Upper Mustang Bike Tour
Trip Overview
Overview
The Upper Mustang Bike Tour is an exhilarating and culturally immersive adventure, set amidst the breathtaking landscapes of the Mustang region in Nepal. This off-the-beaten-path journey takes cycling enthusiasts through a remote and ancient Trans-Himalayan kingdom, offering a unique perspective on the country's diverse terrain and rich cultural heritage. The expedition typically begins in Kathmandu, where participants receive a thorough briefing about the tour and make necessary preparations. From there, a short flight to Pokhara and another to Jomsom follows, the gateway to Upper Mustang. The biking expedition officially starts from Jomsom, where riders embark on a challenging yet rewarding journey through rugged trails, barren cliffs, and picturesque valleys. Upper Mustang, often referred to as the "Last Forbidden Kingdom," presents an awe-inspiring blend of natural wonders and Tibetan-influenced culture. The region's unique geography showcases striking red and ocher rock formations, deep gorges, and the world-famous Lo Manthang, a walled city with ancient monasteries and palaces. As cyclists pedal through this remote region, they encounter friendly locals, culturally significant chortens, and prayer flags fluttering in the wind. The trip's cultural highlights include visits to centuries-old monasteries, where travelers can observe Buddhist rituals and receive blessings from resident monks. Accommodation during the tour ranges from teahouses to camping in the wilderness, allowing participants to truly immerse themselves in the region's rugged beauty and tranquility. While the journey is physically demanding, the support of experienced guides and a support team ensures the safety and well-being of all riders. The Upper Mustang Bike Tour not only provides an unforgettable cycling experience but also contributes to the local economy, as tourism plays a vital role in the region's development. Travelers return home with a profound appreciation for Nepal's hidden gem, its unique culture, and the indomitable spirit of its people.Conclusion and Summary
In conclusion, the Upper Mustang Bike Tour is a soul-stirring escapade, blending adventure, culture, and natural wonders, making it a must-do for avid cyclists and cultural enthusiasts seeking an off-the-grid experience in one of the world's most intriguing regions.Trip Highlight
- Scenic Motorbike ride from Kathmandu to the ancient kingdom of Lo Manthang in Upper Mustang
- Visit the popular Nagarkot, Changu Narayan Temple, and Bhaktapur in Kathmandu valley
- Visit caves, villages and Monasteries specialy in Lomanthang
- Visit historical monuments in Kathmandu and natural sights in Pokhara
- Option to hire your bike in Kathmandu
- Backup transporation and helpful guide and Mechanic
- Take a boating ride on Phewa Lake and visit the Island temple of Barahi.
- Relax your muscles in one of the natural hot springs of Tatopani.
- Explore the five-storeyed King’s Palace in Lo Manthang, the hidden kingdom of Upper Mustang
- Try the apples and apple brandy of Marpha, the ‘Village of Orchards.’
- Visit Namgyal Gompa, Champa Lakhang, Thubchen Gompa, and Chodey Gompa in Lo Manthang
Itinerary
Welcome to the land of the Himalayas, Nepal. Viewing the great hills and valleys, you will land at the international terminal at Tribhuvan Airport. Our representatives will drive you to your hotel in Thamel, a tourist hub. After taking some rest, you can discuss plans for your trek and even explore Kathmandu Durbar Square. You will witness the history of Nepal firsthand at the Hanuman Dhoka Museum. Pass through alleyways, converse with the locals and try out Nepalese cuisines.
Overnight stay in Kathmandu.
Today, you will try the bikes for the first time and head out to famous places in the valley for a test drive. Your first journey will be to Nagarkot, a hill station located east of Kathmandu. After a 30-minute ride, you will reach the base of the view tower in Nagarkot. This place has the best panoramic view of the Kathmandu Valley. If you arrive early, you can enjoy the sunrise view of the Himalayas, including the Langtang and Ganesh ranges.
Then you will head out west, towards Changu Narayan. After a 30-minute drive, you will reach the temple, a two-story pagoda-style temple built to honor Lord Vishnu of Hindu mythology. It is said to be the oldest temple in Kathmandu Valley. After a well-deserved lunch, you will ride to Bhaktapur city, south of the temple. There you will witness the ancient buildings and structures of the Bhaktapur Durbar Square and Art Museum. After a short adventure, you head back to your hotel in Kathmandu.
Overnight stay in Kathmandu.
The ride from Kathmandu to Pokhara can be a slow overland journey and may take anywhere from 6-8 hours; thus, it will be a long excursion. Following the Trishuli river for the first half of the journey, you will be mesmerized by the scenic views along the way. As this journey may follow off-road routes, it can be challenging, but the results are worth it.
