For centuries Mustang or ‘Lo’ situated in the extreme north of the Kaligandaki gorge was a forbidden land forever raising the curiosity of travellers. The hardy people of this Himalayan desert follow Tibetan Buddhism and are of Tibetan origin having migrated south from the Tibetan plateau centuries ago. Today, Mustang is one of the few remaining dominions still ruled by ancestral Tibetan nobility. The inhabitants of Mustang live in oasis villages in reddish-brown rock deserts, fighting a constant bitter wind and farm grains and potatoes in sheltered plots of land. This hard grind of daily life in the high Himalayas is interrupted by seasons of colorful feasts and festivals marked by drinking, dancing and merry-making. Most festivals are of religious nature centering on temples and monasteries with rites presided over by Lamas. The most important festival is Dyokyabshi, which falls during October/November.