Mustang and the west
The high desert of Mustang, pilgrimage sites and the remote lakes and parks of western Nepal.
36 placesMuktinath: A Sacred Temple for Hindus and Buddhists
Muktinath (about 3,710 m) in Mustang, sacred to both Hindus and Buddhists: the 108 water spouts, the eternal flame, how to get there via Jomsom by road or on the Annapurn...
Explore 02Lo Manthang: The Walled Capital of Upper Mustang
Lo Manthang, the walled capital of the former kingdom of Lo in Upper Mustang: monasteries, caves, Tiji festival, the special permit, trek or jeep, and the best time to vi...
Explore 03Rara Lake: Nepal's Largest Lake in the Remote Far West
Rara Lake (2,990 m), the largest lake in Nepal, in Rara National Park in far-west Nepal: how to get there by flight and trek, Murma Top, best time and tips.
Explore 04Jomsom: The Windy Gateway to Mustang
Jomsom (2,720 m), the headquarters of Mustang district in the Kali Gandaki valley: flights from Pokhara, the afternoon wind, Marpha, Kagbeni and Muktinath, and tips.
Explore 05Kagbeni: The Medieval Village at the Gateway of Upper Mustang
Kagbeni (about 2,800 m), a medieval mud-brick village at the confluence of the Kali Gandaki and Jhong rivers: Kag Chode monastery, the gateway to Upper Mustang, and how t...
Explore 06Shey Phoksundo Lake: Dolpo's Turquoise Jewel
Phoksundo Lake (3,611 m), Nepal's deepest lake, in Shey Phoksundo National Park, Dolpo: Ringmo village, Bön culture, permits and how to get there via Juphal.
Explore 07Khaptad National Park: A Remote Plateau of Meadows in Far-West Nepal
Khaptad National Park in far-west Nepal: a high plateau of grassy meadows and forest at around 3,000 m, the ashram of Khaptad Baba, the Ganga Dashahara festival, wildflow...
Explore 08Marpha: The Apple Village of the Kali Gandaki
Marpha, a whitewashed Thakali village near Jomsom in Mustang: apple orchards, apple brandy and dried fruit, the monastery, Thakali food and how to visit on the Annapurna...
Explore 09Shuklaphanta National Park: Swamp Deer and Grasslands in the Far West
Shuklaphanta National Park in Nepal's far south-west: vast grasslands with large herds of swamp deer, tigers, elephants and rich birdlife, plus how to get there via Dhang...
Explore 10Tsarang: Fortress and Monastery in Upper Mustang
Tsarang (Charang), a village at about 3,560 m in Upper Mustang with a ruined fortress-palace and a large Sakya monastery, a stop on the trek to Lo Manthang.
Explore 11Ghar Gompa: One of the Oldest Monasteries in Nepal
Ghar Gompa (Lo Gekar), an ancient monastery in Upper Mustang associated with Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava), said to be among the oldest in Nepal, on a side route of the U...
Explore 12Jumla: Red Rice, Apples and the Gateway to Rara
Jumla, a town at about 2,350 m in Karnali, known for Chandannath temple, red rice, apples and beans, and as the starting point for the trek to Rara Lake.
Explore 13Simikot: Remote Humla and the Road to Kailash
Simikot, the hilltop headquarters of Humla at about 2,950 m, reached by air via Nepalgunj, the starting point for treks to Limi Valley and overland journeys to Mount Kail...
Explore 14Dhorpatan: Nepal's Only Hunting Reserve
Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve, established in 1987 across Baglung, Myagdi and Rukum, is Nepal's only reserve where licensed hunting of blue sheep is permitted, with remote tr...
Explore 15Tukuche: Thakali Trading Village in the Kali Gandaki
Tukuche, a Thakali village at about 2,590 m in the Kali Gandaki valley, once a hub of the salt trade with Tibet, with old merchant houses, monasteries, a distillery and v...
Explore 16Kali Gandaki Gorge: Between Dhaulagiri and Annapurna
The Kali Gandaki river cuts between Dhaulagiri (8,167 m) and Annapurna I (8,091 m), creating a gorge often described as one of the deepest in the world; how to see it by...
Explore 17Dho Tarap: A Remote Village in Dolpo
Dho Tarap, a remote village at about 4,000 m in Dolpo, home to Tibetan Buddhist and Bon communities, monasteries and chortens, on the Lower Dolpo trek.
