PILGRIMAGE TREK TO MUKTINATH (3817M)
The Jomsom trek is probably the single most popular trek in Nepal. The diverse landscapes and cultures to be found along the trek route give a marvelous insight into the way of life of rural Nepalese people. The main feature of trek is the walk through the Gorge craved by the Kali Gandaki River, which carries water from the Tibetan plateau to eventually join the Ganges in India.
Normally we continue on above Jomsom to Muktinath, the famous pilgrimage site for both Buddhists and Hindus. To Hindus, Muktinath is sacred as the place of salvation. They believe that bathing in the waters here guarantees salvation after death.
The Hindu god, Brahma, is thought to have lit the eternal flames that still burn at Muktinath. To the Buddhists it is a place that the great sage guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) meditated at, and to all, it is the source of fossilized ammonites, known locally as shaligrams, which are found all along the upper reaches of Kali Gandaki. Their customs and dress are all quite distinct and this trek gives a chance to see those differences. The religions range from Hinduism in the lower parts to the Tibetan style Buddhism as you travel further north. In early September you will be able to see one of Nepal's unique festivals, the annual horse races known as Yartung. This is a week of some serious horse racing, Tibetan style, and some equally serious merrymaking.
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