Trip overview
Upper Mustang trek during the Tiji Festival
A trek to the Tiji Festival in Upper Mustang combines an adventurous journey through Nepal’s high desert landscapes with the chance to witness one of the most unique cultural events in the region. The Tiji Festival trek takes you deep into the former kingdom of Lo, offering stunning Himalayan views, centuries-old monasteries, and an immersion in Tibetan Buddhist traditions centered around the Tiji Festival in Lo Manthang.
The Upper Mustang Trek takes you into the remote and culturally rich region of Upper Mustang, often referred to as the “Last Forbidden Kingdom.” Known for its arid landscapes, centuries-old monasteries, and unique Tibetan culture, this trek offers a different Himalayan experience. Himalaya View Treks team are familiar with Tiji festival and Mustang region of Nepal.
Tiji Festival Trek Overview
- Duration: 15–17 days (including travel to and from Kathmandu)
- Difficulty: Moderate to challenging
- Highest Point: Lo La Pass (3,950m)
- Best Time: Spring (April to May) to coincide with the Tiji Festival
- Permit Requirements: Restricted Area Permit (USD 500 for 10 days) and Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP)
Highlights of the Upper Mustang Tiji Festival
- Unique Tibetan Culture: The Upper Mustang’s rich culture, influenced by Tibetan Buddhism, is showcased in the Tiji Festival’s rituals and dances.
- Ancient Architecture: Lo Manthang’s fortified walls, palaces, and centuries-old monasteries provide insight into Mustang’s history.
- Stunning Landscapes: Mustang’s high desert, deep valleys, and snow-capped peaks offer a unique, surreal Himalayan experience.
- Mystical Tiji Festival: The festival itself is a highlight, with vibrant cham dances, traditional Tibetan costumes, and prayers for peace and prosperity.
Important Tips for the Tiji Festival Trek
- Booking: Due to high demand during the Tiji Festival, book permits, accommodations, and flights in advance.
- Acclimatization: Although there are no extreme altitudes, take the itinerary seriously for acclimatization.
- Weather: The spring season (April to May) is ideal for trekking and attending the Tiji Festival, with stable weather and clear skies.
- Tiji Festival will be 3 days starting 14th May and ending 16th May 2026
The Tiji Festival Trek is a truly special experience. It offers an in-depth look into the Mustang region’s spiritual life, set against a backdrop of spectacular landscapes and Himalayan peaks.
Short Itinerary
TIJI FESTIVAL ITINERARY 2026
May 07, Day 1: Fly from Kathmandu to Pokhara (823m) Take a short flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara and enjoy the day exploring this beautiful lakeside city, preparing for the trek.
May 08, Day 2: Fly from Pokhara to Jomsom (2,720m) and Trek to Kagbeni (2,810m) Flight Duration: 20 minutes, Trek Duration: 3–4 hours, Fly to Jomsom, the gateway to Upper Mustang. From Jomsom, start trekking along the Kali Gandaki River valley to Kagbeni, a charming village at the entrance to Upper Mustang.
May 09, Day 3: Kagbeni to Chele (3,050m)Trek Duration: 5–6 hours, Description: Enter the restricted area of Upper Mustang. Trek through narrow gorges, ancient caves, and barren landscapes, passing small villages and reaching Chele.
May 10, Day 4: Chele to Syangboche (3,800m) Trek Duration: 6–7 hours. Cross several passes, including Taklam La (3,624m), with views of Tilicho Peak and Yakawa Kang. Pass through villages like Samar and descend into Syangboche.
May 11, Day 5: Syangboche to Ghami (3,520m) Trek Duration: 5–6 hours, Continue through desert-like terrain and cross the Yamda La (3,850m). Pass through picturesque villages, barley fields, and mani walls to reach Ghami.
May 12, Day 6: Ghami to Tsarang (3,560m) Trek Duration: 4–5 hours, Description: Cross the Ghami La Pass and trek along one of the longest mani walls in Nepal. The trail descends to Tsarang, a village with an ancient palace and red gompa (Buddhist monastery).
May 13, Day 7: Tsarang to Lo Manthang (3,840m) Trek Duration: 4–5 hours, Trek through arid landscapes and cross the Lo La Pass (3,950m). Descend into the walled city of Lo Manthang, the capital of the former Kingdom of Mustang, known for its ancient palaces and monasteries.
May 14/15/16 Day 8-10: Tiji Festival in Lo Manthang, Spend three days in Lo Manthang, fully immersed in the Tiji Festival. Watch monks in colorful costumes and masks perform sacred cham dances that depict the victory of good over evil. Visit local monasteries, explore the ancient city, and interact with locals.
