Upper Mustang Motorbike Tour
- Duration 14 Days
- Trip Grade Easy
- Max. Altitude 3800m
- Trip Start Kathmandu
- Trip End Kathmandu
- Trip Area Uppermustang Region
- Nature of Trip beauty of Nature
- Best Season Jun to May
Highlights
- Adventurous Offroad Experience to the restricted area of Upper Mustang
- Explore the historical and cultural places in Kathmandu by Motorbike
- Observe the local culture, people & village.
- Discover the significance of medieval temples, ancient chortens, and a cave village
- Breathtaking Himalayas – Tibetan plateau – Annapurna mountains
- Ride through the world’s deepest gorge: Kali Gandaki Gorge
- Pay a visit to one of the famous Hindu Pilgrimages of the world, Muktinath temple at 4000 m.
- 2000 years old caves of Chosar
- Kora La, the Tibet/Chinese border at 4600 m.
Upper Mustang (formerly known as the Kingdom of Lo) is the northern-most part of Mustang district which shares its border with China’s autonomous State of Tibet. The area was restricted demilitarized region until 1992 so any foreigners were not permitted to visit the forbidden land. After 1992, the restriction on foreigners was lifted. Though the restriction is lifted, foreigners need to have a special permit to visit this region. Due to restrictions, nature, local culture, and traditions have been preserved well. The majority of the people being Sherpa, the main language and culture of this region are Tibetan. Buddhism is the main religion of this region.
Now, imagine riding to one of the raw, untouched well-preserved region of Nepal. Seems thrilling, right? It is.
This adventure motorbike tour is preferred by most locals and foreigners as it offers stunning views of the Himalayas, dusty and rugged winding roads, challenging terrain. The barren windswept rocky hills with minimal to no vegetation, small settlements, lots of gompas and chhortens, scattered colorful bushes, vibrant prayer flags, etc. lures any rider to stop and admire the region quite often.
The 14-day long off-road journey starts after leaving Kathmandu on an off-road capable motorbike. The ride kickoff from Kathmandu to a beautiful city of lake, Pokhara and passes through winding roads adjacent to green high hills. The road is quite easy up to Beni but the real adventure starts from Beni. From Beni, we will be accompanied by the roaring of the Kaligandaki River along the ancient salt trading route between Tibet and Nepal all the way up to the Temple of Muktinath. Riding alongside the world’s deepest gorge, The Kaligandaki Gorge is an outstanding experience itself. The unspoiled lifestyle of aboriginal people, historic and ancient monasteries, ancient mystic caves add more fun to the adventure. Not only that, we will get to know about the ancient Buddhist culture and Tibetan lifestyle of the local Sherpa people in upper mustang.
The rebound is through the same route with an extra day at Pokhara. On our extra day, we will explore the city of lakes and caves, involve in adventure sports like Paragliding, Bungee Jumping, Cannoning, boating, etc. The city offers the finest pubs and bars to chill out and share your adventure stories.
Itinerary
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Cost Details
What's Included- Off-road adventure motorcycle or Royal Bullet for the entire trip.
- A 4x4 jeep to carry essentials.
- Motorbike fuel for the entire trip.
- Guide and Mechanic costs.
- Bed and Breakfast.
- basic spare parts.
- Permits( ACAP, Mustang Special Permits, and Upper Mustang entry permits)
- Pokhara and Kathmandu accommodation with twin sharing basis including breakfast.
What's Excluded- Lunch and dinner & beverages during the entire trip.
- Entry fee, world heritage site entry fee,
- Travel rescue, insurance, Motorbike insurance,
- Tips for Guide and Mechanics, Bike gears, International tickets,
- Nepali visa fee,
- Bar bills, Repair charge for any physical damage on motorbikes, Personal expenses, etc or any other things except what's in Included topic.
Useful Info
Note:-
- You will need to have serious riding skills and proper riding gear. All your other stuffs are carried by a 4x4 off-road vehicle including a mechanic, basic spare part, fuel, and other emergency services.
- The trip Itinerary can be changed according to your request. & Please bring your valid driving license provided by your country or internationally recognized license.
- Riders are requested to bring their own riding gears and equipments.
