Mustang region
Upper Mustang Trek
Fourteen days behind the Himalaya to the walled city of Lo
The trek
Overview
Upper Mustang is a piece of the Tibetan plateau inside Nepal: a high desert of wind-carved canyons, whitewashed villages and cliff faces drilled with ancient caves, closed to outsiders until 1992. You walk the old salt route up the Kali Gandaki to Lo Manthang, the walled capital of the former Kingdom of Lo, and return through the red cliffs of Drakmar.
Because the whole region sits in the rain shadow of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri, it gets a fraction of the rain that soaks the rest of Nepal — which makes this the trek for June to September, when every other trail drips. Spring adds the masked dances of the Tiji festival in Lo Manthang's main square.
Restricted-area rules apply: a minimum of two trekkers with a licensed guide, and a US$500 permit that funds conservation and keeps visitor numbers low — both are built into our price. The walking is moderate, topping out at 4,010 m, but budget energy for the wind, dust and fierce sun of the high desert.
Highlights
- Two nights inside Lo Manthang, the walled capital of the former Kingdom of Lo
- The sky caves of Chhoser — a five-storey village dug into the cliff face
- 15th-century murals in the Thubchen and Jampa gompas
- Drakmar's red cliffs and Ghar Gompa, founded in the 8th century
- A genuine monsoon trek — the rain shadow keeps June to September dry
- The flight into Jomsom, threading the world's deepest gorge
Trip facts
- Group size
- 2–10 trekkers
- Meals
- All meals on trek; breakfasts in Kathmandu and Pokhara
- Accommodation
- Lodges on trail; 3-star hotels in Kathmandu and Pokhara
- Transport
- Kathmandu–Pokhara–Jomsom return flights and airport transfers
Itinerary
Day by day
Meet your trek leader at Tribhuvan airport and transfer to your hotel. At the evening briefing we collect your passport for the restricted-area permit — it comes back to you before you fly west.
1,400 m
Cost
What it costs
Group prices
| Group size | Price per person |
|---|---|
| 1 trekker | US$ 2,150 |
| 2–4 trekkers | US$ 1,895 |
| 5–8 trekkers | US$ 1,840 |
| 9+ trekkers | US$ 1,795 |
What's included
- Airport and hotel transfers by private vehicle
- 1 night 3-star hotel in Kathmandu and 1 night in Pokhara, with breakfast
- Kathmandu–Pokhara and Pokhara–Jomsom return flights
- Lodge accommodation for all nights on trek
- All meals on trek (breakfast, lunch, dinner) with tea or coffee
- Licensed, English-speaking guide (mandatory in the restricted area)
- One porter between two trekkers (max 18 kg shared load)
- Upper Mustang Restricted Area Permit (US$500) and ACAP
- Local jeep for the Chhoser sky-caves excursion
- First-aid kit and pulse oximeter checks above 3,000 m
- NTP duffel bag, route map and trek completion certificate
Not included
- International flights and Nepal entry visa
- Travel insurance with helicopter evacuation cover (mandatory)
- Lunches and dinners in Kathmandu and Pokhara
- Monastery and cave entry donations (budget US$15–20 total)
- Drinks, snacks, hot showers and device charging on trek
- Tips for guide and porters
Optional add-ons
Private porter
Your own porter for the full trek (max 18 kg)
US$ 220
per person
Riding horse with handler
A sure-footed local horse for the full trek — the traditional way to travel in Lo
US$ 390
per person
Single room supplement
Private rooms in the hotels and in lodges where available
US$ 280
per person
Sleeping bag & down jacket rental
Four-season bag and down jacket for the full trip
US$ 40
per person
Extra night in Kathmandu
3-star hotel with breakfast, before or after the trek
US$ 45
per room per night
Route map
The route
Detailed route map in production — every itinerary stage above is GPS-logged.
Dates & availability
Departures
| Start | End | Price | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Sep 2026 | 2 Oct 2026 | US$ 1,895 | Guaranteed |
| 3 Oct 2026 | 16 Oct 2026 | US$ 1,895 | 2 spots left |
| 17 Oct 2026 | 30 Oct 2026 | US$ 1,895 | Open |
| 31 Oct 2026 | 13 Nov 2026 | US$ 1,895 | Open |
| 13 Mar 2027 | 26 Mar 2027 | US$ 1,895 | Open |
| 27 Mar 2027 | 9 Apr 2027 | US$ 1,895 | Guaranteed |
| 10 Apr 2027 | 23 Apr 2027 | US$ 1,895 | Open |
| 24 Apr 2027 | 7 May 2027 | US$ 1,895 | Open |
- Guaranteed
19 Sep 2026 – 2 Oct 2026
US$ 1,895
- 2 spots left
3 Oct 2026 – 16 Oct 2026
US$ 1,895
- Open
17 Oct 2026 – 30 Oct 2026
US$ 1,895
- Open
31 Oct 2026 – 13 Nov 2026
US$ 1,895
- Open
13 Mar 2027 – 26 Mar 2027
US$ 1,895
- Guaranteed
27 Mar 2027 – 9 Apr 2027
US$ 1,895
- Open
10 Apr 2027 – 23 Apr 2027
US$ 1,895
- Open
24 Apr 2027 – 7 May 2027
US$ 1,895
Every departure runs with a minimum of 2 trekkers — or book it as a private trip.
Before you go
Essential information
Permits
Upper Mustang Restricted Area Permit
US$500 for the first 10 days, then US$50/day — our route fits the 10-day window exactly; included in the trip price
US$ 500
Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP)
NPR 3,000 — included; no TIMS card is needed for restricted areas
US$ 23
Permits are included in the trip price.
Best seasons
Departure dates above keep to these windows.
FAQs
Questions, answered
Trusted by trekkers
Walked with us
4.9
out of 5, average rating
111
traveler reviews
15
years in the Himalaya
“We trekked in June, when the rest of Nepal sits under cloud, and Mustang's rain shadow gave us two dry weeks of wind-carved canyons and cave monasteries. Lo Manthang is extraordinary — a walled city where the day still runs to monastery time. Our guide translated conversations with horsemen and monastery keepers we could never have had alone. It is more expedition than trek: long dusty days, simple lodges, and a landscape like nowhere else in the country. Exactly why we went.”
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