May 17, Day 11: Lo Manthang to Dhakmar (3,810m) Trek Duration: 6–7 hours, Begin the return journey via an alternate route. Trek through colorful landscapes, passing the Ghar Gompa, one of the oldest monasteries in Mustang, and reach Dhakmar.
May 18, Day 12: Dhakmar to Ghiling (3,806m) Trek Duration: 5–6 hours, Continue descending along the rugged trails, enjoying views of unique rock formations and red cliffs. Reach the traditional village of Ghiling.
May 19, Day 13: Ghiling to Chhuksang (2,920m) Trek Duration: 5–6 hours, Trek back through familiar trails, descending steadily with views of Nilgiri and other peaks. Reach the riverside village of Chhuksang.
May 20, Day 14: Chhuksang to Jomsom (2,720m) Trek Duration: 6–7 hours, the final day of trekking takes you back to Jomsom. Enjoy the beautiful scenery along the Kali Gandaki River before reaching Jomsom.
May 21, Day 15: Fly from Jomsom to Pokhara and Return to Kathmandu, Fly back to Pokhara from Jomsom, then continue to Kathmandu, concluding your journey.
Included
- Kathmandu to Pokhara and Pokhara to Kathmandu by Tourist bus
- Both way flight tickets Pokhara / jomsom / pokhara
- TIM’s card permit, ACAP permit, and Uper Mustang special trekking permit
- Water purification drop or tablets for safe drinking water
- Two night hotel in Pokhara
- Company T-shirt as a Souvenirs, and duffle bag if needed
- Government licensed holder, fluent English Speaking Familiar Himalaya view Treks guide, 1 assistant guide if Group sizes is more than 10 trekkers) one guide lead up to 10 trekkers.
- Strong local Porters for Carry trekker’s luggage, One porter every 2 trekkers, Porter carry maximum 20 Kg. 10 Kg per trekkers.
- All meals (Breakfast, lunch, and dinner) during your Upper Mustang Trek with 14 nights Hotel Accommodation
- Cost Includes Guides and porters meals, accommodation, Salary, insurance, transportation, and needed equipment for the Trekking
- Seasonal fresh fruits every day during Mustang Trek
- Local government, taxes, including official Service Charge
- Oximeter to measure Pulse and oxygen level
- Trip completion Certificate
Not Included
- Hotel accommodation and meals In Kathmandu and Pokhara
- Personal expense (shopping, snacks, boil bottle water, hot (tea, coffee) and cold drinks, hot shower, alcohol, Wi-Fi, telephone call, battery charge fee during the Mustang Trek)
- Personal clothing and trekking gear
- Personal travel insurance including evacuation coverage (compulsory) up to 6000m)
- Additional costs if delays flights and outside the itinerary
- All the costs and expenses which are not mentioned in includes list.
- Tips for guide and porters in end of the treks
Quick Enquiry
Trips Reviews
Amélia D2025-11-01Amazing trek with an amazing guide We did the langtang valley trek with this agency. It was an amazing experience. We just showed up to their office and were taken care of right away. Our guide Suraj was AMAZING. I can’t recommend him enough. He made sure that we were comfortable at all moments of the trek, and he gave us so many informations on the region and answered every questions we had. When I come back to Nepal, i will ask for him again for sure.antoinep2025-11-01Best Langtang Valley Trek experience I had an amazing time in the Langtang Valley with my guide Suraj. I would recommend 100% booking with this agency and asking for Suraj as your guide. I will definitly come back to Nepal for more trekking with this agency.Chiara S2025-10-29EBC trek with female guide october 2025 My EBC trek was an amazing experience! Everything was very well organized, and my female guide Samikshya Bajagain took great care of me throughout the journey. Even when things didn’t go exactly as planned, she handled every situation very professionally and with a positive attitude. I always felt safe and supported. The company leader Simbir Ghale was always available and found a solution for everything. I highly recommend trekking with her and with the company — a truly great experience!Erica and John W2025-10-29Mardi Himalaya Trek My husband John and myself cannot fault our trek to Mardi Himal with Guide/porter Suza. It was a Nepali Festival time and the track was very busy. Suza made sure we had comfortable lodgings by booking ahead. We never had to worry about not having somewhere to lay down and rest our tired legs!! He was easy company always around if we needed anything. He joined us playing cards in the evenings - winning too often! We had to change