May 29, 2025

Villages of Upper Mustang is one of the beautiful places of Nepal which is located northwestern i.e. Gandaki province of Nepal and touch along with the Tibet in the northern side which is Himalayan region of Nepal. Those who want to explore the beautiful Himalayas and want to explore new place upper mustang will be the one of the destination.

As the border side is connected to the Tibet you can see influenced culture and architecture. Upper mustang is far from the today’s world because the landscape describes its culture and the history and it is less influence by the modern lifestyle. People of the region believe in simplicity and they have preserving their history and the culture for a long time that’s the beauty of this region. It seems like they are living the 100 years back in terms of the lifestyle but happy and closely connected to the Himalaya.

There are lots of things to explore in the Upper mustang from ancient monasteries to ancient landscapes, caves and trekking through the Tibetan villages. Trekking through the upper mustang can be a different experience compared to other treks like Everest and Annapurna because of the ancient landscapes and you will feel like frozen in time as they have been preserving culture, tradition  and Himalayan serenity.. If you want to escape the crowd and want different trekking experience upper mustang is more worth it.

So in this Blog we will provide you the comprehensive guide and share the essence of upper mustang and its villages.

Recognizing the area

An upper mustang is one of the ancient kingdom of Lo and lies beyond Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges and it’s a dry and desert landscapes. Trek to upper mustang can be done in the monsoon season as well as there will be minimal rainfall throughout the year so can be the best trekking routes even on the monsoon season where as other trekking routes the route will be more slippery and hazardous so if you are visiting Nepal in the monsoon season upper mustang can be the best choice for the trekking. In most of the trekking routes in Nepal you will found greenery with lush forest but the villages of upper mustang is complete different routes covered by the desert, towering hills, arid canyons and hard rocks which will be very different unique experience for the travellers. In between the routes to upper mustang you will find Kali Gandaki River which is one of the deepest rivers in the world.

Upper mustang region is previously ruled by the Lo dynasty so during that time people were highly influence by the Tibetan culture and politics so that the main reason people of Upper Mustang was known by Loba earlier.

Most of the people living in the region follow Buddhism so we can find many monasteries and prayer flag and Tibetan Buddhism has been integral parts of the people.

Important upper mustang villages

Villages of Upper mustang is one of the most underrated treks route in Nepal however the region is very rich in culture and it has variety of things to offer from ancient landscapes to monasteries, caves and unique culture experience. Some of the people might think as a place for the acclimatization but however it’s more than that. It also called place for heaven because of the unique landscapes and the Himalayas create inner peace in between the people.

Lo Manthang- The walled Capital

Lo Manthang is also known as wallet city and it’s the formal capacity of the Kingdom of Lo and the village describe the culture and history of the Upper Mustang. The village is known as walled city because the landscapes are made with the mixture of mud and the stone which describe the history of the village and the culture. There are many traditional houses which are made with the mud and praying flag can be seen in most of the houses as large numbers of people are Buddhist. There are many ancient monasteries and royal palaces in the village

We can see many old ancient monasteries, royal palaces and vibrant community has been preserved till date and there are still living the traditional lifestyle and far from the modern life style and the culture.

Jampa Lhakhang,Thugchen Gompa,Chodey Gompa,Choprang Gompa are  the main four Gompas located in Lo Manthang  and these gompas showcase the culture and history.

Tiji festival is one of the famous festivals celebrated in Lo Manthang where it is celebrated for 3 days and recreate the legend of Dorje Jono,a deity who vanquished a demon that brought havoc to Mustang. Apart from that people perform on different rituals and use different colorful mask and vibrant costumes during this festival.

 Kagbeni –Gateway to upper mustang

Kagbeni is located at the lower junction of Lower Mustang and Upper Mustang and it is one of the richest villages in terms of culture and the hold immense spirituals importance in Hinduism and Tibetan culture.

