Korala Emerging as New Tourism Hub in Mustang

Korala checkpoint in Upper Mustang, situated at an altitude of 4,610 meters on the Nepal-China border, has been emerging as a new tourist destination in recent years, attracting a growing number of domestic visitors.

The number of tourists visiting the area has surged with the improvement of the Beni-Jomsom-Korala road — one of Nepal’s national pride projects — which has made travel smoother and more accessible.

Fifty percent of the domestic tourists who visit Muktinath, a famed shrine in Mustang, are found to travel up to the Korola check point.

While most parts of the country were reeling under incessant rainfall in recent days, tourists enjoyed fair weather in Mustang, a region accustomed to limited rainfall. The pleasant conditions contributed to an increase in tourist arrivals during the Dashain holidays.

Read: Korala Emerges as Nepal’s New Trade Lifeline with China

According to the District Police Office, over 6,000 domestic tourists visited Mustang on October 3 and 4 alone, with many continuing their journey to the Korala border point after visiting the Muktinath temple. Deputy Superintendent of Police Tshering Kippa Lama said 6,173 domestic and 688 foreign tourists entered Mustang during those two days.

Police Inspector Bishnu Hari Thapa, in-charge of the Armed Police Force Border Outpost at Nhechung, said that around 1,500 domestic tourists visited the Korala checkpoint daily on October 3 and 4, while 1,702 reached there on October 5. A total of 126 four-wheelers and 224 two-wheelers traveled to the area over the three days, he added.

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Foreign tourists, who must pay a USD 500 fee to visit the Upper Mustang region, are not permitted to reach the Korala border point due to security sensitivities. They can travel only up to the APF’s outpost at Lomanthang-2.

Authorities have arranged for vehicles to enter the checkpoint from 7 a.m. and return by 4 p.m. each day. However, visitors are advised to take precautions, as some have reported health issues due to cold temperatures and high altitude. -- RSS