Are ATMs Available on Muktinath Route?
ATMs are available in Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Jomsom. There is NO ATM at Muktinath or Ranipauwa. We recommend carrying sufficient cash for personal expenses, although our all-inclusive packages cover most costs.
ATM Locations Along the Muktinath Route
Kathmandu has the highest density of ATMs in Nepal. International card-compatible ATMs (Visa/Mastercard) are concentrated in Thamel, New Road, Lazimpat, and near the airport. Major banks with reliable ATM networks include Nabil Bank, Himalayan Bank, Standard Chartered Nepal, Nepal Investment Bank, and Rastriya Banijya Bank. Most Kathmandu ATMs dispense up to INR 31,250 equivalent per transaction and INR 62,500 equivalent per day depending on your home bank's international withdrawal limit.
Pokhara is the second ATM hub. Lakeside (Baidam) and Chipledhunga have clusters of ATMs from Nepal SBI Bank, Machhapuchhre Bank, Kumari Bank, and NMB Bank. ATMs near the Pokhara airport (Pokhara Regional International Airport) are also reliable. If you are flying directly from Kathmandu to Jomsom without a Pokhara layover, withdraw in Kathmandu. If your itinerary includes a Pokhara stopover, use the Lakeside ATMs for a final top-up before the Jomsom flight.
Beyond Pokhara, ATM access shrinks drastically. There are no ATMs at Tatopani, Ghasa, Marpha, or any intermediate point on the Kali Gandaki route. The entire Mustang district north of Beni has limited banking infrastructure. Plan your entire Mustang cash requirement before leaving Pokhara.
Banks in Jomsom: Your Last Reliable Withdrawal Point
Jomsom (2,720m), the district headquarters of Mustang, has two bank branches with ATM facilities. Nepal Bank Limited (NBL) maintains a branch at Jomsom Bazaar on the main street, approximately 200 metres from the Jomsom airport. NBL ATMs accept Visa and Mastercard international cards and have been functional continuously since the branch opened in 2018. Rastriya Banijya Bank (RBB) has a second branch in Jomsom with a similar ATM, located slightly further south toward the army checkpoint.
Practical caveat: ATMs in Jomsom are sometimes out of cash, especially on weekends and after major flight days when many tourists arrive simultaneously. The ATMs are restocked via the weekly supply flight from Pokhara. If demand exceeds supply between restockings, the machines run dry. Do not arrive in Jomsom assuming you can withdraw. Withdraw first in Pokhara and treat Jomsom as a backup option only.
Transaction limits at Jomsom ATMs are lower than in Kathmandu. Typically INR 21,875 equivalent per transaction. If you need a larger amount, you can make two consecutive transactions with a short wait between them. Your Indian bank will count each transaction toward your international ATM withdrawal fee (typically INR 125 per withdrawal + currency conversion markup of 2–3.5%), so consolidate your withdrawals into one or two larger pulls rather than multiple small ones.
No ATM at Ranipauwa or Muktinath Temple
Ranipauwa, the village immediately below Muktinath temple at approximately 3,670m, has no ATM and no formal bank branch. The same is true of Jharkot (3,566m) and Kagbeni (2,810m). All settlements north of Jomsom on the Muktinath approach are cash-only economies. This is not a temporary gap in infrastructure; it reflects the reality that VSAT-dependent banking systems are commercially unviable in settlements with fewer than 500 permanent residents.
The Muktinath temple trust does not operate a digital payment terminal. Puja seva fees, donation to the temple fund, and purchase of puja samagri from vendors outside the temple gate are all cash-only. The horse ride operators at Ranipauwa, the doli service providers, and the lodges along the upper section of the approach are uniformly cash-only businesses.
For pilgrims arriving by helicopter who do not pass through Jomsom, the absence of ATMs is even more critical. There is literally no opportunity to withdraw between Kathmandu or Pokhara and Muktinath. Helicopter passengers must carry all their Muktinath cash from their origin city.
Mobile Banking Growth and Its Current Limitations in Mustang
Nepal's banking sector has undergone a dramatic shift toward digital transactions. Nepal Rastra Bank's Payment Oversight Report 2023/24 recorded 20.9 million mobile banking users. Approximately 66% of Nepal's adult population. And mobile banking transaction volume crossing INR 3.1 trillion equivalent in the fiscal year. ESewa, Khalti, and IME Pay are the three dominant mobile wallets. This growth is real and significant in Kathmandu, Pokhara, Biratnagar, and other urban centres.
