०७ · The walled kingdom
Upper Mustang
The old Kingdom of Lo, a high red desert behind the Annapurnas where Tibetan culture has carried on unbroken.
Lo Manthang, 3,840 m
Start
Jomsom, by air or road from Pokhara
Highest point
Around 4,200 m on the passes
Best time
May to Oct, including the monsoon. Tiji in May
Time needed
10 to 14 days
Permits
Restricted area permit, US$500 for 10 days, plus ACAP
Photograph by Patricia Sauer, CC BY-SA 4.0
The story
North of Kagbeni the Kali Gandaki valley opens into a dry, wind-carved land of red and ochre cliffs. This was the Kingdom of Lo, independent until the eighteenth century, and its kings kept their title until 2008.
Its capital, Lo Manthang, is a walled city of whitewashed houses, with monasteries painted inside with fifteenth century murals that have been carefully restored. High in the cliffs along the valley are thousands of man-made caves, some used as tombs and shrines more than two thousand years ago.
Mustang lies in the rain shadow of the Himalaya, so it can be walked through the summer monsoon when the rest of Nepal is wet.
What to see and do.
- ०१
Lo Manthang
The walled city, the royal palace from outside, and the murals of Jampa and Thubchen gompas.
- ०२
The sky caves
Cliff dwellings at Chhoser and around Ghar Gompa, some open to climb into.
- ०३
Tiji
Three days of masked dances in Lo Manthang each spring, re-enacting a deity's victory over a demon.
- ०४
Ghami and Dhakmar
The longest mani wall in Nepal and cliffs of deep red, said to be stained by a demon's blood.
Adapted from a photograph by Mohan K. Duwal, CC BY-SA 4.0
Before you go
What to know.
The restricted area permit is US$500 per person for the first 10 days, then US$50 a day. It is issued only through a registered agency, with a licensed guide.
A jeep road now reaches Lo Manthang. Good routes walk the old trails on the other side of the valley.
Days are hot and windy and nights are cold. Bring a buff and sunglasses.
Next place
Kanchenjungaकञ्चनजङ्घा