Farewell to Mustang

Phewa Lake in Pokhara. Still can't quite see the whole horizon clearly...

Mustang turned out to be far more than we expected.

What we found was a place of vast valleys, ancient monasteries and villages that seem suspended somewhere between Nepal and Tibet. Staying at Shinta Mani Mustang allowed us to experience a small slice of the legendary Annapurna Circuit in a way that felt both adventurous and remarkably comfortable.

The lodge offered the perfect retreat after a day exploring the valley. By mid-afternoon we would return to a beautifully appointed room, unwind in the spa with its sauna, steam room and mineral bath, as well as a customised massage. Evenings unfolded slowly over thoughtful five-course dinners and good conversation, a rather civilised way to experience the Himalayas.

What elevated the stay even further was how thoughtfully the days were organised. Activities were curated and paced to help with altitude acclimatisation, and we had our own local guide accompanying us throughout the week. His stories and insights added depth and context to everything we saw, from ancient monasteries to remote villages tucked into the valley.

More often than not, we found ourselves completely alone in these places, wandering quiet trails, exploring centuries-old villages or standing at viewpoints with nothing but mountains and prayer flags around us. Our experience here has been nothing short of wonderful.

Sadly, today, we had to farewell Mustang and made our way back towards Pokhara. Our original plan had been to fly out of Jomsom, but once again the weather had other ideas and all flights were cancelled. The upside was that we got to sleep in. And perhaps more importantly, we had time for one final proper sit-down breakfast overlooking the stunning snow-capped Nilgiri Mountain. After several days of haze, seeing the mountains clearly felt like a quiet farewell gift from Mustang.

The drive back down the valley was noticeably quicker than the ascent. Leaving Mustang at 9:30am and with only a single toilet stop along the way, we rolled into Hotel Barahi at 13:45.

After checking in, we did the obligatory wander around Phewa Lake, the calm centrepiece of Pokhara. Although the haze had improved slightly, it was only marginal, the mountains that normally frame the lake were still playing hide-and-seek.

We browsed through the many trekking shops selling suspiciously affordable versions of famous outdoor brands and, this time, managed to avoid the gravitational pull of the cashmere stores before calling it a day.

The last gift from Shinta Mani Mustang

Yup we had Japanese food in Pokhara. Large serving size and taste wasn't too bad!

Temples, Yaks & the Edge of Tibet

Jharkot

Today was our last full day in the Mustang Valley. There is always something slightly bittersweet about the final day in a place you have grown to love, and Mustang had quietly worked its way into that category.

Today we drove north, heading closer to the border of Upper Mustang, the restricted region that was once the Kingdom of Lo and remained closed to foreigners until 1992. As we travelled further up the valley, the Tibetan influence became even more pronounced. Prayer flags fluttered across ridgelines, traditional flat-roofed houses clung to the hillsides, and monasteries appeared perched in improbable places along the cliffs.

Our first stop was Jharkot, a small fortified village sitting dramatically above the valley. Jharkot is known for its ancient monastery and well preserved traditional Tibetan-style architecture, and wandering its narrow alleys felt like stepping back several centuries.

From there we continued on to Muktinath Temple, one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Nepal. It was the first place we visited where we encountered crowds...Muktinath holds deep spiritual significance for both Hindus and Buddhists, who come from across Nepal and India to visit the temple. For Hindus, it is one of the sacred places associated with the god Vishnu, while Buddhists regard it as a site blessed by Guru Rinpoche.

There are several ways to reach the temple complex...horseback, human carriage (on a sedan) or helicopter if you prefer maximum convenience and you have cash to splash.

Today, we chose our feet. The cheapest alternative. 

The temple complex is known for its 108 sacred water spouts, shaped like bull heads, where pilgrims pass beneath the icy streams as part of a purification ritual. Nearby are small pools where devotees immerse themselves completely.

The scene was fascinating to watch. But as I observed the water flowing over the feet of what must have been millions of pilgrims over the years, I couldn’t help but think about the cumulative total of dead skin cells involved in the process. It was a hard pass for me.

I'm going to miss this breakfast view

First glimpse of Jharkot, a former palace turned hotel

Entrance gate, can you see anything interesting...

A village seemingly trapped in time

14th century prayer wheel

Belonging to the 14th century monastery

Horses ready to take pilgrims to the temple at Muktinath

Walking through the village

Yak!

Um...so many people

The temple that they all come to visit

108 of these that pilgrims run through or collect water from

To take home for those unable to make the pilgrimmage

Doing the run

Umm no thank you

The complex and buddha has incredible views

Solar cooker

These are the steps up and down

From Muktinath we continued hiking towards Jhong Village. It was a relief to leave the crowds behind and return to the quieter rhythm of the valley. Though it was also a little sad to see rubbish scattered along sections of the trail, a reminder of the challenges that come with increasing tourism in fragile mountain environments.

Waiting for us at the rooftop monastery in Jhong was one of the now-familiar surprises from the Shinta Mani team: a beautifully set lunch table. From our perch we had unobstructed views across the valley,  snow-capped mountains rising in the distance and the villages we had visited earlier in the day scattered across the landscape below. Not a bad lunch spot...

walking through another ancient village on the way to Jhong

Crossing rivers on suspension bridges

We can see our destination

Jhong

I do love the colours here

Ooh what can we spy with our little eye

Complete with relaxation chairs

Birthday cake!

Phenomenal views

4 course meal

E-bike time. For Mal at least

Ready to go

It was dusty!

