Upper Mustangलोमान्थाङ
The walled former capital of the Kingdom of Lo, with a royal palace and monasteries from the 15th century.
Higher seasonal exposure: road blockages (Jun-Sep), other (Jun-Sep), cold (Dec-Feb).
Lo Manthang is the old capital of Upper Mustang and the end point of most journeys into the restricted area. It sits on a broad, windy plain at about 3,840 m, ringed by bare hills and fed by streams that water barley fields and lines of willow and poplar. Inside a single mud-brick wall stand around 150 to 200 tightly packed houses, the four-storey royal palace and several large monasteries.
Most visitors spend two or three nights here. A full day is needed for the town itself: the monasteries, the palace from outside, and the narrow lanes where livestock is still brought inside the walls at night. A second day is usually spent on side trips by pony, jeep or on foot to the cave villages of Chhoser and Garphu to the north, or to Namgyal Gompa and Tingkhar.
From Kagbeni it takes about 4-5 days to walk up through Chhusang, Ghami and Charang, or one long day by jeep from Jomsom. Within Upper Mustang it is the cultural centre, and the only place with a choice of lodges and a small market.
By tradition the town was founded in 1380 by Ame Pal, the first king of Lo, who built the wall and many of the buildings that still stand. Lo became a dependency of Nepal in the late 18th century but its kings, the Bista family, kept their title until 2008. The last king, Jigme Dorje Palbar Bista, died in 2016; the palace remains a family residence.
The monasteries are the main sights. Jampa Lhakhang, the oldest, dates from the early 15th century and is known for its mandala murals; Thubchen Gompa is a large red assembly hall from the later 15th century; Chodey Gompa is the main active monastery. Wall paintings in Jampa and Thubchen have been restored over many years with international support. The Tiji festival, three days of masked dances usually held in May, re-enacts the victory of a deity over a demon in Tibetan Buddhist tradition.
Visit the monasteries
Jampa, Thubchen and Chodey gompas are inside the walls; a ticket or donation may be asked, and photography is often not allowed inside.
Walk the lanes and wall
Wander the alleys and walk around the outside of the wall at dusk, when herds return to the town.
Ride or drive to Chhoser
A day trip north to the cliff caves of Chhoser, including the multi-storey Jhong cave, and Nyiphu gompa.
See Tiji
If you are here around May, the three-day masked dance festival in the main square is the biggest event of the year.
Forecast for 3,840 m. Conditions change fast in the mountains.
Weather data: MET Norway, licensed CC BY 4.0. A forecast, not a guarantee.
Apr-Jun, Sep-Oct
Lo Manthang has the widest choice of lodges in Upper Mustang, mostly family-run, with simple rooms and dining rooms heated in the evening.
No partner stays are listed here yet. List a property.
Reach Jomsom first, then walk north for 4-5 days via Kagbeni, Chhusang and Charang or take a jeep on the dirt road.
Nearest hub: Jomsom airport
Nearest hub: Jomsom. Times are typical ranges, not schedules, and vary with roadworks, weather and the season.
By airfrom Pokharaabout 0.3-0.6 hJomsomoften delayed or cancelled by weather
Fly Pokhara to Jomsom in about 20 minutes, then 7-10 hours north by jeep. Morning flights only, and the strip is below visual-approach minimums roughly 15 per cent of the year.
When to set off: Flights are scheduled in the early morning, when wind speeds in the gorge are lowest; keep a spare day in the plan.
By car or jeepfrom Jomsomabout 7-10 h
An unsealed jeep track runs north from Jomsom through the Kali Gandaki and over the ridges towards Lo Manthang; high-clearance vehicles are needed and river crossings and dust govern the pace. Because Upper Mustang lies in the rain shadow, the track itself stays usable through the monsoon, while the road up from Beni does not.
Road: Unsealed jeep track with river crossings; a 4WD or jeep is normally needed.
When to set off: Jeeps leave Jomsom in the morning for the run north.
By motorbikefrom Jomsomabout 7-11 hExperienced riders only
The Upper Mustang track is unsealed, sandy and stony with river crossings, and a restricted-area permit is needed; experienced riders only.
Road: Unsealed, sandy and stony jeep track with river crossings and strong afternoon winds.
When to set off: Start early; afternoon wind and dust make the valley hard going.
On footfrom Charangabout 4-6 hAbout 4-6 hours from Charang over the Lo La, or 4-5 days in total from Kagbeni across passes of roughly 3,800-4,300 m.
