How to Get from Pokhara to Muktinath (By Bus, Jeep)
Want to plan your trip from Pokhara to Muktinath?
I visited Muktinath as part of my trip in Lower Mustang and I found Lower Mustang to be very unique in comparison to other parts of Nepal.
Mustang is in the rain shadow region of Nepal and it typically receives less rain, especially during monsoon. Due to less rainfall, the area is very dry and it is more like a desert.
Most visitors come to Muktinath to visit the Muktinath Temple, but also many trekkers who complete the Annapurna Circuit end their trek in Muktinath.
If you plan to visit Muktinath from Pokhara, you first need to take a bus, jeep or flight from Pokhara to Jomsom. Then, change to another bus from Jomsom to Muktinath.
The buses and jeeps go from Prithvi Chowk and Zero Km from Pokhara to Jomsom. The bus fare costs Rs. 1,200-1,300 (USD 9-10), while the jeep is Rs. 1,800 (USD 13). The buses and jeeps leave Pokhara at 6-7 am and get to Jomsom around 4 pm.
Once you get to Jomsom, there are buses and taxis to Muktinath. The taxi costs Rs. 1,500 (USD 11), and the bus is Rs. 300 (USD 2) from Jomsom to Muktinath. The bus only goes in the morning at 6 am but you can catch a taxi anytime.
Pokhara to Muktinath Distance
Muktinath is 175 km from Pokhara and it takes around 8.5 hours to get there by bus.
However, there is no direct bus from Pokhara to Muktinath, and you have to take a bus first to Jomsom, and then change to another bus from Jomsom to Muktinath.
The first part of the journey from Pokhara to Jomsom is the longest if you go by bus or shared jeep, which can take around 7.5 hours. Then, from Jomsom to Muktinath it is only around 45 minutes.
My bus ride from Pokhara from Jomsom felt more like a day trip, with the bus stopping for multiple long breaks – we even stopped at the Rupse Waterfall for 30 minutes of sightseeing. So, best to prepare for a long journey.
Pokhara to Muktinath Map
The route from Pokhara to Muktinath goes through Kande, Baglung, Tatopani, Ghasa, Marpha, Jomsom, Kagbeni and Jharkot.
Most people stay one night in Jomsom or Kagbeni, and then go up early morning to the Muktinath Temple. It takes around 1.5 hours to check out the Muktinath Temple, and afterwards there are buses to take you back down to Pokhara.
You gain a lot of altitude in one day going from Jomsom to Muktinath. So if you are only going to Muktinath to visit the Muktinath Temple, the best plan is to stay in Kagbeni overnight, go up to visit the Muktinath Temple early morning, then go back down to lower altitudes (Marpha, Kagbeni, Pokhara) after visiting the temple.
How is the Road to Muktinath?
The road is not too bad and it is mostly concrete.
There are some sections of the road that is dirt road between Pokhara and Jomsom, but cars, motorbikes, jeeps and buses can all drive on this road.
Lower Mustang is the end point for the Annapurna Circuit and people used to trek this area. Since the building of the road and traffic, it is now less popular to walk this section and mostly people just take a bus or jeep.
There are some sections in Lower Mustang where there are trails and you don’t have to follow the road, however I found that even offline maps like maps.me don’t have all these trails well-marked.
How to Reach Muktinath from Pokhara
When travelling from Pokhara to Muktinath, you first have to go from Pokhara to Jomsom, and then from Jomsom to Muktinath.
There are options to travel by bus, shared jeep or private jeep. You can also take a flight from Pokhara to Jomsom and then go from Jomsom to Muktinath by bus or taxi.
Pokhara to Muktinath Bus
There is no direct bus from Pokhara to Muktinath, so you first have to take a bus from Pokhara to Jomsom, and then change to another bus from Jomsom to Muktinath.
Pokhara to Muktinath Bus Ticket Price
The bus ticket from Pokhara to Jomsom costs Rs. 1,200-1,300 (USD 9-10), and the bus ticket from Jomsom to Muktinath costs Rs. 300 (USD 2).
To book the bus ticket to Jomsom, you can either book it on BusSewa or Esewa, or go to the ticket counter at Zero Km and get the ticket there.
Pokhara to Muktinath Bus Timing
The bus from Pokhara to Jomsom leaves between 6-7 am and it arrives in Jomsom around 4 pm. The road is not too bad, but the bus is like a local Nepali bus, and the trip is long.
If you plan to take the bus from Jomsom to Muktinath, then you’d have to spend one night in Jomsom. The next day, there is a bus at 6 am that goes from Jomsom to Muktinath.
I didn’t find Jomsom too nice but it is worth stopping in Jomsom for the night to help you acclimatize.
If you don’t want to stop in Jomsom, another option is to take a taxi from Jomsom to Kagbeni and spend the night there. This is also what I decided to do on my trip. The taxi from Jomsom to Kagbeni is Rs. 800 (USD 6).
Then, the next morning the bus from Jomsom to Muktinath passes by Kagbeni around 6:20-30, and you can get on the bus to Muktinath.
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Pokhara to Muktinath by Jeep
The sharing jeeps go from Prithvi Chowk in Pokhara to Jomsom at 8 am every day. It usually takes the same time as the bus, and gets to Jomsom around 3-4 pm. Then the next day, you can catch a bus from Jomsom to Muktinarh.
Pokhara to Muktinath Jeep Fare
The jeep fare from Pokhara to Jomsom costs Rs. 1,800 (USD 13). Make sure to get the jeep ticket on Bussewa or at the ticket counter in Prithvi Chowk.
