Nepal - Part 3
The Jomsom Journey Continues..
We started our morning with a bumpy trip to a monastery perched on "Elephant's Neck," a vantage point that offered absolutely incredible views over Dhunba Lake, which we were soon to visit. It was a spectacular way to begin the day!
From that breathtaking height, we descended to the peaceful shores of Dhunba Lake itself. Its remarkably still waters offered a perfect reflection of the surrounding Himalayan peaks. By this point, Bev was completely obsessed with the colorful prayer flags that adorned so much of Nepal. Their vibrant hues and the way they seemed to guide our paths made our walks even more beautiful, if that's even possible in such a breathtaking country.
We walked around the lake, the wind picking up as midday approached. We stopped for some photos, enjoyed dried apple slices offered by local ladies, and fed some seeds to the fish in the water. Bev spotted a small, rather unstable-looking deck chair. Despite its precarious appearance, she risked a little relax in it. We were all secretly hoping she'd take an unplanned dip, but she managed to make it back to solid ground completely dry.
A Taste of Local Life (and Salt!)
From the calm of the lake, our journey led us to the quaint village of Thini. Here, we were invited into a local home for an authentic experience: a tasting of traditional butter tea. Our host was incredibly gracious, embodying the warm hospitality we'd come to appreciate in Nepal. The tea itself proved to be quite the conversation starter; its distinctive salty flavour was certainly an acquired taste for many of us! While perhaps not a unanimous favourite, the shared laughter and good-natured grimaces over our cups created a truly memorable moment.
A Holy Experience at Muktinath
We drove to Ranipauwa, a small settlement just below the temple, where we enjoyed a well-deserved lunch at the Bob Marley Cafe. Ewan, ever the adventurous eater, opted for a yak burger, which apparently came with a "very odd" aftertaste. Bev, wisely, played it safe with pasta and bruschetta.
After fueling up, we began our ascent towards the temple. The altitude here is no joke, and a few of us were definitely feeling the effects, struggling a bit with the thinner air. One of our group opted to stay behind, and a couple more considered cutting their climb short. We started to head up the 200 steps, pushing ourselves to reach the top at a staggering 3,710 meters (around 12,170 feet). We had both lost weight and got ourselves a bit fitter for this trip, but nothing could have prepared us for the altitude, especially with Bev’s asthma.
Upon reaching the temple complex, we walked over to the main shrine. While we weren't allowed inside, we were offered the opportunity to receive a blessing. It was also here that we bravely faced the public toilets. Let's just say Bev's statement that she "would have rather squatted in front of everyone" pretty much summed it up! Overall, Nepal's toilet situation hadn't been too dire, but these were hands down the worst we encountered on the entire trip.
We then witnessed a truly remarkable sight: a group of holy women on a pilgrimage. Utsab, our guide, explained that if any one of them were touched, even by accident, they would have to return home immediately. Given how bustling the area was, we found their unwavering dedication incredibly inspiring. We also saw people undertaking a ritual where they would run through the 108 taps at the temple before immersing themselves in the water next to us. Utsab joined in, but the rest of us decided to admire their from a safe, dry distance!
Before making our descent back down the steps, we took a moment to visit a Buddha statue and another monastery nearby. This particular monastery held a fascinating secret: a flame that reportedly never goes out.
Once back at our hotel, a simple dinner was exactly what the doctor ordered. We enjoyed a comforting spread of pasta, pork, and fries – a lovely taste of Western comfort food. Of course, some of us couldn't resist adding a side of delicious momos! With full bellies and tired legs, we headed to bed.
Into A Bon Village
The next morning, we were up for a short drive to Lupra, a small village near Jomsom. What makes Lupra so unique is that all 14 families living there practice the ancient Bon teachings, an indigenous spiritual tradition. Before heading into the village itself, we made a stop to explore some caves where Bon practitioners retreat to study their scriptures. These weren't fancy places, just basic living setups with a small sleeping area and a fire or stove. But honestly, they had a really cozy, peaceful vibe to them.
After carefully climbing back down the hill and across the riverbed, we finally reached our homestay in the village for the night. And let me tell you, this ended up being one of our absolute favourite stops of the whole trip! It was a beautiful house owned by our guide. He hadn't been there long, as his previous house closer to the riverbed was unfortunately washed away in the 2022 floods. Our new rooms were simple but had everything we needed. The two ladies in our group, Bev and Irene, got lucky with rooms that had an en-suite – the rest had to share a pretty basic bathroom which meant heading outside in the middle of the night for some of us! Before we headed out, our guide gave us a quick lesson in a few useful Tibetan phrases, which would come in handy in Lupra and as we went further into Upper Mustang.
