Upper Mustang Trek offers a new experience, unique landscapes, culture, and local traditions. It used to be a separate kingdom of Nepal until 2007, when Nepal was a monarchy. It is one of the restricted area treks in Nepal. Trekkers can trek here, having obtained a special trekking permit from the Department of Immigration. The trek continues through desert areas resembling the Tibetan Plateau and ends in the former capital city of Mustang – Lo Manthang. This is a drier part of Nepal full of beautiful landscapes, Tibetan culture, monasteries, and caves that used to serve as dwellings. Long ago, trekkers were not allowed to trek here to preserve the culture and avoid influence from tourists. The trail was opened for trekkers in October 1991. During this trip, you can also see a panoramic view of Nilgiri and a few other peaks of the Annapurna Region. Most of the trail to the Upper Mustang Trek leads through the barren landscape. This trip can be interesting for those who are interested in Tibetan culture and want to see this unbelievably magical landscape. The local inhabitants of Mustang call themselves Loba. The customs, culture, and religion of Loba do not differ from those of the native people of Tibet.
The itinerary for the Upper Mustang Trek can be customized depending on your interests and the length of your holiday. Trekkers can enjoy a few days of the trek in the Annapurna Conservation Area and get to the Upper Mustang too. Even after the ending of the Upper Mustang trek at Muktinath, and if some of you would like to take the adventure experience of doing the Thorong La Pass (5416 m), then the trek together can be combined with the Annapurna Circuit trek. It is the best trek to do in the summertime in Nepal as this part of Nepal is located in trans trans-Himalayan zone of Nepal.
Accommodation and Meals in Upper Mustang Trek
Nowadays, there are really good tea houses for your accommodation in the Upper Mustang Trek. A few years ago, there were only basic tea houses available along the trip. During one day of the trek at Yara Gaon, there is still quite a basic tea house, and in other parts of the trip, you have simple but good accommodation available in the Upper Mustang Trek. As to the other parts of the trek, Upper Mustang Trek teahouses have a wide variety of meals which you can choose from a menu card and place your order. So, for those who are planning a trip to Upper Mustang, you do not have to worry about the meals during the trek. While you are there, we advise you to try the local and organic food. Mustang is the only district of Nepal where they don't use chemical fertilizer on their farms. Wheat, buckwheat, and barley are the common crops that can grow in Upper Mustang of Nepal. Seasonal vegetables like lettuce, spinach, cabbage, cauliflower, carrot, radish, potato, tomato, etc, are the main vegetables we can get in Upper Mustang. Besides this, there are also local apples, apricots, and pears are the common fruits we can find in the Upper Mustang area. Trying these local products is healthy as they are completely away from chemicals.
Internet Access and Mobile Network in the Upper Mustang Trek
The internet and mobile phone network are available during most of the part of the trek in Upper Mustang. Most of the hotels in the Mustang region have WIFI, and you can connect with them by paying certain charges and getting connected to the Internet. While choosing the local SIM card for the Upper Mustang Trek then we advise taking the Nepal Telecom SIM card as this operator has better connection. Tanbe is the place where you wouldn't have access to a mobile phone until you are closer to Chusang or Tetang after the Pa La Pass (4183 m)
