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The Upper Mustang Trek with Tiji Festival is a once-in-a-lifetime journey into Nepal’s mystical “Forbidden Kingdom.” This extraordinary adventure takes you deep into a remote Himalayan desert where ancient caves, walled cities, and centuries-old Tibetan traditions still thrive. Witness the spectacular Tiji Festival in Lo Manthang, where monks perform sacred masked dances that tell stories of good triumphing over evil. This trek is not just a journey - it’s a step back in time.
The 2027 Upper Mustang Trek with Tiji Festival offers a rare combination of adventure, spirituality, and untouched Himalayan heritage. Starting from Kathmandu, the journey transitions from lush valleys to the stark beauty of Mustang’s high-altitude desert. Unlike typical Himalayan treks, Upper Mustang lies in a rain-shadow region, creating a unique landscape of red cliffs, fossil-rich hills, and ancient cave dwellings. The trail follows the historic salt trade route between Nepal and Tibet, adding deep cultural and historical significance. Upon reaching Lo Manthang, trekkers step into a living museum of Tibetan Buddhism. The city’s whitewashed walls, royal palace, and centuries-old monasteries reflect a preserved world that has remained largely unchanged for hundreds of years.
The Tiji Festival 2027 becomes the emotional peak of the journey - three days of sacred rituals where monks perform Cham dances in vibrant costumes, reenacting the myth of Dorje Jono’s battle to restore peace in Mustang. The atmosphere is deeply spiritual, attracting pilgrims, locals, and a limited number of international travelers.
Upon arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, We're grateful for the warm welcome extended by our official. We will take you to the hotel in our private tourist vehicle. Pre-trip meeting will be done and you will meet with your trip guide. Make sure to confirm your queries about trekking in the mountains.
After breakfast, your guide and private vehicle will pick you up from the hotel for a scenic drive to Pokhara, taking approximately 5–6 hours. Renowned for its breathtaking landscapes, Pokhara offers panoramic views of Nepal’s iconic Himalayan peaks: Annapurna and Machapuchare to the north, Dhaulagiri to the west, and Lamjung Himal and Manaslu to the east. Traveling by private vehicle allows you to enjoy the journey at your own pace, with opportunities to stop for photos, refreshments, or short walks along the way.
Early in the morning, we will fly to Jomsom. The flight is 25 minutes on a scenic flight view of Spectaculars Mountains. We start the first-day trekking from Jomsom (2713m) to Kagbeni (2897m) after breakfast. The trail follows the wide valley of the Kali Gandaki. Here the wind generally picks up after about midday but will at least be blowing at our backs as you head up to ancient village Kagbeni in the morning time. The rest of the day we will explore the village, people, and culture.
Our journey begins with a special permit check-up and onwards to the riverbank of Kaligandaki River up to the valley. During today’s walk, the trail leads us through the picturesque deserted and windswept valleys. This trail continues up and downhill until we reach the Tangbe village. From here we trek onwards to Chhusang and after a 1½ hour walk, we cross a river heading up to the huge red chunk of conglomerate that has fallen from the cliff above. The trail continues heading on to small ridges until we reach the Chele village (3050m) after 18 kilometers. Here we will stay overnight at a local tea house.
Today, we start our trek again after breakfast and walk further to Ekle Bhatti then climb to Taklam La Pass (3,624m) and Dajori La (3,735m) through a narrow stretch of the plateau with views of Tilicho Peak, Yakawa Kang, Nilgiri, and Damodar Danda. After lunch in Samar, we walk further for about three hours including passes through the Bhena La (3,860m) and Yamda La (3,850m) to the Syanbochen elevation at 3,840 meters. The trail today is 8 kilometers long. The rest of the day explores surrounding ancient unique village area. We stay again at a teahouse overnight.
The trail leads us uphill to the Syangboche La (3,860m) and passed a few teahouses, Chortens (Tibetan Stupa), and local villages with Tibetan-style houses. We then cross over a few other paths. After lunch, we have a long climb to the Nyi Pass (4,010m) and Ghami La (3,765m) with a wonderful landscape view. Then we descend to Ghaymi (3,520m) for an overnight stay at the tea house, after 12 kilometers of walking.
After breakfast, we start our trek on a pleasant and easy trail which we’ll walk for about 4 to 5 hours up to Charang (3,560m). Then after crossing Ghaymi Khola, the trail climbs to a plateau and passes beside a very long Mani wall (Mantra inscribed stone walls) which heads east to Tsarang. After about 11 kilometers up and down the trail get us to the teahouse in Charang, where we will stay overnight. We will enjoy exploring around the ancient village for the rest of the day. You may go to Ghar Gumpa via Mui La (4,170m) from Dhakmar skip Charang Village.
