Upper Mustang Jeep Tour Package

Guided tour hosted by Jeep Tour Nepal

9 · Moderate · Group size max 4-9

Lo Manthang, Walled Capital

Explore the mud-brick royal city, the King's Palace, and the frescoed monasteries of Champa Lhakhang and Thubchen Gompa.

Chhoser Sky Caves

Climb into a 2,000-year-old man-made cave complex cut into vertical cliffs, once used for meditation, burial, and shelter.

Kali Gandaki Gorge

Drive between Dhaulagiri (8,167m) and Annapurna I (8,091m) through the world's deepest gorge.

Kagbeni's Medieval Lanes

Wander a centuries-old village of narrow alleys, chortens, and a monastery guarding the gateway to the restricted zone.

Ghami's Mani Wall

Walk beside the longest mani wall in Mustang, a 200-metre stretch of stones carved with Buddhist mantras.

Marpha's Apple Orchards

Stop in the whitewashed village famous across Nepal for its apple brandy and traditional Thakali architecture.

The last kingdom Nepal kept closed until 1992

Upper Mustang Tour sits in the rain shadow of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges, a high-altitude desert which looks and feels more like the Tibetan plateau than anywhere else in Nepal. Foreigners were barred from entering the region until 1992, and it remains a restricted area today, which is exactly why it still feels untouched. Whitewashed monasteries, wind-carved sky caves, and a walled royal capital sit among canyons of red and ochre rock.

A jeep tour follows the Kali Gandaki Gorge, the deepest gorge on earth, north from Jomsom through Kagbeni, Chele, Syangboche, and Ghami before climbing onto the high plateau to Lo Manthang, former capital of the Kingdom of Lo. Because the route is driven rather than walked, it’s the version of Mustang open to travelers who want the culture and the landscape without the long trekking days a full expedition demands.

The route also threads through Marpha’s apple orchards, Kagbeni’s medieval alleyways, and the Chhoser sky caves a 2,000-year-old network carved directly into the cliff face and still not fully explained by archaeologists.

Places to visit in Upper Mustang

Restricted region opened to outsiders only in 1992
Follows the Kali Gandaki, the world’s deepest gorge
Walled city of Lo Manthang, founded in 1380 by Ame Pal
Chhoser sky caves carved into red cliffs
Tibetan Buddhist culture largely unchanged for centuries
Home of the annual Tiji Festival, a masked monastic dance
No long trekking days — the entire route is jeep-accessible

Permits & Best Time

Upper Mustang Tour is classified as a restricted area by the Nepal government due to its border proximity with Tibet. Independent travel isn’t permitted; every visitor must travel with a registered guide and hold a Restricted Area Permit (RAP), issued only through a licensed agency.

$50/dayRestricted Area Permit (per person)
$30Annapurna Conservation Permit
Mar–May: Spring, Tiji Festival season
Sep–Nov: Autumn, clearest mountain views

The RAP is charged per day spent inside the restricted zone from Kagbeni northward, so a shorter jeep tour costs less in permit fees than a longer trekking itinerary. A licensed guide is mandatory; permit fees are set by the Nepal government and can be changed, so we confirm the exact figure at the time of booking.

Where you'll be

Day 1: Kathmandu to Pokhara

Kathmandu → Mugling → Damauli → Pokhara ·

Leave the capital on the Prithvi Highway, following the Trishuli River through terraced hillsides and riverside villages. Break at Mugling where the Trishuli and Marsyangdi rivers meet, then continue into the Pokhara valley with the Annapurna range rising ahead.

Day 2: Pokhara to Jomsom

Pokhara → Beni → Tatopani → Ghasa → Kalopani → Marpha → Jomsom

Head north along the Kali Gandaki as the subtropical valley narrows into the deepest gorge on earth. Pass the hot springs at Tatopani, climb through Ghasa and Kalopani with Dhaulagiri filling the western sky, then reach Marpha, known for its whitewashed houses and apple brandy, before the short push to Jomsom.

