TripAdvisor

Tiji Festival Upper Mustang Trek - 19 Days

  • Duration 19 Days
  • Destination Nepal
  • Trip Grade Moderate
  • Starts at Kathmandu
  • Ends at Kathmandu
  • Meals Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner During Trek
  • Accommodation Tea House or Lodge During Trek
  • Max. Altitude Lo Manthang (3810 Meters)
  • Activity Trekking
  • Group Type Any
  • Group Size 1 to 10
  • Best Season Spring and Autumn
Highlights
  • Trek in the shadows of Dhaulagiri and Annapurna along the Kali Gandaki River en route to Mustang
  • Pass through white-washed mountain villages, alongside colorful Buddhist shrines and temples
  • Following 5 days of trekking, reach Lo Manthang, the fabled walled city of Mustang
  • Spend 3 days in Lo Manthang at the Tije Festival – a vibrant Buddhist celebration with dancing and traditional music
  • Celebrate Tiji Festival 16, 17, and 18 May 2023

Tiji is an attractive annual three-day festival in Upper Mustang. Tiji Festival is a Tibetan ceremony that celebrates the legend of a son who had to save the Mustang kingdom from destruction. The Tiji festival is indigenous to Lo-Manthang, Upper Mustang. "Tiji" the name is a short form of the word "Tempa Chirim" which means "Prayer for World Peace". Tiji festival memorializes the victory of Lord Buddha's incarnation Dorjee Sonnu over a demon called Man Tam Ru a vicious creature feeding on human beings and causing storms and droughts. 

The Tiji festival usually takes place around mid-May and lasts for 3 days. The monks of Lo Manthang's "Choedhe" monastery perform ritual dances during the celebration. The harassment of Ma Tam Ru Ta (in a dance called "Tsa Chham" on the first day), the birth of Dorjee Sonnu as the demon's son (on the second day called "Nga Chham"), and the attempt to return the demon to Lord Buddha's realm (on the third and final day) are enacted during the performances.

The Tiji festival dances are all organized by the Choedhe Monastery, which belongs to the Sakya sect of Buddhism. The monastery is headed by a Rimpoche. About 65 monks from Lo Manthang, Nhenyul, and Chhosyer reside in this monastery. The trek to Mustang is a spectacular walk through Himalayan terrain that contrasts wildly with the lush fertile hills and valleys located to the south of the main Himalayan chain. Mustang is a barren landscape with only a few small green fields dotting a lunar landscape but boasts a remarkable spiritual heritage.

Tiji Festival Trek combines Mustang’s fascinating villages, alongside Buddhist shrines and temples and in the shadows of the Himalaya's most iconic mountains, before arriving at the fabled walled city of Lo Manthang for 3 days of dancing at the Tenchi Festival. Currently, it is not allowed to visit Lo Manthang 5 Story Palace.

Day to Day Itinerary
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Green Valley Nepal Treks airport representative will greet you at the Tribhuvan International Airport. A drop to the Hotel by a private tourist vehicle is arranged. You can either take a rest or meet us at our office to know about the details of the arrangements. 

  • 3 Star Hotel in Thamel

You will get the chance to sightsee inside the Kathmandu valley after having breakfast. The city sightseeing tour will lead you through various landmarks under world heritage listing such as Kathmandu Durbar Square, Swayambhu, Boudha, Pashupatinath et cetera. Later, we will brief you about the trek and provide a discussion for exciting queries regarding the trek.

  • 3 Star Hotel in Thamel
  • Breakfast

Drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara which is around 7-8 hours with an elevation of 822m. We will drive off on a tourist bus early in the morning. The scenic countryside and famous mountain ranges accompany us through the journey. Pokhara is renowned for its views of mountain peaks in the Annapurna range. Pokhara is also attributed to beautiful lakes like Fewa, Begnas, and Rupa. Overnight stay at a lakeside hotel.

