Upper Mustang
Nepal's last forbidden kingdom — a hidden Trans-Himalayan world of desert canyons, medieval walled cities, and living Tibetan Buddhist culture.
Trails
1
Best Season
May-October (rain-shadow area — ideal during monsoon)
Best visited in autumn and spring.autumn: best, -6°C to 15°C. Clear skies over the Tibetan plateau. Barley harvest. Wind-eroded cliffs are dramatic. Ancient caves and monasteries. monsoon: good, 5°C to 22°C. Rain shadow keeps Upper Mustang dry while rest of Nepal floods. One of Nepal's few monsoon-trekking options. spring: best, -3°C to 18°C. Tiji festival in Lo Manthang. The arid landscape is warming up. Permit required — limits visitor numbers. winter: possible, -15°C to 8°C. Accessible but bitterly cold and windy. Lo Manthang feels like a time capsule. The medieval city is hauntingly beautiful.
Best Time to Visit
Tiji festival in Lo Manthang. The arid landscape is warming up. Permit required — limits visitor numbers.
How to Get There
Fly from Pokhara to Jomsom (20 minutes) or trek/drive from Beni via Kali Gandaki. Kagbeni is the gateway checkpoint to Upper Mustang.
Permit Information
Upper Mustang restricted area permit: USD 500 for 10 days (USD 50/day extra), ACAP permit (NPR 3,000), TIMS card. Licensed agency required, minimum 2 persons.
Upper Mustang is a restricted region in the far north of the Annapurna district, a Trans-Himalayan landscape that was closed to foreigners until 1992 and remains one of Nepal's most culturally preserved areas. The former Kingdom of Lo, with its walled capital at Lo Manthang (3,840m), maintains a way of life rooted in Tibetan Buddhism that has changed little over centuries.
The landscape is unlike anywhere else in Nepal — arid, wind-swept desert canyons with eroded red and ochre cliffs, more reminiscent of the American Southwest than the green valleys typically associated with the Himalayas. Ancient sky caves discovered in the cliff faces contain burial sites and paintings dating back millennia.
The rain-shadow location behind the Himalayan crest means Upper Mustang receives very little monsoon rain, making it one of the few trekking destinations in Nepal that is ideal during June-August when most treks are closed. The high permit fee (USD 500) keeps visitor numbers low, preserving the extraordinary cultural integrity.
Trails in Upper Mustang
- ★Upper Mustang Trek170 km14 days→