Explore 18Ghami: Village of the Long Mani Wall in Upper Mustang
Ghami, a village at about 3,520 m in Upper Mustang, known for one of the longest mani walls in Nepal on the trail towards Dhakmar and Lo Manthang.
Explore 19Dhakmar: Red Cliffs of Upper Mustang
Dhakmar, a village at about 3,820 m beneath dramatic red cliffs in Upper Mustang, linked by legend to Guru Rinpoche's defeat of a demon whose blood stained the rocks.
Explore 20Chhoser: Sky Caves near Lo Manthang
Chhoser, a valley north of Lo Manthang in Upper Mustang, with ancient multi-storey cave dwellings such as Jhong Cave carved into the cliffs.
Explore 21Shey Gompa: The Crystal Mountain of Upper Dolpo
Shey Gompa, a remote monastery in Upper Dolpo beneath the sacred Crystal Mountain, made famous by Peter Matthiessen's book The Snow Leopard.
Explore 22Api Nampa Conservation Area: Nepal's Far North-West Corner
Api Nampa Conservation Area, established in 2010 in Darchula, protects the far north-west corner of Nepal beneath Api (7,132 m) and Nampa, with remote treks to Api Base C...
Explore 23Dhaulagiri Base Camp: Beneath the World's Seventh-Highest Peak
Dhaulagiri Base Camp, at about 4,750 m on the Chhonbardan Glacier, lies beneath Dhaulagiri (8,167 m) on the demanding Dhaulagiri Circuit trek.
Explore 24French Pass and Hidden Valley: The High Crossing of the Dhaulagiri Circuit
French Pass, at about 5,360 m on the Dhaulagiri Circuit, leads from Dhaulagiri Base Camp into the remote Hidden Valley before Dhampus Pass and the descent to Marpha.
Explore 25Damodar Kunda: Sacred Lakes of Upper Mustang
Damodar Kunda, sacred lakes at about 4,890 m in Upper Mustang near the Tibetan border, visited by Hindu pilgrims on a remote trek or jeep journey.
Explore 26Limi Valley: Tibetan Villages of Humla
The Limi Valley in Humla, north-west Nepal, is home to Tibetan Buddhist villages such as Til, Halji and Jang and the ancient Rinchenling monastery, on a remote restricted...
Explore 27Dunai and Juphal: Gateway to Dolpo
Juphal airstrip and Dunai, the headquarters of Dolpa, are the gateway to Shey Phoksundo, Lower Dolpo and Upper Dolpo, with flights from Nepalgunj.
Explore 28Jharkot: Fortress Village near Muktinath
Jharkot, a village at about 3,550 m below Muktinath, with the ruins of an old fortress, a monastery with a Tibetan medicine centre, and views over the Jhong valley.
Explore 29Lubra: A Bon Village near Jomsom
Lubra (Lupra), a small village in a side valley near Jomsom, is one of the few communities in Nepal that follow the Bon religion, with a Bon monastery.
Explore 30Chhusang: Gateway to Upper Mustang
Chhusang, a village at about 2,980 m at the entrance to Upper Mustang, beside red cliffs honeycombed with caves, on the first days of the Upper Mustang trek.
Explore 31Samar: Juniper and Canyons in Upper Mustang
Samar, a village at about 3,660 m in Upper Mustang among poplar and juniper, with views of the canyons and access to the sacred Rangchyung cave.
Explore 32Dhumba Lake: Sacred Lake near Jomsom
Dhumba Lake, a small sacred lake in the hills near Jomsom with views of Nilgiri, an easy walk combined with Thini village and its monastery.
Explore 33Larjung: Thakali Village beneath Dhaulagiri
Larjung, a Thakali village at about 2,550 m in the Kali Gandaki valley, with close views of Dhaulagiri and Nilgiri and old villages such as Kobang nearby.
Explore 34Sinja Valley: Cradle of the Nepali Language
The Sinja Valley near Jumla was a capital of the medieval Khasa kingdom and is regarded as the birthplace of the Nepali (Khas) language, with ancient ruins and inscriptio...
Explore 35Dullu: Eternal Flames of Dailekh
Dullu in Dailekh, an ancient Khasa-era town known for shrines where natural gas burns as eternal flames, regarded as sacred by Hindus.
Explore 36Ramaroshan: Twelve Lakes and Eighteen Meadows
Ramaroshan in Achham, far-western Nepal, is famous for its "twelve lakes and eighteen meadows", forests and quiet hill trails; an emerging destination for nature lovers.
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