Muktinath (3,760m) is both the spiritual and practical culmination of the Annapurna Circuit crossing. After the long descent from Thorong La, the sight of the whitewashed temple complex amid trees and flowing water feels miraculous. The Muktinath Temple — properly the Jwala Devi temple — is a simple pagoda in a sacred grove fed by 108 sacred water spouts in the shape of cow's heads. Pilgrims bathe under all 108 spouts in sequence, even in the freezing temperatures of early morning. A smaller building nearby contains the natural gas flame that burns beside running water — the geological curiosity that made this a sacred site in the first place.
The town around the temple has grown into a significant trekking hub, with numerous guesthouses and restaurants serving both the circuit trekkers arriving from Thorong La and those coming up from Lower Mustang on jeep roads. The views north into the desert Mustang plateau are striking — brown hills, white stupas, and the improbably blue sky of the rain shadow. Most trekkers descend from here into the Kali Gandaki valley towards Jomsom.
Muktinath is also accessible by jeep from Jomsom, which makes it possible to visit without trekking the full circuit. This is how most Hindu pilgrims arrive — the road was extended to Muktinath in 2018, opening what had been a remote high-altitude sanctuary to vehicle traffic.