Highlights
- Pashupatinath aarti and early-morning darshan
- Budhanilkantha and Guhyeshwari temples
- Mountain flight up the Kali Gandaki gorge to Jomsom
- Bath under the 108 spouts at Muktinath
- Jwala Mai temple
- Buffer day for weather
Pashupatinath and Muktinath are the two great Hindu pilgrimages of Nepal, and this yatra puts them together without rushing the altitude. Muktinath sits at around 3,750 m, so you spend a night at Jomsom first and come back down the same day as darshan. The Jomsom flights are often cancelled by wind, so the plan keeps a spare day rather than pretending they always run.
Day-wise itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Kathmandu, Pashupatinath aarti
Pickup at the airport and check-in. In the evening, the aarti at Pashupatinath on the Bagmati. We collect photos and ID copies today for the Annapurna Conservation Area permit.
Day 2: Pashupatinath darshan, Kathmandu temples, fly to Pokhara
An early darshan at Pashupatinath, when the temple opens and the queues are shortest, then Guhyeshwari temple nearby and Budhanilkantha, with its reclining Vishnu in a pool. Afternoon flight to Pokhara and an evening by Phewa lake.
Day 3: Fly Pokhara to Jomsom
The Jomsom flight leaves early in the morning, before the wind picks up, and runs down the Kali Gandaki gorge between Dhaulagiri and the Annapurnas. You spend the day at Jomsom (around 2,700 m) to get used to the altitude: a slow walk around town, plenty of water and an early night. If the weather allows, an easy drive to Kagbeni, the old village at the gateway to Upper Mustang.
Day 4: Muktinath darshan
Jeep from Jomsom up to Muktinath, at around 3,750 m. From the jeep stop it’s a walk uphill to the temple; ponies are available. Pilgrims bathe under the 108 water spouts and in the two kunds before darshan of Lord Vishnu as Muktinarayan. Also see the Jwala Mai temple, where a natural gas flame burns beside water. Back to Jomsom for the night.
Day 5: Fly Jomsom to Pokhara
Morning flight back to Pokhara. Afternoon at the Gupteshwor Mahadev cave and the Bindhyabasini temple. If the Jomsom flight was cancelled on Day 3 or today, this is the day we use to catch up.
Day 6: Pokhara to Kathmandu
Sunrise at Sarangkot if the group is up to it, then the flight back to Kathmandu. Afternoon at Kathmandu Durbar Square or for shopping: rudraksha, shaligram and Nepali brass from the stalls around Pashupatinath.
Day 7: Departure
Transfer to Kathmandu airport for your flight home.
Flight, road or helicopter to Muktinath?
The Jomsom flight is the quickest and easiest on the body, but it’s small aircraft, early mornings and cancellations whenever the wind or cloud is wrong. That’s why this plan has a buffer. The road from Pokhara is now open all the way, but it’s a long, rough jeep ride of a full day or more each way, best avoided by older pilgrims and in the monsoon. A helicopter from Kathmandu or Pokhara does Muktinath in a morning and suits seniors who can’t manage two days of jeeps, though it gives you no time to adjust to the altitude, so keep your time at the top short. We price all three and help you decide.
What's included and what isn't
Included
- Hotels for 6 nights (Kathmandu 2, Pokhara 2, Jomsom 2) with breakfast; vegetarian dinners at Jomsom
- Domestic flights Kathmandu–Pokhara–Jomsom–Pokhara–Kathmandu
- Shared or private jeep Jomsom–Muktinath–Jomsom
- Annapurna Conservation Area permit arranged for you
- Private car for Kathmandu and Pokhara sightseeing and airport transfers
Not included
- Flights from India to Kathmandu (quoted on request)
- Pony or porter at Muktinath
- Puja, donations and temple fees
- Extra nights or hotel changes caused by flight cancellations
- Lunches, tips and personal expenses
Visa, costs, best time and travel tips: Nepal Tour Packages from India.
