Continuing further with your upper Mustang Jeep tour, you will leave Pokhara and drive on the paved road accompanied by the Seti Gandaki River. After driving through verdant meadows and settlement areas, you will finally arrive at Kushma. Now, Kali Gandaki River comes into sight as you are making your way toward Baglung.

Moving west from Baglung, you will witness an amazing sight of the confluence of Kali Gandaki and Myagdi River at Beni. Following the natural direction of Kali Gandaki River, you will pass through lush forests, beautiful terrace farmlands, and villages before finally arriving at Tatopani. Off-road will start after you pass Beni. So, it can get rocky and bumpy as you are traveling from Beni to Tatopani.

For the remainder of the day, you can enjoy the natural hot spring at Tatopani. Likewise, they can interact with locals to listen to their folks and tales. This will give you a brief introduction to lifestyle in rural Nepal.

Driving away from Tatopani, you will make your way to Kagbeni. As you are moving, you can feel the distinct difference in the vegetation, shifting from lush vegetation to a desert-like atmosphere. Then, you will enjoy the scenic drive from passing Chhusang.

On the way, you will witness Cave Monastery, which represents the tranquility and serenity of the Buddhist atmosphere. Following the path shown by the natural direction of Kali Gandaki River, you will move forward from Syangboche village to finally arrive at rich Ghilling village.

Today, you have to move early in the morning so that you can have more time to explore Lo Manthang. After having a heart breakfast, you will move forward from Ghilling, and within no time, you will reach Ghami. This beautiful village is known for its white-washed mud and stone houses. Proceeding further with your jeep ride, you will pass by many different streams, including the Ghami River, the Charang River, and the Dokpolo River. After crossing Tsarang La pass at an altitude of 3870m, you will reach Tsarang.

As you make your way to the capital of the upper Mustang, you will also visit two of the most ancient monasteries, White Palace and Ghar Gompa. The serenity and peace you will receive in these monasteries is something you can’t get anywhere. You will also rewarded by the incredible views of Annapurna I, Bhrikuti, Tilicho, Nilgiri, and other mountain ranges.

As you are getting close to the city, you will notice the longest mani wall of Upper Mustang. This indicates that you are just a few distance away from the famed walled city. The beautiful and aesthetic-looking whitewashed houses will greet you as soon as you enter the city. You can take a rest for a while, and with the remaining time, you will explore the area.

Lo Manthang has a lot more to offer. So, as per our itinerary, today is allocated as an exploration day. After having a light breakfast in the morning, you can visit monasteries, shrines, and temples that carry huge significance in the region. The capital city has mainly four major temples. One of them is Champa Lhakang, which carries significant value in Buddhism. The temple consists of a huge statue of Buddha made of clay. Additionally, the meticulously crafted mandalas on its walls expand the horizon of craft and architecture.

Another monastery boasted by Lo Manthang is Namgyal Gompa. Not only as a religious site, this landmark is popular as a local courthouse where matters of legal disposition are handled. Additionally, you can find young student monks at the Tsechen Shedrubling Monastery School. You can interact with the monks in this monastic school and learn about their unique lifestyle.

Similarly, you can’t miss out on a grandiose, white-washed, five-story palace located at the heart of the city. This oldest structure was built around 1400. Though the king and queen were stripped of their title in 2008 after turning republic, the celestial king and queen inhabit this palace with their family. Furthermore, it is better to walk on foot while exploring the city as you will be able to visit every nook and cranny of this beautiful city.

Similarly The Chhoser Cave, also known as the “Jhong Cave,” in Upper Mustang, Nepal, is a series of ancient caves believed to be over 3,000 years old, famous for their unique “skylight” features and historical significance as they were used by the local people for various purposes throughout different periods, including burial chambers, living quarters during times of conflict, and meditation spaces in later centuries; today, it’s a popular tourist attraction within the remote and culturally preserved region of Upper Mustang.
Key points about Chhoser Cave:Multiple uses throughout history:
Evidence suggests the caves were initially used as burial chambers before 1000 BC, then became shelters for families during the 10th century conflicts, and later functioned as meditation sites and storage areas from the 1400s onwards

Muktinath Elevation: 3800 m

Kagbeni Elevation: 2900 m

Jomsom Elevation: 2700 m
You will depart from Lo Manthang and leave behind the mystical Upper Mustang to explore the holy Muktinath temple. Visiting this sacred temple is the major highlight of the last phase of your upper Mustang Jeep tour. Making your way through the bumpy dirt road, you will reach Muktinath temple. For many years, devotees from all around the world have come to this magnificent temple with their religious beliefs.

This pagoda-style temple carries the religious symbiosis in both Hindu and Buddhist religions. It is considered one of the total 108 Vaishnava shrines. Taking a bath in the 108 water sprouts and two Kunda is believed to bring salvation to people and cleanse the soul if he/she has committed any crime.

After visiting this religious landmark, you will go towards Kagbeni. The views are incredible, with the sight of beautiful Nilgiri Himal. As you continue the drive, some sections will look like a Grand Canyon while others shall look like a desert. This is the beauty of the area. The road from Kagbeni to Jomson is quite dusty with off-road. You will take a short break after reaching Jomson. During your break, you can enjoy the apple booze and dance in the rhythm of local folk songs.

Since Marpha is your overnight stay destination, you will head towards Marpha, leaving Jomson behind. You will follow the path inside the Kali Gandaki river valley, passing the wide convergence of Kali Gandaki with Dhumpha Khola. Then you will finally reach the beautiful village of Marpha, famous for its apples. This village in the lower Mustang region is full of activities such as visiting the apple farm, touring the distillery, and exploring the cultural museum dedicated to Japanese monk Ekai Kawaguchi.

Today’s overland drive will cover about 161 km from Marpha to Pokhara. You can enjoy the mesmerizing view of Dhaulagiri and Annapurna massifs during your detour back to Pokhara. Upon arriving at Pokhara, you will be escorted to your designated hotels, where you can stretch your body after a long drive.

Subsequently, after the short break, you will explore the tourist hub, Pokhara. You can go boating at the Phewa Lake and visit Bindabasini temple. Moreover, the nightlife of Pokhara is very lively, with bars, restaurants, and cards till midnight. So, you can instill yourself in this beautiful city surrounded by majestic peaks and adorned with many lakes.

After spending a wonderful day at Pokhara yesterday, it’s time to wrap up your upper Mustang jeep tour. You have been exploring western Nepal in a new for almost 7 days. You must be feeling sick of the jeep ride by now. So, our path back to Kathmandu will be a little different. You will not have to spend 7 hours on the road but will arrive at the metropolis with a 35-minute hassle-free flight.

Boarding the domestic plane, your exciting flight starts as you are soaring parallel to majestic mountains, leaving behind the lakes to arrive at dense Kathmandu Valley. Upon arrival, our representative will pick you up from the airport and transfer you to your hotel.

You will have some spare time. So you can utilize this time by sightseeing in Kathmandu city. There are many landmarks that have been listed by UNESCO as world heritage sites. You can visit Swayambhunath temple to have a beautiful view of Kathmandu Valley from the top. Likewise, you can visit Durbar Square to learn more about the royal history of Nepal. The Pashupati Nath temple carries a huge religious belief of Hinduism.

Creating a lot of memories, you can pull down the curtain of your upper Mustang Jeep tour and write this beautiful chapter as once in a lifetime journey in your book of life.