Passing along the panoramic views of Annapurna and Machhapuchhre, you will finally reach the city of lakes, Pokhara. You can take a boating ride on Phewa Lake and visit the island temple of Barahi. Have a good meal at your hotel near the Phewa lakeside in Baidam.
Overnight stay in Pokhara.
After having breakfast, you can explore the city and go on a shopping spree in the beautiful city. Finally, you will drive further west towards Tatopani. It will be one of the most challenging days of the tour as you will pass through some rough terrain after Beni. You may have to pass through narrow patches of road or graveled roads or even off-road. It will be an exciting experience passing by waterfalls, cliffs, and valleys along the way.
Following the Kaligandaki river stream through villages, you will reach Tatopani. This palace is called so as it has hot springs. You will settle down in one of the lodges and relax your muscles as you soak yourself in the natural hot springs. Following that, you can visit the Narchyang waterfall, which is nearby, and click some pictures.
Overnight stay in Tatopani.
Today may be a longer but less challenging and exhilarating ride. You will first head to Lete, a scenic village in the Mustang region surrounded by Annapurna and Nilgiri ranges. Driving along the Kali Gandaki stream, you will then drive to Marpha, the ‘Village of Orchards.’This place is famous for its apples and apple brandy, so try some of it.
From Marpha, you will be traveling towards Muktinath through Kagbeni. Witness the old caves of this place, then take the road to Muktinath, one of the world’s highest temples. This famous pilgrimage site is a tourist hub and full of hotels and shops. You can rest and acclimate for the rest of the day.
Overnight stay at Muktinath.
Early in the morning, make way for a short hike to Muktinath. It represents Lord Vishnu in Hindu mythology and Buddha in Buddhist mythology. After you take a bath in the holy water, get back to the hotel and plan for a long drive.
Today you will visit Lo Manthang, the walled city of Upper Mustang. North-West of Muktinath, the rocky trail offers off-road experiences to bikers. Passing various Tibetan settlements and deserted landscapes of the rainshadow area, you will reach Lo Manthang. You should keep in mind that due to the increasing altitude; you may get altitude sickness. So, inform your guide if problems occur and drink plenty of water.
You are offered panoramic views of the mountains Nilgiri and Dhaulagiri. You will witness mud-brick walls and plenty of Gompas in this city deeply influenced by Tibet in Lo Manthang village.
Overnight stay in Lo Manthang.
There are many things to do in Lo Manthang. On your first acclimatization and excursion day, you can visit the great red cliffs famous for their orange-red color.
Another famous destination is the five-storeyed King’s Palace, built in the 1400s, making it one of the oldest structures in the city. The first king of Mustang, King Ame Pal, was the one to build the fortification walls around the settlement of Lo and the King’s Palace. It is painted with white lime and filled with sacred texts such as Kanjur and paintings and inscriptions of Ranjana script, a Newari writing script developed in the 11th century. The ceremonial king and queen currently reside in this castle. You can explore the city itself for the rest of the day.
Overnight stay in Lo Manthang.
On the second excursion day, you can visit the Champa Lakhang, a religious site with a large Buddha statue with sacred Mandalas painted on the walls.
After this, you can take a hike to Namgyal Gompa, a religious courthouse that acts as a local courthouse. You can also visit other gompas, such as Thubchen Gompa, Chodey Gompa, currently the main city gompa, and the Choprang Gompa, also known as the ‘New Gompa.’
Later, you can visit the student monks studying at the Tsechen Shedrub Ling Monastery School.
Overnight stay in Lo Manthang.
Today you will return to Tatopani from Lo Manthang. You will be heading towards Tatopani by passing through enormous vistas, deep canyons, eroded cliffs, and Moraine valleys into greenery and civilization. After a sufficiently long and exhausting ride, relax your body in the natural hot spring of your lodge. The rest of the day allows you to enjoy as you see fit, exploring the city, buying souvenirs, and trying out cuisines.
Overnight stay in Tatopani.
From Tatopani, you will be heading to Pokhara with a long ride. You will be driving through the Beni-Jomsom Road along the Kali-Gandaki River. Be sure to make a stop and buy essentials at the Beni Bazaar. After a four-hour ride, you will reach Pokhara. You can enjoy some more around the city or just rest.
You can visit clubs and restaurants around the Phewa Lakeside later at night.
Overnight stay in Pokhara.
The ride from Pokhara to Kathmandu is a very long one. You will drive east from Pokhara along the Prithivi Highway beside the Trishuli River. After a couple of stops on the way, you will reach Kathmandu.
After resting, you can stroll the streets of Kathmandu for souvenirs and taste more local Nepali cuisine.
Overnight stay in Kathmandu.
Today is your final day on this trip. Your crew will bid farewell and will escort you to the airport. We hope you will return for a similar adventure with us to the Himalayas of Nepal. Appreciate yourself for completing a 12-day motorbike trip to one of the unique regions of Nepal, Upper Mustang!
