Mustang Tiji Festival Trek

Day 1: Arrival in Kathmandu 1300m
After your arrival in Kathmandu, you will be received by our company representative and transferred to the hotel. Welcome dinner is held in the hotel and a short brief about your trip is given. Overnight stay at a hotel in Kathmandu.

Day 2: Restricted Area Permit procedure
There are certain trekking regions known as ‘Restricted Areas’ that are highly regulated by the Government of Nepal and Upper Mustang is one of them. So, Trekking Permit must be obtained from the Department of Immigration in Kathmandu. This day is designated for the procedure for obtaining the Restricted Area Permit. You can feel free to explore the city once the official procedure is complete. Overnight stay at a hotel in Kathmandu.

Day 3: Drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara |820m
We will drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara in a tourist bus. En route, Trishuli and Marsayangdi rivers, and panoramic view of Ganesh Himal (7422m), Lamjung Himal (6983m), Manaslu (8263m) and most of Annapurna Himalayan Range are seen. Once we reach the beautiful town of Pokhara, we can see a close-up view of the Annapurna Range and enjoy the stunning lakeside, its fresh air, and peaceful environment. Overnight stay at a hotel in Pokhara.

Day 4: Fly from Pokhara to Jomsom (2720m) and trek to Kagbeni (2810m)
Early in the morning, we will take a flight to Jomsom. The breathtaking mountain flight with majestic views of snow-capped mountains of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri range will take around 25 minutes. Once we get to Jomsom, we prepare for the trek to Kagbeni. We take a gradual path along the Kaligandaki riverbank and continue to Kagbeni, which will take around 3 hours. Kagbeni is the main gateway to Upper Mustang. Overnight stay at Kagbeni.

Day 5: Trek from Kagbeni to Chele (3050m)
At the Police Check Post at the north end of Kagbeni Village, formalities to enter the Upper Mustang area have to be cleared. Then, the trail continues the east bank of the Kali Gandaki that climbs over many ridges as it heads north through the villages of Tangbe and Chhusang. Meanwhile, the southern skyline is continually dominated by the Nilgiri range. We leave Kali Gandaki valley and climb a steep rocky canyon to Chele. Overnight stay at Chele.

Day 6: Trek from Chele to Syangboche (3800m) via Chungsi Cave
We continue our trek and climb through plateaus and narrow stretches along the side of a steep canyon to a cairn of rock. After crossing the ridge, we descend slowly to the Samar village. After walking for 3 more hours along the similar up-and-down terrain, we will reach Syangboche, passing the famous Chungsi cave. Overnight stay at Syangboche.

Day 7: Trek from Syangboche to Dhakmar (3820m)
We leave Syangboche and ascend towards another valley before descending to Ghiling with its huge fields of barley. Then, we walk uphill to the Nyi La (4010m). Further, we pass Ghami La (3765m) then descend to the village of Ghami. A few hours’ walks lead us to the village of Dhakmar at the bottom of large red cliffs, one of the most beautiful landscapes in Mustang. Overnight stay at Dhakmar.

Day 8: Trek from Dhakmar to Lomanthang (3810m) via Ghar Gompa
The trail goes ups and downs along corridors between the cliffs. The scenic view of beautiful hills, glittering white snow-capped mountains, colorful Chorten makes the trail more interesting. On the way, we pass Ghar Gumba (house monastery) as the structure is built like a house with small separate rooms. Then the trail ascends gradually upto Chogo La (4280m) then we continue walking on the ridge and finally descend to Lo-Manthang. It is a beautiful fortified city having an ancient king’s palace and important monasteries. Overnight stay at Lo Manthang.

Day 9; 31st May 2019: Tiji Festival in Lomanthang
The first day of Tiji festival starts with a huge celebration. The harassment of Ma Tam Ru Ta in a dance called “Tsa Chham” is performed on the first day. We will spend the day observing the dances, celebrations and sacrifice rituals with the local people. Some of the main attractions are horse racing and a giant tug-of-war and most importantly, the sacred chanting of Lamas and the masked dance portraying the myth of Tiji festival. The entire environment of the festival will be vibrant with the enormous Thanka decorations, Tibetan women in their traditional clothing with colorful jewelry, monks in their robes and the dancers in elaborate costumes. Overnight stay at Lo Manthang.

