Plan my trek
Plan my trek
About 4,280 m (Chogo La)
About 14 days from Kathmandu
Moderate, long exposed days
Kagbeni, via Jomsom
US$50 a day + ACAP
Mar–May, Sep–Oct
The Upper Mustang trek is a roughly two-week walk from Kagbeni to the walled town of Lo Manthang, near Nepal’s border with Tibet. Expect moderate walking, a high point of about 4,280 m, dry and windy conditions, and a permit that costs US$50 a day. A dirt road now runs through the region, so the quality of your trip depends heavily on your route.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Duration | 10 days walking from Kagbeni, about 14 days from Kathmandu |
| Distance | Roughly 150 km, depending on route |
| Highest point | About 4,280 m (Chogo La) |
| Lo Manthang | About 3,840 m |
| Difficulty | Moderate, with long, exposed days |
| Permits | US$50 a day, plus ACAP at NPR 3,000 |
| Guide | Licensed guide required |
| Typical cost | About US$1,600–2,000 for a guided trek, excluding international flights |
| Best time | March–May and September–October |
Yes, it’s still worth walking, if you choose a route that leaves the road where it can. A 4×4 track now reaches the Chinese border, and parts of the classic western route share ground with it. You’ll meet dust and jeeps on those stretches.
The reasons to go haven’t changed: Tibetan Buddhist villages, red and ochre cliffs, cave complexes and fifteenth-century monasteries in Lo Manthang. Upper Mustang only opened to foreign visitors in 1992, and it’s still managed as a restricted area.
It suits you if culture and landscape matter more to you than close-up views of big peaks. It’s a poor fit if you want Everest-style mountain scenery, a road-free walk the whole way, or the cheapest trek in Nepal.
The classic trip takes about 14 days from Kathmandu, with about 10 of them in the restricted zone. Walking days usually run five to seven hours, though a few are shorter. Altitudes vary slightly between sources, so treat them as approximate.
| Day | Route | Overnight altitude |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kathmandu to Pokhara | 820 m |
| 2 | Fly or drive to Jomsom, walk to Kagbeni (driving usually takes longer, so check the timing) | 2,800 m |
| 3 | Kagbeni to Chele | 3,050 m |
| 4 | Chele to Syangboche | 3,800 m |
| 5 | Syangboche to Ghami | 3,510 m |
| 6 | Ghami to Tsarang | 3,560 m |
| 7 | Tsarang to Lo Manthang | 3,840 m |
| 8 | Day in Lo Manthang, or a trip to Chhoser’s caves | 3,840 m |
| 9 | To Dhakmar via Ghar Gompa and the Chogo La (4,280 m) | 3,820 m |
| 10 | Dhakmar to Ghiling | 3,570 m |
| 11 | Ghiling to Chhusang | 2,980 m |
| 12 | Chhusang to Kagbeni and Jomsom | 2,720 m |
| 13 | Fly or drive to Pokhara | 820 m |
| 14 | Pokhara to Kathmandu | 1,350 m |
Build in spare days. Jomsom flights normally run in the morning, and strong wind or bad weather can cancel them. Regular flights were also reported suspended by Tara Air and Summit Air by 19 October 2026, with no restart date given, so ask your agency whether your plan relies on a flight at all. If you need to leave on time, ask what the backup is by road.
For more on the start of the route, read our Kagbeni and Jomsom guides.
You can’t avoid the road completely, but you can avoid a good share of it. Jeeps can now travel from Jomsom all the way to Lo Manthang, a trip of roughly 90–100 km. Horizon Guides describes the western route as the one most affected, while the eastern side has stayed quieter and more traditional.
Ask any agency these questions before you book:
A mix of walking and driving is often the better trip. It also cuts permit days, which saves US$50 a person for each day removed. Keep altitude in mind, though: driving from Kagbeni to Lo Manthang in one day is a big jump. If you’d rather ride than walk, see our guide to motorbike tours in Nepal.
Foreign trekkers need a US$50-a-day Restricted Area Permit and an Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP). The Nepal Tourism Board lists the daily fee for the Upper Mustang area. It replaced the old charge of US$500 for 10 days after a Cabinet decision in November 2025.
The new fee doesn’t save money on a full trek. Ten days in the zone still costs US$500. The real savings go to shorter trips: five days costs US$250.
| Requirement | What applies | How sure is this? |
|---|---|---|
| Restricted Area Permit | US$50 per person per day | Listed by the Nepal Tourism Board |
| ACAP | NPR 3,000, about £17 | Widely quoted; confirm when you book |
| Licensed guide | Required throughout | Consistent across operators; UK advice also requires a guide or porter in protected areas |
| Registered agency | Permit arranged through one | Consistent across operators |
| Solo trekkers | Reportedly allowed since March 2026, with a guide | Sources conflict: one operator still said in September 2026 that solo trekkers pay for two people |
| TIMS card | Probably not needed | Sources conflict: confirm with your agency |
Check that your permit has actually been issued. The Department of Immigration suspended restricted-area trekking permits for 29 to 31 October 2026 because of snowstorm and avalanche risk. When we checked on 3 November, we couldn’t find a notice saying issuing had formally resumed.
Get the permit cost in writing before you pay, especially if you’re travelling alone. Rules in Nepal can change at short notice.
A guided trek usually costs about US$1,600–2,000 a person, or roughly £1,250–£1,550. Current listings are wider, from about US$1,424 to US$3,120. International flights, Kathmandu hotels and insurance are usually extra, so check what each quote includes.