The trail from Tsarang to Lo-Manthang offers a majestic panorama of Himalayan peaks including Nilgiri, Tilicho, Annapurna I, and Bhrikuti. The landscape along the route is truly mesmerizing. The trek begins with a descent into the Tsarang Chu Canyon, followed by a steep climb after crossing the river. The trail then gently ascends to the windy pass of Lo La (3,950m), providing a spectacular view of Lo-Manthang Valley (3,810m) and the historic walled city, set dramatically among the surrounding hills along the Tibetan border.
Upon arrival in Lo-Manthang, check into a local hotel. The rest of the day can be spent exploring the village, which reflects Tibetan culture and architecture, including monasteries, traditional houses, and prayer walls.
The main highlight today is attending the first day of the Tiji Festival, which begins in the afternoon. Witness the colorful rituals, Cham dances, and ceremonial prayers performed by Tibetan monks, immersing yourself in one of Mustang’s most spiritually and culturally significant events.
Today is dedicated to exploring the historic and cultural treasures of Lo-Manthang. Start with a visit to Namgyal Gomba Monastery (3,910m), perched on a hilltop, which serves as an important spiritual center and former local court. From there, continue a hike to Tingkhar Village (4,025m), a small settlement of around 40 houses and the last main village to the northwest of Lo-Manthang.
Optional visits include Chamjung and Lhaktung Gumba, the red Thugchen Monastery, and Chyodi Gomba, all significant religious sites of Lo-Manthang. You can also explore the Raja’s Darbar (Royal Palace), a four-story historic building with panoramic views of the surrounding Himalayas. Here, visitors may receive a traditional Tibetan tea from the former King as a gesture of hospitality.
Lo-Manthang, a walled city built in 1380 AD by King Ame Pal, features walls 725m long and 8m high, with 14 towers rising 12m, historically guarded to protect the city.
Highlights today include:
Spend the morning visiting monasteries and the Buddhist school of Lo-Manthang. After 12 PM, join locals for the final day of Tiji Festival, observing rituals, dances, and ceremonies. Return to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Day Highlights:
While returning from Lo-Manthang, we head down a dissimilar route than the one we came by. We trek to Drakmar via Gyakar with more than 1200 years old Ghar Gompa with Guru Rinpoche as its central figure. The Gompa is also famous for its rock paintings. According to a mythical legend, anyone who makes one wish at the Ghar Gompa will have their wishes fulfilled. We explore the local area with the likelihood of dusty wind, so its suggested we do the hike in the morning.
Today we head back to Geiling as our journey for our overnight stay after a long walk takes about 5-6 hrs. After arrival we enjoy lunch and use the rest of the day exploring the area, but we reckon it will be dusty and windy in the afternoon, so it’s better to walk in the evening time. We do an overnight halt at the village of Geiling.
From Geiling onwards, it will be one of the most pleasant walks as we will loose altitude day by day. The trek follows an easy descent towards the Kaligandaki River Valley passing through the old villages. Overnight at Chuksangu.
On reaching the river bed at Ekale-bhatti, we reach a small settlement with about 3-4 teahouses, where we can take a breather for some time. From here onwards, it can get very windy in the afternoon time, as our walk follows a gentle trail for another two hours till the large town of Jomsom is reached for our overnight camp. Jomsom, a large village town is the headquarters of the Mustang region with a small airstrip just above by the river Kaligandaki. Here, we will have sufficient time to celebrate with the local apple products like cider, brandy and pure apple juice. This area from Kagbeni to Larjung is famous for its delicious apples and its by-products. A few swigs of the apple brandy could set our moods on a high after a wonderful memorable trip we just completed.
After morning breakfast we check in the airport to fly back to Pokhara. This dramatic 15 minutes flight to Pokhara between the gorge of the two huge mountains of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri is a nervy tingling experience we will enjoy. On arrival at Pokhara airport our guide will transfer us to the lakeside hotel. We use the rest of our time exploring the lake and then spend our overnight at our hotel down by the lake.
We will be driving back to Kathmandu in the morning. In the evening, we host a farewell dinner in a fine restaurant. (Your guide(s) and an office staff will accompany you).
It’s the end of our exciting journey in the Mustang Region. Today we conclude our 17 day Upper Mustang Trekking with Tiji Festival. One of our airport representatives will accompany you to the International Airport for your flight back home.
We bid you farewell, and hoping you’ll travel to Nepal again.
Upper Mustang is a restricted Himalayan region in northern Nepal near the Tibetan border.
It is a 3-day Buddhist festival in Lo Manthang celebrating victory of good over evil.
Yes, Upper Mustang requires a special restricted area permit (USD 500 per person).
It is moderate to challenging due to altitude and long walking days.
The highest point is Lo Manthang at 3,820 meters.
Limited Wi-Fi is available in some villages at extra cost.
Usually in May every year.
Yes, with good fitness and preparation, beginners can complete it.
Simple teahouses and lodges with basic facilities.
Yes, high-altitude trekking insurance including helicopter evacuation is mandatory.
