Mustang TIJI festival Trek 2024 - 14 Day(s)

Tiji Festival Trek combines through Mustang’s fascinating villages, alongside Buddhist shrines and temples and in the shadows of the Himalayas most iconic mountains, before arriving at the fabled walled city of Lo Manthang for 3 days of dancing at the Tenchi Festival. The Tiji festival is celebrated for three days long in Lo-Manthang. The world traditional, cultural and historical settlement of Upper Mustang and its capital Lo Mathang lies behind of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri Mountains.

Tiji Fueligious ceremony and later it has crome to symbolize the hope and strength or all devotees. The festival is celebrated in the rain shadows of Himalayas which is remote area of Nepal, so, Tiji festival is prayer by Royal Family (King & Queen) of Mustang for peace, prosperity as well as stability of the Nation.

The terrain is rough and the altitude can be hard going but there will be save with us. Expect mainly camping (fully supported) with a few lodges and hotels in Kathmandu and Pokhara for good measure. The historical remote Mustang trek unseal the once forbidden kingdom of Mustang is tucked away from the rest of the world which lies just north of the main Himalayan range of Nepal. Mustang is a land where the soul of the man is still considered to be as real as the feet he walks on: a land said to be "barren as a dead deer" but where beauty and happiness abound is spite of hardship, was a part of the Tibetan Kingdom of Gungthang until 1830's. The wall city of Lo Monthang, unofficial capital of Mustang still remains a kingdom within a kingdom. Mustang has maintained its status as a separate principality until 1951. The king of Lo Monthang still retains his title and he has been given the honorary rank of Colonel in the Nepal army.

Nord Extreme Himalaya (P) Ltd was officially opened in 2012. It allows limited numbers of trekkers each year in order to protect and conserve the local tibetan tradition and the fragile environment. A trek into this fabled forbidden kingdom of vast, arid valleys, eroded canyons, ochre valley, yak caravans, colourful-painted mud brick houses on the back dropped of majestic mountain of Nilgiri, Tukche, Annapurna and Dhaulagiri makes your medieval walled kingdom Mustang trekking a very especial one. Nord Extreme Himalaya (P) LTD. regularly organizes trek to the Himalayan Kingdom of Mustang targeting TIJI festival a three days long ritual known as" The chasing of the Demons", one of the most important festival of the region. Over the festive time monks dressed in elaborate costumes and masks perform dances and rituals that are supposed to drive away evil spirits. Dressed in their finery, people from all over Mustang gather in Lo Monthang to celebrate the Tiji festival.

Day 01: 30th April 2024: Arrival Kathmandu and transfer to Hotel

Day 02: 1st  May 2024:  Kathmandu Hotel. B/B Basis

Day 03: 2nd  May 2024:  Drive to Pokhara (910m/3020ft) Duration: 6 hrs
Early in the morning, our guide will pick you up from your hotel for a drive to Pokhara.  After a 6 hours scenic drive, we reach Pokhara.  You will be transferred to a hotel for check in. In the evening, you can enjoy boating on the Fewa Lake or see the reflection of the Mount Machhapuchhre and Annapurna Range on serene water of the lake. Overnight at hotel, breakfast included.

