At least 772 foreign tourists entered Mustang district over the past two weeks after crossing the Thorong La Pass, according to records maintained by the Annapurna Conservation Area Project's area conservation office checkpoint at Jomsom. The trekkers arrived along the classic Annapurna Circuit route, having set out from Besisahar in Lamjung district and travelled through Manang before descending into Mustang. The arrivals were logged in the two weeks following heavy snowfall in the region, with the pass itself standing at an altitude of 5,416 metres above sea level. The figures, reported by Khabarhub, Ratopati and Thaha Khabar, underline the continued pull of one of Nepal's most celebrated trekking corridors even in the aftermath of severe winter weather.
Timing of Arrivals After Heavy Snowfall
The two-week reporting window is notable because it follows heavy snowfall across the high Annapurna region. Snowfall at extreme altitudes such as Thorong La frequently affects movement on mountain routes, as trails can be buried and visibility reduced, making the crossing of a 5,416 metre pass a demanding undertaking even in favourable conditions. The Jomsom checkpoint, which sits on the Mustang side of the route, recorded the trekkers as they completed the crossing and entered the district.
That trekkers continued to arrive in significant numbers in the period after the snowfall points to the resilience of the Annapurna Circuit as a trekking product and to the determination of international visitors to complete the route. Checkpoints such as the one operated at Jomsom by the Annapurna Conservation Area Project serve as the formal record of movement in and out of the conservation area, tallying the trekkers who pass through as they descend from Manang into the trans-Himalayan landscape of Mustang.
SAARC and Non-SAARC Breakdown
The checkpoint data provides a clear picture of where the recent arrivals came from. Of the 772 foreign tourists recorded over the two weeks, the vast majority travelled from beyond the South Asian region.
- Total foreign arrivals: 772 over the past two weeks
- Tourists from SAARC countries: 43
- Tourists from other countries: 729
- Route: Besisahar in Lamjung, through Manang, over Thorong La Pass into Mustang
- Altitude of Thorong La Pass: 5,416 metres above sea level
The 43 visitors from SAARC member countries represent a small fraction of the total, with the remaining 729 trekkers arriving from countries outside the regional grouping. This pattern is consistent with the broader character of the Annapurna Circuit, which draws trekkers from around the world and sees the route's high mountain crossing completed largely by long-haul international visitors. The Jomsom checkpoint records all foreign trekkers entering Mustang by this route, providing conservation area officials with a running tally of tourist movement through the district.
Thorong La and the Annapurna Circuit
Thorong La Pass, at 5,416 metres above sea level, is among the highest points regularly crossed by trekkers anywhere in the world and forms the dramatic high point of the Annapurna Circuit. The route traditionally begins at Besisahar in Lamjung district, winding north through the Manang valley, where trekkers typically acclimatise to the rising altitude before attempting the pass. From the summit of Thorong La, the trail descends toward Muktinath and onward to Jomsom, the headquarters of Mustang district and a major hub for the local tourism economy.
The crossing of the pass effectively serves as the gateway between Manang and Mustang, two of the most striking high-altitude landscapes in Nepal. For trekkers on the circuit, reaching the pass and then dropping into Mustang marks the culmination of days of walking through the Annapurna range, and the Jomsom checkpoint is where this achievement is formally recorded. The steady flow of arrivals documented over the past fortnight shows that the route from Besisahar through Manang and over Thorong La remained an active corridor even in the weeks after the heavy snowfall.
Conservation Area Oversight in Mustang
The figures were released by the Annapurna Conservation Area Project, Nepal's largest protected area, which spans the Annapurna region including Manang and Mustang. The project's area conservation office maintains the checkpoint at Jomsom, where trekkers entering the district are registered. This monitoring plays a dual role, supporting both the management of the conservation area and the tracking of visitor numbers that inform tourism planning in the district.
Mustang's economy is closely tied to trekking and pilgrimage tourism, and the arrival figures from the Jomsom checkpoint are a key indicator of the health of that trade. With 772 foreign tourists recorded in just two weeks, including trekkers from SAARC countries and a far larger number from further afield, the latest data offers encouragement for the district's tourism sector as the Annapurna Circuit continues to deliver visitors over its highest and most demanding crossing.
