Trekking · Mustang
Upper Mustang Permit and Cost
The Upper Mustang permit is around US$500 for ten days, on top of the Annapurna permit, guide and agency fees.
The Upper Mustang permit is a special restricted-area permit costing around US$500 per person for the first ten days, with an extra daily fee beyond that, and it sits on top of the standard Annapurna Conservation Area permit. Once you add a guide, agency, transport, food and lodging, a full organised trek typically costs between roughly US$1,800 and US$3,000 per person. Here is how the numbers break down.
The short answer
To go north of Kagbeni into the restricted zone you need two permits, a licensed guide and a registered agency, with a minimum group of two. The special permit dominates the budget, but the guide and logistics add up. Confirm current fees before booking, since they are revised periodically. For the freely accessible south, no special permit is needed — see the Lower Mustang trek.
What you actually pay
- Special restricted-area permit: about US$500 per person for ten days, then roughly US$50 per extra day.
- Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP): the standard regional permit, a modest fixed fee, required for everyone.
- Licensed guide: a daily wage plus the guide's food, lodging and insurance, usually bundled into the agency price.
- Agency fee: the markup for arranging permits, logistics, porters and transport — unavoidable, since the permit is agency-issued.
- Transport, food and lodging: the Pokhara–Jomsom flight or jeep, teahouse meals and beds, which climb in price the further north you go.
Why it costs so much
Upper Mustang sits on a sensitive stretch of the Tibetan border and holds a fragile environment and an unusually intact Tibetan Buddhist culture around Lo Manthang. The restricted-area system, in place since the region opened in the early 1990s, deliberately limits numbers and channels revenue toward conservation and local communities. The high permit fee is part of that design — and a large part of why the region still feels the way it does. For how it compares with Nepal's other controlled zones, see restricted-area treks in Nepal.
How to keep the budget sane
- Trek with a group: the per-person guide and agency cost falls sharply with more people, since the permit is the only strictly per-head charge.
- Plan the right number of days: the ten-day permit window suits the classic route; extra days add the daily top-up fee, so match your Upper Mustang trek itinerary to it.
- Consider jeep support: driving parts of the route saves days and lodging, though not the permit — weigh it up in our jeep versus on foot guide.
- Buffer for flights: budget a spare day or two for the weather-prone Pokhara–Jomsom flight.
Plan the whole trip
Treat the permit as the first line of your budget, then build outward. Start with the Upper Mustang trekking guide for the full picture, the jeep tour to Lo Manthang if you are short on time, and the national Nepal trekking guide for permits, insurance and seasons across the country. Get the paperwork and the numbers right before you leave Pokhara, and the rest of the trip falls neatly into place.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Upper Mustang permit?+
The special restricted-area permit costs around US$500 per person for the first ten days, with an extra daily fee (roughly US$50) for each day beyond. That is on top of the standard Annapurna Conservation Area permit. Fees are revised periodically, so confirm the current rate with your agency before you travel.
What does an Upper Mustang trek cost in total?+
Once you add the special permit, the Annapurna permit, a licensed guide, agency fees, transport, food and lodging, most organised Upper Mustang treks land between roughly US$1,800 and US$3,000 per person. Larger groups bring the per-person cost down, and using jeeps can cut days but not the permit.
Do you need more than one permit for Upper Mustang?+
Yes. You need both the standard Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) and the special Upper Mustang restricted-area permit. The ACAP covers the whole region including freely accessible Lower Mustang, while the special permit is required only north of the Kagbeni checkpoint.
Can you get the Upper Mustang permit yourself?+
No. The special restricted-area permit is issued only through a registered trekking agency, which arranges it with the immigration and tourism authorities. It requires a minimum group of two trekkers and a licensed guide. You cannot apply as an independent solo trekker.
