Sightseeing · Mustang
Mustang Permits and Access
Lower Mustang runs on the standard Annapurna permit; restricted Upper Mustang needs a special permit, agency and guide.
Mustang permits trip up a lot of travellers because the region is split in two. Lower Mustang is freely accessible on a standard permit, while Upper Mustang is a tightly controlled restricted area with its own expensive special permit and a guide requirement. Knowing which applies to your route is the key to planning.
The short answer
If you are visiting Lower Mustang — Jomsom, Marpha, Kagbeni and the sacred temple at Muktinath — you need only the standard Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP), and you can travel independently. To go north into Upper Mustang toward Lo Manthang, you also need a special restricted-area permit (around US$500 per person for ten days — confirm the current fee), arranged through a registered agency, with a licensed guide and a minimum group of two.
Lower Mustang: open access
The standard Annapurna permit covers the whole lower region. You can arrange it in Kathmandu or Pokhara and travel independently — by jeep, bus or on foot — to all the freely accessible sights. No special permit and no mandatory guide are required south of Kagbeni.
Upper Mustang: restricted area
North of Kagbeni, the rules change completely:
- Special permit: Roughly US$500 per person for the first ten days, plus a daily fee beyond, on top of the ACAP.
- Agency and guide: Permits are issued only through a registered trekking agency, and you must travel with a licensed guide.
- Minimum group: Two trekkers or more; solo independent trekking is not permitted.
- Checkpoint: Both permits, with your passport, are checked at the Kagbeni checkpoint where the restricted zone begins.
Why the restriction exists
Upper Mustang sits on a sensitive stretch of the Tibetan border and holds a fragile environment and an unusually intact Tibetan Buddhist culture. The restricted-area system, in place since the region first opened to outsiders in the early 1990s, is designed to limit numbers, channel revenue toward conservation and local communities, and reduce the impact of tourism on a place that spent centuries in near-isolation. That is why the special permit is expensive, why a licensed guide and a registered agency are mandatory, and why solo trekking is not allowed. Treating these rules as part of the experience, rather than an obstacle, is the right frame: they are a large part of why Upper Mustang still feels the way it does.
Good to know
- Fees change: Permit costs and rules are revised periodically — always confirm the latest with your agency or the tourism board before booking.
- Wider context: Upper Mustang is one of several controlled zones; see how it compares in our overview of restricted-area treks in Nepal.
- Plan the trip: Build your route with the Mustang itinerary and the dedicated Upper Mustang trek guide.
- More to explore: See the region's sights in more things to do in Mustang.
Get the paperwork right before you leave Pokhara or Kathmandu, and the rest of a Mustang trip falls neatly into place.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a permit to visit Mustang?+
It depends on where you go. Lower Mustang — Jomsom, Marpha, Kagbeni and Muktinath — needs only the standard Annapurna Conservation Area permit. Restricted Upper Mustang, north of Kagbeni, requires an additional special restricted-area permit, a registered agency and a licensed guide.
How much is the Upper Mustang permit?+
The special Upper Mustang restricted-area permit costs roughly US$500 per person for the first ten days, with an extra daily fee beyond that, on top of the standard Annapurna permit. Fees can change, so confirm the current rate with your agency or the tourism board before you travel.
Can you trek Upper Mustang independently?+
No. Upper Mustang is a restricted area, so permits are issued only to groups of two or more travelling through a registered agency with a licensed guide. Solo independent trekking is not allowed north of Kagbeni. Lower Mustang, by contrast, can be visited independently.
Where do you get Mustang permits?+
The standard Annapurna permit can be arranged in Kathmandu or Pokhara, or at entry points. The special Upper Mustang permit must be obtained through a registered trekking agency, which handles it with the immigration and tourism authorities as part of your booked trip.
Where are Mustang permits checked?+
The Annapurna permit is checked at conservation-area entry points along the route. The special Upper Mustang permit is checked at the restricted-area checkpoint in Kagbeni, where the freely accessible lower region ends and the controlled north begins. Carry both with your passport.
