Mustang Tiji Festival Trek

Welcome to Kathmandu. You will be received by one of our office representatives at the TIA exit section and escort you to your hotel afterward.

Depending on your arrival time, you will have the chance to stroll around the places nearby your hotel on your own.

  Hotel

Today you will have a free day in Kathmandu while your specialist will take time to arrange permits for your trek (you will need to hand over your original passport to Trek Guider's representative after your arrival in Kathmandu in advance for restricted area permits preparation). You will have time to explore around the Kathmandu valley on your own or enjoy the cultural tour with an experienced tour guide arranged by Trek Guiders.

In the evening, you will be met by your specialist in your hotel lobby. S/he will introduce you to your guide for the trek and brief you shortly about your trek, things to do/ not to do, and any optional activities you may enjoy during the trip. You can ask any queries or share feelings with your specialist during the briefing.

  Hotel

  Breakfast

Depending on your flight time, you will be picked up by your trek guide in your hotel for flight to Pokhara. Starting driving from your hotel 1.5 hours prior to the flight time, you will need to report the domestic airport at least 1 hour prior to flight time to complete baggage checking and other formalities.

Upon reaching Pokhara, you will be directly transferred to your hotel where you can relax sometime and walk out to explore the Lakeside market and Phewa Lake. Enjoy some boating with your guide who can explain his experience of trekking and his numerous visits in Pokhara and other places. You may learn some Nepali phrases to greet the locals too from him.

  Hotel

  Breakfast

After an early morning breakfast, drive to Pokhara airport with your guide for your half an hour flight to Jomsom. Jomsom is the headquarter of Mustang District and is primarily an administrative and commercial center with government officials and merchants rubbing shoulders with the local residents of the region, known as Thakalis. A company of the Nepalese Army is also stationed here. Jomsom can also be accessed by road which will be around 8 hours drive from Pokhara. Good to choose drive option if you have extra days for your trip.

From Jomsom, you will be walking just around 3.5 hours today to reach Kagbeni. Walking along the windy path of Kali Gandaki River, you will reach a small beautiful village named Ekle Bhatti where you can have some rest with lunch. Continue further for around 1 hour to reach Kagbeni, which is located on the bank of two rivers. Here you can see old houses, Buddhist monasteries, and some Hindu temples too.

  Tea House

  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, you will start your trek today with special permit checking after which you will enter the Mustang area. From here, the trail follows the east bank of the Kali Gandaki river with great views of Nilgiri and Tukuche mountains. Crossing the series of small ridges on the way, you will be passing by Buddhist monastery, chorten, and white washed houses. 

Crossing the Tangbe and Chhusang village, you will reach a steel bridge over the Kali Gandaki River. Crossing the river, you will need to climb steep up for around 35 minutes to reach the village of Chele.

  Tea House

  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today, your trail will go with a series of large spurs. The first village you will be reached today will be Samar after crossing the Taklam La Pass (3624m). Enjoy the wonderful views of Tilicho Peak, Yakawa Kang, Nilgiri, and Damodar Danda. After reaching above Samar, the trail goes into the valley filled with trees and come across a stream and moves up to the Bhena La and then eventually drop down to Syanboche which is a small settlement of local people.

  Tea House

  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today is your long walking day for around 7 - 8 hours. After breakfast, you will start your trek with an uphill walk to Yamda La. Passing the Tibetan style villages of Gheling, houses, and Chortens, you will arrive in Nyi La pass (4010m) which is the highest point of your trip. From here, you descend to Ghami and pass series of Mani walls reaching Charang finally.

  Tea House

  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today, you will start your trek with an easy climb to the ridge of Lo. Walking ups and down, you will get to see the far sight view of Lo-Manthang Village, which is a former kingdom secured by tall walls against robbers and brutal wind. Upon entering this village, you can relax enjoying the spectacular views or explore the temples and monasteries of the area.

  Tea House

  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Enjoy the Tiji Festival celebrated at Lo Manthang for 3 continuous days. The festival will be commenced with the prayer and ritual dance by the monks of Lo Manthang's Choedh monastery. The festival celebration shows the series of the story ultimately depicting the victory of good over the evil.

The festival concludes with the final dance showing an attempt to return the demon to Lord Buddha’s realm.

  Tea House

  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today, you will need to start walking as early as possible after your breakfast as the trail will be dusty and windy in this area. Instead of retracing the same route back, best to take an alternative route instead of getting back to Charang again. It is an easy walk descending down to Ghar Gompa, which is supposed to be 1200 years old village. The monastery here is rock painted making it quite attractive and it's said that if you make any wish in Ghar Gompa, it would be fulfilled. Give it a try !!

Continue the trip to Dhakmar. After the wind stops in the late afternoon, you can again walk around the village and explore something local.?

  Tea House

  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

It is going to be considerably a long walk today while trekking from Dhakmar to Syanboche passing through the Ghiling village. There won't be a lunch place in the middle. So, get a packed lunch from Dhakmar lodge.

There is nothing much to see along the trail as the terrain is entirely similar with past trip days. Best to start walking early today too as the trail will be dusty and windy today too.

  Tea House

  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast in Syanboche, you will continue back with the old trail to Chhusang passing by the village of Samar. The views will be much improved than the previous days as the Himalayas will enrich your sight experience again. Today will be the last night in the forbidden former Kingdom area and next day you have a big trip to Muktinath. Hence, upon reaching Chhusang, get plenty of rest or explore the village in the evening.

  Tea House

  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today, you will exit the Upper Mustang Restricted Area upon reaching Kagbeni where your guide will need to report to the permit checkpoint about the exit. 

You will then continue towards the trail to Muktinath, which is one of the toughest trails of your trip. This is a steep uphill climb to the pass followed by a descent to reach Muktinath village for the night. Muktinath is known for its cold springs, ancient fossils, and holy shrine—a sacred place for both Hindus and Buddhists. In a temple called Jwala Mai nearby, you can view two tiny blue flames that burn incessantly from a hole that also emits water, believed to be burned by God.

  Tea House

  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast at your teahouse, pay a visit to Muktinath Temple, an important place of worship for Nepalese Buddhists and Hindus. You will have the opportunity to visit the main temple and its surrounding area before you hit the trail.

From here, begin your trek back to Jomsom along an easy route that heads straight downhill. While you retrace your steps, you'll be able to enjoy good views of Mount Dhaulagiri. Pass through Jarkot where you can visit one more monastery, and take in the views of snow-capped mountains and ancient caves. Admire the signs of rich Tibetan culture
and keep an eye out for Mustang people who will come out and sell handicrafts to pilgrims.

  Tea House

  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Early morning, you will fly back to Pokhara. Upon reaching Pokhara, the day is free to be spent on leisure exploring the market or undertake some adventure activities like Paragliding (time and weather permitting). 

  Hotel

  Breakfast

Sometimes, the weather in Jomsom won't be favorable to undertake flight to Pokhara. This is for the security and safety of the passengers. In case if you won't get to return back to Pokhara the previous day, today will have a good chance of having a flight without affecting your flight back to Kathmandu. That's the reason why your return to Kathmandu was not placed on the same day before. You will be catching the afternoon flight back to Kathmandu today.

Upon reaching Kathmandu, the day is free for last minute shopping or relaxation.

  Hotel

  Breakfast

You will be picked up from your hotel 3.5 hours prior to your international flight time by one of our office representatives to escort you to the TIA. Trip concludes !!

  Breakfast