Quick Overview
- Upper Mustang entry permit (RAP): USD 50 per person, per day, no fixed minimum
- ACAP fee: NPR 3,000 (about USD 30) for non-SAARC nationals
- TIMS card: NPR 2,000 (about USD 20) for non SAARC nationals
- Solo trekking with a licensed guide is now permitted in Upper Mustang
Introduction
Picture a walled medieval city rising out of a wind-carved desert, its ochre walls glowing under a sky so blue it looks painted on. That is Lo Manthang, the former capital of the Mustang kingdom, and it sits at the heart of one of the last places in Nepal where the government still limits how many outsiders can enter. Before you book a flight to Jomsom, you need to understand Mustang permit fees, because this is not a region you can simply walk into on a whim.
Upper Mustang is Nepal’s only trans Himalayan desert kingdom still guarded by a restricted area permit, and the rules changed significantly in 2026. Travellers who researched this trek even a year ago are often working from outdated numbers. This guide breaks down exactly what you will pay, why the fee structure changed, and how to plan a trip that matches your budget and your calendar.
Whether you are a solo trekker weighing the new daily rate or a family planning a short cultural visit to Lo Manthang, this complete guide to Mustang permit fees will help you plan your Himalayan trip with confidence.
What Is the Upper Mustang Restricted Area Permit?
The Upper Mustang Restricted Area Permit, usually shortened to RAP, is a special government-issued document required for anyone travelling north of Kagbeni village. Nepal classified this region as restricted in 1992 because of its proximity to the Tibetan border and its fragile Tibetan Buddhist culture, and the classification has never been lifted.
Unlike ordinary trekking permits in places such as the Everest or Annapurna regions, the restricted area permit is not something you can buy at a checkpoint or apply for on your own. It must be arranged through a registered trekking agency in Nepal, which submits your passport details, photographs, and visa information to the Department of Immigration in either Kathmandu or Pokhara.
The permit is checked at entry points near Kagbeni and Chhusang, and again as you exit the restricted zone. Trekking without a valid Upper Mustang entry permit is a serious offence, carrying fines of up to USD 5,000 and immediate deportation, so this is not an area where cutting corners makes sense.
Because Upper Mustang sits inside the Annapurna Conservation Area, the restricted area permit is only one part of the picture. You will also need the Annapurna Conservation Area Permit and a TIMS card, both of which we cover in detail below.
Mustang Permit Fees in 2026: Complete Cost Breakdown
If there is one thing every trekker asks first, it is simple: how much does the trip actually cost in permits alone? The full Mustang permit cost is made up of three separate charges, and understanding each one prevents nasty surprises when your agency presents the final invoice.
Upper Mustang Entry Permit (RAP) Cost
The most significant recent change to Mustang permit fees is the shift from a flat rate to a daily rate. Previously, trekkers paid a mandatory USD 500 for the first 10 days inside the restricted area, regardless of whether they needed all ten. As of 2026, the Upper Mustang entry permit costs USD 50 per person, per day, counted from the moment you cross into the restricted zone at Kagbeni.
This daily structure rewards shorter, more focused itineraries. A trekker spending five days inside the restricted zone now pays USD 250 rather than the old flat USD 500, while someone completing the classic ten day route still pays USD 500, the same total as before. SAARC nationals, including travellers from India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, pay the same USD 50 daily rate as other foreign visitors.
Pro tip: Ask your agency to plan your itinerary so that your restricted area days are used efficiently. Flying into Jomsom and using a jeep for part of the approach can shave two or three days off your permit bill without cutting the parts of the trek that matter most.
Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) Fee
Because Upper Mustang lies within the Annapurna Conservation Area, every trekker also needs the ACAP, separate from the restricted area permit itself. For non SAARC foreign nationals, the ACAP costs NPR 3,000, which works out to roughly USD 30. SAARC nationals pay a reduced NPR 1,000.
Unlike the restricted area permit, the ACAP is valid for the wider conservation area and does not expire after a fixed number of days, which makes it useful if your trip combines Mustang with a wider Annapurna itinerary. Our Annapurna Region Permit Guide breaks down how the ACAP works if you plan to trek beyond Mustang into the rest of the conservation area.
TIMS Card Cost for Mustang
The Trekkers’ Information Management System, or TIMS card, records your details, your guide, your agency, and your intended route for safety purposes. For Upper Mustang, non-SAARC trekkers pay NPR 2,000, close to USD 20, while SAARC nationals pay NPR 1,000.
