Tourist Destinations and Hotels in Myagdi and Mustang Packed with Visitors
Myagdi, Nepal – Tourist destinations and hotels in the districts of Myagdi and Mustang are currently operating at full capacity due to a surge in visitors. Hotels in Beni, Galeshwar, Tiplyang, Pokharebagar, Bhurung-Tatopani along the Beni–Jomsom road, as well as all major tourist sites in Mustang, are fully occupied.
Popular attractions in Myagdi, including Galeshwar, Bhurung-Tatopani, Rupse Waterfall, Mahabhir Waterfall, and Andhagalchi, are witnessing large crowds of tourists. According to Raju Hamal, a hotel entrepreneur from Bhurung-Tatopani in Annapurna Rural Municipality–2, the increase in visitors is mainly due to Indian tourists escaping the summer heat and domestic travelers taking advantage of four consecutive public holidays.
Raju Hamal, Hotel Entrepreneur: “Hotels are packed with guests from India seeking relief from the heat, as well as visitors from different parts of Nepal enjoying the holidays. Many tourists who could not find accommodation in Mustang have been accommodated in Myagdi, Baglung, Kushma, and even Pokhara.”
Mustang Records Over 30,000 Visitors in Four Days
According to the District Police Office in Mustang, more than 30,000 tourists have entered Mustang via the Beni–Jomsom road over the past four days. Records from the Ghansa Police Post show that 5,586 tourists entered Mustang on Wednesday, 7,827 on Thursday, and 9,086 on Friday. Police Inspector Santosh Basyal of the District Police Office, Mustang, reported that tourist arrivals on Saturday were similar to Friday's figures. The Ghansa Police Post maintains records of both vehicles and tourists entering the district.
Hotels in Mustang have the capacity to accommodate approximately 10,000 guests per day, while hotels in Myagdi can host around 2,000 overnight visitors daily. Most domestic tourists entering Mustang travel beyond Ghansa and continue as far as Korala, the border area with China. Since visitors traveling to higher elevations may experience altitude sickness, awareness campaigns have also been launched to educate travelers. Domestic tourists typically stay in the region for two to four days.
Indian Tourists Escape Heat, Combine Pilgrimage with Holiday
Shambhu Sah, a visitor from Bihar, India, said he traveled to Mustang with family members and neighbors by reserving a bus, combining a pilgrimage to Muktinath with an escape from the summer heat. Similarly, Hari Neupane from Kathmandu said that he, along with family and friends, made use of the four-day public holiday to visit Mustang and Dhorpatan before returning home.
However, some tourists have complained about travel difficulties caused by road closures on the Myagdi section of the Beni–Jomsom–Korala Highway, where vehicles have been restricted due to flood and landslide damage as well as ongoing road upgrades. Mustang remains one of Nepal's most popular travel destinations because visitors can undertake pilgrimages to Muktinath and Kagbeni, enjoy views of the Himalayas, barren mountain landscapes, lakes and wetlands, experience Himalayan culture and lifestyles, and even drive all the way to the Korala border checkpoint.
Dhorpatan Valley: Hotels Full, Hundreds Turned Back
Dhorpatan, Baglung – The four consecutive public holidays have brought a surge of tourists to the Dhorpatan Valley, filling hotels and homestays to capacity. With hundreds of domestic tourists arriving each day, many visitors have been unable to find accommodation and were forced to return home. Although the holiday period officially began on Thursday, hotels in Dhorpatan had already been fully booked since Wednesday.
According to Jiban Pun, President of the Dhorpatan Valley Hotel Entrepreneurs Association, the sudden influx of visitors created significant challenges in managing accommodations. Dhorpatan currently has 27 hotels and 12 homestays. Pun said that increased publicity and promotion of Dhorpatan in recent years have made it a popular destination whenever there is even a short holiday. Guests who had contacted hotels and made arrangements as early as May 26 were accommodated, but many others were unable to secure lodging.
Jiban Pun, Hotel Entrepreneurs Association President: “Perhaps because of the long holiday, the number of visitors has been overwhelming. Even nearby vacant houses have been occupied. There are no available rooms. Around 100 tourists who contacted me directly had to return. We urge anyone planning to visit Dhorpatan to first check availability before traveling.”
Hotels and homestays in Dhorpatan have the capacity to host approximately 700 guests per night, but nearly twice that number of tourists arrived, creating serious management difficulties, according to hotel entrepreneur Shivaraj Kandel. Kandel noted that while Dhorpatan receives visitors throughout the year, the extended holiday period brought more than 1,000 tourists in a single day. He said his hotel alone accommodated 80 guests, while about 200 others had to be referred to different hotels.
"Dhorpatan currently feels like a fairground because of the crowds," Kandel said. "We do not want to turn visitors away, but we have been left with no choice."
Improved Road Access Fuels Tourism Growth
The sharp increase in tourist arrivals has been largely attributed to improvements on the Burtibang–Dhorpatan road, which has significantly reduced travel time. Tourists can now reach Dhorpatan from Burtibang Bazaar in about one hour, making the destination more accessible and attractive. Until last year, poor road conditions had been a major obstacle.
Mahesh Khadka, who arrived in Dhorpatan from Gulmi on Friday afternoon, said he had to stay in Burtibang Bazaar after failing to find a hotel room. Traveling with a group of 13 people and planning a three-day trip, he was disappointed to cut the visit short and return home the same day. Khadka said that only those who had arrived in Dhorpatan on Thursday were able to secure accommodation.
Dhorpatan Municipality Deputy Mayor Dhan Bahadur Kayat explained that many tourists visit Dhorpatan during this season to escape the heat of the lower valleys and enjoy the region's cooler climate. He warned that the sudden influx of visitors can create shortages of food, lodging, and other essential services and urged travelers to contact hotel operators in advance before visiting Dhorpatan.
Dhorpatan, known for its scenic alpine meadows, cool weather, and natural beauty, continues to grow in popularity as one of western Nepal's leading domestic tourism destinations. Meanwhile, the Beni-Jomsom road corridor remains the primary gateway to Upper Mustang, and local authorities are working to manage the unprecedented visitor flow while maintaining safety standards.
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