Breakfast
Served early, because the wind rises at eleven. Eggs, Tibetan bread, porridge and plenty of tea
All destinations
All destinationsUpper Mustang Motorbike Tour
4.812 reviews
Ride a Royal Enfield up the deepest gorge in the world and onto the Tibetan plateau, to the walled city of Lo Manthang at 3,840 m.
- Duration
- 11 days
- Grade
- Moderate to strenuous
- Max altitude
- 3,950 m (12,960 ft)
- Start and end
- Kathmandu
- The bike
- Royal Enfield Himalayan
- Best season
- Mar to Nov
- Accommodation
- Hotels and lodges
- Meals
- All meals on the trek
- Group size
- 2 to 8 riders
- Longest day
- Up to 200 km a day
Upper Mustang Motorbike Tour Overview
Ride a Royal Enfield up the deepest gorge in the world and onto the Tibetan plateau, to the walled city of Lo Manthang at 3,840 m.
Tour overview
A nine-hundred-kilometre ride from Kathmandu to the walled city of Lo Manthang and back, on a Royal Enfield Himalayan. Six of the days are on dirt roads. The route follows the Kali Gandaki through the deepest gorge in the world and then onto the Tibetan plateau, into a former kingdom that was closed to outsiders until 1992 and still requires a permit costing $50 a day.
Riding to Mustang
The road to Lo Manthang was completed within the last fifteen years, and it has changed the region, which some people regret. It has also opened up a landscape that takes walkers eight days to reach and riders four. If you have two weeks and you ride, this is the best two weeks of riding in Nepal.
Lo Manthang
A walled city of about a thousand people at 3,840 m, built in the fourteenth century, with a royal palace, three major monasteries and murals older than anything comparable in Tibet. The kingdom of Lo had its own king until 2008. It is neither a ruin nor a museum; people live there and their children go to school there.
Who this trip is for
Riders with genuine off-road experience who want a challenging route rather than a tour. It is not suitable for riders who have only ridden on roads, and we will tell you so rather than accept an unsuitable booking. A non-riding partner is welcome to travel in the support jeep and sees the whole route.
Key highlights of the Upper Mustang Motorbike Tour
- The Kali Gandaki gorge, with Dhaulagiri on one side, Annapurna on the other and the road in between
- Four days of riding on the far side of the Himalaya, in a landscape very different from the rest of Nepal
- The walled city of Lo Manthang at 3,840 m, with a full day to explore it
- The sky caves at Chhoser, cut into the cliff and inhabited for three thousand years
- Challenging riding on gravel, sand, river crossings and switchbacks, on a motorcycle designed for it
Itinerary
We meet you at the airport and take you to your hotel. The afternoon is free. In the evening we brief you on the route, the permits and the road conditions, so that you know what to expect before you start riding.
- Altitude
- 1,400 m (4,590 ft)
- On foot
- None, arrival day
- Night in
- Hotel, Kathmandu
- Meals
- Dinner
In the morning you go to the workshop, collect your motorcycle, adjust the levers and mirrors, and ride it around the area until you are comfortable with it. Your passport is with the Department of Immigration for the restricted area permit, so this day is required. In the afternoon we ride up to the valley rim and back, about eighty kilometres, so that the group can settle into riding together.
- Altitude
- 1,400 m (4,590 ft)
- On foot
- 80 km riding
- Night in
- Hotel, Kathmandu
- Meals
- Breakfast
You ride two hundred kilometres west on the Prithvi Highway, following the Trishuli river for most of the way. The road is tarmac and busy, and the day is an opportunity to get used to Nepali traffic with a support vehicle behind you. It takes six to seven hours with stops, and you reach the lake in the late afternoon.
- Altitude
- 820 m (2,690 ft)−580 m
- On foot
- 200 km riding
- Night in
- Hotel by the lake, Pokhara
- Meals
- Breakfast
You ride north-west through Beni, where the tarmac ends, and up the Kali Gandaki into the gorge. The last sixty kilometres are gravel, broken tarmac and water flowing across the road. Tatopani means hot water, and there are hot pools beside the river where you can relax after your first full day on dirt roads.
