The Matriarchs of Mustang 

A luxury Nepalese hotel dreamed up by a visionary designer, demonstrates the power of gender-inclusive leadership.  

Windswept and wild, Mustang is one of Nepal’s most remote regions. Crunched between the foothills of the Annapurna Mountain Range and Tibet, it seems an unlikely place for Nepal’s most luxurious hotel.

Shinta Mani Mustang swung open its alpine wood doors last August. The latest project from Bill Bensley, this new 29-suite, all-inclusive hotel offers guests an unprecedented look into the local culture of this unique district while also supporting its community. 

“Personally, I feel that we all have a responsibility to make a change and bring positive impact in the communities we live in, the communities we come from, and belong to,” says Namgyal Sherpa, CEO of Shinta Mani Mustang and Sherpa Hospitality Group. 

But it’s not just its 100 percent Nepalese staff, a third of which is directly from Mustang, that bolsters the community; it’s also the people they partner with for unparalleled cultural experiences.  

Every morning, as the clouds push past Mount Nilgiri, travellers from the lodge embark on daily excursions that range from strolling in historic villages to hiking in the fresh Himalayan air.  

One such experience is in the nearby village of Marpha, famed for its apple crop and Thakali community, a local ethnic group. Here, Shinta Mani Mustang has partnered with Kamala Lalchan, a Thakali chef and leader. 

Guests are welcomed into her restaurant and home with a yak butter blessing and a small glass of village-made apple brandy. She then warmly shows travellers how to make apple momos, using fresh-picked Golden Delicious mixed with sugar and cinnamon. 

As the village’s senior men gather on its benches to joke and gossip, she tours guests through town and up the steps to Marpha’s monastery, where lazy cats lie in the sun while the monks’ chants echo through the air. After a cup of monastery-made butter tea, Lachlan guides guests back home, where she prepares a button-bursting traditional Thakali meal of various curries, pickles and vegetables. 

Another excursion takes guests over a rock-strewn riverbed and a suspension bridge to the ancient village of Lubra. This isolated place is one of the world’s last remaining Bon Buddhist communities, a spiritual practice thought to be older than Buddhism itself. After a hike through the farmlands, past cows, a monastery, and a sacred 800-year-old walnut tree, you pay a visit to the guesthouse of Yangchen Gurung, a local businesswoman. Black-and-white pictures of the family’s strong matriarch hang on its wall, while colourful yak knits decorate the dining space. 

A cup of warm tea prepares guests for a trip down to one of the world’s most stunning lunch set-ups. The team at Shinta Mani Mustang creates elaborate dining areas in incredible places throughout Mustang; this one is on the roof of a traditional building overlooking the river, monastic caves and mountain peaks. 

The food served is a Bon Buddhist lunch prepared by Gurung. She is proud to say that the meals she serves are made entirely of food grown and cultivated in the village, except for the white rice. And, as is typical in Nepalese hospitality, every dish is all-you-can-eat. 

A stay at Shinta Mani provides a deep insight into life in Mustang. This is the humble yet mighty Dzo - hybrids of yak and cow.

A deeper look into the various local cultures and villages isn’t just a window into the magic of Mustang; it’s a lifeline. This kind of authentic tourism promotes cultural exchanges and helps women to continue practicing and sharing their traditions. 

“Collaborating with Mrs Kamala and Ms Yangchen, who lead their families and communities, not only empowers women but through their leadership, we hope to elevate the unheard voices and foster hope for real change within this close-knit community,” says Sherpa. “Their leadership stands as a tribute to the vibrant spirit of Mustang and a demonstration of the transforming power of gender-inclusive leadership.” 

Shinta Mani’s philanthropic philosophy revolves around working with the local communities where each hotel is located. Married with Sherpa’s charitable tradition of aiding Nepalese women through the Pasang Lhamu Foundation, the two work in harmony. 

Sherpa’s family started the charitable foundation in honour of his mother, Pasang Lhamu Sherpa, the first Nepalese woman to climb Mount Everest. Tragically, she died on the way down the mountain in 1993. 

“My mother has always been my greatest source of inspiration. She showed me that women in leadership roles signify more than just breaking down barriers. It means inspiring and motivating countless people, regardless of their background,” says Sherpa. “This collaboration through Shinta Mani Mustang is one of the initiatives that strive to pave the way for a brighter and more inclusive future.” 

Over the years, the foundation has built schools, trained local guides and rescue personnel and given educational scholarships for the youth of Nepal. And this kind of charitable belief carries into every aspect of the hotel, including its famed designer.  

“Shinta Mani Foundation has operated a hotel school for less fortunate young adults for 15 years. What I appreciate about Pasang Lhamu Foundation is that education is their modus operandi,” says Bill Bensley, Shinta Mani Mustang’s hotel designer.   

The Pasang Lhamu Foundation aims to bridge the disparities and enhance the quality of life for marginalised communities throughout remote and mountainous regions of Nepal. The pillars of the foundation are education, vocational training, health, and immediate assistance, with much of the foundation’s primary focus on empowering the country’s youth, particularly girls. 

“Our mother has always been a trailblazer and was up for a challenge, inspiring women to dream big. She stood up for women all over Nepal, especially when the prospects for them to climb Everest seemed bleak,” says Sherpa. “She remains a significant source of inspiration for countless Nepalese women.”