Tiji Festival
Tiji festival is the Tibetan three day dance rituals in Lo-Manthang, Mustang. The festival is about a historical story where the Lord Buddha’s incarnation Dorjee Sonnu battles against his demon father to save the kingdom of Mustang from destruction. This is not only a festival but resembles the great history of Lo-manthang and the Choedhe Monastery is organizing yearly on May. The festival takes lasts for 3 days and during the festival, the monks with the coloful dress perform ritual dances. First day the group of monks dance Tsa Chham with different traditional cloths and mask. Second day it follows as Naga Chham dance and third day, there will be Rha Chham.
Tiji Festival Dates 2023
The historical and cultural event Tiji festival in mustang in 2023 is celebrated from 16th May to 18th may 2023 .You can book your seats if you are planning a trekking to upper mustang in May. Send an inquiry via our website inquiry form or contact us directly at our official email.
Tiji Festival Dates in 2024 and 2025
| S.No | Tiji Festival Year | Tiji Festival Happening Dates |
| 1 | Tiji Festival 2024 | 5th, 6th and 7th May 2024 |
| 2 | Tiji Festival 2025 | 24th, 25th and 26th May 2025 |
Upper Mustang Festival Trek Itinerary
Day 01: 19th May 2020: Arrival in Kathmandu, transfer to hotel. Overnight stay at Hotel.
Upon arrival in Kathmandu Airport, meet with our office representative from Treks Booking. He/she will have your name card outside the terminal and transfer to the Hotel by private vehicle. Check in hotel, refresh and there will be a pre-trekking meeting with your guide to Mustang. Walk around the Thamel. Overnight stay at hotel.
Day 02: 20th May 2020: Full Day Guided Sightseeing Tour in Kathmandu Valley by private van.
After brekafast in the hotel, Drive to Swayambhunath Stupa which is very close form the centre of Kathmandu. It takes some minutes to be there. This Temple is also known as Monkey Temple which is considered to be self made Stupa. Then visit to Boudhanath Stupa: the biggest stupa in Nepal and one of the bigger stupa in the world. You can basically experience Tibetan Buddhism, culture and way of life in Boudhanath Area. Boudhanath area is the authentic place to buy Tibetan stuffs. Again you will be visit Pashupatinath Temple and it is one of the most sacred temples in the entire Hindu world. It is a sacred place where Hindus come to die and to be cremated. The temple of Pashupatinath is a large double roofed, gilt pagoda, decorated with brass, the gateway is plated with silver. There are images of Shiva along with other statues, shrines and temples dedicated to other deities in the complex. A circuit of the Pashupati area takes visitors past a sixth-century statue of the Buddha, an eight-century statue of Brahma the creator and numerous other temples. There are rows of Shiva shrines and Hindu pilgrims from all over south Asia offering ceremonies to worship Shiva, the Lord of Destruction. Stay overnight at Hotel in Kathmandu.
Day 3: 21st May 2020: Drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara 820m/6-7 hours with tourist bus
Drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara at 7 O’clock in the morning by AC tourist bus passing the River side of Trisuli and takes about 7 hours to reach Pokhara. We can visit such as interesting places like Devi’s Fall, Gupteswor Cave, Temple Barahi and boating on Phewa Lake in Pokhara and transfer to Hotel.
Day 4: 22nd May 2020: Fly from Pokhara to Jomsom 2720m and trek to Kagbeni 2800m/3-4 hours
Early in the morning we fly from Pokhara to Jomsom with viewing a scenic and majestic Himalayan Ranges just above the deepest Kaligandaki gorge and after arrival in Jomsom, we meet with our support staffs and will have a breakfast. After breakfast, we prepare our trail goes along the Kaligandaki River passing the Jomsom’s main village. Then, we walk on the wide bank of the Kaligandaki and move on in the wind. We have a short glimpse of Mt. Dhaulagiri and Nilgiri Himal. On this bank ammonite fossils are often found. From the trail on the bank, we make a small ascent and go down again, and then we reach Eklebatti. We will have our lunch there. After lunch, we continue slightly ascends and level trail until reaching Kagbeni Village, which is doorway to upper Mustang. We will visit the peculiar colors and shapes of the Chhorten and Kani in the village and ancient Sakya-Pa Sect Buddhist Monastery. From the top of monastery, we have a great view of Nilgiri Himal, Tilicho Peak and other snow-capped mountains as well as scenic terraced field. Overnight at Lodge.
