An accidental journey: Pokhara to Mukthinath by road

Day 1: Pokhara to Tatopani via Beni

Pokhara Lake

In September 2016 I decided to travel to Mukthinath from Pokhara. The plan was to fly to Jomsom and then make a day trip to Mukthinath. Jomsom airport can be reached only by small aircraft. Due to strong cross winds Jomsom airport is closed for operations post noon and hence the last flights leave from Pokhara by 1100 Hrs.

My flight from Pokhara kept getting delayed due to bad weather. After waiting for 4 hours it was officially cancelled. On enquiry the airlines told me that the flights were also cancelled for the previous four days!! Flights getting cancelled are quite common during these months and do make allowance for these unforeseen delays into your travel plans.

A group of Indian pilgrims who were supposed to board the flight with us managed to arrange for a private vehicle to do the road trip to Jomsom. The cost of the return trip was 55,000 Nepali rupees (NRs). It is cheaper to fly than to hire a private vehicle for this journey. With a private vehicle it is possible to do Mukthinath and back in 2 days, but it will be a long tiring journey.

We went back to the Nepalaya Eco Hostel. This is arguably one of the best backpacker’s accommodations in Pokhara. The bed-rooms are spacious, there is a large kitchen, a huge lounge and the generous backyard has a yummy guava tree.  The owner of Nepalaya Eco Hostel, (he also owns Oxygen bar), is super helpful and is a treasure trove of local information. He asked me about the expiration date of my ‘Annapurna Conservation Area permit’ and TIMS card (Trekker’s Information Management System) for Jomsom. I didn’t have either of these documents!!!! These documents are mandatory for all non-Nepalese visiting Jomsom. If I had taken the flight there is a good possibility that I might have got deported on arrival at Jomsom airport.

Simple life

Since we had time on our hands he suggested that we do the road trip to Mukthinath. He called some of his friends and confirmed that the road is open. Landslides are very common and roads remain blocked, sometimes for days. Since I was travelling with a 2.5 year old kid, I decided to travel leisurely.

Hired a taxi to the office in Pokhara that makes the Annapurna Conservation Area permit and Tims card. Contrary to its name, TIMS card is mandatory for all visitors to Jomson, not just trekkers. There is a discount for SAARC nationals. Passport size photographs for the permit can be made from the small studio opposite the road. It takes about 45 minutes to get both the documents made. In the office they accept only Nepali rupees, so come prepared.

The share jeeps for Beni leave from outskirts of town. There is no fixed departure schedule as these jeeps leave only when they are full. Each seat costs NRs 400. We left Pokhara by 1PM and reached Beni by 3:30PM. The roads are full of portholes, but that’s the best road for the entire trip. Beni is a transport hub, and it’s not worth staying overnight.

Since we had reached Beni quite late there were no more share jeeps to Tatopani. The only option was the last bus. The bus was jam packed but we managed to get two seats. For some curious reason on all Nepali buses, the spare tyre is always stored inside bus beside the footboard.  After jumping over the spare tyre be prepared to jump across the luggage, sacks of potatoes, shopping bags, fresh vegetables etc that are put in the aisle. I too put my bag in the aisle and soon on top of it was placed a few eggs crates. On top of the eggs came a bamboo basket with live chicken. So on this journey in Nepal I finally solved the vexing question; eggs came first and then the chicken!

Entrance to Daulagiri Hotel

The real journey begins after Beni. The asphalt road ceases to exist beyond Beni. The dirt road follows the raging river down below. The road is only as wide as the bus. Any error by the driver and the bus will plunge into the river. When the bus goes through the huge craters on the road, it felt like the bus would topple over into the river below. Scarier than any ride in the amusement park!! There are spectacular suspension bridges enroute. At one point we were told to pick up all our stuff and walk across as there was a landslide. It must have taken us about 45 min to walk across. Heavy earth moving machinery was in operation clearing a new path around the landslide. The road was slushy and I reached the other side with my shoes and trousers covered in mud. There was a bus waiting on the other side. Reached Tatopani by 8PM. The bus from Beni to landslide costs NRs 120 and NRs 120 from the landslide to Tatopani. We checked into the delectable Daulagiri hotel.