the schedule a bit due to unpredicted weather (rain) - no problem Suza ‘s experience and local knowledge made this easy too. Thanks Suza, we’re really happy to have had you as our guide and really enjoyed the trek.Quest481760419722025-10-23Amazing guide company Annapurna Base Camp 10 days(Oct. 9-18) trek with 6 people, 1 guide and 1 porter.We stopped by the Kathmandu office the day before to pay with a credit card, and the owner, Simbir, was kind enough to cash in at a good rate, and to accompany our guide, Sujan, to buy SIM cards and medicine.The next day, Sujan came to pick us up in a Jeep at a hostel in Pokhara, and stopped by for shopping and stuff on the way to the trailhead.My guide Sujan, who is young at 23, was very accommodating and well organised every day, checking on everyone and arranging food and accommodation. The hot springs also made for a great time, and I am grateful for the great trekking.If I had the chance again, I would love to ask this Himalaya View Treks again.chiara7362025-09-21Unforgettable experiemce - Gosaikunda / Langtang trek We are glad that we have chosen Himalaya View Treks. Simbir always replied very fast and we agreed on everything before the trek.We did 11 day Gosaikunda - Langtang trek. Originally our plans wery different, on the way to starting point at Syabru Bensi road was blocked by demonstration and we couldn't pass. Therefore we completely changed our trek itinerary and started trek from another place. Our guide Anil was extremely helpful, kind, patient. He always respected our needs. We really apreciate his assistance whenpassing through landslide area and crossing the mountain streams.Anh Hao Ng2025-09-02Unforgetable experience at EBC • We only had a few days (10 days) while the usual trek takes 12 days. Our guide Ram helped us arrange the itinerary to suit the duration and physical demands, as well as finding the best teahouses.• During the trek, due to the lack of time to acclimatize to the altitude, I experienced respiratory issues. Ram provided immense support to help me recover and continue the journey.• We were cared for with great enthusiasm, supported fully from meals to rest, and the guide even brought apples for us to eat along the way. He also provided water and occasionally shared wifi for us to use. We highly appreciate the company and the individual efforts of our guide Ram and porter Santos. We strongly encourage everyone to support the company’s continued success and wish Ram and Santos further growth in their careers.Ngoc T2025-08-31Everest base camp - Aug 2025 The 10-day Everest Base Camp trek was an extraordinary adventure, thanks to the tour company’s exceptional service. Their passionate team expertly guided me to select a tour perfectly suited to my needs. Our guide, Mr. Ram, was warm, highly skilled, and crafted an itinerary that optimized my limited time while minimizing altitude challenges. His deep knowledge enriched every moment. The porter, Mr. Santos, was tirelessly carrying my three heavy bags and went along with us throughout the way ensuring my comfort. I’m thrilled with this unforgettable experience and the team’s professionalism. I’ll definitely book with them again! Highly recommended! Chuyến trekking 10 ngày đến Everest base camp là một hành trình tuyệt vời. Đội ngũ công ty đã tư vấn tôi nhiệt tình giúp tôi chọn tour phù hợp với nhu cầu. Hướng dẫn viên, anh Ram, thân thiện, dày dạn kinh nghiệm, đã thiết kế lộ trình tối ưu cho thời gian hạn chế của tôi, đồng thời giảm thiểu các vấn đề về độ cao. Kiến thức sâu rộng của anh làm phong phú thêm hành trình. Người khuân vác, anh Santos, không mệt mỏi mang ba túi nặng của tôi và luôn đồng hành, đảm bảo sự thoải mái cho tôi. Tôi vô cùng hài lòng với trải nghiệm khó quên này và sự chuyên nghiệp của đội ngũ. Chắc chắn tôi sẽ lại đặt tour với họ! Rất khuyến nghị!Elliot J2025-06-05Amazing hike through Annapurna Well organised from start to finish for the Annapurna Circuit. Good communication from Simbir throughout. Anil was such a fantastic guide and porter, very strong and easy going, made the hike one of the most beautiful I've been on! Would definitely recommend.Armando N2025-05-23Excellent EBC Trek Experience The 12-day EBC trek with this agency was awesome, the manager was very attentive since the first contact and explained every question with detail. During the trek my guide Anil was excellent, he knows the mountains very well and helps you whenever you need something.