Day 5: 23th May 2020: Trek from Kagbeni to Tsaile 3100m/5-6 hours
In the morning after breakfast, we check in our restricted area permit and we are taking first step into Upper Mustang. The route will continue on the left bank of Kaligandaki with small ups and downs along the Kaligandaki River. After a long walk, we cross small stream and climb up on the terraced hill; we will come to Tangbe, the first Mustang village where the village has a medieval atmosphere. We will have our lunch here, and then we continue the trail traversing upward and will reach Chhusang village. From Chhusang, we will go back again to the river shore and move in the upstream direction of the Kaligandaki. When there is an iron bridge where Kaligandaki River runs through a tunnel built in the huge rock that blocks the river shores and just above the bridge, there is 16 small caves. After cross the bridge, we make a steep ascent onto the terrace ahead and we will reach Tsaile from where we can see the zigzagging Kaligandaki and Nilgiri Himal further in the interior. Overnight at Lodge.
Day 6: 24th May 2020: Trek from Tsaile to Ghiling 3570m/6-7 hours via Ranchung Cave Monastery
Morning after breakfast, we leave the village and climb up the unstable pebble road and will come to a plateau. We keep climbing the gentle slope and enter an area with the big canyons. We follow the trail that cut out of the cliff and after passing the canyons we will reach a small pass. Then, we move to a gentle mountain flank and continue the slightly descent and will reach Samar village surrounded by a poplar grove. We will have our lunch here. After lunch, we descend steeply to a stream, then climb up and descend steeply to another stream, then climb up to a plateau. We keep climbing up the right fork to the Chungsi-La and countering through the amazing canyons until reaching Ranchung Cave whose large stalactites resemble Rangchung (self-arisen; ie not man-made) chhorten. The Buddhist saint Guru Rinpoche is said to have meditated here in 8th century during his traveling in Mustang. Himalayan griffons nest in the surrounding cliffs. After visiting the cave, we climb gradually past pasture to Syangmochen. Again we climb up to a small pass where there is a colorfully painted square chhorten. We will see a large valley of Ghiling spreading out in front of us. We continue descending to the right towards Ghiling, cross a stream and move on along the stone walls in the farm fields. Here is two ancient monasteries and big huge chhortens and we will visit in the evening. Overnight at Lodge.
Day 7: 25th May 2020: Trek from Ghiling to Drakmar 3450m/5-6 hours
In the morning after breakfast, we walk through the big village and climb up the gentle slope with shrubberies and will join in mail trail. From here, a long ascent continues to Nyi-La. When we cross over this pass, we will enter the center of the Mustang, which used to be called the Lo Region. We descend the gentle slope and go around the valley ahead towards the left. We will be overlooking Ghami village and we descend steep zigzag slope and will reach the village. We will have our lunch here. After lunch, we leave the village and cross a river using the suspension bridge. We climb onto the terrace and pass along the longest Mani Wall in Mustang. The effect of the erosion on the cliff ahead attracts attention by its strange forms and the varieties of colors such as red, blue, white, etc. it is like a Mandala painted on the cliff. We keep going in level trail passing the big chhortens and cross a stream. Then, we keep walking along the upstream through the terraced fields until reaching Drakmar. Overnight at Lodge.
Day 8: 26th May 2020: Trek from Drakmar to Lo-Manthang 3840m/7-8 hours via Ghar Gompa and Marang-La Pass
Today after breakfast, we leave the village and ascend a steep eroded gully overshadowed and the route cross some alpine meadows. Now will come to a plateau and then, across a valley to a cairn. We climb to a ridge and keep descending until Ghar Gompa. It is also known as Lo Gyaker which means ‘Pure virtue of Lo’. Ghar Gompa means ‘house temple’ and is affiliated with the Nyingma Lineage. This is one of the oldest Gompa in Mustang. After visiting Gompa, the trail steep descends to a wooden bridge and climb up to a plateau. We keep walking along a grassy valley and come to a ridge. We will make our lunch break here. Then, we continue the level trail until reaching Marang-La Pass. This is a high pass in this course. Then, we keep descending a large cairn and come to a small ridge from where first view of Lo-Manthang City. Again we continue crisscrossed with herder’s trail until reaching Lo-Manthang, a medieval ancient Wall City of Mustang. Overnight at Lodge.
Day 9: 27th May 2020: Tiji Festival. Overnight at Lodge.
Day 10:28th May 2020: Tiji Festival. Overnight at Lodge.
Day 11: 29th May 2020: Tiji Festival. Overnight at Lodge.
Day 12: 30th May 2021: Trek from Lo-Manthang to Tsarang 3560m/3-4 hours
In the morning after breakfast, we leave the castle village of Lo-Manthang and cross a small stream. Then, we gradually climbing steep sandy slope until Lo-La Pass from where we see the last view of ancient wall city of Lo-Manthang. We keep walking across the wide plain ahead with viewing the numerous caves on the terrace’s rock face. We continue the trail passing the big isolated chhorten that marks the boundary between Lo-Manthang and Tsarang till Tsarang Khola. We cross by an iron bridge and climb up until reaching Tsarang Village. We will have our lunch. After lunch, we visit the huge five-storey white Tsarang Palace (fortified palace) and the 14th century Gompa are perched on the edge of Kaligandaki gorgr at the eastern end of the village. Overnight at Lodge.