- Altitude
- 1,190 m (3,900 ft)+370 m
- On foot
- 115 km riding
- Night in
- Guesthouse, Tatopani
- Meals
- Breakfast, dinner
This is the best riding day of the lower section. The road climbs 1,500 m through the deepest gorge in the world, with Dhaulagiri (8,167 m) on your left and Annapurna I (8,091 m) on your right, and seven vertical kilometres between the peaks and the river. Pine forest gives way to scrub and then to bare ground. Lunch is in Marpha, and you reach Jomsom by mid-afternoon.
- Altitude
- 2,720 m (8,920 ft)+1,530 m
- On foot
- 75 km riding
- Night in
- Lodge, Jomsom
- Meals
- Breakfast, dinner
It is half an hour north to Kagbeni, where the restricted area begins and the police check your permit carefully. Beyond it the landscape changes completely, with ochre and grey cliffs, no trees and the Kali Gandaki riverbed a kilometre wide. You ride through Chele, climb to the Taklam La and reach Ghami by late afternoon. The surface is sand and gravel all day, with a headwind after eleven.
- Altitude
- 3,520 m (11,550 ft)+800 m
- On foot
- 75 km riding
- Night in
- Guesthouse, Ghami
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
You ride past the longest mani wall in Mustang and below the red cliffs at Dhakmar, whose colour is explained by a local legend about a demon that your guide will tell you. You cross the Lo La at 3,950 m, from where you see the walled city on the plain below, and most riders stop here for the view. The distance is short but the riding is demanding.
- Altitude
- 3,840 m (12,600 ft)+320 m
- On foot
- 45 km riding
- Night in
- Guesthouse, Lo Manthang
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
There is no long ride today. You spend the morning inside the city walls, visiting the royal palace and the three main gompas of Jhampa, Thubchen and Chodey, whose fifteenth-century murals are the main reason for Lo Manthang's importance. In the afternoon you take a short ride north to Chhoser, where a cliff face is full of caves that were inhabited for three thousand years. You climb up into them on ladders.
- Altitude
- 3,840 m (12,600 ft)
- On foot
- 30 km riding
- Night in
- Guesthouse, Lo Manthang
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
You ride through the whole restricted area in one day, a hundred and twenty kilometres of gravel that takes seven to eight hours. It is a long day, and for many riders the most enjoyable, because by now you know the motorcycle and the surface, and the route is downhill. In Jomsom there is a hot shower and a comfortable bed.
- Altitude
- 2,720 m (8,920 ft)−1,120 m
- On foot
- 120 km riding
- Night in
- Lodge, Jomsom
- Meals
- Breakfast, dinner
You ride down the gorge and out, retracing days 5 and 4 in one long day. It takes eight to nine hours with stops, and the last two hours are on tarmac. You stay in a lakeside hotel with a good meal and a comfortable bed.
- Altitude
- 820 m (2,690 ft)−1,900 m
- On foot
- 185 km riding
- Night in
- Hotel by the lake, Pokhara
- Meals
- Breakfast, dinner
The flight takes twenty-five minutes, with the Annapurnas visible from the left-hand windows, while the motorcycles return by truck. The afternoon in Kathmandu is free, and if your flight is the same evening we will book a day room for you.