Departures & Availability
The set departure dates listed are specially quoted and specified for group joining option. Let us know if the set departure dates are not suitable for you- another dates which are suitable for you can certainly be added by us.
Check Available Dates
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All trip prices are per person based on double occupancy, are subject to change without notice and do not include airfare. All prices and fares are quoted in U.S. dollars.
Price include
- Arrival and departure arrangement
- Sightseeing Kathmandu valley with guide and entrance fees
- Backup transportation in entire trip
- Guide to manage accommodation and other arrangement
- Riding guide to lead the tour with his own bike
- Motorbike Mechanic with necessary tools
- Accommodation in 3 star category hotels in Kathmandu and in Pokhara
- Accommodation in local tea houses in Mustang
- Upper mustang restricted area permit (USD 500 per person)
- Annapurna conservation area permit
- Every morning breakfast in the hotels of main cities (Kathmandu, Pokhara, Bandipur)
- All the foods and hot drinks during riding Mustang
- Motorbike on hire and its fuel
- Emergency evacuation management
- First aid kit box
- Service charges and government tax
Price Excludes
- International Airfare Costs
- Lunch and Dinner in main cities (Kathmandu, Pokhara and Bandipur)
- Cost of any major damages in Motorbike
- Personal gears/ equipment including your helmet
- Personal expenses, Medical expenses
- Personal insurance, emergency evacuation cost in case of need
- Tipping
- Visa cost of Nepal (USD 30 for 15 days, USD 50 for 30 days) you also can make online visa before arriving in Nepal, so that you will safe your time beeing on Q here is the link of it. http://online.nepalimmigration.gov.np/tourist-visa
Gears And Equipment
Trip Information
Hiring a bike in Nepal
You are welcome to come with your own motorbike. If not motorbike hiring is available in Kathmandu. You can choose your own. The light bikes are suitable and more comfortable in this tour. KTM duke, Tornado XR or Honda CRF are recommended one. That cost you USD 25 till 70 per day without fuel. In our tour cost, either Himalayan enfield or Royal Enfield classic is including.
Fuel for the Bike
Fuel as per the package is including in the cost. There is no any fuel station in Upper mustang region. We have to carry it from Pokhara or from Beni. Backup Jeep will have space to put petrol jar which we fill in available fuel station.
Accommodation in the trip
Our package is including 5 nights hotel in Kathmandu and in Pokhara. It is 3 star category hotels with breakfast and twin sharing. Accommodation in entire trekking is in local tea houses (Local guest house) on twin sharing. You will get rooms with inside toilet in Kagbeni and in Jomsom only. Rests of the overnights are room without toilet inside. All the tea houses are providing common toilets outside your room. Upper Mustang region have limit tea house accommodation, at the time of main season it may have over flow of trekkers. In that situation, you may share common room with other trekkers. But it is less chance
Foods in the trip
Kathmandu and Pokhara have lots of restaurants to choose for your Lunch and Dinner. Breakfast is including in the package that is provided by same hotel you are staying. During your trekking, same tea houses you are going to stay provide you breakfast and Dinner. Lunch is on the way at suitable place. All the foods during trekking is including in the packages. Hotel and restaurants provide you international standard foods in entire Upper Mustang.
Guide, Mechanic and Jeep driver
Your guide, Mechanic and backup jeep driver to Upper Mustang are from Kathmandu. They are our regular staffs more responsible, friendly, and helpful English speaking. You will meet them in Kathmandu before starting your trip. They do not ride bike and stay inside jeep. Your all the stuffs also will be in jeep. Jeep will just follow you from behind. All the staffs are fully equipped, insured and package including their foods, accommodation on the way.
Drinking water during in the trip
Drinking water is extra cost from package. During the trek it is available bottled mineral water, boiled water fill in your own bottle from every tea houses or can use even normal water from Tap. Bottled mineral water is available in every guest houses, shops in entire Upper Mustang. As you hike high altitude, cost of bottled mineral water and boil filtered water increase. Water from local taps can be also used as drinking water by purification with purification tablet and filter it yourself. Most of the trekkers are drinking bottled mineral water and boiled filtered water. Trekkers are using local tap water rarely.
Equipment list
You do not need to bring whole equipments from your home country. Good trekking equipments with reasonable cost are available in Kathmandu. We can suggest you to buy those after we check it in hotel before starting of trekking. Representative from Friendship World Trek or your guide can provide you good suggestion. Our itinerary has enough time to be prepared with your proper equipment.
