MUSTANG FESTIVAL TIJI TREK 18 Days 17 Night

Day 01 Arrive in Kathmandu.
Upon your arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport, a representative from our company will receive you and escort to your hotel in Kathmandu.

Day 02 In Kathmandu.
You can choose to take a day tour of Kathmandu city and visit the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, such as Pashupatinath, Swayambhunath, and Boudhanath. These places are enlisted as world heritage sites by UNESCO. They also offer insights into the culture, religious beliefs, and practices during the medieval times. As an option, you can sit back and relax in your hotel, prepare for the trek or take a stroll around the locality. Overnight stay at a hotel in Kathmandu.

Day 03 Fly or drive to Pokhara (820m.)
After an early morning breakfast, you will be taken to the Tribhuvan International Airport to catch your flight to Pokhara (25-30 minutes), a popular tourist destination which also acts as the transit point for our trek. You can choose to drive to Pokhara while enjoying the scenery of the hills and winding rivers. The latter may take 5-6 hours in total. Overnight stay at a hotel in Pokhara.

Day 04 Fly to Jomsom from Pokhara and trek to Kagbeni (2810m). 3 Hours walk.
From Pokhara, you’ll catch the flight to Jomsom. The first day of the trek commences at Jomsom and concludes at Kagbeni which lies to the north. The maiden hike may take a couple of hours and will take your through the Kali Gandaki river bed up to the green fields of Kagbeni. The trek takes you through Ekle Bhatti and number of Buddhist monasteries. Overnight stay at a lodge at Kagbeni.

Day 05 Trek to Chele (3050m), 5-6 Hours walk.
The day begins with a steep climb up the cliffs on the eastern side of the Kali Gandaki gorge and follows through small ridges. There are many small villages en route which is well surrounded by green fields. Wheat, barley, and buckwheat are the major crops in the area. You will enter Tangbe and Chhusang villages before reaching Chele which will be around late noon. Overnight stay at a lodge at Chele.

Day 06 Trek to Ghiling (3570m), 5 – 6 Hours walk.
The steep climb continues right outside Chele. You will find mostly dry terrain from here on with only sparse vegetation. The highest point thus far is at Nyi La Pass 4010m, which can prove to be a tough ascent. Some of the local peaks visible from here are Tilicho Peak (7134m) and few others in Annapurna region. After crossing Nyi La Pass, the trail drops steeply towards the village of Ghiling. Overnight stay at a lodge at Ghilling.

Day 07 Trek to Tsarang (3560m). 4 Hours walk.
The trail to Tsarang passes through Kali Gandaki corridor and across a steel bridge at Tangmar Chu. After a while, the trail rises until you arrive at a plateau. Here, you get to see the longest and spectacular Mani (Tibetan spiritual words) wall in entire Nepal. Tsarang lies to the east of the wall. A huge Dzong (fortress) and a big red Gompa dominates the local scenery at Tsarang. Overnight at a lodge at Tsarang.

Day 08 Trek to Lo – Manthang (3840m). 5 Hours walk.
From Charang, the trail passes through Tsarang Chu and descends until Tholung village. You will have to ascend a bit from here on to reach the windy pass of Lo, from where you get to see Lomanthang. It looks like a small walled city amidst the large desert. The trek until now concludes at Lo Manthang. Lo was the capital of Mustang kingdom before the entire region was annexed by Nepal in the 18th Century. Overnight stay at a lodge at Lo Manthang.

Day 09 Lo Manthang (3730m) – the celebration of the first day of Tiji festival.
The celebration begins early in the afternoon with the loud blurts of the Tibetan horns, Dhungchen. It is generally accompanied by two double-reeled horns, drum and cymbals. The monks from the adjoining Choede monastery make their way into the courtyard. An enormous Thangkha (painting) depicting Padma Sambhava or Guru Rimpoche is hanged on the southern wall of the square. The dance only begins late in the evening when all the local authority takes their place. The masked dance portrays the age-old myth depicting the life of Dorje Jono, a supreme force who repelled all the demons from Earth. Overnight stay at a lodge at Lo Manthang.

Day 10 Lo Manthang (3730m) – the celebration of the first day of the Tiji festival.
The celebration begins early in the afternoon with the loud blurts of the Tibetan horns, Dhungchen. It is generally accompanied by two double-reeled horns, drum and cymbals. The monks from the adjoining Choede monastery make their way into the courtyard. An enormous Thangkha (painting) depicting Padma Sambhava or Guru Rimpoche is hanged on the southern wall of the square. The dance only begins late in the evening when all the local authority takes their place. The masked dance portrays the age-old myth depicting the life of Dorje Jono, a supreme force who repelled all the demons from Earth. Overnight stay at a lodge at Lo Manthang.

Day 11 Final day of the festival Tiji/visit Namgyal Gompa and Tingkhar or Excursion to Chhoser (Western Valley)
The third day marks the end of the festival. It ends with ceremonial music and the portrayal of the end of the demon in most dramatic manner. More music, dance, shooting guns accompany the last day of the festival. With the end of Tiji festival, you can choose to visit the Namgyal Gompa and Tingkhar. These are highly recommended tourist destinations inside Lo Manthang.

Day 12 Trek to Dhakmar (3820m). 6-7 Hours walk. Instead of trekking back to Tsarang.
you will turn southwest towards Dhakmar. The trail passes through Lo Gekar and ascends steeply up to 4,000 m. You can get a last glimpse of Lo Manthang from here. Chogo La at 4,280m is the highest point of the trek. The trail descends until Ghar Gompa and takes you towards Dhakmar. Overnight stay at a lodge at Lo Manthang.

Day 13 Trek to Syanbochen (3800m). 5 – 6 Hours walk.
Today, you’ll encounter many tremendous canyons en route. It opens to the farmlands popular for buckwheat. While trekking back, you can get the close glimpse of the surrounding peaks, namely; Nilgiri (7061m), Annapurna (80991m), and Tilicho Peak (7134m). You will arrive at Syanbochen following the path through Ghami and numerous passes. Overnight stay at a lodge at Syanbochen.

Day 14 Trek to Kagbeni (2800m) Duration: 6 hrs You will retrace your trail back to Kagbeni.
The trekking is comparatively easier and will take around 6 hours to complete. You can spend the evening enjoying local apple brandy, ‘Marpha’ or talking with the locals. The night is colder so it is best that you stay inside the dining area with the heating system on. Overnight stay at a lodge at Kagbeni.

Day 15 Trek to Jomsom The trek concludes at Jomsom.
On the last day of the trek, you can choose to take the stroll around the market and shop for local products. Apple brandy, Churpi, sweets, and other stuff are popularly demanded by the visiting tourists. The region is also heavily influenced by Buddhist faith. Overnight stay at a lodge at Jomsom.

Day 16 Fly back to Pokhara. You’ll catch your flight back to Pokhara.
On the way, you will get to see some extraordinary view of Annapurna Himalayan range, Machhapuchhre (6997m) and Dhaulagiri peak (8167m). To enjoy the success of the trek, you can choose to take a short tour of Pokhara or try boating at Phewa Lake. Overnight stay at a hotel in Pokhara.

Day 17 Pokhara to Kathmandu You can choose to fly or drive back to Kathmandu.
While on the way, you can bid adieu to Annapurna and Machhapuchhre range in the distance. The serene ride will take you through the hills and back to Kathmandu. You can rest in your hotel or explore the local marketplaces to shop for gifts and souvenirs. Overnight stay at a hotel in Kathmandu.

Day 18 Final departure A company representative will accompany you to the Tribhuvan International Airport for the flight to your destination.