Day 13: 31st May 2021: Trek from Tsarang to Syangmochen 3500m/6-7 hours
Morning after breakfast, we start our trek from our camp site and exit from the village passing huge chhorten. The trail goes a long gentle ascent until reaching to a ridge and after traverse the route down a rocky gully until reaching in Ghami passing again spectacular Mani Wall in Nepal. We will have our lunch here. After lunch, the trails continue steep up till Ghami-La and again a long gentle ascent brings to us on Nyi-La. Then, we climb down to Tamagaon and continue a steep set of switchbacks down a rocky canyon leads to a stream, then the trail climbs to a huge painted chhorten before rejoining the Ghiling trail near the ridge. We cross the small pass and descend to a Syangmochen. Overnight at Lodge.
Day 14: 1st June 2021: Trek from Syangmochen to Chhusang 2980m/5-6 hours
In the morning after breakfast, we walk short level trail and steep climb up until reaching Yamdo-La. Then, we slightly climb down to Bhena. After passing the hamlets, namely Yamdo and Bhena, a long descent start to Samar crossing small streams. We will have our lunch here. After lunch, we continue the trail passing the big canyons and we reach in Tsaile. After that, we steep descend to the Kaligandaki River and cross by an iron bridge, then continue the trail along the Kaligandaki River until reaching Chhusang. Overnight at Lodge.
Day 15: 2nd June 2021 : Trek from Chhusang to Jomsom 2720m/6-7 hours
In the morning after breakfast, we leave the village and gradually climb up a rocky trail until reaching Tangbe. Then, we continue our trail after passing the picturesque village of Tangbe and crossing small stream and steep climb up, we arrive to a plateau. We keep walking a long slope and again we continue to walking along the river bank of Kaligandaki until reaching Kagbeni. We will have our lunch here. After lunch, we continue the wind trail along the wide river bank of Kaligandaki until reaching Jomsom. Overnight at Lodge.
Day 16: 3rd June 2021 : Fly from Jomsom to Pokhara 820m and Half day Sightseeing in Pokhara with Guide.
Early in the morning after breakfast, we fly from Jomsom to Pokhara and check in our Hotel. We make a rest and will have a lunch. After lunch, we visit the some interesting places around the Pokhara Valley. We will have our dinner in quite and beautiful environment with culture dance show. Overnight in Hotel.
Day 17: 4th June 2021 : Drive from Pokhara to Kathmandu 1340m/6-7 hours with Tourist Bus passing the scenic river of Trisuli and transfer to Hotel.
Day 18: 5th June 2021 : Final Departure from Kathmandu
Your trip will come to an end today after breakfast. Your leader will be on hand to advise and assist with your onward travel arrangements and transfer to Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport by our private van around 3 hours before your flight schedule and flight back to your home/other travel destination.
You can customize Upper Mustang Tiji Festival trekking itinerary as per your wish. Please feel free to contact us via email at [email protected]
Note: In case of emergency during the trip, Helicopter will be arranged by Treks Booking. You have manage costing for the helicopter by yourself.
You can either choose a option to fly, drive by jeep or trek. The luxury, standard and budget package will be available as per your interest, time and budget. Feel free to contact us.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Tiji festival is a 3 day long Buddhist festival celebrated in Lo-Manthang of Upper Mustang. The festival is observed in May month of Gregorian calendar. It is an annual event of the victory over the evil.
Lo-manthang tiji festival is a moderate type of trek. So, compulsorily you need not to have a trekking experience for doing this trek. But, if you have a hiking or trekking experience in previous can be a plus point. During the trek, we hike for 5-6 hours a day with some break.
You will be trekking to Upper Mustang restricted area and it is suitable for kids too. But, the children under the age of 18 are to be accompanied by their parent or guardian for trekking. If you are family and planning for tiji festival trek, we suggest you to book private trip with a few extra days.
For the tiji festival trek, you need not to be so much physically fit. A general physical exercises of running and walking a few hours a day can be fruitful for trekking.
There is no any age limit for Tiji festival trek but you must have willing, physically and mentally fit for walking upto 5-6 hours a day.
There is tea-house accommodation available on the route to Upper Mustang. The tea-houses are basically facilitated where you can sleep comfortably.
You can choose a meal from the menus at the tea houses. The popular meal in Nepal is Dal (Lentil soup), Bhat (rice) and Tarkari (curry). Typical meals available in most of the tea houses includes omelets, toast, boiled eggs, noodle soup, fried rice, macaroni, momo, vegetarian curries, pizza or chowmin. Meat on the mountain is not hygienic and we suggest trekkers stick with vegetarian options.
Yes, tiji festival is completely safe. The festival falls on the good time of the year so you need not to worry about the trek. We are fully concerned about your safety during trekking.
