MUSTANG TIJI FESTIVAL TREK Upper Mustang trek offers a spectacular trekking experience in
the remote trans-Himalayan mountain region of Nepal. The 18-days trip festival
consists of Tibetan rituals that celebrate the myth of a son who had to save
the Mustang kingdom from destruction. The festival is indigenous to
Lo-Manthang, Upper Mustang. Over the Mustang Tenchi Festival, time monks dressed
in elaborate costumes and masks perform dances and rituals that are supposed to
drive away evil spirits. Annapurna Circuit Trek.
The Tiji festival dances are all organized by the Choedhe Monastery, which
belongs to the Sakya sect of Buddhism.
While Tenchi Festival trekking in the Upper Mustang region of Nepal, we can
admire the uniqueness of tree-less landscape, rocky trails, and views of
Nilgiri, Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, and the other Himalayas. Upper Mustang trekking
in Nepal officially opened in 1992. The Tenchi festival as a whole celebrates
the victory of God over Demon and Good over Evil. On the 1st day, the monks
perform a dance called ‘Tsa Chaam’. This tells the story of the birth of ‘Dorji
Sonam’- a reincarnated Buddha to a demon. This demon harassed the kingdom of
Mustang and brought havoc to the country. You can witness the monks enacting
the harassment of the said demon on the people of Mustang. Lupra Trek
Upon your arrival to the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, you
will be welcomed by a representative of the Sange Sherpa Adventure You will
then be checked in to your hotel. You can either rest or stroll around a famous
tourist area in Kathmandu, Thamel. Here you can do souvenir shopping and enjoy
the authentic Nepali cuisine in one of the many restaurants. You will also be
briefed about the entire trek on this day.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
One of our representatives from Sange
Sherpa Adventure Guide/Staff will drive you off to Tribhuwan International Airport, from where you will
board your plan for another destination or your home country.
Nepal has many other natural and cultural beauties waiting to be explored.
We willbe always ready to help you travelling around this amazing country. We
will be pleased to make the necessary arrangements so that you can explore
other parts.
Inquire Now to get the best deals or share with friends to plan together. All trips are group based. For custom trips, contact us.
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