Tiji Festival and Upper Mustang Trek

Duration: 14 Days(5)of 21 reviews

Overview

  • Duration 14 Days
  • Max. Altitude 3800 Meters
  • Trip Start and End Kathmandu
  • Trip Area Annapurna & Mustang
  • Best Season Autumn & Spring

Highlights

  • Adventure trekking in the Upper Mustang
  • Buddhist Spiritual immersion
  • Wonderful culture and simple lifestyle experience of Upper Mustang
  • Incredible landscape unlike anywhere
  • Participate in the Tiji Festival
  • Walk in the dry, arid surrounding of the trans Himalayan border

Tiji festival is celebrated in Lo-Manthang, Upper Mustang which is one of the unique festivals celebrated according to the Tibetan Calendar in the Mustang district. This is also the main highlight of the Tiji festival trek.

The Upper Mustang trek is the most adventurous and beautiful walking experience you can have. The incredible landscape, ancient Tibetan culture, breathtaking sceneries, and wonderful Himalayan panoramas make this trip one of the iconic travel destinations in Nepal.

Explore the exceptionally less traveled but superbly wonderful region, Upper Mustang is a region that simply overwhelms travelers with its magnificent simplicity at the most premium cost.

Upper Mustang Trekking was closed to foreigners until 1992. Even today access to non-Nepalis travelers is highly restricted. To enter the Upper Mustang, that is to travel further North of Kagbeni, travelers need to acquire special trekking permits. Besides the permits, a non-Nepali traveler must be accompanied by a government-appointed official.

Being Isolated from the world for centuries, hiking through this region is truly the best opportunity to explore the untouched Tibetan Culture and virgin landscape. As it was off-limit to foreign travelers, this region is also known as “The Last Forbidden Kingdom.”

Also, check on How to Travel Mustang.

Best Time for Upper Mustang Trek Journey

Upper Mustang lies in the Himalayan rain shadows, making it the driest region of Nepal. Even during monsoons, the Mustang Valley is quite dry with only occasional rainfall. Being one of the driest regions, this region is accessible throughout the year for hiking.

Although this region is accessible throughout the year, the Summer season (May to Late August) is considered to be the best time to visit Upper Mustang. During this time of year, the weather is stable, giving you access to the incredible landscape and mountain views. Traveling for this reason at the time of May will also be an opportunity to witness an ancient 3 days festival, the Teiji Festival, which is celebrated in the walled city of Lo Manthang. Which is also the purpose of the Tiji Festival Trek.

In the cold winter season, hike is not particularly difficult. However, the weather conditions at this time can be arduous, giving you a quite hard time traveling. The temperature of Lo Manthang in winter falls below – 20 ° C, Only a few people stay to take care of animals & village. For the best traveling experience, it is better to avoid the cold winter season because of the harsh weather conditions.

Tiji Festival Trek, is it right for me?

Tiji Festival Trek is undeniably a refreshing journey you can undertake. There is not any major challenge you will have to face as our guides and company will make sure you have a safe and enjoyable trip. With basic physical fitness, you can complete the journey around the lap of mountains without a hitch.

History of Teiji Festival

The Festival is the 3-day ritual known as “The Chasing of the Demon” which is based on the Myth. As per the legend, it is said that a deity named Dorje Jono battled against his demon father to save the kingdom from destruction. As per the myth, the demon father wreaked havoc on Mustang and created a water shortage in this region.

The Mustang valleys lie in the shadows of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri because of which this region is dry land, and water is the most essential commodity for all people and animals residing in this region.

As the demon's father created a water shortage, causing many resulting disasters from famine to animal loss. To uplift this curse and cruelty, Dorje Jono battled his demon father, defeated and then banished him from the land. This “Chasing of the Demons” is the Tiji festival, a celebration and reaffirmation of the myth through dances and religious ceremonies.

This “Chasing of the Demons” is the Tiji festival, a celebration and reaffirmation of the myth through dances and religious ceremonies.