However, mobile banking adoption in Mustang district lags far behind the national average. The same NRB data shows that transaction density correlates strongly with urban connectivity. In Gharapjhong Rural Municipality (which includes Muktinath), the combination of low permanent population, unreliable mobile data, and a predominantly cash-based local economy means digital payments have not taken hold. The handful of hotels in Ranipauwa that have attempted QR-payment boards have found that network dropouts during peak temple hours (6–9 AM) make them unreliable for actual transactions.
Indian visitors specifically face an additional barrier: eSewa and Khalti require a Nepali bank account or Nepali SIM for KYC registration. Indian UPI apps (PhonePe, Google Pay, Paytm) are not yet interoperable with Nepal's NCHL QR payment infrastructure as of early 2026. There have been MOU-level discussions between NPCI and NRB on bilateral UPI integration, but commercial deployment. Especially in remote mountain areas. Is not expected before 2027.
Withdrawal Limits and Card Acceptance in Detail
International Visa and Mastercard debit cards from Indian banks work at most Kathmandu and Pokhara ATMs. The per-transaction withdrawal limit is set by the Nepali bank's ATM system (typically INR 21,875–31,250 equivalent) and may be further restricted by your Indian bank's international daily limit (SBI: USD 500/day, HDFC: USD 1,000/day, ICICI: USD 2,000/day. Convert these to local currency to approximate the cap). RuPay cards issued by Indian banks have limited acceptance in Nepal. NTC ATMs and some Nepal Bank ATMs accept RuPay, but coverage is not universal. Confirm with your bank before travel.
Credit cards (Visa/Mastercard) are accepted for payment at 4-star and 5-star hotels in Kathmandu and Pokhara. In Jomsom, two or three hotels accept card payment at the front desk via portable POS terminals, but expect connectivity-related failures. No credit card payment facility exists anywhere between Kagbeni and Ranipauwa. American Express cards have virtually no acceptance outside Kathmandu's luxury hotel segment.
Forex cards (multi-currency travel cards) issued by Indian banks such as Thomas Cook, HDFC Forex, or BookMyForex load in USD or EUR and convert to local Nepali currency at the prevailing forex rate. Not the NRB pegged rate. This means forex cards give you a slightly worse rate than withdrawing INR and converting at a licensed money changer. For Nepal travel, Indian debit cards withdrawing local currency directly are more cost-efficient than forex cards.
How Much Cash to Carry for Different Trip Durations
For all-inclusive packages (meals, hotel, transport, and ACAP permit already covered), the personal cash requirement is modest. For a 1-day helicopter darshan: INR 1,250–1,875 (puja offerings, horse ride, tips). For a 4-day flight package: INR 3,125–5,000 (same categories plus small souvenirs). For a 7-day package including Pokhara sightseeing: INR 6,250–9,375 (adds boat hire, shopping, additional temple donations at Pashupatinath).
For do-it-yourself travelers who are not on an all-inclusive package, budget significantly higher. Hotel in Ranipauwa: INR 940–1,875 per night for a basic double. Meals in Ranipauwa: INR 250–438 per meal. Jeep hire Jomsom to Ranipauwa (shared): INR 315–438 per person. ACAP permit: INR 1,875 per person (payable at the ACAP checkpost in Jomsom. Cash only). Horse ride one-way: INR 500–750. Allow INR 15,625–21,875 for a 3-day independent Jomsom-Muktinath-Jomsom trip not including domestic flights.
A common mistake is underestimating puja costs. At Muktinath, the temple trust offers various seva options: simple darshan (free), individual archana (INR 125–315), puja with priest (INR 625–1,250), and special abhishek (INR 3,125+). Pilgrims completing the 108 Mukti Dhara ritual often donate small amounts at the main donation box. If you plan to purchase Shaligram stones from riverside vendors near Kagbeni, budget INR 315–3,125 depending on size and quality. Carry more than you think you need. There are no ATMs to bail you out once you pass Jomsom.
References & Sources
- Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB). Payment and Settlement Oversight Report 2023/24
- Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB). NRB Licensed Bank Branch and ATM Directory
- Nepal Bank Limited (NBL). Nepal Bank Limited – Branch Network and ATM Locator
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