- Altitude
- 1,400 m (4,590 ft)+580 m
- On foot
- None, flight day
- Night in
- No overnight
- Meals
- Breakfast
What's included
- A Royal Enfield Himalayan 411, serviced before you collect it, with fuel for the whole route
- A lead rider who knows the road, and a mechanic riding at the back with a tool roll and spare parts
- A support jeep carrying luggage, spare parts, fuel and any rider who needs a rest
- Upper Mustang restricted area permit and the ACAP permit
- Ten nights: two in Kathmandu, two in Pokhara, two at Jomsom, one at Tatopani, one at Ghami and two at Lo Manthang
- Breakfast every day, dinner on the riding days, and all meals inside the restricted area
- A licensed guide in the restricted area, and entry to the Lo Manthang gompas and the Chhoser caves
- The Pokhara to Kathmandu flight on day 11, with the motorcycles returning by truck
- Airport transfers, and a helmet, gloves and knee guards if you prefer not to bring your own
Not included
- International flights and the Nepal visa
- Travel insurance, which must cover motorcycling and travel to 4,000 m
- Lunch in Kathmandu and Pokhara, and drinks throughout
- Damage to the motorcycle, which is charged at cost, with the workshop's invoice shown to you
- Your own riding gear if you prefer it, and boots, which we ask you to bring
- Tips for the lead rider, the mechanic, the guide and the driver
Dates and prices
Start date
10 May 2027
End date
20 May 2027
Available
8 left
US $2,390
Per person
Start date
5 Oct 2026
End date
15 Oct 2026
Available
8 left
US $2,190
Per person
Start date
19 Oct 2026
End date
29 Oct 2026
Available
8 left
US $2,190
Per person
Route map
The trail from start to finish, at a glance.
Packing list
Bring your own boots and armoured jacket
We provide a helmet, gloves and knee guards if you need them. We cannot provide a properly armoured jacket or boots that cover your ankles in your size, and these are the two items that matter most in a low-speed fall on gravel. Please bring both. Everything else travels in the jeep, so you can pack for comfort rather than weight.
- A helmet, your own if you prefer; a peak is useful against the low sun in the gorge
- Goggles or a visor that gives clear vision when there is sand in the air
- A buff or neck tube, which you will wear over your face every afternoon
- Sunglasses for when you are off the motorcycle
- A riding jacket with shoulder, elbow and back armour, which we cannot provide in your size
- Riding trousers or jeans with knee armour; we can provide knee guards if you prefer
- A warm mid layer for the mornings and for evenings in Lo Manthang
- A waterproof jacket, for the lower gorge rather than the plateau
- Everyday clothes for the towns, carried in the jeep
- Riding boots with ankle protection. Trainers are not permitted on this route
- Two pairs of gloves: warm gloves for the morning and lighter gloves for the afternoon
- Walking shoes for Lo Manthang and the Chhoser caves, which involve climbing ladders
- Sun cream, factor 30 or above. This is important at 3,800 m, where light reflects off the grey rock
- Lip balm, and eye drops for the sand
- Rehydration salts and your usual remedy for an upset stomach
- A small personal first aid kit for grazes, which are common
- Your own prescription medicines in their original packaging
- One soft bag for the jeep. Hard suitcases do not travel well on the Mustang road
- A small tank bag or rucksack for what you need on the motorcycle
- A dry bag for electronics, because dust gets into everything
- Two litres of water capacity; the jeep carries more
- Passport valid for at least six months, and four passport photographs for the permit
- Your home motorcycle licence and an International Driving Permit with the motorcycle category endorsed
- Insurance that confirms in writing that it covers motorcycling above 125cc, and the assistance line number
- A card for the damage deposit, and cash in US dollars and Nepali rupees
Getting there and back
The flights and long drives on this itinerary, and what happens if one is delayed or cancelled.
Getting to Kathmandu
Fly to Tribhuvan International Airport via Delhi, Doha, Dubai, Istanbul, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur or Singapore. There are no direct flights from Europe or North America. Arrive a day early if you can, because day 2 includes the motorcycle fitting and you will want to be rested for it.
Visa on arrival
Complete the form at the kiosk, pay $30 in cash for a 15-day visa at the bank counter, and then go to immigration. Bring clean dollar notes. Indian nationals do not need a visa.
Pokhara flight on day 11
The flight takes twenty-five minutes, with the mountains visible from the left-hand windows, while the motorcycles return to Kathmandu by truck. If cloud prevents the flight, we drive, which takes seven hours, so flying is preferable. If you would prefer to ride the last section, tell us when you book and we will add a day at no charge.
