Kathmandu Muktinath Tour: A 7-Day Nepal Pilgrimage Journey

Your Kathmandu Muktinath Tour begins the moment you land — the flight into Kathmandu offers stunning views of the Himalayan range on descent, a first glimpse of the mountains you’ll be heading toward on this pilgrimage journey. You’ll touch down at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), at 1,350m altitude. Nepal’s entry visa can be arranged in advance or on arrival at TIA, with on-arrival processing taking up to 45 minutes depending on the queue.

Once you exit the airport, our representative will greet you with a placard and a traditional Tibetan scarf before driving you to your hotel in Thamel — about 30 minutes away, passing sights like Pashupatinath Temple, itself one of the sacred Hindu sites you’ll explore in depth over the coming days.

After settling into your hotel, you’ll have time to rest and freshen up before a trip briefing covering the days ahead — Kathmandu sightseeing, the journey to Muktinath, and Pokhara. The day closes with a welcome dinner and an overnight stay, ready to begin exploring in the morning.

Day 2 of your Kathmandu Muktinath Tour is a full day of Kathmandu sightseeing, giving you context for the Hindu and Buddhist traditions you’ll encounter again at Muktinath itself.

You’ll visit four UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Swayambhunath, the hilltop “Monkey Temple” with panoramic valley views; Pashupatinath Temple, one of the world’s most sacred Hindu sites and a fitting preview of the pilgrimage ahead; Boudhanath Stupa, a hub for Tibetan Buddhism and one of the largest stupas anywhere; and Patan Durbar Square, showcasing Malla-era art and architecture. See our full Kathmandu sightseeing guide!

By evening, you’ll be back at the hotel, ready for tomorrow’s drive to Pokhara — the next leg on the way to Muktinath.

After breakfast, your Kathmandu Muktinath Tour continues with a drive to Pokhara — Nepal’s “Lake City.” The landscape shifts as you leave Kathmandu, giving way to hills, small settlements, and terraced farmland.

Arriving in Pokhara, you’re greeted by towering peaks: Dhaulagiri (8,167m), Manaslu (8,163m), Machhapuchhre (6,993m), and the five peaks of Annapurna. After checking in, take time to rest or stroll the streets around Phewa Lake before tomorrow’s flight toward Muktinath.

After breakfast, you’ll fly over the Himalayas toward Jomsom — the heart of your Kathmandu Muktinath Tour. The flight passes the Dhaulagiri and Annapurna ranges, with the deep Kaligandaki Gorge below. This is Mustang district, known as “the place beyond the Himalayas.”

Muktinath sits at 3,710m, about 22km northeast of Jomsom, in the Annapurna Conservation Area. Hindus call it Mukti Dham; Buddhists know it as Chumig Gyatsa. For Hindus, it’s a Mukti Kshetra — a place of liberation, or Moksha. For Buddhists, it’s revered as one of the Bodhisattvas. Legend holds that Guru Rinpoche meditated here on his way to Tibet.

Muktinath is also unique for another reason: it’s the only place on Earth where all five elements — fire, water, sky, earth, and air — appear in their natural form, near the Jwalamai Devi Temple, a spot known as Sri Murthy Mahatmyam. The name itself comes from Sanskrit: “Mukti” (salvation) and “Nath” (god or master) — a place of deep spiritual meaning across South Asia.

After Muktinath, you’ll fly back to Pokhara and settle into your hotel before the day’s sightseeing begins — a gentler pace after yesterday’s high-altitude pilgrimage, and the final full day of your Kathmandu Muktinath Tour.

The day starts early with a drive to Sarangkot for sunrise over the Annapurna range, then returns to the hotel for breakfast before continuing on to Pokhara’s main sights:

• Bindhabasini Temple — set in Pokhara’s old bazaar, dedicated to Goddess Bhagwati
• Davis Falls — where Phewa Lake’s outflow plunges through a series of potholes into a deep gorge
• Gupteshwor Cave — a nearly 3km-long cave near Davis Falls, with large chambers and narrow crawl passages
• Phewa Lake and Barahi Temple — Nepal’s second-largest lake, home to the island temple that’s Pokhara’s most important religious site
• Seti River Gorge — best viewed from the K.I. Singh or Prithvi Highway bridges, where the river’s turbulent flow carved a dramatic gorge

Pokhara is also Nepal’s adventure sports hub, with paragliding, bungee jumping, ultralight flights, and zip-lining all available if you’d like to extend your stay beyond this Muktinath pilgrimage tour.

Early morning we will visit Sarangkot, a popular hill station for a beautiful sunrise view. Following breakfast, we will travel from Pokhara to Kathmandu, enjoying beautiful views of hills and rural Nepalese life along the river banks. You also have an option to fly from Pokhara to Kathmandu (30 minutes), with an extra charge.

Upon arrival in Kathmandu, you can rest or browse for souvenirs. To commemorate the successful completion of your journey, we will have a farewell dinner for you in the evening.

You will spend the night in Kathmandu.

One of our office representatives will accompany you to the airport for your departure. It’s time to bid farewell, and we look forward to the possibility of seeing you again in the future.