Mustang Mountain Bike Tour in 19 Days: Route, Cost and Who It Suits (2027)

Last updated 16 October 2026.

Short answer: Our Mustang Mountain Bike Tour, 19 days rides from Pokhara up the Kali Gandaki valley to Lo Manthang in Upper Mustang, climbs to the Kora La at about 4,660 m and comes back through Muktinath and Jomsom. It costs USD 3,155 per person on Budget, USD 4,399 on Standard and USD 7,299 on Luxury for two to four riders. It suits fit, experienced mountain bikers who are happy riding six or seven hours a day at altitude on gravel and sand.

I am Shreejan. This is a long ride and a high one, so the plan is built around how your body copes with altitude, not around kilometres. Here is how the nineteen days run, what each tier gives you and what it really costs.

What is the route?

The rest days at Marpha level and in Lo Manthang give you time to adjust before and after the highest riding. More on the region is in our Upper Mustang guide.

How hard is it?

It is a serious ride. You spend about ten days above 3,000 m, the surface is gravel, sand and rock, and wind in the Kali Gandaki picks up most afternoons. You do not need to be a racer, but you should already ride long days on a mountain bike and be comfortable on loose descents. If that is not you yet, our Upper Mustang jeep tour sees the same country without the effort.

What does it cost?

Prices are per person, read from our booking system on 16 October 2026. The full price list for every group size is on the trip page.

Budget gives you shared rooms in hotels and lodges, the bike and tools, permits and your guide; food and drinks are your own, and there is no backup jeep unless your group is larger than eight, when a support van comes with you. Standard adds breakfast, lunch and dinner with non-alcoholic drinks, private rooms where the lodge has them, and a backup jeep on group departures; a solo rider or a small group rides with the guide, who carries tools and spares. Luxury adds the best rooms with attached bathrooms, fruit and nuts with meals, and a backup jeep for the whole route.

Included on every tier: airport pick-up and drop-off, a licensed English-speaking mountain bike guide, the bike with basic tools and spare parts, the Upper Mustang restricted area permit, the Annapurna Conservation Area permit and TIMS card, a first aid kit with an oximeter, and taxes. Not included: international flights, visa, insurance, tips and personal spending.

What permits do you need?

Upper Mustang is a restricted area. The permit costs USD 50 per person per day while you are inside it, which on this route is about nine days, and there is no longer a 10-day minimum. You also need the Annapurna Conservation Area permit (NPR 3,000, or NPR 1,000 for SAARC citizens) and a TIMS card (NPR 2,000, or NPR 1,000 for SAARC). All of these are in the price. In a restricted area a licensed guide must be with you all the time, so nobody rides off alone. The rules are explained in our restricted area permit guide.

What about the roads?

The Beni to Jomsom road was damaged in late September 2026. As of 14 October 2026 it is repaired and open to vehicles again. We check the road and the trail 48 hours before every departure, and if a section is not safe we move your dates free of charge.

When is the best time?

Where do you stay and what do you eat?

Kathmandu and Pokhara have proper hotels. From Beni on you stay in family lodges in Tatopani, Marpha, Kagbeni, Chele, Tsarang and Lo Manthang. Rooms are simple and usually twin share. Food is dal bhat, Tibetan bread, soups, noodles and eggs, with Marpha apples when they are in season.

What should you bring?

Your own helmet if you prefer it, padded shorts, riding gloves, a wind and rain shell, a warm down layer for the evenings, sunglasses, strong sunscreen, a small hydration pack and your own pedals and saddle if you are attached to them. We send a full kit list when you book.

What insurance do you need?

Your policy must cover mountain biking and helicopter rescue up to 5,000 m, because the Kora La is about 4,660 m. Buy it at home before you travel. We do not recommend insurance bought in Nepal.

Questions people ask

Can I bring my own bike? Yes. Tell us when you book so we can plan transport and spares.

Is there a support vehicle? On Luxury, all the way. On Standard, on group departures. On Budget, only for groups larger than eight, otherwise it can be added at extra cost.

Can a solo rider book it? Yes. The solo price covers your own guide and rooms, so it is higher per person.

What if I feel the altitude? Your guide checks your oxygen level each evening. If you are unwell we stop, rest or go down, and the plan changes around you.

Can I see a cost comparison with other bike trips? Yes, read what a mountain bike tour in Nepal costs and our mountain biking guide.

What are the booking terms?

Group size is 1 to 20 and solo travellers are welcome; a solo price covers your own room and your own guide, so it is higher per person. The deposit is 10 per cent. It is non-refundable and there is no refund if you cancel, but you can move your trip free of charge to any date within one year with at least 72 hours notice. The balance is paid when you arrive in Kathmandu, in US dollars or euros, cash or card. Card carries a 3.5 per cent bank charge and cash carries none. We do not take Nepali rupees from foreign guests.

How do you plan this with us?

Message me on WhatsApp on +977 9810351300 with your dates, how many riders, and whether you bring your own bikes. I will send the exact quote and a kit list.

Written by Shreejan Simkhada, CEO of The Everest Holiday, from a family of three generations of family guides. TAAN Member #1586. WhatsApp +977 9810351300.