Upper Mustang Tiji Festival Trek (Music, Dance, Cultures) – 18 Days

From $2,999 • 18 days • Osho World Adventure - Nepal Tour-Trekking Operator • Kathmandu, Muktinath, Nepal • Pickup available

View all (36)

Why we love it?

The Upper Mustang Tiji Festival Trek is an immersive 18-day journey through the culturally rich landscapes of Nepal, culminating in the vibrant Tiji Festival. This trek is ideal for adventure seekers and cultural enthusiasts who wish to explore the unique traditions of the Mustang region, including music, dance, and local customs. Participants will experience breathtaking views, visit sacred sites like Muktinath, and engage with the local Tibetan Buddhist communities, making it a distinctive blend of natural beauty and cultural depth. The itinerary includes both urban exploration in Kathmandu and serene trekking through the Annapurna Conservation Area, providing a comprehensive experience of Nepal's diverse offerings.

Inclusions

Arrival / Departure transfers on both domestic and international flights.
Standard Hotel Accommodation in Kathmandu / Pokhara on a twin share bed- and- breakfast basis as per the itinerary.
Tourist Coach Kathmandu-Pokhara-Kathmandu
Domestic Flight from Jomsom to Pokhara.
Trekking Permit ($500) and Annapurna Conservation area entry fees.
30 minutes Wellness and Spa after Trekking.
Comfortable teahouse accommodation during the tour.
Welcome Dinner with cultural program as listed in the itinerary.
Half day guided city tour as listed in itinerary.
Free use of quality trekking gear - sleeping bag, fleece inner liner, down jacket, duffel bag etc during the trip.
Professional local trekking group leader well trained in Wilderness First Aid.
Comprehensive First Aid Kit.
Trekking guides and other support staff.
Upper Mustang Trekking map.
Osho Adventure T-shirts / other seasonal gifts.
Comprehensive pre-departure information and trip dossiers
All applicable Government taxes.

Exclusions

International Airfare to and from your country
Nepal Visa fee: Nepal entry visa (US$ 25 or equivalent foreign currency for 15 days, US$ 40 or equivalent foreign currency for 30 days & US$ 100 or equivalent foreign currency for 90 days. you will also require 2 passport size photos.)
Travel & Health Insurance- Emergency Helicopter Rescue Insurance (Most recommended)
All standard meals during the trek are optional add on (Breakfast, lunch and dinner)
Lunch & Dinner in Kathmandu – keeps $ 5 to 10 for per meal in Tourist Restaurant.
Extra accommodation in Kathmandu and Pokhara in a case of early return from trekking than scheduled itinerary.
Any Alcoholic Drinks, Cold Drinks, Boiled & Mineral Water, Beverages, deserts Etc in Trek.
Unforeseen Cost such as Flight Cancellation or Delayed, Sick in Trek, and Helicopter rescue in Trek. Cost due to bad weather etc which is out of our control.
Personal expenses such as the phone calls, laundry service, the internet, bar bills, battery recharge, hot shower, etc.
Any Other Cost, which is not mentioned in Cost Includes Items as Above.
Tips for Guide & Porter after trek completion.

Itinerary

Day 1 Arrived in Kathmandu

Our representative will meet you on your arrival at the Airport and transfer you to the Hotel. An information session about the program will be conducted by our Tour Guide. Overnight stay in Hotel.

Day 2 Sightseeing in the Kathmandu Valley

Early in the morning after breakfast, our tour guide will takes you for the sightseeing around the Kathmandu, the sightseeing site are- Durbar Square, the sacred Hindu temple of Pashupatinath, the famous ‘Monkey Temple’ (Swayambhunath) and Buddhists shrine (Bouddhanath) which is one of the large Stupas in the world. In the late afternoon you will have preparation for the trek and you can buy necessary equipment.

Day 3 Drive to Pokhara

On this day we have our breakfast by 6:00 a.m. in the morning and head towards tourist Bus Park at Thamel and board a tourist bus to Pokhara. The bus ride will take around 7 hours through curvy roads of hilly terrain with couple of breaks in between for snacks and lunch. The drive to Pokhara on one of the major highways is exhilarating with beautiful views of never leaving tributaries, lush green hills and roadside settlements.

Day 4 Pokhara to Kagbeni

An appealing drive to Kagbeni starts after a delicious breakfast in Pokhara. The journey to the starting point of Mustang passes through the beautiful landscapes. The Kagbeni village is situated at the bank of rushing Kaligandaki river. Kagbeni is the main entrance gate for Upper Mustang.

