Upper and Lower Mustang Trek Cost

Cost of Permits for the Trek

Cost of Permits for Lower Mustang Trek

There are two types of permits you will need to have in order to trek to the Lower Mustang. The first permit cost you need to pay is TIMS ( Trekkers Information Management System) and the second type of permit is ACAP( Annapurna Conservation Area Project).

TIMS ( Trekkers Information Management System)

You can find three types of TIMS cards available. You can choose the type of card which will be suitable for you. They are as follows:

• Organized TIMS Card- Blue Colored Card- it will cost you $10 per person if you are trekking with a guide.
• Individual TIMS Card- Blue colored card- it will cost you $ 20 person if you are trekking solo or without a guide.
• SAARC Country TIMS Card- Red Colored card- the card costs $3 per person for SAARC nationals.

ASCAP (Annapurna Conservation Area Project Permit)

You will have to pay for the Annapurna Conservation Area project Permit when trekking to the Lower Mustang as it falls in the Annapurna region. It is a one-time entry and exit permit. The permit doesn’t have an expiry date so you can also extend your stay if you want to. The cost of ACAP is as follows:

• Local Tourists- Rs 100
• SAAC nationals- USD 10
• Nationals from rest of the world- USD 27

Cost of Permits for Upper Mustang Trek

For trekking to the Upper Mustang, you will have to pay for the Restricted Area Permit (RAP), Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) AND tIMS Card ( Trekkers Information Management System).

Restricted Area Permit (RAP)

The cost of the Restricted Area Permit scares most of the trekkers who wish to trek to the Upper Mustang. The cost of RAP is USD 500 person that is for the first 10 days. After 10 days you will have to pay USD 50 per day per person. The cost is necessary because Upper Mustang is a restricted region in Nepal and is not very accessible to everyone. Such cost is taken to preserve the area and limit the number of tourist entering the Hidden Kingdom.

Annapurna Conservation Area Project Permit ( ACAP)

To trek to the Upper Mustang, you will also need the Annapurna Conservation Area Project Permit. The cost of this permit is USD 27 for other nationals. For SAARC and local nationals, the cost of ACAP is USD 10 and USD 1 respectively.

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Cost of Guide and Porter for Mustang Trek

Upper Mustang Trek

Trekking to the Upper Mustang is quite difficult as it is also the restricted region of Nepal. So solo trekking to the Upper Mustang is not allowed. You need to trek with at least one or more people and a guide too. Trekking solo to the Upper Mustang is also banned by the Government of Nepal too.

There are a lot of benefits of hiring a guide to the Upper Mustang trek. Such guides charge $ 25- $30 per day. They will assist you on the way to the Upper Mustang. You will also have an option of hiring a porter if you want to. Porter are the ones who will carry your heavy bags and help you to make your trek easy and comfortable. For this, the porter will charge you around $ 20-$ 25 a day. The cost includes the food, accommodation, and insurance of the guides and porters too. Make sure that you will not be allowed at some entry point if you haven’t hired any of these two when trekking to the Upper Mustang.

Lower Mustang Trek

Trekking to the Lower Mustang is comparatively easier than trekking to the Upper Mustang. So, this trek is also achievable without the help of guides and porters. But, it is always better to hire a professional guide or a porter to make your trekking experience comfortable. The guide will cost you around 30 dollars. You also have an option of hiring a porter that will charge you around 20 dollars and help you to carry your bags up to 20 kg.

Cost of Transportation

Upper Mustang Trek

Your Upper Mustang starts from Kathmandu and a drive to Pokhara to Jomsom to start your trek. You will have various traveling options to travel from Kathmandu to Pokhara. You can either drive to Pokhara by a local or private bus or jeep or take a flight. From Pokhara to Jomsom it is better to take a flight as the local buses may not be running all the time to Jomsom. And for your own safety especially during Monsoon, it is better to take a flight.

• Cost of Kathmandu - Pokharaby Bus: USD 8-30 one day per person. The cost depends upon the services they provide such as food and accommodation, wifi, air-conditioning, etc.
• Cost of Kathmandu- Pokhara by Flight: USD120 one way per person
• Cost of Pokhara Jomsom Flight: USD 110 One way per person.
• Cost of Pokhara- Jomsom by jeep: USD 30- 40 per person.

Lower Mustang Trek

Your international flight to Nepal will cost you around US$ 500 to US$ 1000 and even more for the round trip. The price of the tickets depends upon the airlines you choose. The price reaches its maximum during peak seasons.

Your Lower Mustang trek starts from a 6-7 hours drive to Pokhara from Kathmandu. Or you can even catch a flight to Pokhara if you want to. The cost of the bus from Kathmandu to Pokhara is 8- 30 dollars each way and the cost of a flight to Pokhara is $ 100- $ 120.

Cost of Food During Upper and Lower Mustang Trek

Most of the restaurants and teahouses will provide you with a basic food menu since you may not find a variety of food items in such region. The menu includes traditional Nepali food, Dal Bhat and Tarkari along with some common international food such as Indian, Tibetan, and continental.

The cost of food increases as you trek to a higher altitude. The cost of food in Upper Mustang is comparatively more than in Lower Mustang. So you may have to pay $5 per every meal that is you may have to spend $15-$20 per day that will result in a budget of $ 200- $300 throughout your trek. You can also find beverages in the teahouses such as tea, coffee, beer, mineral water, etc. the cost of beverages may be $2-$4 according to the type of beverages you choose.

Cost of Accommodation during Upper and Lower Mustang Trek

You can find many teahouses and lodges in both the Upper and Lower Mustang treks. You may not have to face any difficulty in finding teahouses during your trek to the Upper and Lower Mustang. But, these teahouses may be busy during the festive season such as the Tiji festival of the Upper Mustang.

For your accommodation, you will be provided with basic facilities with clean two beds, pillow, and warm blankets. The teahouses will have squat toilets which are common in the rural parts of the country.

The accommodation in the Upper Mustang with a twin sharing basis is around $10- $15 per night and if you have a single room all to yourself, the teahouses may charge you around USD10- 20 per night. Similarly, in the Lower Mustang, the teahouses will charge you $1-$6 for twin sharing basis per night and for a single room, the cost is $3-$6 per person per night.

Cost of Necessary Clothing, Equipment, and Supplies

When it comes to trekking, buying appropriate clothing and equipment are very important. The things you need to buy depends upon the time of the year you will be trekking to the Upper and Lower Mustang. Buying such items may be quite costly. If you are used to trekking you might not have to buy such items which will save your cost.

Cost of some of the Upper and Lower Mustang trekking items are as follows:

Mustang Trek Estimated Total Cost

The cost of Upper and Lower Mustang trek depends upon the type of travel packages you choose, the number of days you will be spending and your personal expenses. The cost of your trek increases if you would like to stay in a luxury hotel. Wise, consuming alcoholic beverages during your trek will result in high cost.

• An average cost of Upper Mustang trek ranges between USD 1800- USD 2100.
• An average cost of Lower Mustang Trek is around USD 800- USD 1100.

Conclusion

Upper and Lower Mustang is a budget trekking destination in Nepal that is affordable by everyone. It also depends upon how you manage your expenses during the trek. To save the cost of the flight tickets it is better to book early. It is better to travel in a group than to travel alone as in a group you may be provided with discounts in food and accommodations.

If you have any confusions regarding the cost of your trip to the Upper and Lower Mustang, Marvel Adventure is there to help you. We can also customize your tip if you want to. Do not hesitate to contact us. We can manage to provide you with the best Upper and Lower Mustang trek packages.