The Last Forbidden Kingdom
NOVEMBER 2-14, 2026 · RESTRICTED AREA ACCESS
13
DAYS IN NEPAL
13,156 ft
PEAK ALTITUDE
$6,500
YOUR COST
There are motorcycle trips.
And then there is
Upper Mustang.
This region was closed to foreigners for decades. It still requires government permits. It still demands a Nepali guide. Access is not automatic — it is earned. Most people will never see it. The riders who do tend to describe it the same way: as the moment they understood what adventure riding was actually for.
Bret Tkacs has led seven expeditions through Nepal. He knows what can go wrong — monsoons washing out roads, altitude hitting riders harder than expected, bureaucratic complications at borders — and he knows how to manage all of it so that what you experience is the ride, not the logistics.
RESTRICTED KINGDOM
Upper Mustang requires a $500 USD restricted area permit and a licensed Nepali guide. Only a limited number of visitors are admitted annually. This is not a tourist destination — it is truly an expedition.
PRESERVED TIBETAN CULTURE
Sealed off from modernization for most of the 20th century, Upper Mustang contains some of the oldest intact Buddhist temples and cave systems in existence — a living remnant of ancient Tibet.
THE ONLY WINDOW
The high Himalayas are only accessible by motorcycle for a few months each year. November is the ideal window — post-monsoon, before deep winter. The skies clear. The roads open. The mountains come out.
Support when it matters
If terrain exceeds your skill at any point, Bret or a support crew member will assist — the motorcycle gets through, and so do you. No rider gets left behind and no situation becomes a crisis.
THE EXPEDITION —
Into the rain shadow of the highest mountains on earth
The Upper Mustang sits in the rain shadow of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges — which means while the rest of Nepal floods during monsoon season, Mustang remains a high-altitude desert, an austere and ancient landscape of ochre cliffs, wind-carved canyons, and sky that seems closer than it should.
You’ll ride Royal Enfield motorcycles provided by local professionals — bikes that are purpose-built for Nepali roads and maintained by people who ride these routes for a living. The terrain ranges from Level 1-3 on the ADV Skill Rating System, with real possibility of Level 4 terrain. This is not a beginner tour. You need to be comfortable on a motorcycle — not a racer, not fearless, just capable and adaptable.
Bret is a teacher, not a tour operator. Local professionals handle the logistics: lodging, food, mechanical support, navigation permits. Bret handles you — your riding, your mindset, and your safety. If something goes sideways (and in seven expeditions, things have gone sideways), he has the experience to manage it without making it your problem.
IMPORTANT NOTE ON ACCESS
Upper Mustang access requires an Upper Mustang Restricted Area Permit ($500 USD per person), an ACAP permit, and a TIMS card. These are arranged through our local partners and included in the tour cost. If you become unfunctional with heights, this tour is not for you; the roads through the Himalayas traverse high passes with significant exposure.
YOUR DESTINATION
Lo Manthang
The walled city at the heart of Upper Mustang — the former capital of the Kingdom of Lo. Ancient monasteries, whitewashed walls, and Tibetan Buddhist culture completely intact. You’ll spend multiple days riding into the surrounding hills and villages.
THE GATEWAY
POKHARA & JOMSOM
The tour begins in Pokhara — Nepal’s adventure capital by the lake, with the Annapurna range dominating the skyline. Jomsom, at the base of Mustang, is where the riding changes from roads to something else entirely.
CULTURAL HIGHLIGHT
CHOSUR CAVES
2,000-year-old cave dwellings cut into sheer cliffs above the river valley. Five floors. 84 rooms. Buddhism preserved in stone, completely unreachable by road and visible only because you rode to get here.
DAY BY DAY —
The Route
Every day builds on the last. The riding gets more technical as you move deeper into Mustang. The landscapes get more extreme. The culture gets more remote. And somehow, the further you get from familiar, the better it gets.
NOVEMBER 2
Arrival - Kathmandu
Land at Tribhuvan International Airport. Meet the team. Get your first taste of Kathmandu, which is chaotic, alive, and unlike anywhere you’ve been (unless you’ve been through India). Time to rest and recover from jet lag before the real journey begins.