  • 3 Star Hotel in Pokhara
  • Breakfast
  • 7 to 8 Hours
  • 205 Kilometers

The early morning flight to Jomson is very short and very scenic. In the 30 minutes of flight time, you will be treated to spectacular views as your aircraft flies up the Kali Gandaki Valley towards Jomson. The Annapurna Massif and its many stunning peaks will be to your right and the mass of 8,172m Mount Dhaulagiri will be to your left. But too soon you will be on the ground at dusty Jomson Airport. Once all your team and gear are organized your guide will lead you out onto the trail and commence the three hours trek to the village of Kagbeni. The ancient mud and stone village of Kagbeni sits on a ridge high above the dry riverbed where it is safe from the occasional flood that roars down the valley after heavy rains higher in the catchment.

  • Tea House or Lodge
  • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

The next day is from Kagbeni to Chele which takes around 5 to 6 hours of walking. We need to show the permit to move upwards along the Kali Gandaki. The trails are windy and sandy, but provide opportunities to view absolute aesthetic sceneries. The uphill and downhill trail will lead us to Tangbe village. The village landscape features white-washed houses, narrow alleys, orchards of apples, and fields of wheat and barley. Moving on, we reach Chhusang and cross the river. We then see a huge conglomerate tunnel through which Kali Gandaki flows. Our day ends with arriving at Chele village after passing small ridges.

  • Tea House or Lodge
  • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

After a short walk, the trail reaches Eklo Bhatti and ascends to Taklam La Pass (3624m). During the climb, views of Tilicho Peak, Damodar Danda, and Yakawa Kang accompany us. The village of Samar lies a little downhill along the way. The trail passes through juniper forests, and the famous Ramchung Cave to reach Syanbochen after about three hours.

  • Tea House or Lodge
  • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
  • 6 to 7 Hours

We climb through a few teahouses and chortens and along local villages to the Yamda La pass (3850m). Houses along the way are built in Tibetan architecture. Passing through poplar trees and barley fields along the way, the trail leads to Nyi Pass (4010m) where climbing becomes quite strenuous. Down the pass, Ghaymi village is the third largest in the Lo region, our stay for the night.

  • Tea House or Lodge
  • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
  • 5 to 6 Hours

After a pleasant walk, we cross the Ghaymi Khola and climb to a plateau embellished with a long Mani wall. We follow this wall made by Buddhist followers to head east to Charang, a village with maize fields and stone walls separating houses. Overnight stay at a teahouse. 

  • Tea House or Lodge
  • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
  • 4 to 5 Hours

Dropping to the Charang Chu Canyon, the trail then takes a steep climb which becomes gentler towards the Lo pass (3850m) where views of Nilgiri, Annapurna I, Bhrikuti, and Tilicho peak are magnificent. The valley of Lo-Mangthang looks outstanding from here with hills towards the Tibetan end. Overnight stay at a lodge.

  • Tea House or Lodge
  • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
  • 5 to 6 Hours

Early in the afternoon, horns resounded, announcing the two twelve-foot copper dunchens, with their elephantine blurting, followed by two double-reeled horns, all accompanied by drum and cymbals. Next an ancient and enormous tanka three stories high is unrolled down the entire south wall of the square. The thanka portrayed Padma Sambhava or Guru Rimpoche who brought this ceremony to Tibet in the 8th century. At mid-afternoon eleven lamas in maroon and gold, wearing high red hats, will come from the palace and take their places along the wall beneath the thanka, with Tashi Tenzing on the elevated seat just in the center.

As the monks and lamas commence chanting, twelve more monks come from the palace in maroon and royal blue and glittering gold brocade, with cymbal-shaped hats decked with upright peacock plumes. Soon they withdraw, to be replaced by the masked dancers who start the portrayal of the Tiji myth. Dorje Jono repels the demon through the power of his magical dancing – he dances fifty-two separate dances, one of them in ten different bodies, each with a different head. At the end of the dance, Dorje Jono kills the demon after which his people are relieved of their plague of misfortunes, water becomes plentiful once more, and the balance and harmony of existence are restored.

  • Tea House or Lodge
  • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Numbers of Loba have arrived from the outlying hamlets and the small square will be thronged with wild beautiful people, with all of the women and children, at least, in traditional dress. The King of Mustang will appear wearing a whole crown of tiny river pearls set off by dozens of large red coralline tones interspersed with matched ornaments of turquoise. The theatre of the festival then becomes a blur of costumes and masks, the twelve-foot horns, gold cups of wheat, butter cakes, snow peaks and wind and dust and sun, rajas and foreigners, dogs and yaks.

