Pokhara Jomsom Muktinath Trek

As you climb along the path that leads to a forest, you will find Annapurna South, hidden by a ridge. Beyond Banthanti, there are wonderful forests of oak and rhododendron. After crossing several crystal-clear mountain streams, you arrive at the village of Nangathanti. Another few hours of trekking through the forest, you reach Ghorepani. Ghorepani literally means “horse water” and is a popular watering spot for mules, which ply this route from Pokhara to Jomsom and beyond. A ten minutes walk takes you to a small pass and further to the village of Deorali. For proper adaptation, you rest at Ghorepani. The overnight stay will be at a tea house in Ghorepani.

You can catch an astonishing sight of the sunrise from an ideal vantage point of Poon Hill. After breakfast, you come down to Tatopani through the rhododendron forest amidst the outstanding natural vistas. As you reach near Chitre, you get an awe-inspiring view of Dhaulagiri range. The trail then leads through terraced fields to Sikha, a Magar village clustered on a ridge. You carry on descending, slowly at first and then more sharply to cross the Ghar Khola. After a short climb, you cross the Kali Gandaki on a large suspension bridge and from thereon, it is only a short distance upstream to Tatopani. Tatopani is named after the hot springs near the river below the village. The overnight stay will be at a tea house in Tatopani.

You have to tag along the trail that ascends gently up the Kali Gandaki Gorge, the deepest gorge in the world, towards the village of Dana, which is bounded by orange groves. En route, you come across local people selling baskets of oranges. Just away from the small village of Rupse, a thundering waterfall cascades down beside the track. Thereafter, the trail enters the steepest and narrowest section of the gorge. You will find the covered stone path well-constructed and wide. As the rock cliff ends, you head towards Ghasa, a quaint Thakali village. You can see several flat-roofed Tibetan style houses in Ghasa. The overnight stay will be at a tea house in Ghasa.

After breakfast you trek from Ghasa towards Larjung. A few hours of descents soon follow other rock-strewn ascents through forests of fir, cypress and juniper along the riverbank of Kali Gandaki. As soon as you reach Larjung, you cannot help but marvel at the architectural grandeur of this small town; tunnels, narrow alleyways and houses built in traditional style presents an interesting sight. The overnight stay will be at a tea house in Larjung.

You begin to trek along the trail that follows the wide valley of the Kali Gandaki, passing through Khobang and Tukuche. Yet again, you get to see narrow alleyways and houses built around enclosed courtyards as a protection against the unpredictable wind of the Kali Gandaki gorge. The trail further meanders through stonewalled orchards. Soon you will come across a stone gate that marks the entrance to Marpha. You can spot several white-walled houses. Marpha has well-maintained drainage system and is most popular for its local apple brandy. After a lunch in Marpha, you continue trekking towards Jomsom. As you approach your destination Jomsom, the landscape becomes increasingly arid and impressive with its mixture of browns, yellows and gray contrasting with the white snowcapped peaks of Tilicho and Nilgiri. The overnight stay will be at a tea house Jomsom.

After breakfast you have resumed your trekking along the path up to the vast gravel riverbed of the Kali Gandaki. You come across a river and verdant vegetation. On crossing a small ridge to Chhancha Lhumba at 2730 meters, you continue heading towards Muktinath. Dhaulagiri and Nilgiri dominate the view as you ascend to Khingar (3200 meters). More meadows, streams and lush vegetation can be seen along the trail as it paved to Jharkot (3500 meters). You run into the ruins of the Dzong and pristine villages of Purang and Changur. As you trek past mule stables and steep, barren hillside, you enter Ranipauwa. Ranipauwa for years has remained an ideal resting point for pilgrims and travelers. On treks further, you enter Muktinath. Temples and religious shrines are the major attractions of this holy place. Pilgrims gather in the Buddhist Gompa and pagoda-style temple of Lord Vishnu. Muktinath is an important pilgrimage site for both Hindus and Buddhists. The overnight stay will be at a tea house in Muktinath.

Heading away from Muktinath, you retrace your steps to Jomsom taking in the magnificent view of Nilgiri. You stay overnight in Jomsom. The overnight stay will be at a tea house in Jomsom.

You board an early morning flight from Jomsom to Pokhara. Receive at the airport in Pokhara and transfer to the hotel.