Lower Mustang

  Lower Mustang  

✔ Mustang is a Himalayan district with a gem of Nepal blessed with a unique geography, the village of Marpha is situated in the lower Mustang, which is also known as the capital of Apples.

✔ The beautiful village of Marpha holds many secrets and facts within herself. An important place within If you get the chance, you should definitely visit Mustang at least once in your life.

✔ It’s a windy region, and it feels like the strong winds might sweep you away.

✔ The Stallion Rock (Ghode Dhunga) near the stress-free tower gives you the feeling of riding a horse on a cliff.

✔ The apples that previously were available in the market or even wasted sometimes are now utilized in an optimum way at Marpha distillery, where the alcohol is distilled.

✔ The struggles before arriving in heaven, meaning Mustang roadway is sometimes easier, sometimes challenging, and at rainy season, absolutely difficult.

✔ The road has been carved onto a massive rock face, with unique geography, and there is a pond (Tato Pani) where you can bathe or cleanse yourself. There is a belief that this water contains medicinal properties.

✔ After the pond (Tato Pani) we can reach Rupse Jharana (Rupse Waterfall), which seems to be the most challenging section.

✔ Only a single vehicle can pass through near Rupse Jharana road, so one has to wait a while for the others to cross it.

✔ A popular waterfall in Myagdi, Rupse Jharan, beautifully cascades from a height of 75 meters.

  Marpha village  

✔ An ancient village consisting of mostly traditional stone houses Marpha village.

✔ ‘Mar’ translates as hardworking, and ‘Pha’ means person. Truly a Marpha village of hardworking people.

✔ We can closely examine the remnants of ancient civilization and customs here in this village-populated by the Thakali people.

✔ The main attraction of Marpha is these mud and stone houses, these stone and mud houses have withstood the test of time.

✔ These aren’t much affected by earthquakes. Mustang is considered the district beyond the Himalayan, and it falls under the rain shadow region.

✔ There is very little rainfall, the rain clouds from the Bay of Bengal are blocked by the Southern mountains so there is very little rain.

✔ The lack of rain preserves the mud houses here but an arid and dry region.

✔ Marpha is known as the capital of apples and produces a good quantity of apples there, producing many varieties, of tasty and juicy apples.

✔ A wide of beverages are manufactured here with the Marpha village name. Marpha juice and liquors are well-known and much loved.

✔ Those who travel to Muktinath or upper Mustang via Jomsom usually won’t see or notice this village from the main road but it is a must-see.

✔ There are several hotels in the village, and many curios and gift shops are here in case you want to take something as a memory.

✔ The refugees from nearby Chhairo Tibetan Camp run these little curio shops. The locals are amiable and open-hearted they are always ready for interesting conversation.

✔ Pra Gumba and Bhir Gumba are there and Mamti Gufa, Beautiful orchards, topography, and alleyways nearby, you can spend a day there and enjoy your time.

✔ Marpha is a clean and pollution-free village, a narrow alleyway leads to Marpha village surrounded by exquisite arts and crafts.

✔ An alleyway surrounded by traditional houses on both sides is only accessible by motorbikes, and not wide enough for four-wheelers.

✔ The alleyways are uniquely named, there is Jerry Galli because this is the alley where the movie Jerry was shot, and its familiarity with various actors resulted in the naming as Jerry Galli.

✔ There is one spot that is exclusively for the elderly above 60, others aren’t allowed.

✔ There is a path right in the middle of the village leading to Dhaulagiri Base Camp this is the main walking trail to Dhaulagiri Base Camp.

✔ We understand that the tourists returning from Dolpa also tend to use this trail sometimes.

✔ Atop the stairs, the village is clearly visible. firewood bundles stacked neatly on the roofs of numerous similar houses with mud roofs.

✔ The interior of the Gumba is exquisite. late king and queen used to pay their respects there whenever they came to Mustang, Up there is a religious site with a painted rock.

  Pra Gumba  

✔ Pra Gumba is situated on a cliff, a lone structure atop a cliff which translates as cliff monastery.

✔ There are numerous objects holding great religious significance inside.

✔ It clings to the cliff in a fascinating way, it looks rickety, but it’s known to be very sturdy and secure.

✔ Strongest earthquakes couldn’t budge this Gumba and it’s believed to possess great energy.

✔ This is actually a cave and holds great energy, there is an upper floor as well, which leads to somewhere.

✔ There is a myth about this place, a long time ago, the queen fell ill while on the way to Muktinath and she was treated by the Lama.

✔ The queen asked the Lama if he wanted anything for his service, he said he would like to have a small abode so the queen constructed this place for him.

✔ There is a statue of great religious importance, it can’t be revealed just like that it has to be opened with a specific tool but most importantly, one shouldn’t be scared at the first sight of the statue

✔ If one is spooked on seeing the statue, he might not regain his senses, there is a belief that the senses might not return.

✔ The statue rests at the far right, inside there. There are other statues as well.

✔ From the highest floor, you can again find the way out into the open.

  Mamti Gufa (Cave)  

✔ Mamti cave is right beside a road and might take 8-10 minutes to walk from Marpha village.

✔ you can ask anyone on the road and find your way here on a motorbike, it is a very historical cave.

✔ Guru Rinpoche himself meditated inside this cave, high up on a hill on a mud cliff. The place is quite surprising.

✔ A belief is held that your wishes will be fulfilled, there is a circular and also vibrating inside somewhere.

✔ If someone has wishes, they can write it down on stones and place it on these wall cavities most people follow this tradition.

  Stress-free tower  

✔ The stress-free tower is the most windy spot around here, you can easily walk up to this place even a path for a motorbike.

✔ The view is equally mesmerizing and spectacular over to the south and to the north.

✔ Mustang wind that we can hear and experience wind atop this hill, and the stress-free tower is under construction.

  Horse Stone    

✔ A rock at a considerable, which can be saddled like a horse hence, called horse stone.

✔ Horse Stone is a place to enjoy the soft caress of the wind. A perfect place for a memorable photograph.

✔ There is lots of similar rock, but just have to be a little careful.

Read about: Rukum