Best Time to Visit Upper Mustang: A Complete Season Guide

Spring: March to May (Peak Season)

Spring is the most popular time to visit Upper Mustang, and for good reason. Temperatures are warming but not hot, visibility is generally good, and – critically – May is when the Tiji Festival traditionally takes place. In 2027, the festival falls June 1–3, landing in the late spring/early summer window when conditions are still excellent.

March and April offer the most stable weather. The plateau wildflowers are in bloom (short-lived but striking against the desert landscape), dust storms are less frequent than later in spring, and the high mountain views of Dhaulagiri, Nilgiri, and Annapurna are typically clear. May brings the festival window and the best justification for the entire journey. It also brings more wind – the afternoons in the Kali Gandaki gorge can be extremely gusty from late morning onward, which is why trekkers consistently start walking at dawn and stop by early afternoon. Festival-period May requires booking 4–6 months in advance.

Summer / Monsoon: June to August (Rain Shadow Advantage)

Upper Mustang sits in the rain shadow of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges. While the lowlands south of Jomsom receive heavy rainfall, Lo Manthang typically sees less than 200mm of annual precipitation. Trekking in the restricted zone during monsoon is viable and has real advantages: lush green barley fields (the agricultural season peaks here), no crowds, and accommodation rates that drop significantly.

The trade-off is that the route from Pokhara to Jomsom can be affected by monsoon flooding in the lower Kali Gandaki section. Road washouts on the Lower Mustang jeep track are common in heavy monsoon years. Check road and flight conditions to Jomsom carefully before departure if traveling in July or August.

Autumn: September to November (Second Best)

After the monsoon clears in September, Upper Mustang offers a second excellent window. Post-monsoon light is crystalline – the atmospheric dust has been washed out, and mountain views from the plateau are at their sharpest. October and November temperatures are cooling: pleasant during the day, cold at night in Lo Manthang (dropping below 0°C by November), and genuinely cold at high passes.

Autumn doesn't have the Tiji Festival, but it does have the Yartung Festival (September) – a community horse-racing and harvest celebration that gives Lo Manthang a different kind of festive energy. Autumn trekking permits are available and accommodation is less pressured than the May festival window.

Winter: December to February

Winter in Upper Mustang is cold and windy. Lo Manthang temperatures drop well below -10°C at night, and the high passes north of Lo Manthang are snowbound. The region is accessible in winter – roads don't necessarily close – but the experience is demanding and most guesthouses operate on reduced schedules. For hardened cold-weather trekkers with the right gear and realistic expectations, a December or January visit is a legitimate option. For most travelers, it's the season to skip.

Booking Timing for the Tiji Festival

For the 2027 Tiji Festival, see our Group Trek and Private Trek options. For 2028, see the 2028 Trek page. Helicopter and overland tour options have extremely limited seats during festival season. Also see our permit guide to understand what needs to be arranged before departure.