Every June, riders ask us the same question: can we still ride Nepal in monsoon? For most of the country, the answer is no — trails are waterlogged, leechy, and dangerous. But Mustang is different. It always has been.
Lying north of the main Himalayan range, Mustang sits in a geographic rain shadow. While Pokhara receives 3,000mm of rain between June and September, Lo Manthang receives fewer than 300mm. The trails stay dry. The skies stay blue. And they're entirely yours.
"July and August are our favourite months in Mustang. The light is extraordinary, wildflowers are out, and there are no other riders. It's the best-kept secret in Himalayan MTB."
— Santosh Maharjan, Co-founder HST
Why Monsoon is the Best Time
Conventional wisdom holds that Nepal's October–November and March–April windows are the prime MTB seasons. For most destinations that's true. Mustang inverts this logic entirely.
In peak seasons, the Kali Gandaki trail north of Jomsom sees jeep traffic, large trekking groups, and occasionally other MTB operators. In July and August, you'll encounter almost no one. Teahouse owners have time to sit with you. The landscape — already extraordinary — carries a softness from the moisture that makes it this far north, with wildflowers covering the high passes between settlements.
- Jomsom to Lo Manthang: average <5mm rainfall June–September
- Trail surface: hardpack and loose-over-rock — same as dry season
- Temperature: 15–25°C at riding altitude (3,000–3,800m)
- Jeep traffic: significantly reduced compared to spring/autumn
- Teahouse availability: excellent — advance booking not required
Permits Don't Change
One common misconception: that monsoon permits are cheaper or easier. They're not. The Upper Mustang Restricted Area Permit costs USD $500 per person for 10 days year-round. ACAP and TIMS are required at all times. HST handles all three — you arrive with everything in order.
What Does Change
The Jomsom–Pokhara flight schedule runs differently in monsoon. Mountain Aviation operates fewer daily departures and conditions in Pokhara — where the monsoon arrives in full force — can cause delays on the return. We build a buffer day into all monsoon itineraries at both ends. Budget an extra night in Pokhara; you'll likely need it, and Pokhara in monsoon green is genuinely beautiful.
Planning a Monsoon Ride
The approach from Pokhara is identical to any other time of year: short flight to Jomsom, then riding north. The Kali Gandaki river can run slightly higher in monsoon years between Kagbeni and Jomsom — but in practice this rarely affects the trail, which runs well above the valley floor for most of its length.
- Buffer day at Pokhara both ends of the trip
- Morning riding preferred — Mustang wind builds every afternoon year-round
- Jeep support carries extra gear given slightly longer stages
- Satellite phone standard on all multi-day HST tours
Gear for Monsoon Mustang
Monsoon Mustang is warmer than spring riding at the same altitude. You won't need the heavy insulation required in March. A light midlayer and waterproof shell cover the cold evenings at Lo Manthang — where nights still drop to 5–8°C in summer — but riding during the day at 3,000–3,500m is often t-shirt weather.
Suspension Setup
Our Fox-certified mechanic sets up every bike specifically for Mustang regardless of season — lower tyre pressure for loose-over-rock sections, rebound damping adjusted for altitude air pressure. In monsoon, hardpack sections between settlements can be slightly more tacky, which rewards a marginally more aggressive setup. If you're bringing your own bike, our Kathmandu workshop is available for pre-tour setup.
Monsoon Mustang is one of our favourite tours at HST — not despite the season, but because of it. If you're flexible on dates and willing to trust the rain shadow, July and August offer something genuinely rare: one of the world's great MTB destinations with the trails entirely to yourself.