Here’s a rough budget for one person on a 14-day trek, excluding those extras:
| Item | Estimate |
|---|---|
| Restricted Area Permit, 10 days | US$500 |
| ACAP | About US$23 |
| Guide, 12 days at US$25–40 | US$300–480 |
| Food and lodging, 12 days at US$20–50 | US$240–600 |
| Pokhara–Jomsom flights, return, when they’re running (otherwise ask for a jeep price) | US$240–400 |
| Total before agency margin | About US$1,300–2,000 |
A porter adds about US$240–300 over 12 days. Sharing a guide with a friend cuts your share of that cost, but each of you still pays the full permit.
Bring enough cash. Lo Manthang has no ATM, and small monastery fees are usually paid in rupees.
It’s moderate and non-technical, but it isn’t an easy walk. The altitude is lower than on the Everest Base Camp trek, yet the days are long and exposed, with repeated climbs. One operator’s itinerary includes a day of up to 22 km.
The main challenges are:
If you can walk for six hours on consecutive days in the UK hills, you’ve got a reasonable base. Practise ascents and descents with a loaded daypack before you go.
March to May and September to October are the most reliable windows. Upper Mustang sits in a rain shadow, so it can also work from June to August, when much of Nepal is wet. The road in can still be a problem, even when the villages stay fairly dry.
| Season | What to expect |
|---|---|
| March–May | The classic spring window; Tiji festival can bring crowds around May or June |
| June–August | Drier than most of Nepal, but check road and flight conditions |
| September–October | The classic autumn window, though late-season snow and storms can happen |
| November | Colder, with some risk of snow and road disruption |
| December–February | Very cold; passes may be snowed in and accommodation may be closed |
Tiji festival: two operators list 1–3 June 2027, but neither cites an official source. Confirm the dates before you book, and reserve early.
Check the road, flight and trail status within a week of departure. Recent events show how quickly things can change:
Ask your agency for the current position, and allow spare days in case the road or flights close. Our Nepal trekking after the floods page has the wider picture for this season.
Check that your policy covers trekking to 4,300 m and helicopter rescue. UK government advice puts evacuation costs at £1,000–£2,000 or more per flying hour. Our trekking insurance guide explains what to look for.
Go slowly, and tell your guide about symptoms early. Headache, nausea or unusual tiredness are reasons to stop climbing. If they get worse, descend. UK advice also notes that all Nepali airlines are on the UK Air Safety List, so decide how you feel about internal flights. Read our Nepal trekking safety guide for more.
Most trekkers reach Pokhara first, then fly or drive to Jomsom. When it’s running, the flight takes about 25 minutes, while the road goes through Beni and the Kali Gandaki gorge and takes much longer. From Jomsom, Kagbeni is about 10 km further north, and the restricted zone starts just beyond it.
| Option | Best for | Main drawback |
|---|---|---|
| Flight to Jomsom | Saving time | Regular flights reported suspended since October 2026; wind and weather cancellations even when running |
| Jeep from Pokhara | The likely option while flights are suspended, or if you’d rather avoid flying | Long, dusty and exposed to landslides |
Choose Upper Mustang for Lo Manthang and its Tibetan culture, or Lower Mustang for a cheaper, shorter trip. Lower Mustang needs only ACAP, with no restricted area permit. Our Mustang travel guide covers Marpha, Jomsom, Kagbeni and Muktinath.
| Upper Mustang | Lower Mustang | |
|---|---|---|
| Restricted area permit | US$50 a day | Not needed |
| Main sights | Lo Manthang, caves, cliff monasteries | Marpha, Kagbeni, Muktinath |
| Time needed | About 14 days on foot | A few days |
| Road access | Jeep track, with some alternative trails | Road along most of the valley |
Expect simple family-run lodges, with fewer beds in the smaller villages. Rooms often cost about US$5–15 a night, and meals about US$3–6 each. Don’t rely on mobile signal or Wi-Fi.
Pack layers for hot sun and freezing nights. Use our trek packing checklist, and add a good buff for the dust.
Still deciding between routes? Compare other options on our Nepal trekking hub, including the Annapurna Circuit.
Related guides to read next.
The Himalayan Trek Packing Checklist
Every item you need for a teahouse trek, plus weight limits and what to rent in Kathmandu. Free and printable.
It’s moderate and non-technical. Long exposed days, wind, dust and altitude are the main challenges, with a high point of about 4,280 m.
A guided trek usually costs about US$1,600–2,000 a person, excluding international flights. The permit alone costs US$500 for 10 days.
Yes, if you want Tibetan Buddhist culture and desert scenery, and you choose a route that avoids the road where possible. Choose a different trek if your priority is a road-free walk or views of big peaks.
No. You need a licensed guide and a permit arranged by a registered agency. Solo travellers can reportedly get a permit, but they still need a guide.
Yes. Our Mustang travel guide compares trekking, jeep trips and a mix of the two. You’ll still need the same permit and a guide.
Often, yes. It gets much less rain than central Nepal, but landslides on the road and cancelled flights can still disrupt the trip.
It’s non-technical, but it carries real risks from altitude, remoteness and landslides on the road. Go with a licensed guide, keep spare days, and make sure your insurance covers helicopter rescue.
The flight from Pokhara to Jomsom takes about 25 minutes when it runs, but regular flights were reported suspended in October 2026. By road, it’s a much longer trip through Beni and the Kali Gandaki gorge, and road conditions can change quickly.
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By Govind Rai · Updated 3 November 2026The tick-box kit list for Everest Base Camp, Annapurna and every teahouse trek in Nepal.
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