In the Year 2023, the Tiji Festival started on 16th May 2023 and ended on 18th May 2023.

The dates of the Tiji festival are based on the Tibetan Calendar and change every year. The dates for the celebration of the Tiji festival are decided by the monk based on the Tibetan Lunar calendar. But this festival usually occurs from mid-May to late June. Experiencing this ancient festival will be once in a lifetime experience, and we assure you that you will never forget it.

Tiji Festival Trek Permits, Cost, and How to Acquire Them?

Tiji Festival Trek is a restricted area trekking, so a special trekking permit i.e., a restricted area permit is required to do the trekking in this locale. The Nepal Immigration Office issues this permit. Besides the restricted area permit; you will also need ACAP and MCAP permits for the trekking. To acquire the permit, a minimum of two trekkers is compulsory

For experiencing the Tiji Festival permits are quite expensive. The Restricted Area trek permit of the Upper Mustang will cost you 500 USD. You also require the Annapurna Conservation Area permit which will cost 30 USD.

Guide and Porters on Trek

We provide you with a well-trained and experienced guide and porter for your trek.  Our guide will assist you in every possible way to make your trips remarkable and memorable. Talking about the porter, we provide one porter for 2 trekkers each. The porters carry 20 Kg of total luggage (10 Kg from each trekker). We provide one guide for the smaller groups and if the group size surpasses 10 individuals; we will provide an additional guide for your trip.

Join a fixed-date group trek or private departure

The Tiji Trek is available on both fixed departure and private basis, If you are looking for a group to join then please check our fixed departure dates and ask for availability or if you would like to travel independently, or with your friends, families & colleagues then you are invited to choose any date at your convenient timeframe for any number of people.

Itinerary

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    Cost Details

    Included

    • 2 Night accommodation in Kathmandu and Pokhara with breakfast
    • Teahouse accommodation during the trek
    • All meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) during the trek ( Jomsom to Jomsom)
    • All ground transportation on a comfortable private vehicle as per the itinerary
    • Lo- Manthang to Jomsom by private jeep cost
    • Kathmandu to Pokhara and Pokhara to Kathmandu by tourist bus
    • Domestic flights (Pokhara-Jomsom-Pokhara)
    • Entrance fees for sightseeing/monument visits as per the itinerary
    • An experienced, English-speaking, and government-licensed trek leader and assistant trek leader
    • Porter ( 1 porter for 2 guests )
    • Staff costs including their salary, insurance, equipment, domestic airfare, food, and accommodation
    • Himalayan scenery's trekking bag/duffel bag, t-shirt, and trekking map are yours to take
    • Restricted area permit fee ( $500 per person)
    • All necessary paperwork and trekking permits (National Park Permit, TIMS)
    • Medical kit (carried by your trek leader)
    • All government and local taxes
    • Farewell dinner

    Excluded

    • Nepalese visa fee
    • Excess baggage charge(s)
    • Extra night accommodation in Kathmandu and Pokhara because of early arrival, late departure, early return from mountain (due to any reason) than the scheduled itinerary
    • International flights
    • Travel and rescue insurance
    • Personal expenses (phone calls, internet, laundry, bar bills, battery recharge, extra porters, bottled or boiled water, shower, etc.)

    Useful Info

    In Himalayan Scenery Treks and Expedition, your safety precedes every other thing. As this adventure entrails traveling in the remote mountainous region, we are always at mercy of nature. During the trip, factors such as weather, natural disaster or a multitude of other factors that are beyond our control can subsequently bring the changes in the itinerary. Although all the itinerary we provide to you is guided and standard; please note that your team leader has the authority to alter or even drop the planned itinerary of any part if it is necessary due to safety concerns. All the alternations or changes of the standard itinerary are made by the leader by taking into consideration the best interest of the whole group. We give our best effort to stick with the above-mentioned itinerary; however, in case of any unpredicted event which is beyond our control, you need to be flexible and take after the guideline as instructed by your leader.