Required documents
You need an International Driving Permit with the motorcycle category endorsed, issued before you leave home, and insurance that confirms in writing that it covers motorcycling above 125cc. We ask for photographs of both before you fly. Many standard travel policies exclude motorcycling entirely, and travellers often discover this only when they need to claim.
Accommodation
Comfortable hotels at the start and end of the trip, and simple lodges and guesthouses in between. Lo Manthang, at 3,840 m, has electricity and hot water but no heating.
10 nights, and where
| Where | Nights | Type | Room | Bathroom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kathmandu | 2 | Three-star hotel in or near Thamel | Twin or double | Private, hot water |
| Pokhara | 2 | Hotel by Phewa Tal | Twin or double | Private, hot water |
| Tatopani | 1 | Riverside guesthouse next to the hot pools | Twin | Private, hot water |
| Jomsom | 2 | Lodge | Twin | Private, hot water |
| Ghami | 1 | Village guesthouse | Twin, basic | Shared, with hot water by the bucket |
| Lo Manthang | 2 | Guesthouse inside or beside the walls | Twin | Private in the better guesthouses; no heating anywhere |
- Kathmandu
- Nights
- 2
- Type
- Three-star hotel in or near Thamel
- Room
- Twin or double
- Bathroom
- Private, hot water
- Pokhara
- Nights
- 2
- Type
- Hotel by Phewa Tal
- Room
- Twin or double
- Bathroom
- Private, hot water
- Tatopani
- Nights
- 1
- Type
- Riverside guesthouse next to the hot pools
- Room
- Twin
- Bathroom
- Private, hot water
- Jomsom
- Nights
- 2
- Type
- Lodge
- Room
- Twin
- Bathroom
- Private, hot water
- Ghami
- Nights
- 1
- Type
- Village guesthouse
- Room
- Twin, basic
- Bathroom
- Shared, with hot water by the bucket
- Lo Manthang
- Nights
- 2
- Type
- Guesthouse inside or beside the walls
- Room
- Twin
- Bathroom
- Private in the better guesthouses; no heating anywhere
Heat, hot water, power and signal
- Hot shower
- Available every night except at Ghami, where hot water is provided by the bucket. Lo Manthang uses solar power, so shower in the late afternoon rather than after dark.
- Heating
- None north of Jomsom. Lo Manthang at 3,840 m is cold indoors in October, and thick blankets are provided. Bring a warm layer for the evening.
- Charging
- Mains power everywhere, including Lo Manthang, which has had electricity since 2016. Power cuts are common north of Kagbeni, so carry a power bank.
- Wifi
- Available in the cities and at Jomsom. Unreliable at Ghami and Lo Manthang, where mobile data works better than wifi.
- Fuel
- There are fuel pumps at Beni, Jomsom and Lo Manthang, and the jeep carries jerrycans. Petrol north of Jomsom costs about a third more than in Pokhara, and fuel is included in your price.
- Riding kit
- A helmet, gloves and knee guards are provided if you need them. Bring your own boots and an armoured jacket; these are the two most important items, and we cannot provide them in your size.
- Luggage
- All luggage travels in the support jeep. You ride with a small tank bag or a rucksack, with nothing strapped to the motorcycle.
- Cash
- There are cash machines in Kathmandu, Pokhara and Jomsom, and none at Ghami or Lo Manthang. Withdraw what you need at Jomsom on day 5.
Meals
Lunch
Wherever the group has reached. Dal bhat at a roadside restaurant; included inside the restricted area
Dinner
Dal bhat, thukpa, momo and fried rice. North of Kagbeni the menu is mainly potato, barley and whatever supplies have arrived by jeep
Tea
Black tea, or the local tea with salt and butter, which we recommend trying once at Lo Manthang
If you eat differently
- Vegetarian
- Easy throughout. North of Kagbeni almost all food is vegetarian, because meat has to be brought up by jeep.
