Upper Mustang was an independent and forbidden kingdom until 1950. In 1950, the Upper Mustang was added to Mustang district, which became one of the 77 districts of Nepal. Then, it was allowed only for Nepalese to visit with some restrictions, but later in 1994, Upper Mustang opened for tourists with a premium entrance fee of 700 USD for 10 days. Upper Mustang remained untouched, with very few tourists visiting, and its local culture and traditions are still alive. Later on, the entrance fee to Upper Mustang was reduced to 500 US$ to promote it, but it was still expensive. Then, in November 2025, the entrance fee will change to 50 US$ per day, giving tourists greater flexibility.
Upper Mustang is an extraordinary destination with a fully Tibetan culture and the landscape is also like the Tibetan plateau. The Colourful clay mountains and high Himalaya Annapurna peaks make the trip more special to Upper Mustang. There are many very old Buddhist monasteries and caves.