Muktinath  Tour

The Major Highlights of the Tour

KATHMANDU
This is one of the most popular tourist destination enlisted in the World Heritage Sites. Clustered around the central Durbar Square is the old Royal Palace (Hunman Dhoka), numerous interesting temples, the Kumari Chowk or Kumari Bahal (House of the Living Goddessa0 and the Kasthamandap (House of wood) from which Kathmandu derived its present name. An inquisitive exploration in the Durbar Square reveals the ancient art and Architecture of Nepal which has proved to be a masterpiece to everyone accepting its genuineness.

POKHARA
The rare combination of snow-clad peaks and snow fed lakes and rivers has helped to make the valley of Pokhara (210kms/131 miles from Kathmandu) one of the most picturesque natural attractions in the kingdom. It is located virtually in the geographical center of Nepal. Located on the main road between Kathmandu and Bhairawa, there may be no other place in the world from where Great Himalayas peaks can be admired from such a close distance. The Bindhyavasani Temple on its well-kept platform overlooks a modest amusement park. Phewa Lake, skirted by a large numbers of unpretentious lodges and simple restaurants, is the most congenial spot for visitors

MUKTINATH TEMPLE
The beautiful Saligramam, or as it’s popularly known Muktinath, is a sacred pilgrimage site regarded highly in both the Hindu and Buddhist beliefs. From here, at a height of 3,710 meters, the world seems to open up in all its glory with stunning views of the magnificent Himalayan Mountains. There are many legends that tell how the holy shrine of Muktinath rose up on its own accord amongst seven others, which include Srirangam, Tirupati, Sri Mushnam, Thottadri, Naimisaranyam, Pushkaram and Badrinath. The holy shrine is also considered to be part of the 108 vaishnava shrines found here.

Most people wishing to travel to Muktinath will start their journey at Kathmandu from where they will take a quick flight or catch an excruciatingly long bus ride to Pokhara. Pokhara is the starting point for the trek up to Muktinath and the climb up the mountain is incredibly beautiful and worthwhile. At the foot of the Thorong La mountain pass, you will find the Muktinath temple complete with beautiful craftsmanship and mystical aura. The holy temple features 108 different waterspouts which is probably why the Buddhists call it Chumig Gyatsa, Tibetan for ‘Hundred Waters’. The different elements of earth, fire and water are artistically combined at this sacred place of worship to create a special atmosphere where one truly feels that they can find salvation. Hence the Hindus call the temple ‘Mukti Kshetra’ which means ‘place of salvation’.

It is interesting to note that Muktinath is considered to be one of the 24 Tantric places in the Tibetan Buddhist faith. According to tradition, Guru Rinpoche, who founded the Tibetan faith, stopped here to worship the Dakinis or ‘sky dancing goddesses’ on his way to Tibet. For Hindus the importance of the shrine is a bit different. Hindu Vashanavites consider the Muktinath shrine to be one of the eight most sacred shrines on earth. They consider the Muktinath to be one of the 108 holy places where a person should worship lord Vishnu. Whatever you believe, a trip to the Muktinath temple and shrine is definitely worth a visit. It features stunning water features, breath taking views and a man-sized idol of gold. Keep in mind that the best time to visit is between March and June since weather conditions at other times of the year make travel here difficult. As if the temple itself wasn’t enough, you will also see a number of great attractions along the way. So start making your plans to hike to the Muktinath temple in Nepal.

Jomsom,
Jomsom, (2,713m) is important for its strategic position along the popular Around Annapurna (Circuit) Trek route. It is also the starting point for many interesting treks like the Kagbeni, Marpha, Muktinath and Mustang treks. The Jomsom Trek is known for splendid mountain views and some of the best trekking hotels are found on this route.

Jomsom is the capital and administration headquarters of Mustang district, which stretches from the Tibetan border to Ghasa along the Kali Gandaki river. The deepest gorge in the world lies here along the Kali Gandaki as the river passes between two eight thousanders, Mt Annapurna and Mt Dhaulagiri.

From Jomsom you can enjoy the views of the Nilgiri peaks as well as Dhaulagiri, the sixth highest mountain in the world. Most of the hotels, along this trek route, are run by people of the Thakali tribes. They are mostly found in the mountainous regions between Annapurna and Dhaulagiri. Jomsom is the last Thakali village and there is a hospital here.

This trek is interesting for the change in terrain as you climb higher. The higher altitudes around Jomsom are marked by sparse vegetation and dry climate while the lower regions near Pokhara are lush green terraced hillsides. As you go higher, you will notice a remarkable change in the culture of the local populace. The inhabitants of the lower regions are Hindus while those in the upper mountainous regions are Buddhists. People who live in the highest regions of Nepal seem more Tibetan than Nepali.

Treks to Jomsom start from Naya Pul, which is an hour's drive from Pokhara. You can also drive on to Baglung and start the trek there and avoid a steep climb. You can trek to Jomsom and back in fourteen days. If your trek starts from Jomsom there are regular flights taking off from Pokhara for Jomsom. They leave in the early morning as later the high winds make flying impossible in the region.