- Vegan
- Manageable with notice. Dal bhat without ghee and vegetable curry are suitable. Butter tea is not suitable.
- Gluten free
- Limited but possible. Rice, dal, potato and eggs are suitable. Tibetan bread, noodles and momo all contain wheat and make up most of the menu in the north.
- Nut allergy
- Tell us when you book. Your guide will speak to each guesthouse. There is no clinic north of Kagbeni, so we treat allergies very seriously.
- Halal
- Available in Kathmandu and Pokhara. On the route we recommend eating vegetarian food.
A typical day
6:00Tea, while the mechanic checks the motorcycles
6:30Early breakfast
7:30Riders' briefing: the day's road surface, hazards and regrouping points
8:00Ride, before the wind rises
12:00Lunch, while the motorcycles are checked
13:30Afternoon ride, usually into a headwind
16:00Arrival, and the mechanic checks the motorcycles again
19:00Dinner, and a briefing on tomorrow's route
Difficulty and preparation
This is not an endurance event, but six to eight hours a day standing on the footpegs on loose gravel is demanding on your shoulders, forearms and concentration.
The riding is demanding, although the holiday as a whole is not. The days are long, the surface is loose, the wind is constant and some sections are exposed. Experienced gravel riders will enjoy it. Riders whose experience is only on tarmac will spend the first three days learning, which is why day 2 includes a test ride.
- Six days on gravel, sand, corrugations and stream crossings, some of them exposed
- Two days of over 180 km, including 120 km of dirt road on day 9
- A strong up-valley wind from about eleven every morning, carrying sand
- Two nights at 3,840 m, and a pass at 3,950 m
- A support jeep, a mechanic and a spare motorcycle on every departure
Getting ready, week by week
Written for somebody who walks a bit and does not train. If you already run or cycle regularly, start partway through. Nothing here needs a gym.
- Trek
12 weeks before, stage 1 of 4
Ride on gravel
If you only ride on tarmac, book a trail or adventure riding day at home. Standing on the footpegs, weighting the outside peg and allowing the front wheel to move should all be habits before you ride on a ledge above the Kali Gandaki.
Altitude and safety
The ascent from Pokhara at 820 m to Lo Manthang at 3,840 m takes place over four days, which is gradual enough that most riders do not notice it. However, riding can mask the early symptoms, because you are concentrating, so the lead rider checks on the group at each stop rather than waiting to be told. Day 8 is deliberately short for this reason, as well as to allow time for the caves.
Tell your guide if you have any of these
- A headache on the first evening at Lo Manthang that does not ease after drinking water and eating
- Loss of appetite, or poor sleep with a racing pulse
- Finding the riding harder than the day before on easier ground, which riders often overlook
What actually prevents it
- Four days of gradual ascent from Pokhara, with no large increase on any single day
- A short day at Lo Manthang rather than a long excursion on the first full day
- Three to four litres of fluid a day, which is harder to remember when riding than when walking
- A pulse oximeter carried by the lead rider and used at Ghami and Lo Manthang
What we do about it, in order
- 1
Report symptoms early
Tell the lead rider as soon as you have a headache. When riding it is possible to ignore symptoms for a day, and this is what we aim to prevent.
- 2
Travel in the jeep
Any rider who feels unwell travels in the jeep rather than on the motorcycle. This is the purpose of the support jeep.
- 3
Descend
From Lo Manthang, descending means riding to Ghami and then Jomsom, a loss of 1,100 m in a few hours. Descent on this route is fast, which provides a significant safety margin.
Fitness and altitude are unrelated
This is the thing people get wrong most often. Training makes the walking easier and does nothing for how your body handles thin air. Strong young trekkers get altitude sickness and unfit older ones frequently do not. Go up slowly, and say something the first time your head hurts.
Weather by month
Upper Mustang lies behind the Himalaya and receives very little monsoon rain, so this is one of the few routes in Nepal that can be ridden throughout the summer.
