Kathmandu, January 2
Mustang saw over 90,000 foreign tourists in 2023.
According to the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP), 90,356 foreign tourists visited the once forbidden kingdom in 2023.
This ACAP chief, Padam Raj Regmi says is 24,245 more than last year.
“The roads have been better and it is one of the best trekking destinations in the world. The marketing of the destination has also helped bring in tourists,” says Regmi. “Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi coming to the area to visit Muktinath has also helped bring in tourists.”
In 2022, the region attracted 65,940 tourists, compared to 2,300 in 2021 and 2,347 in 2020. Prior to the Covid pandemic, the annual tourist influx to Mustang did not exceed 60,000 visitors.
In 2023, Mustang welcomed a total of 72,190 visitors from SAARC countries and 18,166 from other nations. According to Regmi, 10,733 individuals accessed Mustang through Manang via Thorang La.
Foreign visitors are required to pay a fee of USD 500 for a seven-day visit to the semi-restricted region of Upper Mustang. Tourists from SAARC countries will incur a charge of Rs 1,000 per person, while visitors from other nations will be subjected to a fee of Rs 3,000 per person to explore the ACAP area.
