Kagbeni to Ghami

 

We are told that we shouldn’t try to ride the whole route today as the first climb is ‘brutal’. That was enough to put the willies up us all so we jump into the wagons for the first section which will drop us about 3/4 of the way up the bad-ass climb. Seeing it from the comfort of the back seat of the Hilux, that was some very sound advice. 

The Mahindra suffers a rear wheel puncture part way up and the support crew change in a few minutes. I get a look at the gash in the threadbare tyre and it looks terminal to me. But they will patch it up and run it again. 

We cross the final checkpoint into upper mustang at Chhusang where our permits are checked. It cost us as tourists $500 for a 10 day entry to this area though I believe this is now reduced to 50 per day. We are promised ‘rough roads’ from here on. God help us. 

The scenery gets even more stunning which is a pretty big ask. Seems that all the mountains in this area a made of compacted gravel and the stones are smooth and round, like they have been on a shore or river bed. The monsoon rains cause terrific erosion with landslides and canyons forming easily.  The roads are washed away all the time. No wonder they are so crap. 

 We eventually get to ride our bikes the last 31k of the day and climb up and up and up to cross our first 4000m pass. Then a bone shaking descent to the valley floor and then repeat it all again before arriving in Ghami.