Photo: ingaklas / Pixabay

Upper Mustang

The walled city of Lo Manthang and the hidden kingdom beyond the Himalaya.

Region: Gandaki Province, Mustang
Best time to visit: Spring to autumn; the region sits in the Himalayan rain shadow
Getting there: Fly or drive to Jomsom, then continue north by trek or 4WD road to Lo Manthang, about 50 km away.
Permits and entry: Restricted area permit: $50 per day (changed from $500 for 10 days in November 2025). Licensed guide and registered agency required. ACAP fee also applies.

Upper Mustang feels like another world: red cliffs, wind-carved canyons and whitewashed villages in a high desert beyond the Himalaya. The region was closed to outsiders until 1992.

Lo Manthang

The walled city of Lo Manthang, at about 3,800 metres, was founded in 1380. The Kingdom of Lo lasted until 2008. Inside its six-metre earthen wall you will find the 15th-century Jampa and Thubchen monasteries and the 18th-century Choede monastery. Lo Manthang has been on UNESCO’s Tentative List since 2008.

What changed for 2026

The permit used to cost $500 for ten days, which kept many people away. Since the Cabinet decision in November 2025, it costs $50 per day. You still need a licensed guide and a registered agency, and solo trekkers can now get a restricted-area permit too.