MUSTANG: A total of 285,616 foreign tourists visited Mustang district in the first ten months of 2026, reflecting a significant increase compared to the number of visitors recorded throughout 2025.
According to the National Trust for Nature Conservation’s Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP), Jomsom, the district received 262,012 visitors from SAARC countries and 28,275 visitors from other countries between January and October.
The number of foreign tourists visiting Mustang has increased substantially compared to 161,141 recorded throughout the entire year of 2025, according to ACAP statistics.
ACAP Jomsom Chief Rajesh Gupta said that tourist arrivals had increased significantly, with November and December still remaining in the current year.
According to ACAP data, the number of visitors from SAARC countries increased by approximately 97 percent in the first ten months of 2026 compared to the corresponding period of the previous year. Gupta said that arrivals from SAARC countries had increased by 129,146 compared to the total recorded in 2025.
In contrast, tourist arrivals from countries outside the SAARC region have declined. While 23,604 visitors from non-SAARC countries travelled to Mustang throughout 2025, the number recorded in the first ten months of 2026 was 28,275. However, ACAP officials said the figures indicated a decline of 4,671, or 16.5 percent, compared to the previous year.
Gupta expressed confidence that the overall number of foreign tourists visiting Mustang in 2026 would not fall below last year’s figure, despite two months remaining in the year.
Tourism activities in Mustang were affected this year by several factors, including the devastating floods in the Rasuwagadhi area, disruptions along the Jomsom-Korala road, the suspension of air services, and unfavourable weather conditions.
Despite these challenges, tourist arrivals have continued to grow, largely driven by an increase in visitors from neighbouring SAARC countries, particularly India.
According to ACAP, the growing number of Indian tourists visiting the district is primarily associated with religious tourism. Thousands of Indian pilgrims visit the sacred Muktinath Temple every year, and their numbers have been increasing steadily.
Meanwhile, a significant proportion of tourists from countries outside the SAARC region visit Mustang through the Annapurna Circuit trekking route. These visitors enter the district from Manang after crossing the Thorong La Pass, one of the highest trekking passes in the world.
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