  • Tea House or Lodge
  • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Tiji ends with the ceremonial destruction of the evil remains, represented by some long black yak hair and red torma cakes minced to a dark red gurry. The demons' red remnants are set out on an old tiger skin, whereupon they are attacked by bow and arrow, slings, and the old guns. The poor devil's remains are over- turned upon the ground, each time to a wild cannonade from the old muzzle-loaders and a wave of cheers and smoke. After enjoying the festival you still have a chance to do excursions around other gompas close to Lo Manthang.

  • Tea House or Lodge
  • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

The return journey follows different trails and lets you explore new sights and villages. Today’s trek takes you through the western foothills and up and down winding trails to the small village of Lo Gekar. While may seem an insignificant little village it actually has what is thought to be the oldest Buddhist Gompa or monastery in Nepal and Tibet. This fact attests to the significance of the hidden Mustang region in byegone eras. After some time exploring the monastery and learning some of its history, it is time to continue down the valley to Ghami.

  • Tea House or Lodge
  • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

The walk today continues down the western flank of the valley. You pass through the village of Gheling again and finish the day at the tiny settlement of Samar perched above its terraced farm plots trailing down the hillside below.

  • Tea House or Lodge
  • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

The walk starts with a slow winding descent from the western foothills towards Chele where you once again return to the dry Kali Gandaki Riverbed and then on to Kagbeni.

  • Tea House or Lodge
  • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Retrace your footsteps in reverse as you continue down the riverbed to Jomsom.

  • Tea House or Lodge
  • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

The early morning flight back from Jomsom is a scenic one and passes between the Annapurna and the Dhaulagiri. Check-in at a lakeside hotel upon arrival in Pokhara. The day can be spent either resting or exploring and taking part in some activities in the beautiful city of Pokhara.

  • 3 Star Hotel in Pokhara
  • Breakfast

A 6/7 hour bus ride from Pokhara gets us to Kathmandu. The end of the journey is celebrated with a farewell dinner. You can spend your time strolling around Thamel or getting some souvenirs for your loved ones. Overnight stay in Kathmandu.

  • 3 Star Hotel in Thamel
  • Breakfast

A drop from the hotel to the airport 3 hours before the scheduled time of flight is arranged in a private tourist vehicle

    Our team guides, porters and accompanying staff are locals with a broad knowledge about each and every location that we travel through.

    Cost Includes
    • Airport picks up and drops off by private vehicle
    • Two nights Twin sharing accommodation at Kathmandu on BB base
    • Tourist bus ticket to Pokhara from Kathmandu
    • Two nights Twin sharing accommodation in Pokhara on BB base
    • Flight ticket to Jomsom from Pokhara including airport drop by car
    • Upper Mustang Special permit and ACAP permit
    • One English-speaking guide with a first aid medical kid bag
    • One porter between two people who will help you to carry your luggage
    • All-night lodge accommodation during the trek twin-sharing base
    • Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner during the trek
    • Flight ticket to Pokhara from Jomsom including airport pickup
    • Sleeping bag for the trek (refundable after the trip)
    • Travel and rescue arrangement
    • Accommodation, meals, salary, equipment, transportation, and insurance for the trekking crew
    • All government taxes & our service charge
    Cost Excludes
    • International airfare to/from Nepal
    • Nepal Visa fee please visit the Nepal immigration link for more information 
    • Lunches & dinners in Kathmandu and Pokhara
    • Travel insurance covering trip curtailment, flight cancellations/delay, lost baggage, emergency medical evacuation, etc., (strongly recommended)
    • The hiring of a personal porter (each porter supports a maximum of 2 trekkers and a max. weight of 24kg.)
    • Tips for driver, guide & porters
    • Personal trekking equipment 
    • Personal expenditure, i.e. phone calls, laundry, drinking water, hard/soft beverages, 'hot showers', charging of electronic devices while on the trek, etc.
    • Expenses incurred due to mishaps, landslides, strikes, political unrest, etc.
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