Cross north of the Annapurna massif and the world changes. The clouds drop behind you, the air dries, and the land turns red and ochre — Upper Mustang is a slice of the Tibetan plateau still inside Nepal’s borders.
The Forbidden Kingdom
Mustang was closed to outsiders until 1992 and still requires a special restricted-area permit (USD 500 for 10 days at the time of writing). The capital, Lo Manthang, is a walled medieval city of white-washed houses, royal palace and gompas with 600-year-old murals.
How to Get There
Fly from Pokhara to Jomsom, then trek or 4WD up the Kali Gandaki gorge. Most itineraries take 8–10 days. The best season is May–October — winter closes everything down.
