Upper Mustangमुस्ताङ

⚠ Travel Notes

• ·A restricted area permit is mandatory — currently USD 500 for the first 10 days and USD 50 per day thereafter; this must be arranged through a registered Nepali trekking agency, independent trekking is not permitted
• ·The only road access is via Jomsom and Kagbeni on a rough jeep track; flights into Jomsom are frequently cancelled due to afternoon winds, and the road itself can be cut by landslides, particularly during and just after monsoon (June–September)
• ·Altitude sickness is a real risk — Kagbeni sits at roughly 2,800m and Lo Manthang at 3,840m; the ascent is gradual enough for most trekkers but acclimatization days should be built into any itinerary
• ·Services are sparse beyond Kagbeni — teahouses exist along the main route but medical facilities are essentially absent; evacuation to Pokhara by helicopter is the only serious emergency option
• ·Chinese infrastructure investment and the expanding road network are changing supply patterns and local economies rapidly; some gompas and cave sites that were accessible in previous years may have restricted or altered access without notice
• ·Wind is severe and consistent, particularly in the afternoons between March and May; dust storms can reduce visibility and make travel unpleasant or dangerous on exposed ridgelines