Kathmandu, June 19: China has urged Nepal to reconsider the $500 entry fee imposed on foreign tourists visiting Upper Mustang, calling it excessive. The proposal was raised during a Nepal-China trade facilitation event in Lomanthang and Jomsom.
Chinese officials noted that, although an immigration office exists at the Korala border, the high fee and lack of operational services deter visitors, especially those entering from China.
Currently, foreigners are required to pay $500 for a 10-day permit, as Upper Mustang is a semi-restricted area. Chinese delegates suggested building comprehensive border facilities—encompassing immigration, customs, and quarantine—so that tourists can enter easily. Nepali officials agreed that the fee discourages tourism and expressed openness to reviewing it.
Local leaders and stakeholders, including rural municipality chairs, traders, and district officials, supported the proposal. They acknowledged Nepal’s inadequate infrastructure, such as an unfinished immigration office lacking staff, water, and electricity, in contrast to China’s fully equipped side.
Consul General Laxmi Prasad Niraula said the Nepali Consulate in Lhasa will coordinate efforts to address these concerns. During a separate visit to Drongpa in Tibet, both sides pledged cooperation to make the Korala border operational.
Upper Mustang, opened to tourists in 1992, previously charged $700 but reduced to $500 in 2009. Visitors must pay $50 per extra day beyond 10 days.
The area is known for its dramatic landscapes, Tibetan culture, religious sites like Muktinath, and its popularity on the Annapurna Circuit. Chinese tourists prefer entering from Korala and have specifically asked Nepal to ease access by lowering the fee.
People's News Monitoring Service