Clothing List
Warm head cover cap
Muff to cover mouth from heavy wind and cold
2 pairs warm inner thermal and inner trouser
1 pair warm outer trouser
1 pair warm wind proof warm outer trouser
One pair light and warm jacket or sweeter
One pair down jacket
One pair wind proof jacket
2 pairs light shocks
2 pair warm shocks
1 pair light shoe or sandal while staying inside guest house
2 pairs light trouser or half paint for walking during day and hot temperature
2 pairs of light t-shirt
Warm glove
Rain coat
Duffel bag or big polar bag to keep your goods and put it inside backup jeep *
Down Sleeping bag with its Inner * (* = Friendship World Trek provide in returnable based)
Special equipment for riding
Riding suite
Special hand gloves or rough road riding
Your own size Helmet
Small backpack carrying with water and other things while riding
Other accessories
Head lamp with enough battery
Camera and its battery
Battery charger
Trekking stick
Phone and charger
lip care
Sun cream
Toilet papers
Hand wash lotion
Thoth brush add paste
Washing shop and bath shampoo
Quick dry towel
First Aid Kit Medicines
In every trekking package, our guide will carry first aid kit box containing medicines of anti altitude, anti Diarrhea, pain relief, Antibiotic, anti cold, anti vomiting, anti headache, fever, bandages, handplast and anti septic lotion . If you are taking any regular medicine that is compulsory to bring yourself.
Some Dos and Dont’s during Upper Mustang Riding
Upper Mustang route is sensitive land which is one of the restricted areas. It is unspoiled and exotic land which is sensitive. Treat the land and local peoples with care and respect. Try your best to keep environment clean and show appreciation for culture and traditional religious beliefs.
Make Upper Mustang region litter free: Do not through any litter; put it in dustbin fixed by national park or in local tea houses. Sanitary napkins and tampons should be wrapped properly and through it right place. Take batteries back to your home country for safe disposal or reuse.
Respect local cultures, custom and peoples: Route of Upper Mustang is combination of different cultural ethnic group of local peoples. Their culture, customs, living style and any function is typical and it is important for them. So respect all these while you are there. You can involve respectfully in those function.
Take your guide with you in every hiking and climbing: our guide will be always with your while riding every days. Few days in the itinerary are as acclimatization day and hiking around for recovering stamina. Take your guide with you in all these activities. It is Himalaya and do not be more exited, take advice from guide to take any decision.
Do not through foods after order: Foods are all carried from Pokhara or from Kathmandu. It takes a week time to reach all the foods in the area of Lo Manthang. It is important that you order only sufficient food which you can finish. Do not waste any foods in the region. Meet items are not fresh in the high region. The land is out of scarifies any animals, and meets are all carried from out of region. This is the reason meets are not fresh.
How to get Nepal Visa and its cost?
Visa for Nepal is available on your arrival. 15 days Nepali visa is enough for your as your trip is for 15 days including arrival departure days. USD 30 is the visa cost of 15 days. If you want to spend more than 15 days time, it is better to take a month visa which cost USD 50 per person. You only need your original passport and cash (any currency).
- Our 14 days motorbiking itinerary is general itinerary. We can customize it as per your interest.
- Trip cost providing here is based on 5 pax minimum including as per details in cost including. If there will be more of less than 5 riders, tour cost change
- There are some fixed departure dates you can join with us. Please email us for our other departure dates which may not have mentioned here
Trip booking procedure and mode of payment
Your passport copy by email and trip advance amount makes your trip confirm. The first Payment for trip confirmation amount is USD 300 per person. Rest of the payment can be paid once you are in Nepal, before leaving to tour. Payment can be made by bank transfer or by our online payment system using your credit card. We will also need your original passport once you arrived in Nepal and it is for couple of hours to obtain Upper Mustang restricted area permit from department of immigration.
Upper Mustang Motor biking during festival
There are several interesting Buddhist festivals celebrate in Upper mustang. The main festival is Tiji festival celebrates in month of may accord of Tibetan lunar calendar. Tiji festival is three days celebration in Lo-manthang and your motor biking itinerary can meet this festival. Festival is all about to destroy demons to save Mustang valley throughout the year. Entire Buddhist monks gather in one place and chant together with their special instruments. They also shows special mask dance during the festival. Tourist from out of the places needs to reserve place to observe paying entrance fees of it.
Upper Mustang Bike Tour Route Map
Gallery
FAQS
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Lorem Ipsum is simply dummy text of the printing and typesetting industry. Lorem Ipsum has been the industry’s standard dummy text ever since the 1500s, when an unknown printer took a galley of type and scrambled it to make a type specimen book. It has survived not only five centuries, but also the leap into electronic typesetting, remaining essentially unchanged. It was popularised in the 1960s with the release of Letraset sheets containing Lorem Ipsum passages, and more recently with desktop publishing software like Aldus PageMaker including versions of Lorem Ipsum.
Traveler Reviews
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