- Best
- Good
- Hard
- We do not run it
April
Best- Day at Lo Manthang
- +15°C
- Night at Lo Manthang
- -1°C
- Night at the Lo La
- -3°C
One of the two best months. Warm enough for comfortable riding, dry, and barley is being planted around the villages.
Figures for 3,840 m, which is where you sleep for two nights. The gorge below Jomsom runs ten to fifteen degrees warmer and the wind is the thing that actually decides how a day feels.
Guides and porters
Your riding team
A lead rider who has ridden this road many times sets the pace, and a mechanic rides at the back with a tool roll, so no rider is ever alone at the back. A support jeep with a driver carries the luggage, spare parts, jerrycans, a spare motorcycle and any rider who needs a rest.
Your guide in the restricted area
Inside the restricted area a licensed guide joins the group, as the permit requires. The guide is essential for understanding the monasteries of Lo Manthang and the Chhoser caves, as they can explain the iconography and know which buildings are open on the day.
Motorcycle maintenance
The motorcycles are serviced before you collect them and checked twice a day, at lunch and on arrival. Chains are adjusted, levers checked and tyre pressures set for the road surface. This work is largely unseen, but it is essential to the success of long days such as day 9.
Responsible travel
Riding through villages
The road through Mustang is also the street where children play and goats are herded. We ride at walking pace through every settlement, without exception and without using the horn. The road is new, and the villages have not adapted to it; it is our responsibility to adapt to them.
Staying on the road
Riding across open ground in Mustang causes damage that lasts for decades, because at 3,800 m in a rain shadow the vegetation does not recover. Tyre tracks made ten years ago are still visible. We do not ride off the road, and we ask you not to.
Supporting local communities
Sixty per cent of the Upper Mustang permit fee is intended to return to the district, and much of it has funded the restoration work in Lo Manthang that you will see. The permit is expensive, but it is one of the better designed permits in Nepal.
Photography in the gompas
The murals at Jhampa and Thubchen are five hundred years old, and flash damages the pigment. Photography inside is either forbidden or charged, depending on the monastery and the day, and your guide will tell you which applies. Ask before photographing people, and respect their answer if they decline.
Booking and payment
How to book
Email us or send a WhatsApp message with your dates, the number of riders, and an accurate description of your riding experience and the surfaces you have ridden on. This information is the most important part of your enquiry, and we will tell you clearly whether this route is suitable for you.
Deposit
A deposit of twenty-five per cent secures the motorcycles and the jeep, and the balance is due forty-five days before you fly. The restricted area permit requires a scan of your passport thirty days before departure and cannot be arranged at short notice.
Cancellation
If you cancel more than forty-five days before departure, your deposit can be transferred to another departure within a year. Within forty-five days, the motorcycles and the vehicle are committed and we retain fifty per cent. Within twenty-one days, we retain the full amount. We strongly recommend cancellation insurance.
Damage deposit
A deposit of three hundred dollars is held on your card when you collect the motorcycle and released at the end of the trip. Scratches and scuffed levers are expected and are not charged. Structural damage is charged at the workshop's cost, and you are shown the invoice.
Insurance
You need a policy that covers motorcycling above 125cc, travel to 4,000 m and, ideally, helicopter evacuation, together with the policy number and the assistance line. We ask to see it before you fly. This is the most common problem for riders.
Optional extras
Priced per person, arranged before you travel, and none of them included in the price above.
- same length
Royal Enfield Himalayan 450
$220The newer model, with more power, better suspension and a taller seat. Recommended if you are over six feet tall or have ridden adventure motorcycles extensively. The 411 is more forgiving and is the better choice if you are less experienced.
- 1 extra day
Muktinath, on the way back
$110A day trip from Jomsom to Muktinath at 3,760 m, one of the most important pilgrimage sites for both Hindus and Buddhists. The road is good tarmac for most of the way, and the temple courtyard has a notable view of Dhaulagiri and Tukuche.
