This high desert rain-shadow region shares its landscape and culture with the Tibetan plateau, with the walled capital Lo Manthang as its destination — the former royal seat of the independent Kingdom of Mustang, which persisted until 2008. Foreigners were first allowed in only in 1992, and the area remains tightly controlled, requiring a Restricted Area Permit costing $500 per person for 10 days. The mud-walled royal palace of Lo Manthang, gompas preserving 15th-century murals, and the man-made cave complexes at Chhoser all keep Tibetan Buddhist culture intact.
