Ghami is a village in Upper Mustang at about 3,500 metres, set among red and ochre cliffs on a high, windy plateau, and it is known for having one of the longest mani walls in Nepal. The wall runs for hundreds of metres along the edge of the village, a long ridge of stones carved with prayers in Tibetan script, and travellers pass it on the left, as is the custom, spinning the prayer wheels set into its length. The effect is striking: a wall of stone and colour, stretching across a bare landscape under a deep blue sky, built over centuries by people who believed each stone carried a blessing.
Everything here is Tibetan in style. The houses are flat-roofed and whitewashed with dark window frames, stacks of firewood and dried dung lie on the rooftops, and the barley fields are small and carefully walled against the wind. Upper Mustang was an independent kingdom until the 1950s, and its capital, Lo Manthang, lies further north, behind a high wall. The old royal line continued as a symbolic office until 2008. The monasteries here belong to the Sakya and Kagyu schools, with painted walls and old statues, and the paths between villages are lined with chortens.
The track through Upper Mustang is rough and slow, and in places little more than a line across gravel and stone. It crosses streams and passes along cliff edges, with a surface that changes with the weather. A motorbike here needs a good rider, spares and patience. The wind is relentless in the afternoon, and the altitude makes engines weak and riders tired, with thin air that catches the breath. Early mornings are calm and clear, and the light on the cliffs is spectacular. Check the rules for permits and routes, which apply to everyone and are enforced.
Do not expect to buy fuel or spares in Ghami. Villages here are small, and supplies are limited and costly, so carry what you need. Teahouses offer simple food, hot tea and dal bhat, and the owners are friendly. The nights are cold even in summer, and the days can be hot, so layers are the answer. The people here depend on herding, trade and a little farming, and the season is short, so be generous and respectful. Take plenty of water, go slowly, and let the place sink in.