Day 2: Tatopani

Tatopani

Decided to break the journey and stay in Tatopani for a day. Tatopani literally means hot water. Walk down the flight of steps from Daulagiri hotel and there is the natural hot water spring, right beside the river. The natural hot spring charges NRs 100 per person and is definitely worth visiting. 

I enquired at the hotel if there is anything else worth visiting at Tatopani beside the hot water spring. He suggested that I visit the temple on the hill beside the mountain.  I walked all the way up for about an hour and saw no temple. Soon I came across a few children and they lead me to a few isolated houses. Nobody climbs up to these villages and they were very happy to talk with me. Corn is the major crop of these remote mountain farming communities. I asked about the temple and they said that I had climbed too far up. They dissuaded me from walking up any further as the mountain above was highly prone to falling rocks. I did not find the temple even on the way down.

Daulagiri Hotel

Most people travelling by road give Tatopani a miss. The main hotels face the trekking trail and are not visible from the motorable road. Room at Daulagiri costs NRs 500 but the food is expensive compared to Pokhara. The other hotel worth mentioning at Tatopani is the Traveller’s Inn. For lunch we went to a hotel beside the bus stop. The family run hotel and hardly gets any visitors. Had delicious Dal Bhat(NRs 250/-). The charming grandmother of the house kept plying us with vegetable until we told her to stop.Tatopani should be a halt for people making the road trip to Mukthinath. I wish I had more time to soak up the tranquility Tatopani has to offer.

Day 3:  Tatopani to Jomsom via Ghasa

Ghasa Bus Terminal

Tatopani bus stop flanked by a fast moving river and ice capped mountains in the distance is picture perfect. We were joined by an Indian monk who was making the pilgrimage to Mukthinath. He had slept in the same temple that I had failed to locate the previous day.  Even though there are only few buses in a day, I could not muster courage to board the jam packed bus that had arrived. As we waited further, a jeep arrived with some passengers. The driver told me that he was going to Ghasa and that he had two spare seats. He asked for NRs 2000/- per person and agreed on NRs 1000/-. The 2 hour ride was very bumpy. The vegetation changes rapidly as we approach Beni reflecting the change in altitude.

Ghasa bus terminal, situated beside a waterfall it is indeed very picturesque. But they have mastered a complicated system designed to create chaos while before every departure. The departure timing of the bus is kept a secret despite the fact that only few buses leave in a day! Tickets have to be purchased from the booth in the bus station. The tickets are not sold in advance and passengers are not allowed people to step inside the bus. Finally when the ticket counter opens, there is a sudden rush for the tickets (seats are not allocated) and then a mad dash for the seats!! The driver drove like a maniac over the horrendous roads.

Mushrooms being dried

Twice I was thrown off the seat and my head hit the roof of the bus!! And I have a big bump on my head to prove it.

The scenery along the route is breathtaking. We stopped for lunch at an isolated roadside hotel. Freshly picked mushrooms were being sun dried. Near Jomsom the road becomes very dusty as Jomsom lies in the rain shadow area. We stopped again briefly beside Marpha village for cup of tea. Soon after we left Marpha our bus filled up with smoke and but we managed to reach a garage. Changed buses in the garage and finally reached Jomsom by 4:30 PM.

The road beside the airport is the main tourist strip. As guided by the owner of Backpackers Place from Pokhara, we checked into the Taj Hotel. At NRs 800 per night family run Taj Hotel offers amazing views and good value for money.

In September, the apples trees are in full bloom. Marpha apples are among the most sought after apples Nepal; so is Marpha Apple Brandy. Fresh and dried apples are available for sale everywhere. Do not forget to register at the police station at the end of the airport.

