The Heavenly plateau:Mustang

Mustang is from Tibetan Mun Tan (Wylie smon-thang) which denotes fertile plain. Mustang, or the Kingdom of Lo, is part of Nepal and one of its district, in the north-east of that country, bordering China (Tibet) on the Central Asian plateau between the Nepalese provinces of Dolpo and Manang. It is nearly 80 km long (north-south) and 45 km at its widest, and is at an elevation of over 2500 m. Mustang is also renowed as a "Tibet outside the Tibetan Border" for it survived the Chinese invasion of 1951 and hence it fosters the original Tibetan Culture, although now politically in Nepal. Life in Mustang meant animal husbandry and trade. The region being the saftiest corridor through the mighty Himalaya joining the Tibetan Plateau and Central Asia with the tropical Indian plains, it enjoyed a trans-Himalayan trade. In spite of its strategic importance it went through many wars, and hence various social,cultural and religious practices thrived in parallel in Mustang.

It is largely dry and arid (annual precipitation is in the range of 250-400 mm) due to its position in the rain shadow of the Annapurna massif towards the south.
The main feature of Mustang is the Gandaki river, its valley and tributaries. The river runs north-east to south-west towards Nepal Terai, bisecting the territory. It once served as the major trade route between Tibet and India, especially for salt. Part of the river valley, the Thak Khola, forms the deepest gorge in the world.
Even though foreign visitors have been allowed to the kingdom since 1991, tourism to Upper Mustang is regulated. Foreigners need to obtain a special permit to enter, which costs US$500 per 10 days per person.
In 2007, a shepherd in Mustang discovered a collection of 55 cave paintings depicting the life of lord Buddha.