Jomsom Muktinath Trek

What is Muktinath famous for?

At an altitude of measures( bases) at the bottom of the Thorong La mountain pass in the Mustang quarter, Muktinath is a largely reverenced sacred place for both Hindus and Buddhists.

Hindus call the point Mukti Kshetra, which means the” place of deliverance”, and it’s one of the most ancient tabernacles of the God Vishnu and the Vaishnava tradition in Nepal. The sanctum is considered to be one of the eight sacred places known as Svayam Vyakta Ksetras ( the other seven being Srirangam, Srimushnam, Tirupati, Naimisharanya, Totadri, Pushkar, and Badrinath), as well as one of the 108 Divya Desam, or holy places of deification of Lord Vishnu. Also, it’s one of the 51 Shakti Pitha goddess spots.

The tabernacle is small and contains a golden statue of Vishnu as Shri Mukti Narayana. In addition to Mukti Narayana, the tabernacle has citation images of Bhoodevi( the Earth- goddess form of Lakshmi), the goddesses Saraswati and Janaki( Sita), Garuda( the mount of Vishnu), Lava- Kusa( the sons of Rama and Sita) and the Sapta Rishis( Seven Pundits created by Lord Brahma). There’s an old Buddhist monk present in the tabernacle, and Buddhist nuns conduct deification. And from here, we will also go to Ghorepani Poonhill, part of the Annapurna Region.

How to reach Muktinath?

Other than the Jomsom Muktinath trekking Itinerary mentioned earlier, there are many different ways to reach Muktinath. They are all explained here.

Kathmandu to Muktinath bus

A public bus to Muktinath directly leaves Kathmandu each day. You can book these buses online or buy tickets from the Kathmandu bus park. If you don’t find the direct bus, you can get an early morning drive to Pokhara and then get another bus from Pokhara in the daytime. On a bus, it takes about 16 hours to reach Kathmandu to Muktinath/ Jomsom. If the bus to Muktinath only takes you to Jomsom, you can get a jeep from Jomsom to Muktinath.

The cost of the bus from Pokhara to Jomsom is NRP 1500, and that directly to Muktinath is NRP 2000. 

Pokhara to Muktinath bus

2 to 3 public buses ( often deluxe) leave from Pokhara to Jomsom daily. Some bus leaves the bus park in the morning, and some leave Pokhara in the daytime. You can book the tickets from a travel agency at lakeside or the ticket counter in Prithivi Chowk. However, there is no bus to Upper Mustang, and you must hire a jeep. 

Jomsom to Muktinath trek

Per MyEverestTrip Jomsom Muktinath Trek Itinerary, our journey starts with a flight to Jomsom. From Jomsom, we shall first trek to Kagbeni and then reach Muktinath on the 4th day. From Muktinath, we walk back to Marpha, Ghasa, and Tatopani, exploring many other beautiful destinations.

Jomsom Muktinath Trekking Nepal Difficulty 

Our Jomsom to Muktinath trek Itinerary is 14 days long, starting from Jomsom. We walk to Muktinath and then visit many other places on our journey downward. The total trek distance is about 100 km, walking over 10 km daily.

In this Jomsom Muktinath tour package, we shall only hike upwards from Jomsom to Muktinath, and then most of the trail leads us downward. And since it’s a downward trek, the Jomsom Muktinath trek is relatively easy. It needs no experience from the previous tour and mild physical fitness. Jomsom Muktinath Trek is one of the easiest treks in Nepal. 

Altitude difficulty: The highest altitude of Muktinath Trek is 3710 meters above sea level. Because base camp treks in Nepal take you above 5,000 meters, the size of this trek is relatively tiny. Even then, it would be best to look for the symptoms of altitude sickness, such as body pain, headache, shortness of breath, etc. If such symptoms appear, make sure you stop climbing to a higher altitude and drink lots of water. If the symptoms worsen, we might have to walk to a lower height. 

Jomsom to Muktinath Trek distance 

Jomsom to Muktinath trek distance is about 22kms. It takes us about 9 hours to cover this distance. We plan to walk about 10 km on the first day and stay at Kagbeni. Then, we shall walk to Muktinath the next morning. 

Pokhara to Muktinath trek permit

There are two kinds of trek permits for the Muktinath Jomsom trek. As you enter the border of Nepal, you need to issue a tourist visa to Nepal. After that, you will need two permits, i.e. TIMS card and an Annapurna conservation area access. TIMS cards can be issued only from Kathmandu and Pokhara, while Annapurna conservation area entry permits can also be published on the trekking trail. TIMS card costs about $20, while the Annapurna conservation area passes cost $ 30. The amount you pay for the TIMS card is to track the activities of tourists within Nepal. At the same time, the Annapurna conservation area aims to use the amount for conserving the rear wild flora and fauna of Nepal.

Which is the best month for Muktinath?

Being one of the low-altitude treks in Nepal and having a perfect connection to the road and air network, Muktinath visits are possible throughout the year. The only time the public vehicle cannot reach Muktinath is during the peak winter of January and early February. During these months, we might have to trek from the lower altitude to reach Muktinath. Even during winter, the year plane to Jomsom is functional, and you can easily trek up to Muktinath. However, the cold Muktinath temperature can be an issue. 

If your mission is to enjoy the incredible mountain views during your visit to Nepal, then autumn might is the best time for the Jomsom Muktinath trek. However, this is the most crowded month, making it hard to find solitude. That is why travellers prefer trekking in Spring, i.e. March to May, when the overall region is colourful with flowers and wildlife. Ghorepani Poonhill is also magical during this time of year. Moreover, Mustang is one of those reasons in Nepal where we can trek in summer/monsoon. Since Muktinath lies in semi-arid land, it rarely receives heavy rainfall, thus, making the trek possible in June and July.