Day 3: Jomsom to Chele via Kagbeni

Jomsom → Kagbeni (permit checkpoint) → Chele

Permits are checked at Kagbeni, a medieval village of tight alleys and chortens marking the true entrance to Upper Mustang. Beyond Kagbeni the landscape turns to open high-desert plateau. Reach Chele, the first proper village of the restricted zone, framed by eroded cliffs.

Day 4: Chele to Ghami via Syangboche

Chele → Samar → Syangboche La (3,850m) → Ghami

Cross the Syangboche pass, the highest point before Lo Manthang, with sweeping views over canyon country. Descend into Ghami, home to Mustang's longest mani wall — over 200 metres of stone slabs carved with Buddhist mantras.

Day 5: Ghami to Lo Manthang via Charang

Ghami → Dhakmar (red cliffs) → Charang → Lo Manthang

Pass beneath the eroded red cliffs of Dhakmar before reaching Charang, once the site of a royal fort and still home to a striking five-storey monastery. From here the plateau opens up and Lo Manthang appears in the distance — a walled city founded in 1380 by Ame Pal, first king of Lo.

Day 6: Lo Manthang: Palace, Monasteries & Sky Caves

Lo Manthang → Chhoser sky caves → Korala border viewpoint

A full day inside and around the walled city. Walk the narrow lanes to the Royal Palace and the frescoed monasteries of Champa Lhakhang and Thubchen Gompa, then drive out to Chhoser to climb through sky caves carved into the cliffs some 2,000 years ago. Continue, if road conditions allow, to the Korala viewpoint near the Tibet border.

Royal Palace of the last king of Lo
Champa Lhakhang and Thubchen Gompa monasteries
Chhoser sky caves and Jhampa cave monastery

Day 7: Lo Manthang back to Jomsom

Lo Manthang → Ghami → Chele → Kagbeni → Jomsom

Retrace the route south with the light hitting the canyons differently on the way down. Stop again at Dhakmar's cliffs and Ghami's mani wall before exiting the restricted zone at Kagbeni. Hot showers and momo in Jomsom feel well earned.

Day 8: Jomsom to Pokhara

Jomsom → Marpha → Tatopani → Beni → Pokhara

Drive back down the gorge as the desert landscape gives way to green hillsides again. Time permitting, stop in Marpha for apple products, or at Tatopani for a final soak in the hot springs before reaching Pokhara by evening.

Day 9:Pokhara to Kathmandu

Pokhara → Kathmandu, by road via Mugling or a 25-minute flight

Return to Kathmandu either by the scenic Prithvi Highway or a short mountain flight. Tour ends on arrival, with time to explore Thamel or Swayambhunath before departure.

What this place offers

9 day

Frequently Asked Questions

Upper Mustang is a restricted area, and every visitor needs a Restricted Area Permit issued through a registered agency, plus the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit. Independent entry without a licensed guide is not allowed.

A rough but drivable road now runs from Jomsom all the way to Lo Manthang, following the old salt-trade trail. A jeep tour covers the same villages and monasteries as a trek without the multi-day walking.

Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) offer the clearest skies and most stable roads. Because Mustang sits in the Himalayan rain shadow, it's also one of the few regions still accessible during the summer monsoon.

Lo Manthang sits at roughly 3,840m, so mild symptoms are possible. The gradual daily ascent by road helps with acclimatization; drink plenty of water, avoid alcohol on the way up, and tell your guide immediately if you feel unwell.

All-inclusive packages typically range from roughly USD 1,800 to 3,500 per person, depending on group size, vehicle type, and season. Permit fees are now charged per day inside the restricted zone rather than as a flat rate, so shorter itineraries cost less in permits than the classic two-week trek.

Because the route is driven rather than trekked, it suits travelers who want the culture and landscape of Mustang without long walking days, including families and senior travelers who are otherwise fit for high-altitude travel.

Tiji is a three-day masked dance festival held annually in Lo Manthang, performed by monks of the Choede Monastery. It reenacts the legend of a deity defeating a demon threatening the kingdom, and is one of the best reasons to time a spring visit around it.

Where you'll be

Nepal

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