- Travelers must bring their personal travel insurance and medical insurance,
- Travelers are suggested to follow the team leader's instructions strictly.
- Please take care of your own equipment and motorbike. The company will not be responsible for any loss of equipment costs for recovery.
FAQs
Since Mustang is located in northernmost part of Nepal bordering with Tibet , Most of the people residing here follows Buddhism and some follow Bon religion. You can see a mixed culture of Nepalese and Tibetian lifestyle . The Mustang region is mostly populated by people of Thakali caste.
Mustang District, a part of the Dhaulagiri Zone, which is also known as "Land beyond the Himalayas" is located in the Kali Gandaki valley of the Himalayan region of Western Nepal. Mustang (from the Tibetan Muntan meaning "fertile plain") the traditional region is largely dry and arid. The world’s deepest gorge that goes down three miles vertical between Dhaulagiri and Annapurna mountains runs through this district. It also houses several of the most inspiring historical sites in the country, some of which date back to four thousand BC. The only river that flows through this vast mountain desert is Kaligandaki which is famous for finding ammonite fossils. Ammonites are called "Saligram" according to Hinduism and has a significant religious values.
The cost of trekking in Upper Mustang starts from 1500 US$. The cost may go up depending on the type of services you are offered (as per your requests) like the type of accommodation, the type of food, days extension etc.
It takes 17 days to complete the Upper Mustang Trek. However, it depends on the physical ability of trekkers.
Since Upper Mustang is a restricted area, travellers/ trekkers need to obtain a special permit to enter this region. The special permit costs 500 US$ per person. Other permits required for this trek are TIMS and ACAP entry permit.
The highest point of Upper Mustang Trek is Choser which is 4,200 m above sea level.
Although the trail is not hard, the environmental conditions may make some trekkers feel uneasy. The absence of tree line, dusty trails and scorching sun rays may make some people feel tired early. The Upper Mustang Trek is graded as moderate.
The best time to do Upper Mustang trek is in between May to October. Though it rains in most part of Nepal during June and July but Upper Mustang experience minimum to no rainfall so except in winter, all times are considered best.
Since Upper Mustang Trek route passes through Nepal China trade route, most of the accommodations are standard which offers different types of Nepalese, Chinese and continental food.
Trekking in Nepal with a licensed guide is always safe. Mustang region houses a lot of tea houses in short interval of time and the trail is mostly well-marked, so it is safe to trek upper Mustang.
Yes, it is mandatory to hire a licensed guide from a Government registered company while trekking in Upper Mustang. The Special permits to Upper Mustang trek are not issued to freelance or individual guide. It is issued for a company. Also, you need to be two persons at least and a licensed guide to visit Upper Mustang. For porter, we highly recommend using them. Walking on a barren, rocky and dusty trail for 6-7 hours a day is sufficient for you to get tired easily, which means you may not be able to enjoy the view. Hiring a porter, you will offload your extra packings so that you can enjoy the view and learn the culture and history of the place without worrying about the tiredness.
Trekking in treeless area above 3500 m is always challenging. The low oxygen concentration in the atmosphere is the major factor for Acute Mountain Sickness, or commonly called Altitude Sickness. So there is always a risk of suffering from mild Altitude Sickness. However, in Upper Mustang trek, the elevation gained per day is gradual, so the body can acclimatize automatically while trekking and resting overnight. This does not mean there's no risk at all, but minimum . To avoid altitude sickness ; trek at slow pace, do not carry heavy backpack, take rest often, do not let your body get dehydrated , trek high and sleep at low points, avoid heavy consumption of alcohol, etc.
Altitude sickness occurs when a person rapidly ascends to high altitudes, normally above 2,500 m/8,000 ft. Symptoms of altitude sickness can include headaches, dizziness, and shortness of breath. If a person stays at high altitudes for an extended period, they may develop chronic altitude sickness. If they do not get medical help, this can lead to potentially fatal complications or even death .A person can prevent altitude sickness by ascending gradually and allowing the body to acclimatize to new heights. A doctor may prescribe several different medications to treat altitude sickness, or in some cases, recommend oxygen supplementation.However, a person may remedy altitude sickness symptoms most effectively by descending to lower altitudes.
