Upper Mustang Motorclycle Tour Itinerary

Our representative will pick you from Kathmandu International Airport and takes you to your hotel. Once you have settled in, you meet your tour leader, go through safety details and talk about the route, the bike and what to expect in Upper Mustang. If you have energy in the evening, Thamel, the busy tourist neighbourhood of restaurants and shops, is a natural place to walk.

After breakfast you meet your motorcycle, which is inspected before departure, and receive a safety briefing covering riding in a group, hand signals, emergency procedures, gear requirements and altitude. Your protective gear is checked, because it is required. You then take a short test ride around Kathmandu to get familiar with the controls, the weight of the bike and the way the group rides together. The rest of the day is free to rest or explore

Your motorcycle journey begins in earnest. The route follows the Prithvi Highway beside the Trishuli River, through foothills of terraced farmland. The road is mostly paved, which makes this a good day to find your rhythm with the bike, the group and the support vehicle. You stop for lunch at a local restaurant, then arrive in Pokhara by evening. If you have energy, a walk around Fewa Lake and its cafés is a gentle end to the day

The route begins with a climb to the Sarangkot viewpoint, where the Annapurna range may be visible depending on conditions. You then leave smooth roads behind and ride beside the Kaligandaki River on a combination of paved sections and rough off-road tracks. The road narrows as it enters the gorge. There is a stop at Rupche Waterfall and time to pass through small Gurung and Magar villages. By the time you reach Kalopani, the country is noticeably drier, because you are in the rain shadow of the Annapurnas. You sleep in a simple local lodge.

After breakfast you ride to Marpha and walk through the village to see traditional Thakali stone houses, apple orchards and farms. You continue through Jomsom and climb to Muktinath, one of Nepal’s holiest pilgrimage sites for both Hindus and Buddhists, where you visit the temple and the Eternal Flame, a natural gas vent in the rock. Jharkot Monastery, a Tibetan Buddhist structure above the valley, is a stop along the way. The day ends in Kagbeni, a village of old stone architecture that serves as the gateway to Upper Mustang

Your guide checks your Upper Mustang Restricted Area Permit, and you can visit Kagbeni’s monasteries briefly before heading north. The landscape changes: open, barren and windswept. The route passes through Chuksang, Chella, Samar, Syangboche, Bhina, Ghiling, Ghami and Tsarang, over rocky ground with technical sections that test both rider and bike. The views are wide, with distant peaks and a strong sense of remoteness. Lo Manthang, a walled settlement, appears on the plateau at the end of the day.

The morning is for Lo Manthang itself: Thupchen Monastery, the largest and most important, with its paintings and sculpture; Chode Gompa, smaller and known for its woodwork; and Jampa Monastery, with its tall Buddha statue. The town’s Buddhist museum preserves old artefacts and manuscripts. After lunch you ride to Chhosar, where Shija Jhong Cave and the surrounding cliffs hold dozens of caves, some once homes and others meditation chambers, along with a cliff monastery built into the rock. In the evening, your guide can explain the Sky Burial tradition with cultural context and respect. You return to Lo Manthang for dinner

You leave Lo Manthang and pass back through Tsarang, Ghami, Ghiling, Bhina, Syangboche, Samar, Chella and Chuksang. The return can feel quicker because the terrain is familiar, and you follow the Kaligandaki River downstream, passing stupas and monasteries on the plateau. You arrive in Jomsom, a larger town with more services. Your overnight stop may be adjusted by your guide depending on timing;

A long descent takes you back down the Kaligandaki Gorge along the route you rode on Day 4. The downhill momentum gives the familiar road a different feel. At Beni Junction the route moves from off-road riding back onto paved highway, and the final stretch takes you to Pokhara by evening. If you still have energy, Lakeside is nearby

After breakfast you ride back along the Prithvi Highway beside the Trishuli River. The road is smooth and the pace relaxed, a chance to reflect on the days behind you. You arrive in Kathmandu by evenin

After breakfast, a private car takes you to Kathmandu International Airport with time to spare for your flight. Your motorcycle journey ends here.