Next up, we took a walk up to the monastery, and seriously, the path seemed to go on forever! Once we got there, we had a cool chanting session, where we lit a candle and each received a white scarf. There was even a cute cat that decided it wanted to cuddle with some of the other travellers, thankfully not Bev as we think she is allergic to them! The view over the valley was just incredible. After all that, and a quick cup of tea, we headed back down towards the homestay, passing by the local school where kids stay year-round. They were busy studying for exams, so we made sure not to disturb them too much.
"Is Everybody Happy?"
Later that evening, back at our homestay and finally with some Wi-Fi, we got a message that really hit us. One of our longest and closest family friends, Sue, had sadly passed away the night before. Sue was honestly the most amazing person we knew – so selfless and incredibly inspiring. Her house was a second home to Bev growing up, and even into her adult years. She'd been a huge reason why Bev fell in love with camping and traveling so much, between Brownie camps, making a cardboard Stonehenge, exploring London and even sleepovers in her back garden. After a good cry, a call home to our little ones, and a much-needed cuddle, we pulled ourselves together enough to go out and enjoy the rest of the day. We knew we had to keep that "happy, happy, happy" mindset she always encouraged.
That night, we got a super fun invitation: to help our guide's sister-in-law and another family member make dinner! They taught us how to roll our own momos. It was hilarious to see how badly most of us did... Bev, in particular, gave up halfway through and headed back to the table where our guide had shared some local wine with us. It was at this point that we saw the most beautiful sunset, which truly felt like a special message from Sue. Thankfully, despite how they looked, the momos tasted amazing! After dinner, a few of us played a game that was kind of like pool but with plastic counters. After six competitive rounds, we called it a night.
Yak Donalds and the road to Lo Manthang
Today turned out to be one of our longest — but also most memorable — travel days. Even though Lo Manthang was only 97 km away, the drive was set to take us over six hours thanks to the winding mountain roads of Mustang.
We kicked things off with a short trip towards Kagbeni, where Utsab handled our permits to go deeper into Lower Mustang. The views up the Kagbeni valley were already incredible — old temples nestled into the hills, peaks in the background — when we turned a corner and saw something totally unexpected: Yak Donalds! Nepal doesn’t have McDonalds — partly because beef isn’t widely eaten here, especially in Hindu and Buddhist areas — so this quirky little spot was probably the closest thing we were ever going to see. They sold t-shirts (of course), and naturally all of us had to get one. Because when else are you going to find a Yak Donalds tee?
After that unexpected excitement, we continued climbing higher into the mountains, stopping in Chhusang for a quick tea break at Hotel Alice. This is where Lower Mustang officially transitions into Upper Mustang, and Utsab had to show our pricey $500 permits to let us pass. Tea finished, permits checked, and off we went — climbing higher and higher into the thin mountain air.
At lunchtime, we pulled over for a bowl of soup and what was listed as ‘mac and cheese’ — which turned out to be pasta, stir-fried veggies, and a generous heap of unmelted cheese. Bev was delighted as this was exactly her kind of dream meal.
As we kept climbing, the views just got better and better. At one point, we turned a bend and spotted a random patch of ice clinging to the mountainside. Ewan yelled to stop the car so he could lean out the window and touch it — because when else do you get to do something like that? The road wound its way along the cliffs, zig-zagging past waterfalls and across hillsides carved out of the rock. Far below, the (not so full) Gandak river in the valley. In the distance, we could see monasteries perched on the hills, their bright colors popping against the earthy reds and browns of the landscape.
One of the many stops of the day was at the Dhaknar shrine. Legend has it this was once the home of a monster who was defeated by a monk from Tibet. They say the monster’s body is buried right under the shrine, and the wall around it was built to make sure it stays trapped forever. The hills here were a deep, rusty red — locals claim it’s the color of the monster’s blood. We then made another stop at a giant Buddha statue just outside Dhaknar. It was the perfect spot to snap some photos, stretch our legs, and squeeze in a much-needed toilet break before the last stretch of the journey.
What a day. And to think — the real adventure in Lo Manthang was still waiting for us. After a dinner of Thali and apple pie (again) we head to bed.
Lo Manthang adventure.
When we first arrived in Kathmandu, the weather was a warm and sunny 28°C (about 82°F). But up here in the mountains of Upper Mustang, the temperature dropped fast — hitting as low as -8°C (18°F) overnight. It was a bit of a shock for Bev, who had to request an extra blanket just to get through the night! Thankfully, the hotel was well-stocked with thick bedding. By the time we woke up for breakfast, it had only warmed to around -5°C, but once the sun came out it didn’t feel too bad. Mustang’s dry air and clear skies make the cold a little more bearable in the sunshine.