You can also buy your jeep ticket at a travel agency at Lakeside in Pokhara but then the price is a bit higher as they add commission on top of the actual price.
Then to get from Jomsom to Muktinath, the bus costs Rs. 300 (USD 2) and the taxi is Rs. 800 (USD 6).
Jeep Vs Bus to Muktinath
If you are deciding whether to take a jeep or bus, generally the private jeeps are the most comfortable and fastest.
The sharing jeeps and buses take around the same time, and take a lot of breaks that extend the journey.
The sharing jeeps can get very crowded and crammed with people, but the buses are slightly more comfortable as you have your own seat. So, if you don’t want to hire a private jeep, it is better to go by bus as the buses are more comfortable than the sharing jeeps.
Taxi from Jomsom to Muktinath
As there are no direct buses or jeeps from Pokhara to Muktinath, you have to take a break in Jomsom.
Staying for one night in Jomsom is good to acclimatize, as otherwise you would go from 800 meters in Pokhara to 3,800 meters in Muktinath in one day, which is too fast to ascend.
From Jomsom, there are taxis that are available all day long and if you want some comfort, you can take a taxi from Jomsom to Muktinath for Rs. 1,500 (USD 11).
When I got to Jomsom, I didn’t really feel the vibe of the place and decided to take a taxi from Jomsom to Kagbeni. By the time I got to Jomsom, there were no buses going up towards Muktinath or Kagbeni, so the taxi was the only option.
Jomsom and Kagbeni are more or less at the same altitude (2,800 m / 9,200 ft), so if you don’t want to stay in Jomsom, you can take a taxi to Kagbeni and spend the night there.
Then, the taxi from Jomsom to Kagbeni costs Rs. 800 (USD 6), and Rs. 700 (USD 5) from Kagbeni to Muktinath.
Permit for Visiting Muktinath
Foreigners have to get the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) to visit Muktinath. It costs Rs. 3,000 (USD 22), and you can get it at the permit office in Kathmandu, Pokhara or online.
There are checkpoints in Ghasa and Jomsom where the bus stops and you have to show your permit.
Accommodation in Muktinath
If you plan to stay a night in Muktinath, there is no need to pre-book any accommodation. You can just show up and book a place on the spot.
The hotels are around Rs. 500-1,500 (USD 3.5-11) per night but in some cases it is also possible to negotiate a free room as long as you eat all your meals there.
There are usually many hotel rooms that have attached bathroom, so that’s pretty nice. The accommodation in Muktinath are more like hotels, and less like the basic teahouses you find on trekking routes.
I stayed at the Hotel High Desert in Muktinath. It is a hotel with basic amenities, but the owner is really nice and agreed on a free room with attached bathroom as long as I had my meals there.
FAQs: How to Get from Pokhara to Muktinath by Bus and Jeep
How do I travel to Muktinath from Pokhara?
To get to Muktinath from Pokhara, you first have to take a bus or jeep from Pokhara to Jomsom. Then, the next morning, you can take a bus from Jomsom to Muktinath at 6 am.
How much does it cost to go to Muktinath?
The bus tickets in total cost around Rs. 1,500 (USD 11) from Pokhara to Muktinath one-way, which includes the bus from Pokhara to Jomsom, and Jomsom to Muktinath.
If you also stay in Muktinath for the night, then the price for accommodation is Rs. 500-1,500 (USD 3.5-11) per night, but you may be able to negotiate a free room if you eat all your meals at the hotel.
Food and drinks prices in Muktinath are around Rs. 130 (USD 1) for 1 cup of black tea, veg dal bhat costs Rs. 800 (USD 6), Tibetan bread with eggs costs Rs. 600 (USD 4), and curry with rice is Rs. 900 (USD 6.50).
How is the road to Muktinath?
The road to Muktinath is pretty good.
Much of the road to Muktinath used to be popular to trek as part of the Annapurna Circuit, but since the road was built, it is now mainly travelled in vehicles and less on foot.
Most of the road is concrete road and there are only a few sections of the road between Pokhara and Jomsom which is a dirt road.
Many people go to Muktinath by road, including private cars and those on motorbike trips. I even met travellers from India who motorbiked from Bihar to Muktinath in 3 days.
How to get from Kathmandu to Muktinath?
If you are planning to go from Kathmandu to Muktinath, then first you have to go from Kathmandu to Pokhara, then from Pokhara to Jomsom, and finally from Jomsom to Muktinath.
For the travel between Kathmandu-Pokhara-Jomsom, you can go by bus, jeep or flight. From Jomsom to Muktinath, you can go by bus or taxi.
Conclusion
In conclusion there is no direct bus from Pokhara to Muktinath. First you need to take a bus or jeep from Pokhara to Jomsom. Then, change to another bus from Jomsom to Muktinath.
The buses and jeeps go from Prithvi Chowk and Zero Km from Pokhara to Jomsom. The bus fare costs Rs. 1,200-1,300 (USD 9-10), while the jeep is Rs. 1,800 (USD 13). The buses and jeeps leave Pokhara at 6-7 am and get to Jomsom around 4 pm.
The first part of the trip from Pokhara to Jomsom is quite long, and it is best to plan that it might take the whole day. It is also good to spend one night in Jomsom, to help you acclimatize.
Once you get to Jomsom, there are buses and taxis to Muktinath. The taxi costs Rs. 1,500 (USD 11), and the bus is Rs. 300 (USD 2) from Jomsom to Muktinath. The bus only goes in the morning at 6 am but you can catch a taxi anytime.
