Mustang - Once is Not Enough

Mustang is situated between the Dhaulagiri and Nilgiri mountains and covers an area of 3,573 square kilometers. It has five rural municipalities: Gharapjhong Rural Municipality, Thasang Rural Municipality, Loghekar Damodarkunda Rural Municipality, Lomanthang Rural Municipality, and Varagung Muktichhetra Rural Municipality.

Up until 1991, the Upper Mustang was prohibited for foreigners. It was partially opened for tourists in 1992. Foreign tourists have to pay 500 dollars for ten days to visit Upper Mustang, and after that, it costs an additional fifty dollars per day. 

Mustang is an important destination for studying Himalayan life, Thakali, and Bhote culture. It also has important pilgrimage sites for Hindus and Buddhists. The upper terrain has a strange landscape. Because of its cold climate, it is also called a cold desert.

Foreign tourists have called Mustang a heaven on earth. It is a must-visit destination in one's lifetime. It is not enough to go around once; one will want to go around again and again, each time gaining new knowledge and experience.

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When going on a trip, the visitor should carry a warm jacket, balaclava cap, trousers, trekking shoes, warm clothes, camera, diary, pen, handkerchief, toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, sun cream, sun hat, walking stick, water bottle, thermos, and other necessary things. Travellers should always drink lukewarm water when traveling at cold places. 

How to reach?

One can reach Pokhara from Kathmandu in seven hours by bus or car or in 25 minutes through air travel. Then it is 82 km to Benibazar from Pokhara, which takes around two hours by car. Beni to Jomsom is a 75 km stretch and approximately takes four hours by car. Alternatively, one can fly to Jomsom from Pokhara, in just around 16-minute flights. After that, Jomsom to Thini is two km and takes around ten minutes by jeep. Jomsom to Muktinath is 22 km, which takes an hour by jeep. Jomsom to Lomanthang is 86 km and takes four hours by jeep. Lomanthang to Korala border is 21 km, which takes an hour by jeep.