Over breakfast, our local guide joined us to introduce himself and explain the day’s plan — a loop above Lo Manthang that would take us past monasteries, cave dwellings, and old villages near the Tibetan border. Before we set off, he pointed out the main road we’d been on — the NH48 — is as far as foreigners are allowed to go; only locals with traceable Tibetan ancestry can legally cross beyond this point. In fact, even most Nepali citizens can’t access the restricted border zone without special permission — the area is tightly controlled on both sides.
We made our way to a nearby monastery, where we were invited to join in a short guided meditation session. These quiet, reflective moments were starting to feel surprisingly normal for Bev — but not for Ewan, who hadn’t been feeling well and chose to wait outside for some fresh mountain air. Afterward, we headed toward the Jhong Caves in Chhoser — one of the region’s most famous archaeological sites. These man-made caves, carved high into the cliffside, date back over 2,500 years and were once a working village. Locals used to live in the caves during the harsh winters, as the rock walls kept out the freezing winds, then moved down to the stone villages below during the warmer months. Bev braved the steep climb and went inside (despite her claustrophobia!) but didn’t venture too deep. Ewan stayed out again, happy to soak in the views and get some more fresh air.
Later, we stopped in a nearby village for tea at the home of a local family. We climbed up onto their flat mud-brick rooftop — a typical Mustang design, perfect for drying wood, grains and enjoying the view — and were offered a choice of black tea or butter tea. The vote was split - if you read our previous blogs you would see why! Bev picked black tea… only to discover that here, even the black tea is served salty!
We made our way back through the small villages, passing Chhusang again, and eventually returned to Lo Manthang. The car dropped us in the town center so we could walk around the old walled city and visit the royal palace. These days, the palace is more symbolic than functional — the late King of Mustang lost official political power when Nepal abolished its monarchy in 2008, but the royal family still holds ceremonial importance, and the Queen occasionally visits here. The building itself is simple — more like a large traditional house than what you’d imagine a palace to be.
As we walked the inner circle of Lo Manthang, we came across plenty of little souvenir shops selling jewelry, yak wool scarves, and handmade crafts. One highlight was stopping in an artist’s studio, where the painter explained how he still uses ancient methods to mix pigments from minerals and plants. His work included detailed mandalas, copies of religious paintings, and landscapes of Nepal. His art was stunning — but we were already worried about how to get all our things home to the UK, so (sadly) we left empty-handed.
Before heading back to the hotel, Bev decided to grab a pizza for lunch — simple enough, right? Except it took nearly two hours to arrive… long after everyone else had already returned to the hotel. Life moves at a different pace up here!
We ended the day with another cultural performance, which Bev absolutely loved. After all, she’s a former competitive dancer with a dance degree — so any chance to jump up and try new moves is her idea of fun! Ewan, still not feeling 100%, turned in early for some much-needed rest. Dinner was served after, and we headed to bed early (again!) for another early morning.
Yak Farm
On our final morning in Lo Manthang we got up bright and early to visit a nearby yak farm. Of course, things didn’t go quite to plan right away… our driver got completely lost trying to find the place as one of the cars went a bit slower than the lead car! With no mobile signal this far out, there was no way to call for directions — so we had to rely on old-fashioned trial and error. Makes you realise how much we take SatNav and Google Maps for granted back in the UK!
The yak herders live simply in tents weighed down with stones and propped up with a central pole — practical and portable, perfect for their nomadic lifestyle as they move with the needs of their herd. In total, the family cared for around 100 yaks and 23 goats. Because it was early April, we were lucky enough to see some newborns. Bev half-jokingly tried to convince us to smuggle a baby goat back home!
We watched as the calves nursed from their mothers, and then the herders milked the yaks by hand — a skill passed down for generations. They kindly offered us some freshly boiled yak milk to try. Bev was willing to give it a go and said it was surprisingly sweet and creamy — not at all what she expected after the yak butter tea!
After the farm visit, we headed back to the hotel for breakfast and packed up to check out. From there, it was time to make the winding drive back down the mountain, heading towards Jomsom — but with a very special stop in the village of Marpha along the way.
But more on that in the next post — trust us, Marpha turned out to be one of our absolute favourite places of the whole trip!
Bev & Ewan
Got questions about Nepal or planning your own Mustang adventure? Drop us a comment or message over on Instagram — we’d love to chat and help you out!