NOVEMBER 3
Kathmandu - Sightseeing
Tour UNESCO World Heritage sites with a local tour guide: You will likely see the stupa at Boudhanath, the sacred cremation ghats at Pashupatinath and the Monkey Temple. Group briefing with our tour guide in the evening.
NOVEMBER 4
Pokhara - Meet Your Motorcycle
The flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara is supposed to be a short commuter hop, but this is Nepal so expect a delay. Once you arrive in Pokhara, you’ll meet your support team, and your Royal Enfield motorcycle. Rest up because tomorrow it gets real.
NOVEMBER 5
Pokhara - Riding Through Chaos
Your first introduction to riding through Nepali traffic. Everything you’ve read about doesn’t prepare you for riding through it. But by the end of the day, winding toward the rivers and villages ahead, you’ll have found your rhythm, and a deep respect for the road ahead.
NOVEMBER 6
Into the Gorge - Tatopani
This day is filled with suspension bridges, high cliff roads and river crossings. You will enter the Kali Gandaki Gorge, the deepest gorge on earth, flanked by two 8,000-meter peaks. The landscape starts changing. Tatopani’s natural hot springs wait at the end of a hard day’s ride.
NOVEMBER 7
Jomsom - Gateway to Mustang
The road narrows. The air thins. You pass the sacred Hindu temple at Muktinath (3,710m). The landscape transitions from lush gorge to high desert. Jomsom, the gateway to Upper Mustang, marks the end of the world (up until 1996, that is).
NOVEMBER 8
Kagbeni - Leave Civilization
Your permit is checked at the checkpoint. Beyond this line, the world gets quiet. The roads become tracks. The villages are small, ancient, and completely self-contained. This is what you came for. The ochre cliffs of Upper Mustang appear for the first time.
NOVEMBER 9-10
Lo Manthang - the Forbidden City
Two full days in and around Lo Manthang, the walled capital of the ancient Kingdom of Lo. Ride to the surrounding villages. Visit the Chosur Caves — 2,000-year-old dwellings carved into sheer cliffs. Explore the 15th-century monasteries still in active use. Ride to the Tibet border at Kora La, if conditions allow.
NOVEMBER 11
Descent - Mustang to Tatopani
You earned the ascent. The descent is its own reward — watching the landscape unspool in reverse, the high desert giving way to river gorges, green terraces, and the sounds of lower altitude. Different light. Different air.
NOVEMBER 12
Tatopani to Pokhara
The last full riding day. Return to Pokhara and the lake. The contrast hits you immediately — civilization feels both familiar and strange after Mustang. Group dinner. Stories that haven’t started to feel real yet.
NOVEMBER 13
Pokhara to Kathmandu
Final morning in Pokhara. Flight back to Kathmandu. The motorbikes stay behind. The memories do not.
NOVEMBER 14
Kathmandu - Final Departure
Depending on your onward travel, time for last-minute shopping in Thamel.
Why Bret takes riders to Nepal
I want to take North Americans to a place that I have good control, that's safe, that's exciting... but also someplace that is uncomfortable, that is new, that will challenge their beliefs and thoughts, make them appreciate the life they have. More importantly, just the idea of broadening their perspective and understanding of the world; whether it's motorcycle or life, or the world or your job. That's what we should be striving for.
Bret is a teacher, not a tour operator. He utilizes local professionals to help guide and arrange our lodging, food and rider support. To decrease the inherent risk of travel by motorcycle, Bret will be traveling with you to help you improve your strategies and skills related to riding — and if you find yourself in a situation beyond your skill, either Bret or one of the support crew will porter you and the motorcycle to a safe location where you can resume riding.
Riders who have been to Mustang.
Absolutely unforgettable trip of a lifetime. For me, it's about three things: meeting and talking with the local people to get an understanding of how others live; meeting new friends in the adventure motorcycling community; and experiencing the sights, sounds, smells, tastes and geography of a new country. This trip provided the best of all three. The Nepali people are wonderful — gentle, kind, friendly and open. I've never felt more safe on an international trip. We came from all corners of the country, aged between 32 and 76, vocations as varied as a commercial cabinet builder, to restaurant owner, hospital executive, retired social worker. We all had the moto-affliction. And Nepal — my goodness. From the crazy traffic in Kathmandu, to the incredible peace, serenity, and sheer spirituality of riding through Upper Mustang, it was an experience like no other. And throughout it all, Bret maintains control — even in the situations beyond all of our control.