As it is closely connected with the border of Tibet we can see the blend of Tibetan and Nepali culture .Kagbeni is closely connected with the Muktinath which is one of the best trekking destinations of Nepal. Kag Chode Thupten samphel lion Monastery is one of the main attractions of Kagbeni and it was established in 15^th century and it holds the significance importance in Buddhist community.

Chhoser – Caves and Cliff Dwellings

Chhoser is one of the beautiful villages of upper mustang which is located near the Tibetan Border and known for its dwellings cafes .It is  believe that the caves was formed 2000 year back so its describe the culture and history of the region  that’s the reason it is one of the spiritual sites for the Buddhist. As per the local these caves were used as a meditation sites.

Chhoser village is also known as Garphu village and the most of the local in the villages are engaged in farming and yak herding. Shija Jhong cave and Chhoser Cave is the ancient cave and it is mysterious caves in upper mustang because of unknown origins, remote location and awe inspiring construction. Nyiphuk monastery and Konchokling monastery are some of the major historical sites of the village which may be small but it has significant importance to the local.

Ghami –The Land of the longest Mani Wall

Ghami is one of the beautiful villages of upper mustang of Nepal and known for its cultural, historical and traditional significance and one of the popular acclimatization for the trekkers. Ghami is more popular because of the beautiful nature and close Himalaya and apart from that it is very close to Annapurna conservation area so it will be ideal place to get close with the Himalaya and explore the cultural and the lifestyle of the people living in the region.

Ghami is more popular in between the trekkers  because of its unique red cliffs that is created with the composed of sedimentary rock rich in iron oxide  and the longest mani wall is also located in Ghami making it more popular. There are lots of ancient monasteries in the village which replicates the culture and origin of the village and Ghami monastery is one of them which are one of the religious sites of the village and it has added cultural richness to the village.

Tsarang (Charang) A village rich in Monasteries and History

 Tsarang Charang is one of the beautiful villages of upper mustang and it is one of the largest towns in Mustang. In the village we can explore the ancient monastery and impressive fortress. The ancient monastery replicates the Buddhist scriptures and beautiful painting on the wall showcase the culture, history and teaching of Tibetan Buddhism.

A red palace is also located in Tsarang which is one of the historical sites and villages of Upper mustang and previously it was used as a royal residence.

Dhakmar-The Red Cliff Village

Dhakmar is one of the popular villages of upper mustang which is also known as red cliff village. The villages of upper mustang is popular in between the trekkers because of its striking red cliffs. The story of Guru Rinpoche is associated with these red rocks. According to this tradition, when Guru Rinpoche founded the Lo Gekar Monastery (Samye Gompa) in the eighth century, the blood of a demon he had killed turned the rocks red.

The Village of Caves and Cliffs (ChhusangChhusang village is known as village of Caves and Cliffs because of its unique landscapes and towering red and orange cliffs can be found only in upper mustang that’s the reason it is more special and famous in between the tourist. It is believe that the caves has been formed 2000 years back and historically used as a burial chambers, meditation retreat and storage rooms.

Chhusang is located where Kali Gandaki and Narshing Khola meet each other and visitors can explore the ancient gompas, experience Himalayan life style and enjoy authentic local food.

Samdzong-The Revealed Lost Village

Samdzong village is one of the remote areas of upper mustang and was inhabited by the people however it was discarded because of shortage of water and drought.

And later it gained international attention and regained its historical value after archaeologists discovered ancient human remains artifacts in its caves.

Trekking through the villages of upper mustang

Villages of Upper mustang is one of the underrated trekking routes of Nepal however it has lots of things to offer from beautiful breath taking views of the Himalaya and the unique landscapes make it even more beautiful. Trekking through the village can be more worth it for the trekkers as you will get to understand the lifestyle of the people and understand the culture and try different local authentic food. The best season to trekin villages of Upper mustang is during peak season i.e.  April to May in Spring Season and September to October in Autumn season during this time  the weather will be clear and you will get to see the best view of the mountain and the nature. There are many Tea houses where you can enjoy local authentic food like Dumpling, Daal Bhaat and Thukpa. If you are looking for the best itinerary you can visit our website and get more information about the trek.