- 1 extra day
Two nights at Lo Manthang instead of one day
$190A second full day in Lo Manthang, with time to visit the Luri cave monastery to the south-east and the Tingkhar valley to the north-west. Lo Manthang is the main destination of the trip, and one day is not enough to see it fully.
- 1 extra day
Ride back to Kathmandu instead of flying
no chargeTwo hundred kilometres of tarmac on day 11 instead of a twenty-five-minute flight, arriving in Kathmandu in the evening. It adds a day and replaces the flight, and about half our riders choose this option.
- same length
Non-riding partner in the support jeep
$1,490The whole route in the jeep, with the same rooms, meals and permits. A passenger sees more of the scenery than the riders, who need to watch the road surface.
- 1 extra day
A rest day in Pokhara at the end
$120Taken after day 10. A lakeside hotel, a boat trip, a massage and free time, which is welcome after eight days of riding.
Other trips to Mustang
4 versions of this journey. They use the same guides and the same lodges; what changes is the length, the comfort and how much of it you walk.
- Upper Mustang Motorbike TourYou are hereThe trip on this page. Kathmandu to Lo Manthang and back on a Royal Enfield.11 days$2,190
- Upper Mustang TrekThe same region on foot, following the old trail rather than the new road. Slower and quieter.20 days$2,387
- Annapurna Circuit TrekA trek over the Thorong La pass at 5,416 m and down the same gorge.14 days$1,497
- Kali Gandaki RaftingRafting on the river below the gorge. Three days on very good water.3 days$247
Reviews
Exceptional5.0 out of 5Reviews from Tripadvisor
- 5836
- 426
- 32
- 23
- 11
Amazing trip
March 2016, Tripadvisor
I travelled to Nepal for 8 days and used Earthbound Expeditions for all my travel plans. Everything was taken care of for me, Rajan made sure I was well informed from my first enquiry until I arrived home. The guides and porters were exceptional and more than happy to share their local knowledge. I can highly recommend this company and will definitely use them again on my next visit to Nepal.
Deb MVictoria, AustraliaRead on Tripadvisor
best service, best guide, best porter, best trek
March 2016, Tripadvisor
since this was my first trek i was a bit nervous but the owner of the agency took a lot of time to explain to me how everything works and made me feel good from the start. on the bus ride to pokhara our guide Shree was already with us and stood by our side from the beginning. he would almost read our minds with what we might want or need and then organize it for us (extra blankets, water refills, wake up service, he even helped serving the food). he was very attentive and was always thinking ahead. we took as many breaks as we needed and when a storm started he brought us to the guesthouse right in time. we felt in really good hands! also the porter Babu was super-helpful and caring and always smiling. even with 3 bags on his back he was looking for walking sticks for us and always made sure we have enough water. it was an amazing experience! thank you for everything, i miss you guys already!
elisabeth sTel Aviv, IsraelRead on Tripadvisor
Fantastic Experience
October 2015, Tripadvisor
Trekking in the Himalya was everything I'd hoped it would be and more! We booked up our trip through Groupon and the organisation, accomodation, service and communications from Earthbound Expeditions were great. Any question I emailed Tarek was swiftly answered and we had no problem booking an extra night at the hotel in Kathmandu to sightsee before the start of the tour. During the trek our friends were taken ill and our guide did everything he could to help, arranging ponies to transport them from one lodge to the next, complete with porter and guide, and rearranging accomodation so they travelled a shorter distance. The guides, porters and staff at the various accomodation places could not have been friendlier or provided a better service. Even though there was a fuel shortage during our time there, we were still able to take part in all our planned activities. I would thoroughly recommend Earthbound Expeditions to anyone wanting to visit Kathmandu, Pokhara and trek in the Himalya.