Day 10; 1st June 2019: Tiji Festival in Lomanthang
The birth of Dorje Jono as the demon’s son is performed on the second day called “Nga Chham”. A colorful ceremony accompanied by a unique dance of Tibetan Lamas can be observed on this day. It is done to chase away all the hungry and evil spirits from the village. Many people across the region participate in this ritual of purification and renewal and we can see many women and children in their traditional dresses. The royal of Mustang is also present on this day. Overnight stay at Lo Manthang.

Day 11; 2nd June 2019: Tiji Festival in Lomanthang
The Tiji festival ends with the performance of all mythological stories and the attempt to return the demon to Lord Buddha’s realm are enacted during the performances on the third and final day. The ceremonial destruction of all evil is done by setting out demons in old tiger skin and attacking them with bow and arrow, old guns and slings. On this day, we can also visit Namgyal Gompa, a monastery that lies on a hilltop. It is an important monastery that serves as a local court to the local community people. Overnight stay at Lo Manthang.

Day 12: Trek from Lomanthang to Ghami (3520m)
The trek begins in the morning from Lo Manthang to finally reach Ghami at the altitude of 3545m. The trail continues to ascend to the pass marked by a cairn, offering a last glimpse of Lo-Manthang. Then, the trail makes a long rocky descent to Lo Gekar. The trail descends along the side of the stone walls and fields of widespread villages and it is a few hours descent to Ghami. Overnight stay at Ghami.

Day 13: Trek from Ghami to Samar (3660m)
From Ghami, we follow the direct route to the Nyi La (4010m), climbing to a cairn on a ridge and then moving upwards which meets the trail from Tsarang further ahead. Continuing on the trek, we arrive at Syangboche. Then, we descend through the same route to reach Samar. Overnight stay at Samar.

Day 14: Trek from Samar to Kagbeni (2810m)
We follow the same route to return to Kagbeni. We begin the descent to Chele crossing a couple of passes on the way. From Chele, crossing the Kali Gandaki River, Chhusang welcomes us. We reach Tangbe village and then follow the route along the Kali Gandaki River to reach Kagbeni. The pleasant landscapes and surreal mountain views will keep us company throughout the trek. Overnight stay at Kagbeni.

Day 15: Trek from Kagbeni to Jomsom (2720m)
We retrace the trail to trek back from Kagbeni to Jomsom. Leaving Kagbeni, we begin on a gradual descent to Ekle Bhatti. And then, following the route along the Kali Gandaki River, we arrive at Jomsom. Jomsom is famous for its mid-day wind and the local apple derivatives, especially Marpha. We can celebrate the success of our trek here. Overnight stay at Jomsom.

Day 16: Fly from Jomsom to Pokhara
We take another breathtaking mountain flight from Jomsom to Pokhara. The remaining time may be spent exploring the beautiful city of Pokhara or taking time to relax after the trek. Pokhara has a number of tourist destinations like Phewa Lake, Mahendra cave, Bat cave, Davis Fall, and numerous others. The streets of Pokhara are also famous for hosting lively nights as well. Overnight stay at a hotel in Pokhara.

Day 17: Drive from Pokhara to Kathmandu by tourist bus
We drive back to Kathmandu in a tourist bus through the same highway that we had taken earlier. The familiar Trishuli River will accompany us on the journey. Once at Kathmandu, we can explore the local markets and shop for souvenirs. The spas and wellness centers in the valley to offer great service. Overnight stay at a hotel in Kathmandu.

Day 18: Departure from Kathmandu
Our representative will drop you to Tribhuvan International Airport approximately 3 hours before your flight schedule. We certainly hope that you enjoyed the Mustang Tiji Festival Trek and look forward to seeing you for another adventure soon.