Chhusang is a good place to understand Mustang's caves without climbing. From the fields and the riverbank you can see rows of rectangular openings cut into the cliff faces, some in clusters several levels high. Archaeologists working in Mustang since the 1990s have found burials more than 2,000 years old, Buddhist manuscripts and wall paintings in caves across the district, and some near Chhusang have been studied.
The walk takes in the cliffs at their best angle, late in the afternoon when the light turns them red and gold, and the poplar and willow groves that line the irrigation channels, green in summer and bright yellow in late October. Barley and buckwheat fields frame the scene, with the bare, folded hills of Upper Mustang rising beyond.
Your guide explains the caves' uses through time, from tombs to homes to meditation retreats, and why many are now protected. The walk is flat and easy, about 3–4 km, and you return to the lodge before dark and the cold. Bring a telephoto lens for cave details and a warm layer.
Good for
- Photographers
- Couples
- Families
- Solo
Questions travellers ask
Can I go inside the caves near Chhusang?
Most cave openings near Chhusang are high in crumbling cliffs and cannot be reached safely; some are protected archaeological sites. Please admire them from the trail. For a cave visit, go to Jhong Cave at Chhoser north of Lo Manthang, where ladders and a caretaker make it possible.
How old are the Mustang caves?
Studies show some caves were used for burials around 2,500–3,000 years ago, and others were inhabited or used for Buddhist practice between roughly the 10th and 15th centuries. Dating varies by site. The caves were dug into soft conglomerate cliffs, and erosion has since made most of them inaccessible.
When are the poplars yellow in Upper Mustang?
Poplar and willow trees along the Kali Gandaki in Upper Mustang turn yellow and gold from mid to late October, depending on the year and altitude. Combined with clear autumn skies and harvested fields, late October is a favourite time for photographers, though nights are already cold.
