Jomsom and Muktinath Trek

The trail passes through the deepest gorge of Kali Gandaki to the arid desert like landscape of the Tibetan Plateau, followed by a spectacular mountain flight to pokhara from Jomsom between the massiff of Dhaulagiri and Annapurna.

The Jomsom trek is probably the single most popular trek in Nepal. The diverse landscapes and cultures found along the trek route give a marvellous insight into the way of life of rural Nepalese people. The main feature of the trek is the walk though the forge carved by the Kali Gandaki River, which carries water from the Tibetan plateau to eventually join the Ganges in India.

Normally trekkers continue above Jomsom to Muktinath, the famous pilgrimage site for both Buddhists and Hindus. To the Hindu, Muktinath is scared as the place of salvation. They believe that to wash in the waters here guarantees salvation after death. The Hindu god, Brahma, is thought to have lit the eternal flames that still burn at Muktinath. To the Buddhists it is a place that the great sage Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) meditated at, and to all, it is the source of fossilised ammonites, known locally as shaligrams that are found all along the upper reached of the Kali Gandaki.

The people of this part of Nepal are a mixture of Gurung and Magar in the lower stretches of the Kali Gandaki, Thakali People around Jomsom and people with obvious Tibetan roots, the Lopa, around Muktinath and up into Mustang. Their customs and dress are all quite distinct and this trek gives a chance to see those differences. The religions seen ranges from Hinduism in the lower part to Tibetan style Buddhism as you travel further north. Should you be in Muktinath in early September you will be able to see one of Nepal’s unique festival, the annual horse races known as Yartung. This is a week of some serious horse racing, Tibetan style, and some equally serious merrymaking.

Most of the route for the Jomsom trek has been described as part of the Annapurna Circuit and Annapurna Foothills trek. The normal starting point is Naya Pul on the Pokhara to Baglung road and from there, via Ghorepani and Tatopani, into the gorge of the Kali Gandaki.

Between Tatopani and Lete Khola the scenery changes dramatically. Pine forests crowd in on the trail and the villages take on a quite different appearance. The layout of the village and the design of the houses are both quite unique to this area. They are designed to protect their inhabitants form the strong winds that blow up the valley every day from late morning onwards. These winds are caused by differences in atmospheric pressure between the Tibetan plateau and the lower reaches of the valley. The best example of this unique architecture is to be found at the village of Marpha, which is a two-hour walk below Jomsom. The stone flagged streets with an efficient underground drainage system and the flat roofed houses all with a central courtyard make an attractive spot to spend an extra rest day. Sample the apple products that abound around here, all produced from the prolific orchards that have been set up in the valley.

Jomsom is best known for its airport that offers a quick entry or exit to the valley with regular daily flights from Pokhara. Remember that the winds that blow up the valley normally mean that no flights can arrive or depart from Jomsom after 11 am. Jomsom can also be considered as a place to use as a base for exploring the upper part of the Kali Gandaki. There are numerous accommodation options including a new high-class resort complex.

An alternative to Jomsom as a final base for the trek is the village of Kagbeni, a further two hours up the valley. Kagbeni is much less commercialised than Jomsom and certainly much quieter. This is as far as trekkers are allowed to go towards Upper Mustang without having a special trek permit and an accompanying environmental officer. From Kagbeni to Muktinath takes three to four hours and trekkers can choose to do this as a day trip for to stay at one of the many teahouses available at Muktinath.