Day 5 Trek to Chele

Our trek to Chele begins from Kagbeni through the east bank of Kali Gandaki river. The landscapes follow through uphill and downhill sandy trails to Tangbe Village, which offers the finest view of Nilgiri peak. Whitewashed houses, apple orchards along the way leads us to Chhusang Village and finally cross the Kali Gandaki Valley to Chele. Overnight, we stay at Chele.

Day 6 Trek to Geling

An early morning hike towards Geling along steep treeless terrain at the altitude of 3540m gives you the vibe of trekking through the desert. Long gradual descend toward the Samar Village into a large gorge, streams, and ridge takes us to the Shyagmochen. Furtherly, we descend to Geling village. Overnight, we stay at Geling.

Day 7 Trek to Charang

Today, we continue our trip towards the longest Mani walls in Mustang. The trail follows a suspension bridge over Tangmar Chu river and a gentle NYI La Pass. We head towards a Dzong and Red Gompa slowly descending towards Charang village. Overnight, we stay at Charang.

Day 8 Trek to Lo Manthang

From Charang village we gently climb up to visit the oldest Gompa of Nepal; Lo-Gekar Gompa. Then, we continue our trail towards the plateau of Lo-Manthang enjoying the walled city of Lo. Lo- Manthang is the capital of this Himalayan Kingdom.

Day 9 Lo-Manthang, First Day of Tiji Festival

30th May 2019. Mark your calendar! Today is the first day of Tiji Festival. The celebration of this ceremony lit-up with the lively ambiance as the people gather together in the vibrantly colored traditional dresses and they showcase their own way of dancing style. Not only this, tug-of-war and horse racing are the major attractions of this day. We spend this day observing this unique celebration. Overnight, we stay at Lo-Manthang.

Day 10 Second Day of Tiji Festival

Tibetan monks perform unique dance and dramas to chase away the hungry demons from their villages. Many people from different regions of Mustang will be involved in this celebration. After this, we will walk around to explore the other appealing villages around Lo- Manthang. Overnight, we stay at Lo-Manthang.

Day 11 Final Day of Tiji festival, Explore Namgyal Gompa and return back

Today is the last day of Tiji Festival. We will hike around the Namgyal Gompa which lies on a hilltop, which is also an important monastery. Then, we continue to explore the Tingkhar village situated to the northwest of Lo-Manthang. After this, we come back at Lo-Manthang and watch out the final moment of celebration of Tiji Festival. Overnight at Lo-Manthang.

Day 12 Trek to Drakmar

Today, we climb up to the highest point of our trek to Chogo La, at an elevation of 4210m. We head to explore Lo Gekar and continue to descend Ghar Gompa. Then, we walk through the alpine meadows and steep down to Drakmar. Overnight at a comfortable guesthouse in Drakmar.

Day 13 Trek to Shyangmochen

We head towards the stone walls pass and the small fields of Drakmar descending through the lower part of Ghami and Jaite. Then, finally, descend to Tama Gau to Shyangmochen. Overnight, we stay at guesthouse.

Day 14 Trek to Chhusang

Today, we hike down to Chhusang Village passing by an alternative route to Samar by visiting Ranchung Cave.

Day 15 Chhusang to Jomsom

Today, we complete the route of Upper Mustang and head towards the Jomsom through the Lower Mustang(Kagbeni). We stay at Jomsom tonight.

Day 16 Fly back to Pokhara

We head towards Pokhara by a scenic Himalayan flight from Jomsom.

Day 17 Drive back to Kathmandu from Pokhara

On this day we have our breakfast by 6:00 a.m. in the morning and get ready to head towards Kathmandu. The bus ride will take around 7 hours through curvy roads of hilly terrain with couple of breaks in between for snacks and lunch. Tracing the same way back we reach Kathmandu and we transfer you back at the hotel.

Day 18 Farewell

Today we say our final goodbye. Our representative will come to see you off at the airport. Hoping you had a pleasant and wonderful trekking experience we bid you goodbye.

Please Note

Limited sight accessible
Porter-supported trek
Two clients share one porter. We will supply you with a trek duffel bag where you keep your heavy items and this bag is carried by the porter. You will need to bring your own daypack to be carried by you. In the daypack, you can put money, important documents, water bottle/bladder, camera, toiletries, sunscreen, notebook, etc.
The weight limit for Kathmandu-Lukla-Kathmandu flights is 15 kg or 33 pounds. This is combining both the duffel bag and the daypack. If you exceed this limit, you will have to pay an additional fee. When this happens, sometimes the airline sends your bag in later flights and this can be very problematic for many reasons. You can leave your non-trekking stuff at the locker facility in the Kathmandu hotel.
Cultural Awareness
Tight fitting, figure-hugging clothing such as those made with Lycra can often be offensive to locals, especially to women. If you find these items comfortable as a base layer, please pack something to wear on top of them.