Your trekking agency typically processes the TIMS card alongside your RAP and ACAP in a single visit to the immigration office, so you rarely need to queue separately for it. If you are trekking in more than one region during your trip, our TIMS Card Nepal guide (https://askmenepal.com/tims-card-nepal/) explains how the card works across different trekking areas.
Combined estimate: For a standard eight-day restricted area itinerary, a non-SAARC trekker should budget roughly USD 400 for the RAP, USD 30 for the ACAP, and USD 20 for the TIMS card, bringing total permit costs to around USD 450, before guide fees, flights, and accommodation.
How Has the Mustang Permit Cost Changed in 2026?
Two changes reshaped Mustang permit fees this year, and both work in the trekker’s favour. First, on 22 March 2026, the Department of Immigration removed the long-standing rule requiring a minimum of two foreign trekkers to obtain a restricted area permit. Before this, solo travellers either had to find a trekking partner or pay for a so-called ghost permit, an additional fee issued under a fabricated second name, which could push a solo trip’s permit cost past USD 1,000.
Second, the flat USD 500 fee for the first ten days was replaced by the current USD 50 per day rate with no minimum stay requirement. Together, these reforms make Upper Mustang meaningfully more accessible for independent travellers and for anyone planning a short, focused visit around a specific event such as the Tiji Festival.
One rule has not changed. A licensed guide from a registered agency remains mandatory throughout the restricted area, whether you are trekking solo or in a group. Mustang is not the only part of Nepal that works this way. Our Nepal Restricted Area Permit guide compares Mustang’s rules with other controlled regions such as Dolpo and Manaslu, if you are weighing up more than one restricted trek for your trip.
Where and How to Get Your Upper Mustang Permit
You cannot apply for the Upper Mustang entry permit as an individual, no matter how well organised your trip is. The process runs through a registered trekking agency, which handles the paperwork on your behalf at the Department of Immigration office in Kathmandu or Pokhara.
Here is the typical process:
- Choose a registered trekking agency and confirm your travel dates
- Submit a copy of your passport, a passport-sized photograph, and your Nepal visa details
- Your agency applies for the RAP, ACAP, and TIMS cards together
- Processing usually takes three to seven working days through the online system introduced in 2026
- You collect your permits before flying to Jomsom or beginning your approach trek
Because your restricted area permit is tied to specific dates, changing your itinerary after the permit is issued can mean paying extra fees. It is worth locking in a realistic schedule with your agency before submitting the application, and our Mustang Itinerary planning guide is a useful starting point for mapping out your restricted area days before you apply.
Always confirm your agency is properly registered before paying any permit fees. Nepal has seen a rise in fraudulent booking operators in recent years, and our report on a Nepal Trekking Scam involving fake rescue and permit claims is worth reading before you hand over payment for your Mustang trip.
Who Needs a Restricted Area Permit for Mustang?
Every foreign national travelling north of Kagbeni needs the Upper Mustang entry permit, with one notable exception: children under 10 years old are exempt from permit fees entirely, which matters if you are planning a family trip. Nepali citizens require a different, simpler process through their local ward office rather than the tourist RAP.
If your itinerary only reaches as far as Kagbeni or Jomsom and does not cross into the restricted zone beyond it, you do not need the Upper Mustang restricted area permit at all, only the standard ACAP for the wider conservation area.
Best Season and Dates to Trek Upper Mustang
Upper Mustang sits in a rain shadow behind the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges, which makes it one of the few Nepali treks that stays walkable during the monsoon. That said, most trekkers still choose the shoulder seasons for the clearest mountain views and the most comfortable daytime temperatures.
Best months to trek: March to June and September to November offer the most reliable weather, with April and May standing out if your trip is timed around the Tiji Festival, usually held in mid May. Summer months, June through August, bring surprisingly stable, dry conditions inside the rain shadow even while the rest of Nepal is under monsoon cloud, making Upper Mustang a smart alternative for travellers whose schedules only allow a July or August trip.
Winter, from December to February, is possible but demands proper cold weather gear, since nighttime temperatures in Lo Manthang regularly drop below freezing.
What Can You See in Upper Mustang?
The restricted status of this region has preserved a landscape and culture found almost nowhere else in the Himalayas. Expect wind-carved canyons in shades of red and ochre, centuries old chortens lining the trail, and villages where Tibetan Buddhist traditions continue much as they have for generations.