    Note that the company won’t be responsible for any result of alterations on itineraries or any delays due to unforeseen circumstances.

    Permits, Cost and How to Acquire Them

    Tiji Festival Trek is a restricted area trekking, so a special trekking permit i.e. restricted area permit is required to do the trekking in this locale. This permit is issued by the Nepal Immigration Office. Besides the restricted area permit; you will also need ACAP and MCAP permit for the trekking. In order to acquire the permit, a minimum of two trekkers is mandatory.

    For experiencing the Tiji Festival permits are quite expensive. The Restricted Area trek permit of Upper Mustang will cost you 500 USD. You also require the Annapurna Conservation Area permit which will cost 30 USD.

    Hotel and Accommodation:

    Trek to the Himalayas is one of the favourite destinations for the travel enthusiast and adventure seekers all around the globe. Although the Himalayan region of Nepal is the most popular trekking destination in the world; there are a lot of things people don’t have a clue. While trekking to the high mountain region, you will not find the hotels and accommodation as you see in the city areas. The hotels and accommodation around the high Himalayan have fewer services and facilities. The hot shower may turn out to be simply a bucket of lukewarm water and the toilet may be a latrine behind the hotel. The private room can be a wooden cell with no furniture except a bed, mattress, and curtain in place of the door.  So, while trekking to the mountainous region of Nepal, you need to be ready to stay in the less fancy and minimum facilitated hotels.

    We provide you with the 2 to 3-star standard hotel while you are at Kathmandu (i.e. for 3 Nights). During your Mustang Trek, we provide you with the standard lodges and tea houses for your accommodation. The room of these lodges and tea houses are less fancier with just a bed, a pillow, foam mattress and a blanket. We will do everything in our power to make your trek as cosy as possible. However, you need to stay flexible in some cases. We will accommodate the groups in local lodge available each day. We send the porters ahead of us to pre-book the room for the next day (rooms cannot be pre-booked on all places). 

    For a lone traveller, you may have to share the room with the same gender. If you don’t like to share the room then you can have a single room, by paying single supplement USD 290. However, you need to keep in mind that, while traversing through remote areas of Nepal, a single room may not always be feasible.

    In Kathmandu beside the 2 / 3 stars hotel, some 4 / 5 - star luxury accommodation is also available. If you want to change the accommodation plan to the luxury, please do let us know so that we can arrange and book the hotel for you for your Kathmandu stay.

    Food and Beverages:

    All the food and Beverages included on the package of Mustang Trek are provided by the company itself. The foods are provided in the tea houses or lodges on the trail. We will have the breakfast and dinner at the lodge where we stay overnight. On the everyday trek, our guide will decide the available place and stop for the lunch. We highly recommend you bring the water purification pills, to cleanse the water and drink during the trek. During the trek, there are options for buying the bottled water and boiled water as well.

    Upon your arrival at Kathmandu after the successful trekking journey, we will provide farewell dinner consisting of authentic Nepalese cuisines and live cultural music.

    Transportation:

    We at Himalayan Scenery Treks and Expedition provide all the necessary transportation facilities for your trip. We provide private vehicles for airport pick up and sightseeing tour around Kathmandu. Likewise, we provide tourist bus transportation for your trip. However, you have the other options as the direct flight to Pokhara or travelling through private vehicles such as cars or van.

    You need to pay additional for the transportation which is excluded from our package. You can send us an enquiry for the latest price details for the private transportation and flight tickets.

