Jomsom Muktinath Trek
- Duration
- 10 days
- Max altitude
- 3,760 m
- Difficulty
-
Moderate
Difficulty scale
- Easy Short walking days on good trails below about 3,000 m. Suitable for anyone in ordinary health, including families.
- Moderate 5 to 6 hours a day with some steep sections, reaching up to about 4,000 m. A reasonable level of fitness and a few weeks of preparation walking recommended.
- Strenuous 6 to 8 hours a day, high passes or altitudes above 5,000 m, and remote stretches. Good fitness, prior trekking experience and proper acclimatisation days are essential.
- Very strenuous Long days, multiple high passes or technical sections, sustained time above 5,000 m. For experienced, well-conditioned trekkers only.
- Best season
- Autumn (Sep–Nov) · Monsoon (Jun–Aug) · Spring (Mar–May) · Winter (Dec–Feb)
- Group
- Private
- From
- $895.00
Overview
Up the Kali Gandaki, which cuts the deepest gorge on earth between two eight-thousanders, to the temple complex at Muktinath, sacred to Hindus and Buddhists both. Dry country, strong afternoon winds, and a short flight at one end.
Every departure is private and led by a government-licensed Nepali guide, so the plan flexes to your party and to the mountain. Permits, park fees and local taxes are inside the price you see.
Trip highlights
- The Kali Gandaki gorge
- Muktinath, sacred to two faiths
- Dry and walkable outside the usual seasons
- Short flight in or out of Jomsom
Day by day
The itinerary
-
Day 1: Arrive in Kathmandu (1,400m) 1,400 m Hotel
Our representative meets you at Tribhuvan International Airport and transfers you to the hotel, followed by the trek briefing. The rest of the day is yours.
-
Day 2: Kathmandu to Pokhara (820m) 820 m 6-7 by road hrs Hotel
West along the Trishuli river to Pokhara, on the tourist coach or by a 25-minute flight if you prefer. Pokhara sits on a lake with Machhapuchhre standing over it, and the evening is free on the lakeside.
-
Day 3: Fly to Jomsom (2,720m), trek to Kagbeni (2,810m) 2,810 m 3-4 hrs Teahouse
A short morning flight straight up the Kali Gandaki between Dhaulagiri and Annapurna, one of the great scenic flights anywhere. It runs early because the valley wind gets up by mid-morning. From Jomsom an easy walk up the riverbed to Kagbeni, a medieval-looking village of mud alleys and a red gompa at the gateway to Upper Mustang.
-
Day 4: Kagbeni to Muktinath (3,760m) 3,760 m 5-6 hrs Teahouse
A steady climb out of the gorge onto the open shelf above, with Dhaulagiri and Nilgiri filling the view behind you. The country here is high desert in the rain shadow of the Annapurnas, which is why this trek works in months that close the rest of Nepal. Muktinath village sits just below the temple complex.
-
Day 5: Muktinath temple, then down to Jomsom (2,720m) 3,760 m 6-7 hrs Teahouse
Early at the temple, before the buses. Muktinath is one of very few places sacred to Hindus and Buddhists alike: 108 water spouts, the eternal flame burning on natural gas beside a spring, and pilgrims who have travelled a long way to be there. Then the long descent back down the valley to Jomsom, into the wind rather than out of it.
-
Day 6: Jomsom to Marpha and on to Tukuche (2,590m) 2,590 m 4-5 hrs Teahouse
Down the wide riverbed to Marpha, a flagstoned village of whitewashed houses famous across Nepal for its apple brandy, then on through the apple orchards to Tukuche. Old Thakali trading houses here remember when this was the salt road to Tibet.
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Day 7: Tukuche to Ghasa (2,010m) 2,010 m 6-7 hrs Teahouse
The valley narrows and the vegetation returns: pine first, then broadleaf. Past Larjung and Kalopani, with the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri walls closing in on both sides. This is the stretch that makes the deepest-gorge-on-earth claim make sense when you look up from the floor of it.