 Mukthinath Temple. This Nun is the custodian of the shrine

Day 4:  Jomsom to Mukthinath and Kagbeni

Walked to the end of town and across the bridge to reach the share jeep station. Share jeeps leave only when they are full. A seat costs NRs 550. The jeep ride to Mukthinath takes about two hours. The scenery along the route is nothing short of spectacular. In September when the buckwheat crops are in bloom the entire mountains turn pink. It takes about 20 minutes of strenuous walking to reach the temple gates from the jeep drop-off point at Mukthinath. Horses are available for people who cannot walk to the temple from the jeep station.

Water Sprouts at Mukthinath

Mukthinath is not a single temple, but rather a collection of temples within a large walled compound. These temples are among the holiest sites for Hindus and Buddhists. The main temple is headed by a female Buddhist monk. A hindu priest sits outside the temple sanctum door. Behind the temple are 108 water sprouts that bring ice cold water from the mountains. The Hindu monk that I met at Tatopani had told me that bathing is these water sprouts would cleanse all the sins from my past seven lives. It was too good an offer to refuse!! I ran through the 108 ice cold water sprouts and hurried to change my cold wet clothes. The security guard advised me that to complete the process of purification I would have to take a full dip and wade across the two concrete ponds built in front of the temple. I came out from these ponds renewed, reborn, de-sinned but nobody else seems to have notice any change.
There are a lot of elderly pilgrims from Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Most of them come ill prepared for the temperature and altitude. A saree and jacket is not sufficient for the environmental conditions at Mukthinath.

Jwalamayi temple

Another interesting temple inside the Mukthinath temple complex is the Jwalamayi temple. The custodian of this temple is also a Buddhist nun. The nun pointed out to the spot where the small natural fire burns all the time. It is believed that it is one of the few places on earth where all the five elements coexist (Air, water, wind, earth and space.) While at Mukthinath, do not forget to visit all the temples and the large isolated row of prayer wheels. Getting to Mukthinath in today’s day and age is incredibly difficult. It’s amazing how the ancients discovered this place and incorporated it into their religion.

Kali Gandaki river at Kagbeni

Kagbeni village is situated on the banks of Kali Gandaki river. This river is the source of most of the Saligram stones that are used for worshipping Lord Vishnu. Saligram stones were being sold enroute to Muthinath temple, but I had read that Saligram stones should not be bought. These stones should be personally collected from the river for full efficacy. Picked up a few stones, but I’m not really sure if they are Saligram or plain black stones. For hindus, the cremation ghats at Kagbeni on the banks of the Kali Gandaki river are among the holiest.

Funeral Ghat at Kagbeni

The jeep that bought us to Kagbeni was departing and I too had to leave as this was the only transport to Jomsom for the day. Kagbeni is not on most people’s itinerary. There were no tourists or pilgrims apart from the people who came in our jeep. Even Yak Donalds hotel at Kagbeni was closed.

Day 5:  Jomsom to Ghasa

Dhumba Lake

The landlady from the hotel had arranged a guide to do a short morning trek. Started from Jomsom by 6 AM. For NRs 1500 the guide agreed to show me the villages on the opposite side of Jomsom. Our first stop was the beautiful Dhumba lake. The route is sign posted but the signs boards can be confusing. Walking briskly, we reached Dhumba Lake in 45 minutes. Water level in all the lakes including Dhumba Lake has decreased since the large earthquake of 2015. From Dhumba Lake we walked to Thini village.

Walking from Dhmba Lake to Thini Village

The walk is extremely scenic. Apples were hanging on the trees waiting to be plucked. Corn and buckwheat are the other major crops of the season. The goemba (monastery) in Thini does not have a permanent monk. The keys to the goemba are with the caretaker. On request she will open the goemba for visitors. Above Thini village is Lhhukum (leopard) cave. Camera traps have captured snow leopards in this cave during the winter months. There is a sign post for the historical palace ‘Darbar Chowk’ but my guide explained that it was occupied by local villagers. My guide, a resident of Thini village, invited me to have tea at their house. Walked back to Jomsom through buckwheat and potato fields. I was back in my hotel by 10. 

