Upper Mustang is the rain-shadow kingdom: Jomsom, Kagbeni, Lo Manthang, a daily restricted-area permit, and desert light that looks nothing like the Annapurna sanctuary. You fly or jeep from Pokhara toward Jomsom, then walk a walled town that still feels like a different country. The cost is the permit days, not a secret lodge surcharge at our office.
Manaslu Circuit is the quieter 8,000 m neighbour: Soti Khola or Dharapani start, Larkya La around 5,106 m, and a finish toward Besisahar that can connect back to Pokhara. Tsum Valley branches into Buddhist villages and extra permit layers. Nar Phu is a side valley of stone, wind, and a restricted paper trail. These are not Poon Hill weekends.
Rules change. The two-person minimum on some restricted routes has been relaxed on paper; a government-registered agency and a licensed guide are still mandatory. We will not sell a DIY permit or a “just TIMS” story at the checkpoint. Dates and passport nationality go in the quote. RAP days, ACAP where it applies, TIMS, jeeps, and the flight if we use Jomsom weather, are line items you see before you pay.
Best months for Mustang are often March–May and late September–November, when the rain-shadow is usable and Lo Manthang is open. Manaslu prefers the same autumn and spring windows as other high passes. Monsoon is a poor time for Larkya La. Winter is possible in Lower Mustang with closed high lodges further north.
Write a manager with how many days you have. Mustang in a rush is a jeep tour, not a trek. Manaslu in under two weeks is a compromise we will name rather than hide. Compare each product page for inclusions, then read the permits note on the prepare page before you assume a TIMS card is enough.
