Kathmandu, 4 May: A total of 51,896 foreign tourists visited Mustang in the first four months of 2025. According to the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) Jomsom, this number represents tourists who entered Mustang between January 1 and the end of April 2025.
Rajesh Gupta, the head of the ACAP Jomsom office, stated that the arrival of foreign tourists in Mustang has been increasing unexpectedly. Of the total visitors during this period, 43,151 were from SAARC countries and 8,745 were from other nations. This means that 83% of the foreign tourists were from SAARC countries, while 17% were from non-SAARC nations.
The monthly breakdown shows that 4,346 foreign tourists visited Mustang in January, 5,330 in February, 19,095 in March, and 23,152 in April. Compared to the same period in 2024, when 37,974 foreign tourists visited, this represents a 36.66% increase in foreign tourist arrivals during the first four months of 2025.
According to Suraj Gurung, a hotel entrepreneur from Muktinath, a significant number of foreign tourists visit Mustang to observe its historical, religious, cultural, and social heritage. Most foreign tourists coming to Mustang are from India. As Muktinath is a shared pilgrimage site for both Hindus and Buddhists, many Indian tourists visit from various parts of India for religious purposes.
Besides visiting the Muktinath Temple, tourists also explore other popular destinations in Upper Mustang such as Korala Pass, Chhoser Caves, the Lomanthang Palace, Niphuk Monastery, Loghekar (House) Monastery, Charang Monastery, Luri Monastery, Damodar Kunda, Chhusi Cave, Mustang Gate, Salt Mines, Kagbeni Dham, Dhumba Lake, Jomsom Bazaar, Marpha Village, Sekung Lake, and Titi Lake. These attractions have helped establish Mustang as a popular destination for both domestic and international tourists.
According to the Nepal Tourism Board, a total of 176,871 foreign tourists visited Nepal in the first two months of 2025—79,991 in January and 96,880 in February . However, official data for March and April 2025 has not been released yet.
For context, in the first four months of 2024, Nepal welcomed 416,069 foreign tourists, with monthly arrivals of 79,100 in January, 97,426 in February, 128,167 in March, and 111,376 in April.
Given the upward trend in early 2025, it’s anticipated that the total number of foreign tourists in Nepal for the first four months of 2025 will surpass the figures from the same period in 2024.
