As of the current fiscal year, a total of 396,901 tourists have visited Mustang, a religious and tourist destination. According to police data from mid-July to March 18, both internal and external tourists visited the district.
Among these, 333,845 were internal tourists, and 63,056 were foreign tourists, as informed by Bishal Adhikari, the information officer at the District Police Office. Of the internal tourists, 238,354 were men, and 95,491 were women. Among the foreign tourists, 35,618 were men, and 27,438 were women.
Since the start of this fiscal year, 81% of visitors to Mustang have been internal tourists, while 19% have been foreign. The majority of the foreign tourists (80%) were from India, with the remaining 20% from other countries.
In the previous fiscal year, 454,326 tourists visited Mustang, of which 354,927 were internal tourists and 99,399 were foreign. The improvement in road infrastructure has led to a steady increase in both internal and external tourist arrivals.
Internal tourists often visit the sacred religious sites like Muktinath and Kagbeni for pilgrimage. Some even travel up to Korla, near the northern border with Tibet. It’s religious and cultural diversity, along with its unique geography, continues to attract more visitors every year.
As the Korla Road, a national pride project, becomes more accessible, internal tourists are able to reach up to Korla. Mustang’s ancient monasteries, stupas, temples, and historical sites have made it an increasingly significant tourist destination. Moreover, in Upper Mustang, the 700-year-old Mustang Cultural King’s Palace and several monasteries associated with Guru Padmasambhava are becoming centers of research and exploration for tourists.
