5 Things to Know About Mustang

1. Permit or no permit?

To explore Mustang, it is essential to understand the 2025 regulations: Upper Mustang, also known as the Kingdom of Lo, remains a restricted zone that requires a special permit. The Restricted Area Permit now costs 500 dollars for the first 10 days, with an additional 50 dollars per day thereafter. Following new directives, it is mandatory to travel with a registered guide or to join a local agency, as solo trekking is prohibited. To this, you must add the permit for the Annapurna Conservation Area (around 20 dollars), which is also required to access Lower Mustang, a more accessible but equally fascinating area. Itineraries vary from discovering Lo Manthang to visiting other traditional villages along the Kali Gandaki, offering versatility and authenticity. To prepare your Nepal travel adventure and fully experience the journey, put your trust in an experienced local team.

2. It is mythical because it is beautiful

Impossible to remain indifferent to the landscapes of Mustang: deep gorges, mineral valleys, and shades ranging from ochre to blue all create a grandiose setting between Tibet and the Annapurnas. Lo Manthang, a proud fortress with a unique history, physically and spiritually marks the border with Tibet. Along the way, trekkers can admire centuries-old monasteries, cave dwellings, chortens and bridges draped in prayer flags. The Tibetan Buddhist culture is preciously preserved here, blending spirituality and ancestral rites under the majestic gaze of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri guarding the horizon.

3. The Tiji Festival in Lo Manthang

A true jewel of the local calendar, the Tiji Festival brings life every spring to the fortified city of Lo Manthang at an altitude of over 3,800 metres. The 2025 edition is expected to take place in the second or third week of May. For three days, monks in brightly coloured masks and traditional costumes perform dances, songs and Buddhist ceremonies in an atmosphere filled with religious fervour and colour. This rare immersion into Tibetan mysteries attracts travellers from all over the world, curious to witness the unveiling of the great Thangka on the fortress walls and to feel the rhythm of the sacred drums.

4. Discover Michel Peissel

To speak of Mustang is inevitably to mention Michel Peissel, one of the greatest Himalayan explorers and author of definitive reference books on the region. Accepted by the king and the Khampas, his books provide the keys to a kingdom that long remained forbidden, revealing the life of nomads, the history of resistance and customs that are still alive today. His explorations contributed significantly to the fame of Mustang and its cultural preservation.

5. When to visit Mustang?

The best periods for trekking run from spring (March to May) to autumn (late September to November), when visibility and temperatures are ideal. To experience the Tiji Festival in the cool freshness and joy of spring, opt for the month of May. As for the summer, despite the monsoon raining down on other regions, Mustang and Lo Manthang benefit from a dry microclimate, ensuring peace and quiet. The region remains accessible almost all year round, outside the freezing winter months. Mustang can therefore be discovered under different lights and atmospheres, to be chosen according to your desires for adventure, celebration or solitude in the heart of the Himalayas.