    Luggage and Backpack:

    The main luggage of your will be carried by your porters during the trek. For your personal things, we highly recommend you, to carry a small handbag containing water bottles, cameras, sunscreen and other things which you require daily during the trip. Making the backpack small and lighter will unquestionably assist you to enjoy the trip to its fullest. You should simply convey the thing which is basic for your outing and the rest of the garments and different things can be left in the locker room/safe store of hotels. The hotels provide the locker room / safe deposit for free. So, don’t hesitate to leave the things which are redundant. While making the backpack or luggage for your trip to ensure that the luggage doesn’t exceed more than 15 Kg. Weight allowance at Nepal’s domestic airlines is 15 Kg including your handbag. Excess weight is chargeable of USD 1.5 or more which will be the additional cost of our trip.

    Guide and Porters on Trek:

    We provide you with the well trained and experienced guide and porter for your trek.  Our guide will assist you in every possible way to make your trips remarkable and memorable. Talking about the porter, we provide one porter for 2 trekkers each. The porters carry 20 Kg of total luggage (10 Kg form each trekker). We provide the one guide for the smaller groups and if the group size surpasses 10 individuals; we will provide the additional guide for your trip.

    Personnel Expenses:

    Personnel Expenses largely influenced upon your habit of expenditure. We provide you with all the necessary food and accommodation facilities inside the cost of your Mustang Trek. So, you only need money to pay for your drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages) and snacks while strolling on the trail. You will get the significant number of smaller shops on the trail to buy the drinks and snacks. Likewise, you can also use the money to buy you souvenirs of the trip, entrance tickets, hot showers, tips and many more. Note that, tips and gratuities are not mandatory, but it is fine if you wish to. If you feel like the service provided to you is excellent, then you can tip directly to staffs. Of course, there is no obligation to tip if you are disappointed with the service you receive. As a suggestion, we advise you to allocate an amount of 5 - 10% of the total package price for tips. The amount you give depends on your budget and appreciation of their work.

    Rescue and Evacuation:

    Nepal is the country full of heart-warming natural beauty and a magnificent travel destination for the thrill and adventure seeker all around the globe. In spite of the fact that, Nepal is an adventure paradise for the nature lover, thrill seeker. But in some cases, the thrilling experience comes up with the serious hazard. The most exciting, and the joyful trip may backfire on us and we may have to be the victim of nature. Not only that while trekking in the high altitude rough terrains may also occur afflictions like the sprained ankle or even broken leg, appendix ruptures, hypothermia, skin infection and respiratory infection. If any of this misfortune happens to you, then it should be treated on time. If left untreated then you may even lose your life. If any of the above-mentioned affliction happens during your trip, we at Himalayan scenery treks and expedition will do everything to transfer you to the nearest hospital ASAP. All the expenses made to rescue and evacuate you, are entirely liable to us. So, before departing off to your trip, make sure that your travel insurance company has the policy to cover up all the expenses in case of any misfortune arises during the trip so that you can enjoy the trip to the utmost. If not, be ready to pay on your own once you arrive at Kathmandu. To learn more about the Travel Insurance for the Trip in Nepal, please do visit Travel Insurance page in Nepal Travel Guide.  

    Join a fixed date group trek or private departure:

    The Tiji Trek is available on both fixed departure and private basis, If you are looking for a group to join then please check our fixed departures dates and ask for availability or if you would like to travel independently, or with your friends, families & colleagues then you are invited to choose any date at your convenient timeframe for any number of people.

    Booking Requirements

    Please provide us with your full credentials or a copy of your passport. Give your weight so that preplan your group’s trips for proper weight distribution. You may deposit 20 to 30 percent advance of the total package amount while booking. You may pay the rest of the amount before the trip. You can also pay us by card, bank transfer, or online. Please visit here for payment details.

    Cancellation Policy

    If you are unable to make your trip, let us know in advance. We will refund you as per our booking terms and conditions and available time frame. At times, there might be delays or cancellations of flights due to weather and unforeseeable reasons. In such cases, we will make our best effort to adjust your bookings and rearrange the schedule.

    Still Need Help!

    Please feel free to contact us. We will get back to you within 1-2 business days. Or just call us now

    Cell:

    +977 9851083619

    Email:

    info@himalayanst.com

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