Kagbeni

Kagbeni is a settlement in the valley of the Kali Gandaki River within Mustang District, commonly treated as the gateway between the lower Mustang settlements to the south and the Upper Mustang (Lo-Tsho Dun) region to the north, including Lo Manthang. It lies on the trail from Jomsom to the royal capital Lo Manthang and is near the junction with the trail to the pilgrimage site Muktinath. Kagbeni is described in sources as "one of the oldest villages in the Himalayas" and had a recorded population of 555 at the 2011 Nepal census. The village sits adjacent to local watercourses, including the Kagbeni Khola, which present seasonal hazards: a contemporary report records a truck becoming stuck in the Kagbeni Khola when summer monsoon rains raised water levels, requiring local drivers to attempt recovery. No sources provided in the research materials describe paranormal phenomena, named spirits, apparitions, or hauntings associated with Kagbeni. The available documentation focuses on geography, historical trade routes (Mustang's role as part of historic salt routes), cultural and pilgrimage connections (proximity to Muktinath and the Kali Gandaki River), demographics, and contemporary transport and environmental conditions.