorbike tour. Still, you should be confident as a motorbike rider and also should have a valid driving license.

Are the motorbikes we take on the trip safe?

We check everything about the motorbike before giving it to our clients. Moreover, you will also take a test ride to some parts of the Kathmandu Valley. If you feel anything wrong with the motorbike, you can complain to us so that we can give you another safe motorbike mend the same motorbike for your safety throughout the trip.

What are the accommodation facilities throughout the trip?

The accommodation facilities at Kathmandu and Pokhara are indeed the best, as these are the urban cities of Nepal. However, as you go towards the Upper Mustang, there is a little compromise in the accommodation facilities. Still, the services provided are enough for you to get enough rest and freshness throughout the trip.

Costs Included:

  • Airport transfer as per itinerary
  • 3 nights twin sharing 3-star hotel in Kathmandu with breakfast
  • 2 nights twin sharing 3-star hotel in Pokhara with breakfast
  • Accommodations in standard Lodges/Guest houses in Mustang
  • Royal Enfield motorcycle with fuel
  • All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) during the trip
  • Experienced trip leader and qualified mechanic
  • Motorcycle spare parts, trip leader, and mechanic
  • Back-up vehicle for luggage and mechanic
  • Upper Mustang permits ($500 per person for 10 days)
  • ACAP and TIMS Fee
  • Sleeping bag and duffel bag during the trip (refundable)
  • Comprehensive Medical Kit
  • Toll taxes for bikes and backup vehicle, and government taxes.

Costs Excluded:

  • Beverages not included during the trip
  • Lunch and dinner in Kathmandu not included
  • Entry fee to world heritage site not included
  • Travel rescue, insurance, and motorbike insurance not included
  • Tips for guide and mechanics, bike gears, international tickets, Nepali visa fee, bar bills, repair charges for motorbike damage,
  • personal expenses, etc. not included
  • Unforeseen personal expenses, changes to itinerary due to political or weather conditions, etc. not included

Best time to go for the Upper Mustang Motorbike tour

There is a correct time to do anything; the same goes for the Upper Mustang motorbike tour. If you want the best bike riding experience across the Himalayas, choose the best season and months.

Mustang is considered the coldest desert in Nepal because this region experiences rainfall. This is because the Upper Mustang is the rain shadow part of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri Himalayan region. However, all the other areas of Nepal experience rainfall in June and July. Therefore, we recommend the tourers not visit the Upper Mustang during these months. During the rainy season, almost every part of the country is full of rain and slippery roads. Therefore, going for the Upper Mustang on a motorbike during the rainy season is not suggested.

The best time to visit the Upper Mustang or Lomanthang on a motorbike is in the spring or autumn when the weather all over Nepal is at its best, and you can experience the best trail from Kathmandu to Lo Manthang.

Permits required

Upper Mustang is a restricted area because of several reasons, such as border security, cultural and traditional safety, and many more factors. As a result, any tourer who enters the restricted area is applicable for the Upper Mustang Restricted Area Permits. Furthermore, Mustang also comes inside the Annapurna region, so the trekkers should also obtain the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit before visiting Mustang.

Regarding the cost of the permits, the Annapurna Conservation Area permit is very cheap compared to the Restricted Area permit. The travelers need to pay $20 per person per day for the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP), but for the Upper Mustang Restricted Area Permit, you need to pay $500 for the first ten days and then $50 per additional day.

You can send your enquiry via the form below.

Upper Mustang Motorbike Tour

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