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Day 8: Ghasa to Tatopani (1,190m) 1,190 m 5-6 hrs Teahouse
A long descent beside the river through subtropical forest, waterfalls and the odd stretch of road. Tatopani means hot water, and the stone-built springs at the edge of the village are the reward for the week. Worth arriving with enough afternoon left to use them.
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Day 9: Drive from Tatopani to Pokhara (820m) 820 m 4-5 hrs Hotel
Out by road down the Kali Gandaki to Beni, then on to Pokhara. Evening free on the lakeside.
-
Day 10: Return to Kathmandu and departure 1,400 m
Back to Kathmandu by coach or by the short flight, depending on your onward timing. Our representative takes you to the airport about 3 hours before your international departure.
Altitude profile
The climb, day by day
Comfort tiers
Choose your level of comfort
| Amenity | Standardfrom $1,075.00 | Comfortfrom $1,268.50 | Luxuryfrom $1,558.75 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kathmandu hotel | 3★ | 4★ | 5★ |
| Trail accommodation | Standard teahouse | Best lodge in each village | Premium lodge where the route has one |
| Porter support | Shared porter | Private porter, lighter load | Extra porter, carry almost nothing |
| Transfers | Shared | Private | Private, throughout |
What's included
Included
- Included: All airport transfers in a private vehicle
- Included: One night's twin-sharing accommodation with breakfast at a 3-star hotel in Kathmandu
- Included: Two nights' twin-sharing accommodation with breakfast at a 3-star hotel in Pokhara
- Included: Twin-sharing teahouse accommodation for 6 nights on the trek
- Included: All meals on the trek: breakfast, lunch and dinner, with tea or coffee
- Included: Seasonal fruit on the trail
- Included: Tourist coach between Kathmandu and Pokhara in both directions
- Included: Flight from Pokhara to Jomsom
- Included: Private vehicle from Tatopani to Pokhara
- Included: Annapurna Conservation Area Permit and the trekkers' registration card
- Included: A government-licensed, wilderness first-aid trained, English-speaking guide
- Included: All wages, meals, accommodation, insurance and equipment for your guide
- Included: Duffel bag, down jacket and sleeping bag on loan for the trek
- Included: A comprehensive first aid kit, including a pulse oximeter
- Included: Trekking map and trip completion certificate
- Included: All government taxes and official expenses
Not included
- Not included: Your travel insurance
- Not included: Porter cost at Standard level, 30 US dollars per day. One porter can be shared between two trekkers, and a porter is already included at Luxury level
- Not included: Bar bills and personal expenses such as laundry, battery charging and bottled water
- Not included: Tips for the guide, and for the porter if you take one
- Not included: International airfare and the Nepal entry visa
- Not included: Lunch and dinner in Kathmandu and Pokhara
- Not included: Extra costs caused by flight delays, landslides, illness, early departure or any other event beyond our control
- Not included: Anything not listed under what is included
Your team
Led by a licensed guide
Every route is led by a government-licensed guide from our team. Licences are on record with us before departure, and you'll meet your guide once your trip is confirmed.
Guide language(s): English, Nepali
Group-size pricing
Walk together, pay less
Every trip is private, so the guide, permits and transfers cost the same however many walk. Sharing them is why the per-person price falls: arithmetic, not a sale.
| Group size | per person | You save each |
|---|---|---|
| 1 trekker | $1,075.00 | base rate |
| 2 to 3 trekkers | $895.00 | $180.00 |
| 4 to 6 trekkers | $840.00 | $235.00 |
| 7 or more | $790.00 | $285.00 |
Per person, including permits, park fees and taxes. Nothing is added at checkout.
Weather
What to expect, month by month
- Autumn (Sep–Nov)The most reliable trekking season: clear air, stable weather and cold nights, right after the monsoon clears.
- Monsoon (Jun–Aug)Wet and cloudy on most routes, though Mustang and Dolpo sit in the rain shadow behind the main range and stay walkable.
- Spring (Mar–May)Warmer than autumn, with rhododendron forests in flower and slightly hazier mountain views as the season goes on.
- Winter (Dec–Feb)Cold and quiet, with the clearest skies of the year at lower altitude. High passes and very high routes are best avoided.
Traveller reviews
What trekkers say
Why book with us
Every trail, one licensed team
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