Beyond the main Himalayan ridge, in northern Nepal, lies Mustang (ancient name Lo) — a land more Tibetan than Tibet itself. It was not opened to the outside world until 1992, and its last king did not abdicate until 2008 — a medieval walled city and an unbroken Sakya lineage have been preserved here intact to this day.

The bond between Mustang and Sakya began in the fifteenth century, when Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo, the founding master of the Ngor branch of Sakya, entered Lo three times. In Lo Manthang he established the lineage and oversaw the transcription of the gold-ink Kanjur; from then on all three ancient temples of the city took Sakya as their orthodoxy. Beyond the walls, the older Nyingma shrine of Lo Gekar rests against the legend of Guru Rinpoche's demon-subjugation. One city, one monastery, together preserve the two lifelines of Tibetan Buddhism along the southern slopes of the Himalayas.

The five articles below approach this last Tibetan kingdom from five angles.

Return to Sakya's Sacred Sites.

• Lo Manthang.jpg · Glama1 / CC BY-SA 4.0

Q: Where is Mustang?

A: In northern Nepal, on the north side of the main Himalaya ridge, it was anciently called "Lo." Lying in the rain shadow of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri peaks, it is arid—a high-altitude desert river valley.

Q: Why is it called "the last forbidden kingdom"?

A: Upper Mustang was closed to the outside world until 1992, and the last king formally abdicated in 2008. Before that, its medieval walls, 15th-century murals, and centuries-old rituals were preserved almost intact to this day.

Q: What is Mustang's tie to the Sakya school?

A: In the 15th century, Ngorchen Kunga Zangpo, founder of Sakya's Ngor sub-school, entered Lo three times, established the lineage at Lo Manthang, and oversaw the gold-ink copying of the Kangyur; the city's three ancient monasteries all follow Sakya. The older Gar Gompa outside the walls belongs to Nyingma—one town and one monastery preserving two bloodlines.

Q: Is a permit needed to enter Mustang?

A: Entering the restricted Upper Mustang requires applying in advance for a permit and hiring a guide. This threshold has remained since the 1992 opening, which is why it is called a place "visited by less than one in a thousand."