3 / 5 - 2 reviews
How to get there
6 hours' walk from Muktinath or a 30-minute flight from Pokhara
When to go
In October/November or in April/May
Minimum stay
Less than a day
Jomsom (Nepal)
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Doug Letterman
Practical information on Jomsom
Reviews of Jomsom
Jomosom is located in the Mustang district with an altitude of nearly 9200 feet. The village is sprawled out over both banks of the Kali Gandaki river.
My suggestion:
I liked my visit to Jomosom, but it's not generally a place you stay in for very long before moving on. If you plan on taking the plane from here to Pokhara, add time to your journey because the area suffers an unstable climate and the plane won't risk taking off under bad weather conditions.
My review
Jomosom is an administrative and commercial centre which creates a stronger link between the government and the Thakalis, the ethnolinguistic habitants originating from the Mustang and Dhaulagiri regions. A company of the Nepalese army is also posted here.
Like everywhere in Nepal, you will always be welcomed with a warm smile. All the same, I only passed through Jomosom, because when you get there you're at the beginning of the moutain trails, and all you want to do is keep going The Annapurnas mountain range thrusts out to the right while the Dhaulagiri rises to the other side. There's only one way to go from here: into the mountains!
Bear in mind that the trail through the Annapurnas is the most busy during the touristic season. 35,000 travellers visit each year. We went in February so for the most part we had the time and space and beauty to ourselves, but at that time of year you do have to take your winter wardrobe very seriously and dress to keep warm.
*Nepal after the powerful earthquakes that shook the country in April and May 2015. The country is slowly coming back to its feet. This article was written before the disaster struck.
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Jean-Marie Hullot
Town in the district of Mustang, elevation 2,800 metres and stop-off for various treks.
My suggestion:
Those who, like myself, do the hike around Annapurna during their trip to Népal may decide to end their walk at this town. Of course, I can't help but encourage you to continue towards Tatopani and beyond if you have time!
My review
I think everyone will agree that the town of Jomsom is not very pretty. Here everything is grey and concrete. You'll even find a landing strip for planes and helicopters. It's astonishing at first sight; how did a spot like this manage to develop in such pretty surroundings? Ending up here after several days' walking through incredible scenery, amid snow-capped mountain tops, forests and picturesque villages, certainly accentuates this sense of confusion. "What? No more rambling through a postcard setting???"
In short, the area isn't tops (not frightful either - let's not exaggerate), but on the other hand it is a well-appreciated stop for hikers: here you'll find a post office, internet access and numerous means of transport to get back to Pokhara, at low cost to boot. I preferred to keep walking for a few days and good job I did; the scenery changed unceasingly - magnificent!
I should add that I visited Nepal before the 2015 earthquake, so it's possible that the places have changed a lot since then.
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Doug Letterman
157 travelers' photos
