Kagbeni

The Jomsom Muktinath Trek follows the Kali Gandaki, the world's deepest river gorge, between the towering peaks of Dhaulagiri and Annapurna, passing through the Thakali villages of Jomsom and Marpha before reaching the sacred Muktinath Temple at 3,800 metres. Revered by both Hindus and Buddhists for its 108 sacred water spouts and eternal natural flame, Muktinath draws thousands of pilgrims each year who come to bathe in its icy streams, believed to wash away sins.

What makes this trek genuinely rare is how deliberately Mustang has kept tourism small since the trail first opened. Because the region sits in a rain shadow, it stays dry and walkable even during the summer monsoon, when most of Nepal disappears under cloud. The walled city of Lo Manthang itself feels less like a trekking destination and more like stepping into a living museum, with centuries-old monasteries, a former royal palace, and narrow lanes that have changed remarkably little since the kingdom's founding.