Mustang Community Homestay- Lubra Bon - Mountain adventures in the rainshadow of the Himalaya

The Mustang Bon Community Homestay provides a simple village experience high in the mountains. Only around 20 families live in Lubra, so you can get to know a close-knit community.

Your accommodation with the family will be basic, but adequate to meet all your needs. Like all Community Homestays in Nepal, you’ll have a private room with a bed with fresh linen. Expect toilets to be squat style, as is common throughout Nepal.

One highlight is getting the chance to eat (and prepare) locally grown food. Mustang is largely a dry, arid region, but you will notice small plots of irrigated land that are bright green, lush with crops and vegetables grown by the villagers. The local orchards (especially in nearby Marpha) are a source of delicious, fresh fruit.

Depending on the season, you may be able to help your hosts plant and gather their food, including rice planting. Whatever the season, you can join in a cooking class, where your hosts will show you how they prepare food the traditional way.

ABOUT LUBRA, MUSTANG

Mustang is an extraordinarily unique part of Nepal, with a landscape, culture, history, and religious traditions quite separate from what you’ll find elsewhere, even in other neighboring parts of the Annapurna Himalaya. 

Many travelers pass through Lower Mustang—with a detour to Lubra—while trekking the Annapurna Circuit or other trekking trails in the region. Staying at the Mustang Bon Community Homestay as part of this broader trekking experience is a great way to take a break and appreciate some local home comforts. 

However, you don’t need to be passing through on a longer trek to enjoy a stay here. Lower Mustang and Lubra are destinations in their own right, with many cultural and outdoor activities to enjoy. Day hikes are a great way to see the area: you can walk along the Kali Gandaki River gorge, to ancient meditation caves, hilltop monasteries, to the major pilgrimage site of Muktinath, and even the last existing monastery of the Bon religion in Nepal, in Lubra. There’s also a chance to spot some rare wildlife while hiking in this area, including blue sheep, musk deer, Himalayan wolves, and even the elusive snow leopard if you’re really lucky. If you can’t or don’t want to trek, Jeep trails also let you visit many of these same places.

Best time to visit

Lower Mustang is in the rainshadow of the Himalaya, meaning it doesn’t experience the monsoon as other parts of Nepal do. Plus, because of the high altitude, the climate is much cooler than Pokhara or Kathmandu. Therefore, summer (May-September) is a great time to visit.

Climate and weather

Jomsom, the gateway to Mustang, sits at 2743 metres, meaning temperatures can be cold when other parts of Nepal are very warm. Winters here are very cold, and summers are warm but not too hot. Mustang experiences strong winds daily, from mid-late morning, so it’s best to enjoy sightseeing activities earlier in the morning.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Devil Traps and other secrets from Lubra, Nepal (published with

permission from Roxana Oliver)