Mustang Region Trekking

Upper Mustang is a restricted trans-Himalayan region on Nepal's border with Tibet — a high-altitude desert that sits in the rain shadow of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri massifs. That rain shadow is what makes it unusual: because monsoon clouds rarely cross into Mustang, it's one of the few Himalayan treks that stays walkable through the June–August wet season, when most of Nepal is under cloud.

The trek follows the Kali Gandaki valley north from Jomsom to Lo Manthang, the walled former capital of an independent Buddhist kingdom that only opened to outside visitors in 1992. Along the way, centuries-old cave monasteries are cut directly into cliff faces, and the eroded red-and-ochre badlands look more like the American Southwest than the Himalaya most people picture.

Because Upper Mustang is a government-restricted area, it requires a special permit issued only to registered trekking agencies in addition to the standard ACAP permit — your guide handles both. A typical Upper Mustang trek runs 10–14 days, usually flying between Pokhara and Jomsom to bookend the walking.

Permit costs are the main difference from other treks. Since late 2025 the Upper Mustang restricted-area permit has cost USD 50 per person per day, charged for your days inside the zone, plus the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit. A trip that spends 10 days inside therefore pays about USD 500 for this permit alone. Since March 2026 you no longer need a second trekker to get the permit, but you still need a licensed guide and a registered agency.

Mustang's dry climate changes the usual trekking calendar. Spring and autumn are clear and comfortable, and June to August is unusually good because the mountains block most monsoon rain. Winter is very cold and many lodges close. Roads now reach much of the valley, so ask how much of your route is on foot before you book, and plan a spare day because Jomsom flights often stop in the wind.