Overview
This Upper Mustang tour by road drives deep into Nepal's old walled kingdom over seven days, reaching the restricted high desert beyond the Himalaya without trekking. From Kathmandu you head to Pokhara, then up the Kali Gandaki gorge through Jomsom and past Marpha before crossing into Upper Mustang. The route takes in the ancient walled city of Lo Manthang, the sacred temple of Muktinath, the remote Korala border with China at 4,660 metres, and the cliffside sky caves of Choser. Two nights in Lo Manthang give you a full day for the Korala border, the Choser caves and the walled city itself. On the way back you unwind in the Tatopani hot springs and spend a last night by Pokhara's lakeside, where the trip ends. Upper Mustang is a restricted area, so a special permit is required. It is issued only through a registered agency, and a licensed guide must travel with you; we arrange both. It suits travellers who want one of the Himalaya's most remote cultural landscapes with the comfort of a vehicle.
The itinerary
- Scenic drive following the Trishuli River
- Terraced hills, riverside settlements and rural life en route
- Arrive in Pokhara, framed by the Annapurna range, and check in
- Free time at Lakeside before heading into Mustang
- Follow the Kali Gandaki, the world's deepest gorge
- Off-road sections, dramatic cliffs and constantly changing landscapes
- Stop at Marpha, a Thakali village of apple orchards and white houses
- Arrive Jomsom, the windy gateway to Upper Mustang
- Early start to the sacred Muktinath temple
- Cross into Upper Mustang's high desert of eroded cliffs and open valleys
- Long, scenic drive deeper into the old kingdom
- Arrive Lo Manthang, the ancient walled capital
- Drive to the remote Korala border with China at 4,660 m
- Explore the ancient Choser sky caves carved into the cliffs
- Back to Lo Manthang to walk its walls, lanes and old monasteries with your licensed guide
- Second night in Lo Manthang
- Drive back south out of Upper Mustang after breakfast
- Stop at Kagbeni, the old village at the edge of Upper Mustang
- Visit the quiet Dumba Lake
- Return to Jomsom for the night
- Descend the Kali Gandaki into greener country
- Relax in the natural hot springs at Tatopani
- Return to Pokhara's lively lakeside and check in
- Free time with restaurants and cafes
- Breakfast at your hotel in Pokhara
- Free time by Phewa Lake
- End of the trip in Pokhara, or ask us to arrange a tourist bus or flight back to Kathmandu
What the price covers
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Things to carry
- Warm layers, a windproof jacket, hat and gloves for high altitude and wind
- Sturdy walking shoes for caves, temple steps and village lanes
- Sunglasses, sun hat, high-factor sunscreen and lip balm for the dry air
- Daypack, refillable water bottle and power bank
- Motion-sickness tablets and a towel for the Tatopani hot springs
Good to know
Complete guide
Upper Mustang was closed to outsiders until 1992 and still feels like a place apart: a bone-dry, Tibetan-Buddhist kingdom hidden behind the Himalaya. A rough road now reaches its walled capital, opening it to travellers who could never trek there. Here is what the journey involves and what to know before you go.
What the Upper Mustang tour by road covers
The route drives from Kathmandu to Pokhara and up the Kali Gandaki into the restricted zone, reaching Lo Manthang, the Korala border and the Choser caves before returning via Tatopani to Pokhara. It covers the region's headline sights in seven days, with two nights in Lo Manthang, without a single trekking day. Travellers who only want Lower Mustang, which needs no special permit, can look instead at the Mustang tour by road.
Permits and why they matter
Upper Mustang is a restricted area. Beyond Kagbeni you need a special restricted-area permit as well as the Annapurna Conservation Area permit. The restricted permit is issued only through a registered agency; since 22 March 2026 solo travellers can be issued one too, but a licensed guide must still travel with you. We handle all of this, but it is why the route is fixed and why your passport and photos are needed in advance.
Altitude, road and weather
This is a high, remote drive. The Korala border reaches 4,660 metres and Lo Manthang sits near 3,840 metres, so cold, thin air and strong winds are the norm; pace yourself and keep warm layers to hand. The road is rough and dusty with long off-road sections, and afternoons are windy, so days start early. Because Mustang is in the rain shadow, it stays dry even in the monsoon.
A living Tibetan-Buddhist culture
What sets Upper Mustang apart is not just the landscape but the culture that has survived in it: walled Lo Manthang, its monasteries and palace, the cliff dwellings of Choser, and villages that feel closer to old Tibet than to lowland Nepal. If you would rather cut the long drives with flights, the Mustang tour by flight and road uses the same gorge with less time on the highway.