MrsJH_55London, United KingdomRead on Tripadvisor
A most wonderful trekking experience with Earthbound Expeditions
December 2015, Tripadvisor
My friends and I booked the Jomosom Muktinath trek in December 2015 through Earthbound Expeditions. The trek itself was the most wonderful I have done to date. Walking through mountain scenery and seeing village life in the foothills of the Annapurna region was the highlight of the trek. I recommend it to anyone. The trek was capped at both ends with a stay in Kathmandu, a dynamic city. EE provided a fantastic tour of Kathmandu’s sights and history as well. We also spent two nights in Pokhara and undertook a cooking class on daal bhat. Mr. Rajan and Shreeram and the porter crew ensured that the trek went without problems. But as always approach trekking in Nepal with an open mind and accept the daily adventures that come along as that is where all the memories come from. I am thoroughly impressed with Earthbound Expeditions and will not hesitate to call upon them for my return trips to Nepal! Earthbound Expeditions is a professional company who adheres to safety and ensures its clients get what they came for! Their services are first class!
Polestar_guyTexasRead on Tripadvisor
Frequently asked questions
Answers to the 12 questions travellers ask us most often. If your question is not here, contact us and we will answer it.
You need to be competent on gravel, comfortable handling a 200 kg motorcycle on a loose surface, and able to pick it up after a fall, which is likely to happen. This tour is not suitable for learners. If you have only ridden on tarmac, complete a gravel or trail riding day at home first, and give us an accurate account of your experience.
You need your own full motorcycle licence and an International Driving Permit with the motorcycle category endorsed. Obtain the permit before you travel, because it cannot be issued in Nepal, and it is checked at the checkpoints north of Kagbeni.
The road is tarmac to Beni, followed by gravel, broken surfaces and stream crossings to Jomsom. North of Kagbeni it is a dirt road cut into the hillside, with sand, loose stones and corrugations, and it is narrow in places. It is a road rather than a trail, and jeeps use it every day, but it requires your full attention.
Between thirty and two hundred kilometres. The distances are short, but the road surface makes progress slow. Day 9 covers a hundred and twenty kilometres and takes seven to eight hours. Days 7 and 8 are deliberately short, so that you have time and energy to see Lo Manthang.
Wind is a major feature of the Kali Gandaki valley. A strong up-valley wind starts at about eleven every morning, blows hard through the afternoon and carries sand. For this reason we start early every day, and the riding is much more comfortable before lunch.
A Royal Enfield Himalayan 411, which is well suited to this route, with long-travel suspension, a low first gear, high ground clearance and a frame that withstands being dropped. The newer 450 is available for a supplement. We do not use the Classic 500 on this route.
The mechanic rides at the back of the group and carries cables, levers, inner tubes, a chain link and a tool roll, and the jeep carries the heavier spare parts. Punctures and broken levers are repaired at the roadside in about twenty minutes. For more serious problems, you ride the spare motorcycle carried with the jeep.
Most riders do, usually on sand and at walking pace. Cosmetic damage is expected and is not charged. Structural damage is charged at the workshop's cost, and we show you the invoice. A damage deposit of $300 is held on your card and released at the end of the trip.
Not on this route. The surface north of Kagbeni is not suitable for a passenger on a fully loaded motorcycle. A non-riding partner can travel in the support jeep, cover the whole route, see everything and pay less. Many couples choose this option.
Rarely. You sleep at 3,840 m for two nights, and the ascent is gradual, over four days. A few people feel the effects at Lo Manthang on the first evening. Riding can mask the symptoms of altitude, so we monitor the group closely rather than waiting to be told, and day 8 is kept short partly for this reason.
The Upper Mustang restricted area permit costs $50 per person per day north of Kagbeni, which is four days on this route. It is issued only through a registered agency, only with your passport, and only in Kathmandu or Pokhara. Together with the ACAP permit at NPR 3,000, the total is about $220, and it is included in your price.
Late March to early November. Upper Mustang lies in the rain shadow of the Himalaya and receives very little monsoon rain, so the route can be ridden from June to August, when most of Nepal cannot. In those months the road up from Beni is the most vulnerable section, and we monitor it. In winter the region is cold and windy, and most of it is closed.
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11 days
$2,190 per person
