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!