Muktinath Tour is a very popular pilgrimage tour in Nepal’s Annapurna Conservation Area, and is one of the most well-known Nepalese tour packages among Hindus and Buddhists. Muktinath Temple, located at an elevation of 13,000 feet above sea level in Mustang district, is also known as Mukti Chhetra, or “abode of redemption” among Hindus. Buddhists revere the god as one of the Bodhisattvas, while Hindus revere it as Mukti Kshetra. Devotees can take a brief bath in one of the 108 sacred water spouts that flow with extremely cold water. The temple of Jwala Mai, or the Goddess of Flame, sits nearby, with its incredible underground blue flame. There are numerous important places to visit in the Muktinath area. Pilgrims can witness the world’s deepest gorge, the Kaligandaki Gorge, as well as scenic Jomsom City, Marpha’s Apple Garden, and the sacred kagbeni River, which contains the shaligram stone, the physical personification of Lord Vishnu. Similarly, there are countless temples and stupas along the path where visitors can take in the local culture and traditions.
“Muktinath Tour is very popular among the hindus living all around the world especially from india, Hindus from indian cities like Chennai, Bangalore, Gorakhpur, kolkata and delhi are frequent visitors.”
Places to visit in Muktinath:
- Muktinath Temple
- 108 holy taps
- Two holy pond in front of the temple
- Jwalamai temple by Hindu and named Dhola Mebar Gompa by Buddhist
- Mharme Lhakhang Gompa to the north of the main temple
- Sangdo Gompa, left from the entrance gate of Muktinath complex
- Biggest Buddhist Statue recently built ahead of Jwalamukhi temple
- Ranipauwa village and monasteries built in this place
Muktinath tour: Climate and Season:
Muktinath is located in the Mustang district’s Bhote region, which enjoys an alpine climate. During the winter, the weather fluctuates from mildly warm to bitterly cold. Throughout the year, the temperature in this location varies. Muktinath is accessible all year, but the season can be classified as follows based on how easy it is to visit:
Autumn: The greatest time to visit Muktinath is in the autumn. There are a number of festivals taking place throughout these months, and as a holy location, it is safe to assume that the trail will be packed with pilgrims and visitors. In the autumn, the temperature fluctuates from 14 to 18 degrees Celsius. The environment will be perfectly clean due to the modest trail walk and monsoon rain cleaning all pollution, and the blue sky with snowcapped mountains will make your visit worthwhile and memorable.
Spring: The best time to visit this shrine is in the spring. Temperatures range from 8 to 16 degrees Celsius, and the mild temperature makes this a second-best time to visit. The surroundings is lushly green, with a bluish bright sky and gorgeous wild flowers abound, including rhododendrons, the national flower, giving this region an utter touch of heaven at this time. The craggy mountain peaks are buried in snow, while clear and raging water runs through the many rivers along the way, making the trip worthwhile.
Summer: Summer is also a good time to visit Muktinath. The temperature fluctuates from 14 to 18 degrees Celsius. Despite the fact that it is rainy season, the trip to Muktinath can be both beautiful and adventurous. However, due to landslides, traveling to Muktinath by road might be challenging at times. Similarly, weather conditions can cause airline services to be canceled. However, the trip to Muktinath after rain can be very beautiful and memorable, as visitors can see lush green hills, snowcapped mountains, and a brilliant blue sky.
Winter: The winter season is more difficult to visit, although it is still possible to get there by plane. The routes will be coated with snow, and the temperature will range from -8 to 4 degrees Celsius. During the winter in Nepal, treks up to 3500 meters are possible, thus a Heli tour to Muktinath Temple is an option. As a result, this journey might be included as part of a luxury package to see the temple.
Special days in Muktinath:
Throughout the year, this location is very active. There are several specific days set aside for Hindus and Buddhists to pray. The Hindu festivals of Rishi Tarpani (Janai Purnima), Ram Navami, and Vijaya Dashami (Dashain) attract large throngs of Hindu pilgrims. Lhosar, Toranla, Bak chhap (Lama Dance festival), and Yartung, all held in August/September, are important days for Buddhists to assemble believers and offer special prayers.
Mythology of Muktinath Temple:
- According to legend, Guru Rinpoche, the founder of Tibetan Buddhism, meditated at this location while traveling to Tibet and gained lifetime spiritual wisdom. The origins of this narrative can be traced back to the 12th century.
- Another intriguing story about the origins of Muktinath is that, according to popular Hindu mythology, there was a battle between Lord Shiva and Jalandhar, a great demon king. Jalandhar, being evil-minded, overstepped his bounds and assaulted Kailash in order to obtain goddess Parvati. Later, he changed himself into Lord Shiva using his strength, but he couldn’t deceive goddess Parvati because she recognized it wasn’t her husband. Soon after, the gods devised a plan to disperse the immense evil, and Lord Vishnu cloned himself as Jalandhar and traveled to Vrinda (Jalandhar’s Wife). She mistook Lord Vishnu for Jalandhar since she couldn’t recognize him. Lord Shiva destroyed the demon in the meantime since she had lost her devotion. Vrinda later discovered the truth and cursed Lord Vishnu to spend the rest of his life as a shila, which is how Muktinath was formed and Lord Vishnu began to be worshipped there.
- The death of sati, Lord Shiva’s first wife, is another well-known mythology surrounding the genesis of Muktinath. Lord Shiva, according to the swasthani brata katha, carried the body of sati with him and travelled through several regions. While he was travelling, her bodily parts dropped to various locations, and wherever they fell, the location became known as a shakti peeth, with Muktinath being one of them. It is said that her face (called mukh in sanskrit) fell down at Muktinath, and that this is how Muktinath earned its name.
Accommodation and foods in Muktinath Tour:
There are many hotels, restaurants, and guest rooms in Ranipauwa village, which is located below the Muktinath temple. Simple guesthouses, medium-range hotels, and high-quality hotels are all available. There is now a 3-star hotel on the premises. Ordinary hotels and guest houses charge between 600 and 1500 Nepali rupees for a room.
Muktinath Tour: Requirements and Permits:
Visitors must pay a permit fee to visit Muktinath, which is located within the Annapurna conservation area. Trekking in the Annapurna Conservation Area requires an ACAP and TIMS permit. The permit costs per person are mentioned below.
ACAP PERMIT COST:
NRs. 3000 for foreign National
NRs. 1000 for SAARC National
NRs. 100 for Nepali National
TIMS PERMIT COST:
NRs. 1000 for foreign National
NRs. 300 for SAARC National
No TIMS FOR NEPALI National
Required Documents: Your passport information, vacation itinerary, and two recent passport-sized photos.