Mustang: the Legendary Expedition

The leg to Pokhara is beautiful. The road is good and climbs up through the lush Aadhikhola river’s valley. We arrive near Phewa Lake in the afternoon and can enjoy some free time.

The ride to Mustang begins! After around 50 miles, we pass through Beni, where we leave the tarmacked roads behind us and the real fun begins! The track follows the Kali Gandaki river, where the valley gradually narrows and we finally catch a glimpse of the snow-capped Annapurnas, towering at more than 8,000 m altitude!

This short 30-mile leg proves that Mustang is worth it! The first stretch to Ghasa (11 miles) is the most difficult, for both man and machine: the track is rock-strewn and very steep in places and we have to cross many fords! The landscape is truly spectacular, giving us the energy we need to push on and move forward! We arrive at Marpha, a typical Mustang Buddhist village, in the early afternoon.

Today we explore the ancient kingdom of Mustang, an imposing territory of rocks and deep canyons, dominated by the highest peaks in the world! We cross Jomsom, the valley’s largest village, and gain altitude, passing the 3,500 m mark. We push on through this amazing mineral landscape and reach Jharkot, a medieval Buddhist village perched on a rocky outcrop. In the afternoon, we climb higher still to Muktinath (3,700 m).

After an early breakfast, we descend into the Kali Gandaki valley on a deserted track, carved into the mountainside. The view of Dhaulagiri’s summit, at over 8,000 m, is an incredible sight that almost seems too good to be true. We get back on the same road as the day before but head in the opposite direction to reach the first conifers we’ve seen for a while and Tukuche village.

What goes up must come down! The descent will prove a real challenge. It’s hard to believe that we’ve already been on this track – everything looks so different when we’re facing south! Once again, man and machine are put to the test to reach Tatopani, where we can finally enjoy a chilled beer whilst relaxing in the hot springs.

We enjoy the first 16 miles of dirt tracks, before getting back on comfortable smooth roads! A tasty traditional meal awaits us at Sarangkot, a popular spot among paragliders that affords an exceptional view over Pokhara and Phewa Lake. We ride another 12-mile stint to reach Begnas Lake, a quiet, beautiful oasis where we end the day relaxing with a swim or a massage.

A beautiful long day's ride takes us back towards Kathmandu. Along the Trishuli river, we come into contact with locals on our path, which passes abundant rice paddies, pine forest and imposing gorges. We stop for lunch in the delightful village Bandipur, before continuing on to Nuwakot. We spend the night in a charming traditional house with a wonderful view of the valley.

After a hearty breakfast served on our guesthouse’s roof garden, we hit the road for our last day of biking. We follow a narrow, beautiful road towards Shivapuri National Park, before returning to the capital for lunch, where we bid farewell to our trusty steel steeds. In the afternoon, you can visit Boudhanath stupa or Pashupatinath temple. We spend our last evening in Kathmandu, in the lively Thamel neighbourhood.

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