Upper Mustang Tour Nepal

For many travelers, reaching Nepal's Mustang region is like arriving at the fabled valley of Shangri-La.

Cut off from the world on the edge of the Tibetan plateau, Mustang has been part of Nepal since the 18th century, but its traditional Tibetan culture has survived in isolation.

Formerly the independent Kingdom of Lo, Mustang -- or Upper Mustang as it's sometimes called -- is a high altitude desert of rich red and ocher land and deep gorges set against an infinite blue sky.

It opened up to limited numbers of travelers in 1991.

Here are some of the best ways to experience this Himalayan kingdom.

There are no street names in the Mustang capital of Lo Manthang. But the town is small, and locals can help with directions to the following places.