Motorbike and jeep touring, and which roads are worth it
Nepal is a serious motorcycling destination and a hard one. The Mustang road, the Annapurna jeep tracks, and what you're taking on.
By the Lakeshore team · 6 min read · Updated 5 October 2026
Riders come to Nepal for the roads, and they're right to. Heading north out of Pokhara you climb from subtropical valley to Tibetan high desert in a day, and there's nothing quite like it.
In stretches they also stop being roads. Expect loose surface, big drops, river crossings, and trucks that see the centre line differently from you. We don't run motorbike tours, but this is what's out there and what it involves.
The Mustang road
Pokhara to Muktinath by way of Beni, Tatopani and Jomsom, up the Kali Gandaki between two eight-thousanders. The draw is the change in landscape, from subtropical forest at Tatopani to bare ochre cliffs by Muktinath.
The surface goes from decent tarmac low down to rough jeep track higher up, and from late morning a ferocious wind picks up through the gorge. Ride in the mornings. Going beyond Kagbeni into Upper Mustang needs the restricted-area permit and an agency, the same as trekking there, and riders aren't exempt.
What the riding is like
Royal Enfields dominate the rental market and suit the roads. Smaller trail bikes are better on the rough sections, but harder to find.
Expect landslide debris, unbridged streams, livestock, and blind corners with trucks coming the other way. Nepali road etiquette runs on the horn, and it works once you understand it, which takes a day.
You can get fuel in the towns, but not always between them. Carry extra on the Mustang road, and ask locally instead of assuming.
An international licence and the right insurance are worth having, and many travel policies exclude motorcycling entirely or above certain engine sizes. Read that clause carefully. After altitude, it's the one that most often voids a policy.
Jeep tours, which are the sane version
The same routes by jeep, with a driver who does them every week. Slower and safer, and you get to look at the landscape instead of the surface.
This is how most people reach Muktinath now, and it has opened the pilgrimage to elderly and unwell visitors who could never have walked it. We think that's a good thing.
For Upper Mustang, an overland jeep tour is a fair alternative to trekking it and takes about half the time.
Who should ride, and who shouldn't
Ride it if you're experienced and comfortable on loose surfaces, you've ridden in traffic that doesn't follow the rules you grew up with, and you're not on a fixed schedule.
Don't ride it if you're still learning, have a flight to catch, or have only ever ridden on tarmac. These roads punish inexperience, and the nearest trauma care is in Pokhara.
If you want the Mustang landscape and you aren't a confident off-road rider, take the jeep. You give up nothing by it, and you'll see more of the valley.
Walk it with us
Private departures on your dates, guided by the people who wrote this page.
Questions we get asked
Do you organise motorbike tours?
No. Specialist operators in Pokhara and Kathmandu do it properly, with support vehicles and mechanics, and we'll point you to them.
Can I hire a bike and go alone?
You can, and plenty do. On the Mustang road we'd strongly suggest riding with someone who knows it, and Upper Mustang needs an agency and a permit however you travel. Our Upper Mustang trek includes the restricted-area permits.
What licence do I need?
An international driving permit with a motorcycle endorsement. Check your travel insurance separately, because motorcycling exclusions are extremely common.
Best season?
October to November and March to May. The monsoon brings landslides and washed-out sections, and in winter snow closes the higher roads.
Still deciding?
Tell us your dates, and we'll tell you whether Upper Mustang, Lo Manthang is right for you. If it isn't, we'll say so.
Nothing to pay online. We confirm your dates first.
Or call the office +977 61-457830