Lo Manthang, the walled former royal capital, anchors most itineraries. Inside its mud brick walls sit four major monasteries, including Thubchen and Jampa gompas, both home to mural paintings dating back over five centuries. Beyond the town, the Chhoser caves, a network of hand-carved sky caves cut into cliff faces, offer a glimpse into a way of life that predates written Mustang history. For a full day-by-day breakdown of these sights, see our Upper Mustang Trek Guide.
Nearby Attractions Beyond Lo Manthang
A Mustang trip pairs naturally with several other Nepal experiences. Many trekkers combine their restricted area days with a wider loop through Lower Mustang, including Marpha’s apple orchards and the descent back towards Jomsom.
Muktinath, one of the most sacred pilgrimage sites in the Himalayas for both Hindu and Buddhist visitors, sits just south of the restricted area boundary and is easily combined with the same trip. Our guide to Muktinath Temple covers its 108 water spouts and eternal flame in detail.
If you have extra time before or after your permit dates, consider a short detour to Pokhara’s lakeside, an easy add-on given that most Mustang trips begin and end with a flight through Pokhara airport. Travellers building a longer Himalayan itinerary sometimes also compare Mustang against a trek in Langtang, and our Langtang Trek Permit guide explains why that region needs no restricted area permit at all.
Who Is the Upper Mustang Trek Ideal For?
Upper Mustang suits a wide range of travellers, though for different reasons. Culture-focused travellers and photographers tend to rate it among the best trips in Nepal, since the trek prioritises monasteries, ancient villages, and dramatic desert scenery over high-altitude mountaineering.
Solo trekkers now have a genuinely viable path here following the 2026 rule change, provided they budget for a licensed guide. Families with older children can manage the trek comfortably given the relatively gentle daily walking distances, and the exemption for children under 10 makes it more affordable than it first appears. Budget-conscious travellers benefit most from the new daily permit rate, since a tightly planned five or six day itinerary inside the restricted zone now costs meaningfully less than the old flat fee ever allowed.
Luxury travellers are equally well served, with several lodges in Lo Manthang now offering upgraded rooms and private transport by jeep for those who prefer not to walk the full distance each day.
Local Tips: What Only Someone Who’s Trekked Mustang Knows
Our experience, September trip: Arriving in Lo Manthang for the first time, the silence is what stands out, not the scenery. Wind moves through the poplar trees around the town walls, and prayer flags snap overhead, but there is none of the crowd noise you find on the Everest Base Camp trail. The walk from Kagbeni to Chele on day one took closer to six hours rather than the five listed in most itineraries, mostly due to a stop to watch a caravan of mules carrying salt, a trade route still in use today.
Pro tip: Carry small-denomination Nepali rupees for Lo Manthang’s monastery entrance donations, since card payments and even large notes are rarely accepted this far from Jomsom.
Pro tip: The right-hand side of the jeep, travelling north from Jomsom, gives the better view of the Kali Gandaki gorge for most of the drive.
A local guide based in Jomsom, who has led trekkers through the restricted zone for over a decade, put it simply: “People come for the permit and the photographs, but they leave remembering the silence of the monasteries and the taste of apple brandy in Marpha.”
Frequently Asked Questions About Mustang Permit Fees
How much does the Mustang permit cost in total?
For a typical eight day restricted area itinerary, budget around USD 450 in combined RAP, ACAP, and TIMS fees for a non SAARC traveller, plus separate guide and accommodation costs.
Can I get the Upper Mustang entry permit myself?
No. The restricted area permit must be arranged through a registered trekking agency, which submits your documents to the Department of Immigration on your behalf.
Is the Mustang permit fee different for SAARC nationals?
The RAP daily rate of USD 50 applies equally to SAARC and non SAARC nationals, though ACAP and TIMS fees are lower for SAARC citizens.
Do I need a guide if I am trekking solo in Upper Mustang?
Yes. Even though the two person minimum was removed in March 2026, a licensed guide remains mandatory for every visitor to the restricted area.
Final Thoughts
Mustang permit fees might look complicated at first glance, with three separate charges and a fee structure that changed only recently, but the underlying logic is straightforward. You are paying for access to one of the last genuinely restricted corners of the Himalayas, a place where careful tourism management has kept ancient monasteries, walled cities, and a living Tibetan Buddhist culture intact.
The 2026 reforms have made this remarkable region more flexible than ever, whether you are trekking solo, travelling with family, or planning a short cultural visit timed around the Tiji Festival. Ready to start planning? Browse our full Nepal travel guides for itineraries, permit updates, and destination advice to help you build the Mustang trip that fits your season, your budget, and your sense of adventure.