The mud walls
Narrow red passages.
Bijay Chaurasia — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Nrik kiran — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Mohan K. Duwal — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Bhattarai84 — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Jean-Marie Hullot from France — CC BY 2.0
Kagbeni is a small village of mud and stone in the Kali Gandaki Valley in Mustang District, regarded as one of the oldest villages in the Himalayas according to Wikipedia. It stands where two routes meet, one to Muktinath and the other to Lo Manthang, so it is called the gateway to Upper Mustang, and you feel you are nearing another world. It had 555 people at the 2011 census and lies between two sacred rivers, the Muktinath and the Kali Gandaki. It sits on the trail from Jomsom to Lo Manthang. Just beyond the village the restricted area begins, and a sign warns that you cannot continue north without a special permit. You walk among red mud walls, narrow passages and small prayer towers, surrounded by fields that look surprisingly green in the bare land. In autumn the poplars on the riverbank turn yellow, against brown mountains banded with coloured rock and high snow peaks. A strong wind can blow up the valley, so be ready for it. It is about 9 km in a straight line from Jomsom and about 9 km from Muktinath, reached by jeep or on foot. It is a high mountain village, so do not rush. It has simple guesthouses and works as a night between Jomsom and Muktinath. Spring and autumn are best. Treat residents and monasteries with respect and ask before taking photos.
Narrow red passages.
Surprising colour in the valley.
Yellow on the riverbank.
Kali Gandaki Valley, Mustang District, Nepal
Not for the village itself, where the Annapurna permit is enough, but going north needs a restricted-area permit.
No. It is about 9 km in a straight line, reached by jeep or on foot.