UPPER MUSTANG TREK

Thanks to its strategic position, the Kingdom flourished throughout the 15th – 17th centuries. Lo controlled the prosperous salt trade route between Tibet in the north and India in the south, via the Kali Gandaki gorge. In the late 18th century, the independent Kingdom of Lo was incorporated into the greater Kingdom of Nepal, but continued to operate under its own rule.

Life for the people of Lo carried on much the same until the 1950s, when the Chinese invasion of Tibet put an end to cross border trade and the local economy suffered. In the late 1950s and 60s, Tibetan guerrillas, backed by the CIA, based their resistance out of Lo. An agreement between China and the US was reached in the early 1970s, and the CIA withdrew their support for the guerrillas in 1974, effectively ending the resistance movement.

While tourism in Lower Mustang opened in the late 1970s, Upper Mustang was declared a restricted area and completely off-limits to foreigners until 1992, earning it the moniker ‘The Forbidden Kingdom of Lo’. Early tourism to the region was strictly limited and regulated. No lodges were allowed to be built by local people, with trekking agencies operating camping treks and bringing all their supplies with them. The opportunity for locals to benefit financially was largely limited to those with flat camping grounds or horses to hire out for a day trip from Lo Manthang.

As compensation, the Lopa were promised 60% of the revenue from the hefty $500 Upper Mustang permit fee. This money would be reinvested into the community to develop services and infrastructure, fund the restoration of cultural treasures, and support environmental conservation. It didn’t happen. The Lopa received around 40% initially, dropping to 5% by 1997, and seemingly all but drying up in the years since.

In the meantime, tourists, filmmakers, and photojournalists were flocking to the ‘mysterious forbidden kingdom’ (the restrictions on numbers went out the window, too). Locals found their photos plastered over books and shiny mags, and no doubt felt they’d been taken advantage of. The entire situation understandably led to a degree of resentment and bitterness among some in the community.

The descendents of Ame Pal ruled as the Kings of Lo for 25 generations. However, in 2008 when Nepal became a republic, the country abolished its monarchy and that of Lo with it. The last King of Lo, Jigme Dorje Palbar Bista, continued to be recognised and revered by locals until his death in 2016.

These days, the situation in Upper Mustang seems quite different to that of the initial decade or so after opening to the world. Fully supported camping treks are no longer a must, with locally owned and operated lodges dotting the region. Reports of ‘unwelcoming’ locals, demanding money for photos or shouting ‘no photo’ at tourists, didn’t match with our own experience. We can only assume that perhaps the situation, economically at least, has improved somewhat and therefore that attitudes towards tourists have warmed? Culturally and environmentally though, Upper Mustang is certainly at risk from the ongoing and haphazard development of the road to the border at Kora La.

The future of Upper Mustang is unclear, and we can’t help but wonder if the huge amounts of money raised from the ‘restricted area’ status were in fact put towards the building of the road from Jomsom to Lo Manthang. This road, while beneficial in some respects, will undoubtedly make it harder for the centuries-old culture and traditions of the region to cling on in a rapidly changing environment, irrevocably altering the former Kingdom of Lo forever.

This suggested 10 Day Upper Mustang trek itinerary covers what we feel are the scenic and cultural highlights of the region, matched to the standard 10 day permit. However, we highly recommend adding at least a couple of days to your permit. This is so you can spend more time in and around Lo Manthang, as well as have an extra day in Yara to explore Luri Gompa and the surrounding area. Add an additional 1-2 days at the start and end of your trek in order to get to/from Jomsom by road or air.