YOUR DESTINATION
Lo Manthang
The walled city at the heart of Upper Mustang — the former capital of the Kingdom of Lo. Ancient monasteries, whitewashed walls, and Tibetan Buddhist culture completely intact. You’ll spend multiple days riding into the surrounding hills and villages.
THE GATEWAY
POKHARA & JOMSOM
The tour begins in Pokhara — Nepal’s adventure capital by the lake, with the Annapurna range dominating the skyline. Jomsom, at the base of Mustang, is where the riding changes from roads to something else entirely.
CULTURAL HIGHLIGHT
CHOSUR CAVES
2,000-year-old cave dwellings cut into sheer cliffs above the river valley. Five floors. 84 rooms. Buddhism preserved in stone, completely unreachable by road and visible only because you rode to get here.
BEFORE YOU REGISTER —
This tour is demanding.
Here's what that means.
Bret does not running curated luxury trips with a padded itinerary. He’s taking you to one of the most remote, most restricted, most extraordinary places on earth — by motorcycle. That requires you to be honest with yourself about two things before you sign up.
If you meet these requirements, you will be fine. Bret has already taken riders aged 32 to 76 through Nepal. He has handled riders who struggled. He has handled situations that went sideways. What he cannot do is help a rider who is not honest about their starting point.
U-TURN IN 16 FEET
You must be able to execute a tight left U-turn within 16 feet (5 meters) on a Royal Enfield. Nepali rural roads have 8-foot lanes. Failure to make this turn with oncoming traffic is a serious safety issue. If you can do a full-lock left U-turn on your own bike, you're fine.
MAINTAIN 30 MPH ON GRAVEL
Minimum 30 mph (48 kph) on maintained gravel roads. Remote sections of the route require minimum speed to reach lodging by nightfall. There is no alternative if you can't keep pace — the hotel doesn't move closer.
CONTROLLED FEAR OF HEIGHTS
The roads in Upper Mustang traverse high passes with significant exposure. If you cannot function when exposed to heights, this tour is not appropriate for you. It's fine to be afraid, you just can't freeze.
HUMILITY
Bret may make riding decisions on your behalf based solely on his assessment of your ability and the conditions. 30+ years of training motorcyclists professionally informs that judgment. Bring a humble attitude and it will serve you well in Nepal.
Included
- Royal Enfield motorcycle
- All restricted area permits
- Local guide and support crew
- Support vehicle with mechanic and oxygen
- All accommodations
- All government taxes and tolls
- All meals outside Kathmandu and Pokhara
- Daily breakfast
NOT INCLUDED
- International airfare
- Nepal entry visa
- Personal riding gear
- Motorcycle fuel
- Lunch/Dinner in Kathmandu and Pokhara
- Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
- Medical insurance
- Personal souvenirs, alcohol, and expenses
You are riding with someone who has done this before.
Bret Tkacs has already led seven groups through Nepal’s Himalayan routes (plus several more tours through other countries). He has navigated out-of-season monsoons that washed out roads and forced emergency evacuation plans from Tibet. He has managed altitude illness at 17,000 ft, bureaucratic complications, and the unique chaos of Nepali traffic, all while keeping his groups riding together and his riders calm. Beyond Nepal, he has ridden through 49 countries, including a 5-month journey from Seattle to Ushuaia and a 5-month expedition from Spain to South Africa’s Cape of Good Hope along the western coast of the continent. He has worked with U.S. Army Special Forces to reduce motorcycle deaths and holds a formal degree in adult education. In Nepal, this all matters. When things go sideways (and they will, in small ways at minimum), you want someone who has seen it before, managed it before, and stayed calm before.
There are very few spots.
There is one window each year.
Upper Mustang’s riding season is short. Bret’s groups are deliberately small. Most tours sell out months before departure. If you’ve been thinking about Nepal — this is the moment to stop thinking.
Questions about whether this tour is right for you?
Email Bret directly. He will give you an honest answer.