This photo is for a sense of scale. There are 2 tiny dots on the right track. Thats Mal and Rishab

Our final stop of the day was Kagbeni, a windswept medieval village that sits at the gateway to Upper Mustang. For centuries Kagbeni was an important checkpoint along the ancient salt trade route between Tibet and Nepal. Today, however, we were there for something far more important.

Yak Donalds.

Mal decided to e-bike his way down to the village, enthusiastically embracing the dust, gravel and unpredictable terrain. I saw the road conditions and opted for the far more civilised support vehicle. At Yak Donalds we partook in a Himalayan"happy meal": a yak burger, complete with yak butter and yak cheese, seabuckthron juice and fries made from local potatoes. Yak cheese has a… distinctive aroma. But if you could get past that, the burger itself was surprisingly delicious. In fact, it tasted remarkably like beef.

From Kagbeni we returned to Shinta Mani Mustang for our final evening in the valley. Dinner that night was spent with new friends, a lovely couple from the US and the UK, sharing stories about other remote corners of the world that offer the same rare combination of natural beauty, cultural depth and meaningful experiences. Preferably with a splash of luxury thrown in.

Yak Donalds. When in Nepal...

Happy meal!

The theme this evening was steamed!

Almost Chinese...

Delicious

The final gift reflecting our experiences today

Apple Paradise

Our gift today is home made jam from Mrs Kamala!

We were loving the increasingly civilised start times. Today’s adventure didn’t begin until 9am, which in the context of this trip felt practically indulgent. Our morning began with a short hike that involved crossing one of the many several suspension bridges that we had seen spanning the Kali Gandaki River. These long steel bridges are common across Nepal’s trekking routes, linking villages that would otherwise be separated by steep valleys and fast-moving rivers.

They are extremely sturdy. They are also extremely high. And when the Mustang winds pick up, they sway just enough to remind you that you are, in fact, walking across a metal ladder suspended above a Himalayan river.

From there we continued hiking towards Thini Village, one of the oldest settlements in the area. The trail climbed steadily, and while we could have continued. We decided to give our legs and cardiovascular systems a rest for the day.

We opted for a change of transport. The next section of the journey was done on horseback. Horse travel has been part of life in Mustang for centuries. Before roads reached the region, horses and mules were the primary way goods and people moved through the valleys, particularly along the ancient salt trade routes that once connected Tibet with Nepal and India.

Our horses carried us onward to Dhumba Lake and the nearby Khutsab Terenga Monastery. Dhumba Lake is considered sacred by local communities, and the monastery nearby plays an important role in protecting the spiritual balance of the valley. The setting itself was peaceful, surrounded by rugged hills and prayer flags fluttering in the wind.

I mean that looks safe

We just follow Rishab

The view along the crossing

I was wondering why the window was so ornate, and discovered that this building used to be the palace of the Thini Kingdom

Hello friends!

Mal looked too big for his horse

Dhumba Lake

Very glad to be on horseback on the very steep climb to the monastery!

Khutsab Terenga Monastery built in 15th century

Major restoration was done in the 1950s

So good to be short here

Thank you friend for giving my lungs a break and for being a good horse

Time to brave another bridge

After exploring the area we continued on to Marpha, a well-known stop for pilgrims travelling to Muktinath Temple, one of the most sacred pilgrimage sites for both Hindus and Buddhists.

Marpha also has another claim to fame. It was the filming location for a popular Nepalese romantic film called Jerryy. The movie became something of a cultural phenomenon here, and apparently there is now a sequel called Jerryy on Top.

Marpha itself is one of the prettiest villages in the region. Narrow stone alleyways wind between whitewashed houses, many decorated with neatly stacked firewood and rows of apples drying in the mountain air. Prayer flags flutter overhead while mule caravans occasionally clatter through the streets, reminding you that this village has long been a trading stop along the Himalayan routes.

We stopped in Marpha at the home of Mrs Kamala, where she served us a traditional Thakali lunch. The area is also famous as the apple country of Nepal. And when I say apples, I mean apples in every possible form.

Apple juice.
Apple wine.
Apple brandy.
Apple crumble.
Apple tea.

At this point we were essentially apple-adjacent humans.

Back at Shinta Mani Mustang we resumed what had clearly become our official afternoon routine: spa and massage. This was followed by our second sound healing session, which we were now very much looking forward to. Mal, apparently now super comfortable, brought his own pillows and towels to the session and managed to become the first person ever to lie on his stomach, much to the amusement of the sound healer. The sound healer, incidentally, has the most soothing, sleep-inducing voice imaginable. If relaxation could be delivered via vocal frequency alone, he would be a global phenomenon.

Later that evening we had dinner and chatted with one of the lodge’s management team, who mentioned that Shinta Mani Mustang is planning to open a property in Upper Mustang.

Upper Mustang remains one of the most restricted regions in Nepal. The area was closed to foreigners until 1992, and even today visitor numbers are tightly controlled through a special permit system designed to protect the fragile culture and environment.

Permits currently cost around USD 500 for the first ten days, which works out to roughly USD 50 per day, and travellers must visit with a registered guide. Naturally, we are already thinking about coming back in five years.

During dinner we also discovered that one of the other guests apparently knows the owner personally. Which means their stay here is complimentary...Where, I ask, are my rich friends when I need them?

The pretty village of Marpha

Mrs Kamala's home and our lunch venue

The lady herself preparing our meal

Plating

Apple wine

Voila! A most delicious meal

Pouring ghee onto the rice

Apple everything...out of shot was the apple brandy

This alley was made famous by the movie Jerryy

We struggled to work out what theme this book could represent

The traditional tea houses had no power back then, and thus entertainment was basic eg reading!

Looks weird but was tasty, a rich soup with potato foam on top

Wild mushroom bao. So good!