Upper Mustang - The Last Forbidden Kingdom Of Nepal
Upper Mustang, the last forbidden Kingdom of Nepal is the most beautiful but restricted area of Nepal with thousands of unbelievable attractions. Upper Mustang is the paradise with dry, red, terraced and dusty land with a height exceeding 4000m. This region was preserved from the outside world until 1992. Because of this, the region is known as the most preserved area of the world with the majority of people speaking Tibetan language.
Mustang was the independent kingdom (from 15th to 17th century) which used to control the trade between Himalayas and India but at the 18th century, it was invaded by Nepal and after that Mustang became the reliance of Kingdom of Nepal.
Are you planning to explore this Last Forbidden Kingdom of Nepal? If yes, you are making the right choice. This area is bounded with hundreds of spectacular attractions. All of them include natural, ancient, cultural and spiritual values. The trekking route is even more pleasing than the destination. Some of the major attractions of Upper Mustang Trek are:
Upper Mustang Trek Attractions
- Lo Manthang (the walled capital of Kingdom of Lo)
- Hundreds of caves and monasteries
- The exceptionality of tree-less scenery
- High mountains (like Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, and Nilgiri)
- Sky burial (cutting dead body parts in small pieces and feeding to vultures)
- Kali Gandaki gorge (deepest gorge in the world)
- Flanking Tibetan border in the north
- Tibetan Buddhist shrines (Chortens, Kaanis, Prayer Walls, Stupas, etc.)
- Sandstone pillars
- Tiji (the 3 days long festival celebrated in front of King’s palace of Lo Manthang)
- 210 million-year-old ammonite fossil
- Tibetan Buddhist cultures, tradition and lifestyle of people
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Upper Mustang Trek
Above mentioned are just the glimpse of the beauty of the area. Upper Mustang Trek is considered one of the easiest treks in Nepal, looking forward to its environment, altitude, culture, weather, and climate. The maximum altitude for Upper Mustang Trek is 3,810m/12,500ft. The climate of Upper Mustang is Trans Himalayan (which is cool and semi aired with precipitation in the range of 250 to 400mm). The environment remains amazing and the wind kissing your cheeks become most pleasuring.
Upper Mustang Trek Permit
As the trek is known as the restricted area trekking in Nepal, getting the permit there is also quite glum. The required permits for Upper Mustang Trek are Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) and Restricted Area Permit (RAP). All non-Nepali require this permit for Upper Mustang Hike.
Note:
- Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) costs USD20 per person and the permit will be valid as long as the trek lasts. This permit is essential for all Annapurna region trekking and tours.
- Restricted Area Permit (RAP) is required to trek onwards Kagbeni to Upper Mustang. This Upper Mustang Trekking Permit costs USD500 per person for 10 days. And if the days exceed 10, additional USD50 per person per day is to be charged. [TIMS (Trekkers Information Management System card is not required as all the information is provided by RAP card.]
Best Time to Visit Upper Mustang
Upper Mustang Trek can be done in all the months of the year but the best time is considered to be the months of September, October, November, March, April, May, June, July, and August. Upper Mustang lies in the rain-shadowed area, so the scenario in this time is more magnificent. In December, January, and February, the temperature remains cold enough, so it can be quite problematic for the people who cannot acclimatize faster in cold season.
Upper Mustang Temperature
The temperature in day and night time of the region is shown below:
| Month | Day Temperature | Night Temperature |
| December, January, February | 0 to 5-degree centigrade(32 to 41 degree Fahrenheit) | -25 to -20 degree centigrade(-13 to -4 degree Fahrenheit) |
| March, April, May, June | 16 to 22-degree centigrade(61 to 72 degree Fahrenheit) | -6 to -2-degree centigrade(21 to 28 degree Fahrenheit) |
| July, August, September | 20 to 33-degree centigrade(68 to 73 degree Fahrenheit) | -3 to 0-degree centigrade(27 to 32 degree Fahrenheit) |
| October, November | 12 to 20-degree centigrade(54 to 68 degree Fahrenheit) | -8 to -4-degree centigrade(18 to 25 degree Fahrenheit) |
The temperature of the Upper Mustang remains fluctuating because of various factors like heavy wind, rainfall (but in very low amount), sunlight, and many more. You can choose any month to visit but you should be sure that at that time you could be able to acclimatize properly. For that, you need to have a proper itinerary, food system, accommodation, and most importantly a backpack.
Upper Mustang Trek Backpack
For the trek to Upper Mustang, the most important things that you need to carry are full sleeve shirt, ankle boots, underpants, trek pants, wristwatch, walking poles, waterproof hat, belt, thick socks, jumper, waterproof trousers, first aid kit box, sleeping bag, hyper jackets, water bottle, fleece woolen hat, gloves, flip flop, knife, toilet bag (comb, toothbrush, face wash, dental floss), passport, guidebook, trekking maps, note, and pen. The total estimated weight of the backpack is suggested to be 8000 to 9000 grams to avoid more hassle during the trek. Higher the weight, higher will be the tiredness. Upper Mustang Trek offers the camping and tea house treks, among which you can choose any according to your wishes.
Nepal Trek Adventure and Expedition provides different packages with attractive and negotiable prices for Upper Mustang Trek in Nepal. Trekking to Mustang can be done to Muktinath temple only too, which is known as the lower Mustang Trek. If you get confused about Upper Mustang Trek, Lower Mustang Trek, Upper Mustang Trek Costs, Upper Mustang Trek Itinerary, Upper Mustang Trek Permits, Upper Mustang Trek, and any other queries, you can simply email us or directly contact us on our cell.
“This is Mustang: Dream it, Dare it and Do it” – Nepal Trek Adventure
Anuja Sharma
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