Upper Mustang Jeep Safari
A high desert road trip to the walled city of Lo Manthang - cave dwellings, Tibetan monasteries and no trekking required.
- Duration 10 days
- Region Upper Mustang
- From ₹57,999 per person
- Max altitude 4,010 m at Lo La pass
- Group size 2 - 8 travellers
- Best time Apr - Oct, including the monsoon
- Pickup Pokhara
Overview
Upper Mustang was closed to outsiders until 1992 and still requires a restricted area permit that costs five hundred US dollars per person for ten days. What that buys is a Tibetan Buddhist kingdom, physically inside Nepal, that looks and feels entirely like the plateau to the north.
Doing it by jeep rather than on foot puts Lo Manthang within reach of anyone who can sit in a vehicle on a rough road. The driving days are short, the stops are frequent, and there is walking at each site for those who want it.
This is one of the few Nepal trips that works in the monsoon: Mustang sits in the rain shadow behind the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri massifs and stays dry when the rest of the country is under water.
Destinations covered
- Pokhara
- Jomsom
- Kagbeni
- Lo Manthang
Highlights
- Lo Manthang The walled capital of the old kingdom, its palace and its four great monasteries.
- Chhoser sky caves A five storey cave complex cut into a cliff face, thousands of years old.
- Kali Gandaki gorge Driving up the deepest gorge on earth, between two eight-thousanders.
- Monsoon-proof In the rain shadow, so July and August are perfectly good months to go.
- Restricted area permit Arranged and included in the price, with the paperwork handled before you arrive.
Day by day itinerary
Day 1 – Arrive Pokhara
Meet the team, permit photographs and paperwork, and a briefing on the road ahead. Evening free at the lake.
Day 2 – Pokhara to Jomsom
Fly over the gorge in the morning, or drive the full day via Beni. Afternoon walk around Jomsom to start acclimatising.
Day 3 – Jomsom to Kagbeni and Chele
Through the permit checkpoint at Kagbeni, the gateway to Upper Mustang, and on into the restricted area proper.
Day 4 – Chele to Syangboche
Over two passes with prayer flag lines and long views back down the valley. Short walks at the viewpoints.
Day 5 – Syangboche to Lo Manthang
Over the Lo La at 4,010 m and the first sight of the walled city on the plain below.
Day 6 – Lo Manthang
Inside the walls - the royal palace, Jampa Lhakhang, Thubchen and Chodey monasteries, with an afternoon at leisure.
Day 7 – Chhoser caves and the north
Day trip to the Jhong sky caves and Nyphu monastery, close to the Tibetan border.
Day 8 – Lo Manthang to Ghami
Starting south by a different route where the road allows, past the longest mani wall in Mustang.
Day 9 – Ghami to Jomsom
The long drive back down the valley, out of the restricted area and into the apple orchards around Marpha.
Day 10 – Jomsom to Pokhara, depart
Morning flight down to the lake, then transfer onward. A hot shower and an unhurried lunch to finish.
What is included
- Upper Mustang restricted area permit, USD 500 per person for ten days
- Annapurna Conservation Area permit
- Private four wheel drive with an experienced mountain driver
- Nine nights accommodation in the best available guest houses
- All meals from day three to day nine
- English speaking guide throughout the restricted area
- Pokhara - Jomsom - Pokhara flights
- Government taxes and service charges
What is not included
- Travel and rescue insurance, which is compulsory
- Lunch on days one, two and ten
- Extra nights caused by road closure or flight cancellation
- Personal expenses, drinks and tips
Photos
Frequently asked questions
- Why is the permit so expensive?
- Upper Mustang is a restricted area and the fee is set by the Government of Nepal at USD 500 per person for ten days, with USD 50 for each extra day. It is included in our price and is non-refundable once issued.
- Do we have to trek at all?
- No. The route is driveable end to end and the walking is optional at each stop. Most people walk an hour or two a day around the sites.
- Can this run in the monsoon?
- Yes, and it is one of the reasons to choose it. Mustang is in the rain shadow, so July and August are dry and clear when the rest of Nepal is not.
- How rough is the road?
- Rough. It is unsealed, dusty and exposed in places, and the driving days feel longer than the distances suggest. If you are prone to motion sickness, bring something for it.