The last walking stage climbs over the Lo La for the first view of the walled town; most walkers take four to five days from Kagbeni.
Restricted-area permit
Lo Manthang lies in the Upper Mustang restricted area. Foreigners need the Upper Mustang restricted area permit through a registered agency and an Annapurna Conservation Area permit.
Verify before travel: permit rules and fees change. Checked 2026-10-06 against Department of Immigration: Trekking route and permit fee.
On the Upper Mustang Trek.
What this place is typically exposed to, and when. These are seasonal patterns, not a report on conditions now.
Road blockageshigh in a typical yearJun-Sep
The approach road below Jomsom is the weak link: the Beni-Tatopani-Ghasa gorge section is prone to landslide and flood blockages in the monsoon, while it is generally straightforward from about October to May.
Otherhigh in a typical yearJun-Sep
Monsoon cloud over Pokhara and the gorge frequently delays or cancels the Jomsom flight; the airstrip is below the minimum for visual approaches roughly 15 per cent of the year, so spare days matter.
Coldhigh in a typical yearDec-Feb
Winter temperatures in Upper Mustang fall to around -25 C or lower and many residents move to lower ground for the season, so Lo Manthang is cold and thinly served from December to February.
Altitudemoderate in a typical yearAll year
Lo Manthang sits at about 3,840 m, well above the roughly 2,500 m at which altitude sickness becomes common, and most itineraries go higher still. General information, not medical advice: gain height slowly (a common guideline is no more than about 300 m a day in sleeping altitude once high), learn the symptoms, descend if they get worse, see a doctor before travelling, and carry insurance that covers helicopter evacuation.
Snowmoderate in a typical yearNov-Apr
Snow can lie on the ridge passes of the Upper Mustang route between about 3,800 m and 4,200 m from late autumn into spring, slowing jeeps and walkers.
Othermoderate in a typical yearMar-Oct
The Kali Gandaki valley is known for gusty up-valley winds that build from late morning; walking and riding are much easier before midday.
Landslideslow in a typical yearJun-Sep
Upper Mustang lies in the rain shadow of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri and gets only about 250-400 mm of precipitation a year, so local landslide exposure in the monsoon is low.
Check current conditions before you travel
Roads, trails, passes and flights change with the weather and with roadworks, and nothing on this page describes conditions today. Before you set off, check the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology for weather and flood warnings, the Nepal Disaster Risk Reduction Portal for incidents, and the local authority, police or your licensed operator for road, trail and flight status.
A network of high and mid-hill routes about 1,700 km long that crosses Nepal from Kanchenjunga in the east to Humla and the far west, usually walked in sections, or as a through-trek of about four to five months.
A restricted-area trek north from Kagbeni through the eroded canyons of the former Kingdom of Lo to the walled town of Lo Manthang, returning via Lo Gekar and Dhakmar.
Fly or drive from Pokhara to Jomsom, then walk 4-5 days via Kagbeni, Chhusang and Charang, or take a jeep from Jomsom in roughly 7-10 hours. A restricted area permit is required.
About 3,800-3,840 m. Altitude sickness is possible, so a gradual ascent is advisable.
Tiji is a three-day masked dance festival usually held in May, with dates set by the Tibetan calendar. Check the dates for the year you travel.
No. It is inside the Upper Mustang restricted area, and the permit is issued through a registered trekking agency. Check the current guide and group rules.
Trek stop · 3,560 m
A large Upper Mustang village on the edge of a canyon, with an old fort-palace and a red Sakya monastery.
Trek stop · 2,980 m
A farming village of three hamlets beneath red cave-riddled cliffs, usually the first night inside Upper Mustang.
Trek stop · 3,520 m
A large whitewashed village in Upper Mustang, below eroded cliffs and next to a long mani wall of carved prayer stones.
Trek stop · 3,660 m
A small village in poplar groves above the Kali Gandaki, on the climb from Chele towards Ghami in Upper Mustang.
Valley or region
The old Kingdom of Lo: a dry, wind-carved valley of cave cliffs, red monasteries and walled villages north of Kagbeni.
Town or village · 2,804 m
A medieval mud-brick village at the confluence of two rivers, the gateway between Lower and Upper Mustang.
Town or village · 2,743 m
Mustang's headquarters and airstrip town on the Kali Gandaki, under the walls of Nilgiri and Dhaulagiri.
