Visiting Places
Gandaki
Upper Mustang
A walled Tibetan-Buddhist kingdom on the high desert plateau north of the Himalaya.
GandakiGandaki Province
Upper Mustang is a high desert plateau in the rain shadow of the Himalaya that preserves a Tibetan-Buddhist culture older than modern Nepal. The walled former capital of Lo Manthang, cave monasteries and ochre cliffs define it. A restricted-area permit and a registered guide are required to visit.
Known for
- Walled city of Lo Manthang
- Tibetan-Buddhist desert kingdom
At a glance
- Region
- Gandaki
- Province
- Gandaki
- Getting there
- Fly Pokhara–Jomsom, then trek or jeep north; a restricted-area permit and guide are mandatory.
- Best time
- Trekkable through the summer monsoon thanks to the rain shadow; May for the Tiji festival.
Things to see & do
- The walled former capital of Lo Manthang and its royal palace
- Ancient cave monasteries cut into ochre cliffs
- Trekking the rain-shadow desert that monsoon never reaches