Day 04 : 3rd May 2024: Fly to Jomsom (2700m/8855ft) & Trek to Kagbeni (2800m/9185ft) Duration: 3 hrs
Early in morning, we take a flight to Jomsom.  After a 20 minutes amazing flight above the beautiful landscapes, we reach Jomsom and start our trek to Kagbeni. We take a gradual path along the Kaligandaki bank and continue to Kagbeni.  Kagbeni lies at an elevation of 2800m and is a main gate to Upper Mustang.  Overnight at guesthouse, breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 05 : 4th May 2024 : Trek to Chele (3110m/10200ft) Duration: 5 – 6 hrs
We start our trek to Chele along the east bank of Kaligandaki river. Seclude and unique landscapes along this sandy trial are mind blowing. We continue uphill and downhill to Tangbe village. The view of Nilgiri peak from this village is amazing. We pass white washed houses, crop fields and apple orchards and continue to Chhusang village. We cross the river and continue our climb up to a huge red lump of agglomerate which falls from the cliff above.  We leave Kali Gandaki valley and climb a steep rocky canyon to Chele. Overnight at guesthouse, breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 06 : 5th May 2024 : Trek to Geling (3500m/11480ft) Duration: 5 – 6 hrs
We continue our climb along steep, treeless terrain along the side of a steep canyon to a pass and a cairn of rock at (3540m). We make a long gradual descend to Samar village and climb up above Samar village to a ridge. We further descend into a large gorge and continue to a valley field. We cross a stream and climb up a ridge at (3800m). We continue our climb up and cross yet another pass. We follow the ridge and descend to Shyangmochen. We further climb to a pass at (3770m) and descend to Geling Village. Overnight at guesthouse, breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 07 : 6th  May 2024 : Trek to Charang (3620m/11875ft) Duration: 4 hrs
Our trail climbs gently up to a pass called NYI La and descends below to a valley. We cross a steel bridge over the Tangmar Chu (river) and follow the way to the longest Mani wall in Mustang. We climb a pass at 3,600m and make a long gentle descend to Charang village. We visit a huge five-storey white Dzong and red Gompa which are the major attractions of the village. Overnight at guesthouse, breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 08 : 7th  May 2024 :  Trek to Lo – Manthang (3840m/12595ft) Duration: 3 hrs
Our trail climbs up steadily to Lo-Gekar Gompa, one of the oldest Gompa of Nepal. We continue our trek with a sight of the walled city of Lo all along the trial. We make a short descent, cross a stream and climb up into the plateau of Lo-Manthang. Overnight at guesthouse, breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 09  : 8th May 2024 : Lo – Manthang (3730 m) – the celebration of the first day of Tiji festival
Today is the first day of Tiji Festival. We spend our day observing the dances and celebrations. Horse racing and a giant tug-of-war are the major attractions. Tibetan women in their traditional clothing with colorful jewelry, monks in their robes and dancers in elaborate costumes make the entire environment vivid and vibrant. Overnight at guesthouse, breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 10  : 9th May  2024: Second day of Tiji festival
We can enjoy a colorful ceremony accompanied by an unusual dance of Tibetan lamas. It is done to chase away all the hungry and evil spirits from the village. We can see many people across the region participating in this ritual of purification and renewal.  After the observation, we can explore the intimate alleyways and courtyards of the city or simply rent a horse and visit some of the other villages in the area. Overnight at guesthouse, breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 11 : 10th May 2024 : Final day of the festival Tiji/Visit Namgyal Gompa and Tingkhar and return 4 – 6 hrs
Today, we walk to 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. After our visit to the monastery, we continue our tour to Tingkhar, the last village to the northwest of Lomanthang. In the evening, we return back to Lomanthang and continue the celebration of Tiji festival. Overnight at guesthouse, breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 12 : 11th  May 2024 : Trek to Drakmar (3820m/12530ft) Duration: 6-7 hrs
Today, our trail climbs up steadily. We climb a ridge at 4070m and continue to the Chogo La at 4210m, the highest point of our trek. Then we make a short and steep descent and cross the Charang River. We climb up to Lo Gekar and continue to Ghar Gompa, a small monastery. We climb up a ridge, cross a valley along some alpine meadows and drop down a steep eroded path to Drakmar. Overnight at guesthouse, breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 13 : 12th  May 2024 : Trek to Shyangmochen (3800m/12465ft) Duration: 5 – 6 hrs
Our trail descends as we pass the stone walls and fields of Drakmar and then climbs up to a ridge. We descend to the lower part of Ghami and then to Jaite (3820m). We further descend to Chhung-Kah and follow the trial to Tama Gaon (3710m). We continue our descend until we reach Shyangmochen. Overnight at guesthouse, breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 14  : 13th May 2024 : Trek to Chhusang (2980m/9775ft) Duration: 6 hrs
We follow a stream all the way down to Chhusang. We can also take an alternative route to Samar by visiting Ranchung Cave which is 30-minutes longer than the usual route. Overnight at guesthouse, breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 15 : 14th May 2024: Chhusang to Jomsom (2700/8856ft) Duration: 6-7 hrs
We start our trek early in the morning and continue to Kagbeni. After completing the upper Mustang trails, we join the normal route and head on to Jomsom for an overnight halt. Overnight at guesthouse, breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 16 : 15th May 2024 : Fly back to Pokhara
We take an early morning flight back to Pokhara. Overnight at hotel, breakfast included.

Day 17 : 16th May 2024 : Pokhara to Kathmandu
Today we drive back to Kathmandu. Overnight at hotel, breakfast included.

Day 18 : 17th May 2024 : Departure to your Destination
Approximately 3 hours before your scheduled flight, a representative from Nord Extreme Himalaya (P) Ltd.  Representative  will escort you to the airport for your onward journey.

Extend your Holiday?

There are a lot options if you would like to extend your holiday. This can be done after your booking as well and you may do so while on your trek.

Cost includs:

• Lodge Trek with meal, guide, sherpas, porters, etc.
• Mustang Special permit
• Annapurna Conservation fee
• Transportation of staff & equipment
• Staff flight tranportation
• Cargo for trekking goods from Pokhara - Jomsom -Pokhara
• Insurance & clothing for trekking staff.
• Air port /hotel/airport transfer
• last day good bye dinner in Kathmandu with official staff.
• Our Service Charge and all government taxes

Cost excluds:

• All expenses of personal nature
• Personal travel insurance
• Flight / Bus  Kathmandu - Pokhara - Jomsom – Pokhara - Kathmandu.
• Hotel, Lunch and dinner in Kathmandu & Pokhara
• Helicopter rescue incase needed
• Medicine as well as in trekking
• International airport taxes
• Tips for staff
• Laundry, phone calls
• Bar bills, Mineral water, Sweety, candy

Enquiry this trip