House of monastery caretaker at Thini

It is possible to do the journey from Jomsom to Pokhara in a day only by public transport but I decided to break the journey in Ghasa. As usual the departure timing of the bus was kept as a classified secret and the tickets were sold only at the last moment. I had noticed a small hotel beside Ghasa bus station while going up to Jomsom. The plan was to stop at there, but I mis-judged the location. I alighted approximately 1.5 Km prior to Ghasa. Found a hotel (Nrs 650) along the trekking route. There were a couple of trekkers in the hotel who were doing the Annapurna circuit. One of the trekkers developed a medical condition and had to be airlifted to Katmandu. There is a helipad in Ghasa for emergency medical evacuation.

Day 6:  Ghasa to Pokhara via Beni

Ghasa

Took the bus from Ghasa to Beni by 10 AM. Enroute there was a bigger landslide; this didn’t exist when we journeying up. Due to heavy rains the previous night, the road was replaced by a raging torrent of water flowing down from the mountains. People who tried to cross this river on foot were being swept off their feet. Some of the locals bought a tractor with a trailer. For a small fee we were permitted to climb on the trailer. Luckily the overloaded trailer made it across the rapid waters without toppling over. We had to walk about 1.5 hours to reach the bus parked on the other side of the landslide area.

Storing Corn

There were a couple of buses bound for Mukthinath parked on road. The buses were filled with elderly Indian pilgrims. Having seen the raging stream of water thundering down the ‘road’, I don’t think that the bus can get across anytime soon. Landslides are part and parcel of life in these mountainous roads.

Reached Beni in the evening. Took a share jeep from Beni to Pokhara. For a slight additional charge the share jeep dropped us back at our favorite ‘Nepalaya Eco Hostel’. It was 8PM when we reached the Hostel. We had returned, exhausted and exhilarated. The journey turned out to be as enjoyable and memorable as the destination itself. Thank god for small wonders. Thank you God for cancelling the flight and for getting us back in one piece. And the kid enjoyed it too.

Footnote: I would recommend the road journey (at least one direction) for the trip from Pohkara to Jomsom and beyond. Most minor items are available in Jomsom but the cost of goods and food increases due to increased cost of transportation. The table below showing the price for a bottle of water is a good indicator of the increase in price of all goods.

Pokhara & Beni	25 Nrs
Tatopani	40 Nrs
Jomsom	60 Nrs
Mukthinath temple	100 Nrs

From Tatopani to Mukthinath

Ghasa to Mukthiath. Stopped for tea here.

Ghasa City Centre

Ghasa to Jomsom

Tatopani Village

Road from Beni to Jomsom

Outside the Monastery at Thini

Jomsom Airport

Only small aircrafts can land at Jomsom

Jomsom Airport

Thini

Corn is the major crop in Lower Mustang

Darbar Chowk in Thini is closed for visitors

Jomsom

Streets of Thini

Potato being harvested at Thini

Trekking through Buckwheat fields in Thini

My bus broke down before Jomsom. Changed buses at this garage

View from the backyard if Taj Mahal hotel at Jomsom

Lhhukum cave

Sunrise at Jomsom

Tatopani to Ghasa

Kagbeni Village

Suspension bridge en-route from Jonsom to Mukthinath

Yac Donalds at Kagbeni

Buckwheat in bloom

Road to Mukthinath

Prayer wheels at Mukthinath

Tatopani Bus Stop

Samba Gompa at Mukthinath

Yak butter lamps at Samba Gompa at Mukthinath

Entrance from main road to Daulagiri hotel at Tatopani

Stones in the river at Tatopani