Tourism surge and climate change threaten Nepal’s Mustang

Since the completion of an all-weather road eight years ago, Nepal’s remote Mustang region has become a mass tourism destination, reports Mongabay’s Abhaya Raj Joshi. The surge in tourists, combined with the impacts of climate change, could put the fragile Himalayan region at greater risk of future disasters. Previously, Mustang was a destination for foreign trekkers attempting the Annapurna Circuit and occasional Nepali devotees. Now, domestic and Indian pilgrims flock to the region on the new road, which has significantly shortened travel time to both upper and lower Mustang. Between mid-July 2024 and mid-June 2025, Mustang experienced a 49% jump in tourist arrivals compared to the previous year, according to the district police office. The number of domestic tourists increased by 52% an