Hayley2024-04-10would absolutely recommend this company to do your trekking with in Nepal. From the moment we messaged simbir, he was so helpful with any questions/worries we had. Everything was so smooth from the moment we landed in Kathmandu. Our guide Ram was amazing on our trek to EBC, always making sure we were happy. Will definitely use again when we return to Nepal, thank you for everything guys✨✨Shermel2024-03-18Embarked on a 9 days EBC trek with Sofi and Jivan, our guide and porter. They were both very reliable during the course of the trek and kept the atmosphere lively even when we were high up in the mountains. Highly recommended!Olga Poltavskaya2024-01-05We used the services of a porter guide from the company on the Annapurna base camp trek. Rahul was truly amazing! so helpful and easy! We really appreciated his looking after us, helping pick the best accommodation and break spots along the way, making sure we are warm and positive. Would strongly recommend Rahul for those trekkers who look for a devoted and switched on porter guide.Mateusz Malzacher2023-12-19We had a fantastic 3 passes hike thanks to the guidance, expertise and professionalism of Bishal Rai. He was a great trip partner, providing local knowledge and a sense of humor along the way. He even pointed out all the peak names to us many times due to our forgetfulness. Thank you and highly recommend Himalaya View Treks and guide, Bishal Rai.Alejandro Espigares2023-12-01Realicé el trek del Campo Base Everest y todo fue increíble. Yo lo hice en solitario junto a mi guía Suraj y lo recomiendo 100%, muy atento y es un experto del terreno, sabe en todo momento como actuar si te encuentras mal o cansado y buscar una nueva ruta. La agencia me dio mucha seguridad en todo momento y me sentí acompañado en todo momento. Lo volvería a contratar una y mil veces. Gracias!!!A Expen5ive2023-11-22Our Guide Rahul made sure that it was a pleasant Trek from start to finish. Very knowledgeable about the areas and always puts the safety and wellbeing of us first. When you book your Trek make sure you ask for Rahul.Patrick Thumm2023-11-21Meine Frau und ich haben uns für eine „kurze“ Tour im Himalaya interessiert. Über das Internet sind wir auf Himalayan View Treks gestoßen. Sie haben die 8 Tage Annapurna Short Trek Tour angeboten. Die Kommunikation im Vorfeld per Mail mit Simbir lief super. Er konnte uns vorab alle Informationen geben. Auch eine individuelle Anpassung der Tour (z. B. per Flugzeug zurück) wäre möglich gewesen. Obwohl wir zunächst ein paar Tage in Kathmandu verbracht haben, wurden wir bei Ankunft von unserem Guide abgeholt und zum Hotel gebracht. So sind wir entspannt angekommen. An Tag 1 der Tour wurden wir früh morgens vom Hotel von unserem Guide (D. B.) und unserem Porter (Manoj) abgeholt. Tag 2-7 sind wir von Chame über Pisang, Manang, Ledar, High Camp über den Thorong La Pass nach Muktinath gewandert. Insgesamt waren es ca. 80km, 4.100m nach oben und 3.100m nach unten zu wandern. Tag 8 ging dann per Jeep zurück nach Pokhara. Trotz der für unsere Verhältnisse langen Strecke ging die Tour super zu laufen. Das lag vor allem auch an unserem Guide und Porter! D. B. hat sich stets nach unserem Wohlbefinden erkundet. Jeden Abend gab es einen kurzen Tagesrückblick und Lagebesprechung für den kommenden Tag. So konnten wir währenddessen noch entscheiden, ob wir an einem Tag etwas weiter laufen, um am darauffolgenden Tag etwas weniger machen müssen. Er ging da sehr gut auf uns ein. Manoj hat unseren schweren Rucksack getragen und wir konnten uns so ganz aufs Trekking konzentrieren. Darüber waren wir sehr dankbar. Auch er hat sich immer um uns gekümmert (are you ok? 😉) D.B. hat uns über den gesamten Trek viel Wissen über das Land und die Berge vermittelt. Außerdem konnte er uns viele interessante Bergsteiger Geschichten erzählen. Wir hatten 8 unbeschreibliche Tage! Unsere anfänglich Angst und Sorge, es nicht zu schaffen wurde uns durch den professionellen Umgang komplett genommen. Vielen Dank dafür!Daniel Weller2023-10-17Just returned home from a fantastic adventure holiday on the EBC trek. Himalaya View Treks couldn't of been more helpful from choosing and booking our trek before we arrived through to dropping us back to the airport once we had finished , nothing was too much trouble. Before coming to Nepal me and my dad was unsure if we needed a guide however we are now so pleased that we decided to get one. Sobit our guide made the experience so much better as he took care of all the arrangements and organising leaving us to concentrate on the trek and enjoy the scenery without any stress. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Himalaya View Treks and would request Sobit as a guide as he was brilliant!!!!Patrik Penzeš2023-10-05Great experience! Our guide Bishal became our friend in short time and made the trekking easier. I am grateful to both Bishal and Simbir for this experience. I strogly recommend Manaslu circuit trek with Bishal from himalaya view treks!
