Ride & paddle · Mustang
Lower Mustang by mountain bike
- 8 daysDuration
- 3,800 mHighest point
- ChallengingDifficulty
- ★ 4.839 reviews
Eight days riding the old caravan trails of the Kali Gandaki, with a support jeep, hardtails that are actually maintained, and mornings that start before the wind.
Mustang is the best mountain biking in Nepal and it is not close. High desert, dry all year, hard-packed jeep track linking villages, and singletrack that has been in use since the salt caravans.
Every riding day starts at seven, because the Kali Gandaki wind arrives at eleven and rides you rather than the other way round. Afternoons are for villages, monasteries and sitting down. A support jeep carries luggage and spares, and can carry a rider too.
- The Kagbeni to Muktinath climb, then the singletrack descent to Jomsom
- Lubra valley — a Bon village reached on trail rather than road
- Apple orchards and a whitewashed high street at Marpha
- A support jeep, so a bad day does not end your trip
The essentials
- Duration
- 8 days
- Highest point
- 3,800 m
- Group size
- Max 8
- Style
- Mountain biking
- Starts and ends
- Pokhara to Pokhara
- Best season
- Mar–May · Sep–Nov
- Accommodation
- 6 nights in guesthouses, 1 night in a Pokhara hotel
- Meals
- All breakfasts and dinners, most lunches
- Transport
- Pokhara–Jomsom flights, jeep support vehicle throughout
- Permits
- Upper Mustang restricted-area permit (USD 500 for ten days) + ACAP
The shape of the journey
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
When to walk it
The one region that works through the monsoon — Mustang sits in the rain shadow north of the Annapurnas.
- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
- Prime
- Shoulder
- Closed
Day by day
8 days, as they are actually walked. Your guide may reorder a day for weather — that is the point of having one.
-
1
Arrive in Pokhara
Bike fitting, a shakedown ride around the lake, and the trip briefing over dinner.
- 820 m
- 1 hr ride
- Pokhara hotel
- Dinner
-
2
Fly to Jomsom, ride to Kagbeni
Bikes on the morning flight, then an easy first ride north up the riverbed to the gateway village.
- 2,810 m
- 12 km
- 2 hr
- Kagbeni guesthouse
- All meals
-
3
Kagbeni to Muktinath
A thousand metres of climbing on switchbacked jeep track, finishing at the temple complex with the whole valley behind you.
- 3,760 m
- 20 km
- 5 hr
- Muktinath guesthouse
- All meals
-
4
Muktinath and the Lupra descent
A loop up towards Thorong Phedi for the view, then the drop into the Lubra valley on singletrack — the best descent of the week.
- 2,800 m
- 26 km
- 5 hr
- Jomsom guesthouse
- All meals
-
5
Jomsom to Marpha and Tukuche
South with the wind for once, through apple country and the old salt-trade villages.
- 2,590 m
- 22 km
- 4 hr
- Tukuche guesthouse
- All meals
-
6
Tukuche to Kalopani
Down the widening gorge between Dhaulagiri and Nilgiri, on riverbed and forest track.
- 2,530 m
- 18 km
- 4 hr
- Kalopani guesthouse
- All meals
-
7
Kalopani to Tatopani, jeep to Pokhara
A fast final descent to the hot springs, lunch, then the support vehicle back to the lake.
- 820 m
- 24 km
- 4 hr ride, 4 hr drive
- Pokhara hotel
- All meals
-
8
Departure
Bikes returned, breakfast by the lake, onward travel to Kathmandu.
- 820 m
- Breakfast
Is this trip for you?
Three to five hours in the saddle daily on loose jeep track and singletrack, at 2,700 to 3,800 m. You need off-road bike handling and regular riding fitness.
What is included
Included
- Bike leader guide and a mechanic with the support jeep
- Hardtail mountain bike hire, serviced before every departure
- Helmet, gloves, spares and trailside repairs
- Return Pokhara–Jomsom flights including bike carriage
- Support jeep for luggage, spares and any rider who needs it
- Guesthouse accommodation and one night in Pokhara
- ACAP permit and TIMS card
Not included
- International flights and Nepal visa
- Travel insurance covering mountain biking
- Personal riding kit — shorts, shoes, eyewear, body armour
- Lunches on days 1 and 8, and all drinks
- Tips for the guide, mechanic and driver
What to bring
- Padded riding shorts, two pairs
- Flat-pedal shoes with grip
- Riding glasses — the dust is constant
- Windproof jacket and a warm layer for descents
- Buff for the Kali Gandaki dust
- Hydration pack, at least two litres
- Sun protection, factor 50
- Your own saddle if you are particular about saddles
Demo photography, from the region rather than this departure. Every image is CC0 or public domain.
Departures
20% deposit confirms your place. Balance due 45 days before departure.
| Dates | Availability | Price | Book |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Sep – 3 Oct 2026 | Places open | $1,880 | |
| 24 Oct – 31 Oct 2026 | Few places left · 2 left | $1,880 | |
| 27 Mar – 3 Apr 2027 | Places open | $1,880 | |
| 1 May – 8 May 2027 | Places open | $1,880 |
Your guide
Guide profiles are fictional. The photographs beside them show the terrain each guide works in — they do not depict the people described.
What travellers said
★ 4.8 from 39 fictional demo reviews.
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★★★★★
The Lubra descent
I have ridden in eleven countries. That singletrack drop into the Bon village is going in my top five.
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★★★★★
Well-run and properly maintained
Bikes were genuinely serviced, not just hosed down. Pasang fixed a hanger on the trail in ten minutes.
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★★★★★
Start early, it is not optional
We rode into the wind on day five because we were slow leaving. Never again. Listen to the seven o'clock rule.
Things to know
Can I bring my own bike?
Yes, and many riders do. We carry it on the Jomsom flight at cost and deduct the hire fee from your trip price. Bring your own spares for anything unusual.
How technical is the riding?
Mostly blue with red sections — loose gravel, rocky jeep track, some exposed singletrack in the Lubra descent. If you ride off-road at home you will be fine. This is not a first mountain bike trip.
What if I cannot finish a day?
The support jeep is on the route every day and will pick up you and the bike. It happens on most departures and nobody minds.
Is the altitude a problem on a bike?
It is noticeable. Day three climbs to 3,760 m and you will feel it on the pedals. The itinerary keeps the first two days short specifically for this.
You might also consider
Close relatives.
Same region or same spirit, different commitment.
Not quite right?
We will build it around you.
Different dates, a shorter version, a family pace or a route that is not on this site. Private departures start at the same price as scheduled ones.