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Hotel Karma Inn after a fresh snowfall, prayer flags and snowy peaks in the morning sun, Samar, Upper Mustang

Samar‑3 · Varagung Muktichhetra · Mustang, Nepal

Sleep above the clouds.

A family‑run lodge at 3,660 metres on the old salt road to Lo Manthang. Wood‑warm rooms, dal bhat that tastes like home, and a courtyard where the wind plays the prayer flags all night.

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0metres above sea level
0★ on Google · 67 reviews
0km beyond Kagbeni, into Upper Mustang

Namaste · Tashi Delek

A stone house in the wind‑carved valley, kept by one family.

Samar is the first real village after the Upper Mustang checkpoint: a cluster of whitewashed houses, poplar trees and prayer walls tucked into a fold of the Kali Gandaki gorge. Karma Inn sits right on the road, so trekkers, jeep travellers and motorcyclists rolling toward Lo Manthang or the Korala border stop here to breathe, eat and sleep before the high passes.

It is run by a local family — hosted by Gopal and his team — who will fix your flat tyre, pack you a breakfast at dawn, and tell you honestly where to buy things cheaper. That is the kind of hospitality guests keep writing about.

  • Clean, wood‑panelled rooms with thick blankets
  • Dining hall with a stove, big windows and Himalayan views
  • Dal bhat, thukpa, momo, Tibetan bread — meat on pre‑order
  • Safe parking for jeeps and motorbikes
  • Local organic goods: dhupi incense, pickles, high‑altitude herbs
Stone wall of Karma Inn lined with stacked firewood, potted flowers and prayer flags
The wood‑stacked wall that keeps the stove going all winter.
Wind‑carved cliffs and the Kali Gandaki valley near Samar
The view from the road, minutes from the door.
Row of copper prayer wheels beside the inn
Spin the wheels on your way in — it is tradition.

Stay

Rooms built for cold nights and bright mornings.

Every room is lined in warm timber, with clean bedding, heavy blankets and windows that open onto the mountains. Hot water is available, and the dining hall stove is the heart of the house after dark.

Standard twin room: two single beds with red cushions, a big curtained window and a Tibetan rugMost popular

Standard Twin

Two comfortable single beds, wood‑panelled walls, a big window and thick Himalayan blankets. Ideal for trekking partners.

  • 2 guests
  • Mountain view
  • Hot shower
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Double room: a wide bed with a red runner beside tall, light-filled windows

Double with Valley View

A wide bed under the eaves, prayer flags at the window and the whole Kali Gandaki gorge turning gold at sunrise.

  • 2 guests
  • Sunrise side
  • Hot shower
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Family room with three beds, warm blankets and a Tibetan rug

Family / Group Room

Three to four beds in one warm room, perfect for families, riding groups and trekking teams travelling together.

  • 3–4 guests
  • Shared or attached bath
  • Extra blankets
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Rates depend on season and group size and are quoted on your confirmation call. Meals are served in the dining hall; breakfast can be packed for early departures.

Dine

Food that guests rate ten out of ten.

The kitchen cooks what the valley grows and what the family has always eaten: unlimited dal bhat with seasonal greens, hand‑pulled thukpa, steaming momo, Tibetan bread with honey, and Mustang apple everything. Ask a day ahead and there will be mutton or chicken; ask in the morning and there will be a packed breakfast in your hand before the sun clears the ridge.

Thakali dal bhat setrefill until you are full
Thukpa · Thenthukhot noodle soups
Momo · Fried rice · Chowmeinveg or meat*
Tibetan bread · Omelette · Porridgebreakfast
Butter tea · Masala chai · Apple ciderdrinks

*Meat is prepared on pre‑order. Please tell us when you call.

From our land to your table

Local organic products sold at the inn: dhupi (juniper incense), Mustang pickle, dried fenugreek greens, and rare high‑altitude flowers and herbs — small packets from NPR 100 to 300, made by the village.

Thakali dal bhat thali with curry, pickle and greens
Bowl of hot thukpa noodle soup on the dining table
Guests relaxing in the sunlit dining hall
Plated dinner with vegetables and rice

The journey

Getting to Samar.

Samar lies on the main Upper Mustang road between Chele and Syangboche, roughly 25 km north of Kagbeni. It is a natural first night for anyone heading up to Lo Manthang, and a favourite lunch stop for jeeps coming down.

  1. Pokhara → Jomsom20‑minute flight, or a full day by road along the Kali Gandaki.
  2. Jomsom → Kagbeni10 km. The Upper Mustang checkpoint is here — have your permits ready.
  3. Kagbeni → Chele → SamarAround 25 km of dramatic gorge road; 1.5–2.5 h by jeep, a long day on foot.
  4. Samar → Lo ManthangRoughly 50 km onward through Syangboche, Ghami and Tsarang.
Permits. Upper Mustang is a restricted area: foreign visitors need the Upper Mustang Restricted Area Permit (issued through a registered trekking agency, minimum two trekkers) plus the ACAP entry permit. Check the current fees before you travel.
Hotel Karma Inn road sign
Hotel Karma Inn Varagung Muktichhetra, Samar‑3
Mustang, Gandaki Province, Nepal Open in Google Maps

Guests

Words from the guest book.

“If you're planning a trip to Upper Mustang and are looking for a place to stay, I really recommend this hotel. Incredibly friendly staff and the food is a solid ten out of ten.”

Trekker · Google review

“Unforgettable. The owner helped us get our car tyre repaired, and the rooms and the food were good.”

Road tripper · Google review

“We only stopped for lunch — the food was absolutely delicious. When we asked about buying products they honestly told us where it was cheaper. Small, genuine gestures.”

Jeep traveller · Google review

“Clean, well‑kept rooms, a welcoming atmosphere and a perfect stopover on the way to the Korala border.”

Motorcyclist · Google review

4.7★★★★★from 67 Google reviews

Request a room

No cards. No deposits. Just a phone call.

We are a small lodge in a place where the internet comes and goes, so we keep booking human. Send us your details and we will email you our two phone numbers. A short call with the family confirms your room, your dates and your dinner.

  1. 1
    Tell us who you are

    Full name, email, phone and your dates.

  2. 2
    Check your email

    We email you your booking reference and our two phone numbers.

  3. 3
    Call us to confirm

    Call either number, mention your reference, and we confirm availability on the spot.

Guests
2 guests
Room

We only use your details to arrange your stay. No payment is ever taken online.

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