Marpha's main street is paved with flat stones and lined on both sides by two-storey whitewashed houses with wooden windows and flat roofs piled with firewood. A covered water channel runs down the middle, and every few metres a doorway opens into a courtyard where apricots or apples are drying in the sun. Above the village, prayer flags snap on the roof of the Nyingma monastery, and behind it cliffs rise towards Nilgiri.
The village owes its fame to a government horticulture farm set up in the 1960s, which introduced apple varieties that grow well in the dry, sunny climate of the upper Kali Gandaki. Today orchards surround Marpha and the neighbouring villages, and families turn the harvest into juice, jam, cider, dried apple rings and the local apple and apricot brandy. Harvest time, from late August to October, fills every courtyard with fruit.
Marpha is an easy addition to any Jomsom or Muktinath trip. You can walk here from Jomsom in about 1.5–2 hours along the river, drive in 20 minutes, or stop overnight on the road from Pokhara. Pilgrims often visit for an afternoon after Muktinath darshan, while trekkers on the Annapurna Circuit stay to enjoy apple pie and quieter lodges. A night here also gives a slightly lower sleeping height than Jomsom.
What to see and do
- The flagstone main street
A single paved lane runs the length of the village, with whitewashed houses, painted window frames and a stone water channel under your feet. It is car-free inside the village, so walking it in the evening light is quiet and easy.
- Apple orchards and the farm
The horticulture farm south of the village introduced apples to Mustang in the 1960s and still grows saplings and experimental varieties. Orchards line the road; in season, families sell fresh apples by the kilo from their doorsteps.
- Marpha brandy and cider
Distilleries in Marpha and nearby Tukuche produce apple and apricot brandy and cider. Many shops offer a taste before you buy, and lodges sell it by the glass. Bottles cost a few hundred rupees.
- Nyingma monastery above the village
Steps lead from the main street to the village monastery, painted red and white with a courtyard of prayer wheels. Monks are usually happy to show visitors the prayer hall. The roof gives a good view over the village and orchards.
- Apple pie and dried fruit
Every lodge serves apple pie, apple crumble and apple pancakes. Dried apple rings and apricots are sold in bags, light enough to carry home. Try apple juice pressed in the village.
- Chhairo Tibetan settlement
Across the river, 30 minutes on foot, the settlement of Chhairo has a small gompa recently restored, and carpet weaving by Tibetan families who arrived in the 1960s.
Experiences in Marpha
How to reach Marpha
Road
Marpha is on the Pokhara–Jomsom road, ≈ 6 km · 20 min south of Jomsom and ≈ 150 km · 7–8 h from Pokhara. Sharing jeeps and buses pass through, and a private jeep from Jomsom costs about NPR 2,500–3,500 one way.
Air
Fly Pokhara–Jomsom (20 min), then drive or walk down. Return flights leave Jomsom early, so stay the last night in Jomsom or leave Marpha by 6 am.
On foot
From Jomsom it is a pleasant 1.5–2 hour walk down the valley, mostly on old trails on the west bank. Start early to stay ahead of the afternoon wind blowing up the valley into your face.
Where to stay
Marpha has more than a dozen family lodges along the main street and the road, most with attached bathrooms, solar hot water and small dining rooms serving Thakali sets and apple desserts. Hotel Marpha Palace and Neeru Guest House are among the long-established options. Standards are simple but clean, comparable to good teahouses. For pilgrims who want heating and larger rooms, we usually visit Marpha in the afternoon and return to sleep at Hotel Om's Home or Shinta Mani Mustang in Jomsom, 20 minutes away. Trekkers and cyclists often prefer to stay in the village for its quieter evenings.
Tips from our trip managers
- Visit from late August to October to see the apple harvest and buy fresh fruit straight from the orchards.
- Taste before buying brandy; quality varies, and some bottles are much stronger than others.
- The village lane has steps and channels, so wheeled luggage is awkward; porters can help from the road.
- Walk clockwise around the prayer wheels and chortens, and ask before entering the monastery.
- Buy dried apples here rather than in Pokhara; they are cheaper and fresher.
