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Mustang Tiji Festival Tour 2026
Tiji Festival is a traditional Tibetan Buddhist ritual held annually in the walled village of Lo Manthang, in the Mustang district of Nepal. It is celebrated in late May or early June every year.
Highlights
Key trip facts at a glance.
Gallery
Trip photos and moments.
Overview
Tiji Festival is a traditional Tibetan Buddhist ritual held annually in the walled village of Lo Manthang, in the Mustang district of Nepal. It is celebrated in late May or early June every year. The Tiji festival is not on the same day each year. The Tiji commemorates the victory of good over evil and is deeply rooted in local mythology. The festival features colorful masked dances, elaborate costumes, chanting monks, and symbolic performances reenacting the triumph of the deity Dorje Jono over the demon king. It is a spiritual cleansing ritual meant to bring peace, prosperity, and protection to the community for the next year.
The Tiji Festival, celebrated at the ancient kingdom of Upper Mustang, is a land of stark landscapes, centuries-old Tibetan culture, and mystical traditions. Among its many cultural treasures, the Tiji Festival stands out as a captivating religious and cultural event drawing travelers and spiritual seekers from around the world. This vibrant 3-day festival, combined with the adventure of trekking in Mustang’s dramatic terrain, makes for a remarkable expedition blending culture, nature, and spirituality.
Feature of Mustang Tiji Festival – 2026
- Unique Cultural Immersion: Witness one of the last living Tibetan Buddhist festivals preserved in its authentic form.
- Remote and Unspoiled: Mustang is less touristy than other parts of Nepal, offering a genuine experience.
- Spiritual Enrichment: The festival’s profound symbolism and community devotion offer a rare glimpse into Tibetan spirituality.
- Adventure: Combining trekking and cultural discovery in a challenging and rewarding expedition.
- Candy like organic apples and its product, ashy apple brandy.
- The oldest monastery in the country and an interesting ancient cave civilization.
- Mountains like the Nilgiri and Tibetan mountains will be your companion during the trip.
- Spectacular Landscape: Dramatic desert canyons and snow-capped peaks create a breathtaking backdrop.
Upper Mustang and the Buddhist Community
- Mustang Regionlies in the rain shadow of the Himalayas, bordering Tibet to the north. The landscape is arid, with deep canyons and towering cliffs.
- Lo Manthang, the walled city, is the cultural heart of Upper Mustang and home to about 1,300 people, mostly of Tibetan descent.
- The community is deeply Buddhist, preserving ancient traditions, language, and art, making Mustang a living museum of Tibetan culture.
Why choose our Upper Mustang Tiji Festival Tour?
You are planning to go to a new destination, so booking with a local tour expert will save you money and time. Nepal Himalaya Tours is a local tour company, operating Mustang Jeep tours from the beginning when the road was established in Mustang. We are much more flexible and provide the best customized itinerary. We have our own 4WD Toyota Land Cruiser or similar Scorpio Jeep for our Upper Mustang tour. We ensure that our drivers are very experienced in off-road driving and responsible for your personal belongings.
Accommodation and Foods During Tiji Tour to Upper Mustang
For the Tiji Festival Jeep Tour, your accommodation will be standard lodgings to cozy guesthouses, showcasing the area’s secluded character. In towns such as Kagbeni, Jomsom, and Lo Manthang, visitors can discover simple teahouses and lodges providing clean rooms with shared bathrooms and basic amenities. These places typically offer warm hospitality and local typical cooked meals, combining Tibetan and Nepali culinary styles.
Visitors can indulge in authentic Tibetan and Nepali foods like Thukpa (a kind of noodle with soup), dumplings, and rice with pickle, lentils, and green vegetables at tea houses or lodges. Mustang is also famous for apples, so you can find fresh apples, apple pie, and apple cider easily available. Packaged snacks such as nuts and energy bars are convenient for the long intervals between villages. We can provide packed lunches upon request or organize meals at designated stops. While the dining experience may be simple and relish local flavors.
Itinerary
Upon arrival at Kathmandu Airport, Nepal Himalaya Tour’s team will be in the Kathmandu airport to receive you without any delay according to your arrival flight schedule. It may take some time, like 20-40 minutes, to collect your luggage and for security checking at the airport. After that, you make your way to the exit from the airport and stuff your name card and our company name, “Nepal Himalaya Tours.” As you see the card, our staff will greet you and transfer you to the hotel by luxury car. After check-in, you can take a rest or visit our office. In the evening, there will be a welcome dinner with our team member.
After breakfast sightseeing tour for UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Kathmandu Valley will start: Kathmandu Durbar Square, Pashupatinath, Boudhnath (the largest Boudha stupa in the world), and Swayambhunath. Kathmandu Durbar Square holds the palaces of the medieval kings who ruled over the then Kathmandu Kingdom. Swayambhu stupa is one of the oldest Buddhist stupas in the world. The stupa is also famous for being on the hilltop and known as the Monkey Temple. The Pashupatinath temple bank of the Bagmati River is one of the world’s most sacred places of worship for the Hindus. The Buddhist shrine of Boudha Nath is one of the largest stupas in the world and one of the holiest Buddhist pilgrimages and most visited tourist destinations.
Early morning, you will fly to Pokhara from Kathmandu. Our office representative will pick you from the airport and transfer you to the hotel in Pokhara. Evening explore beautiful phewa lake sightseeing around Pokhara city.
After breakfast you will jeep drive to Tatopani. On the way you will follow an excellent road to Beni, about 95 km. The ride is quite scenic and offers views of snow-capped mountains. From Beni, it takes about 20 more kilometers to drive to Tatopani. It is a natural hot spring area. In the evening you will enjoy a hot spring and explore the village.
After breakfast at the hotel, you will drive through the beautiful villages of Kalopani, Ghasa, and Jomsom and arrive in Muktinath. You need to hike around 30 minutes to get to the Muktinath temple. If you want, take a shower at 108 taps, and visit the Jal Devi temple as well, where you can see the fire lighting itself with the help of natural gas. Then drive back to Kagbeni for an overnight stay.
Another amazing day starts; after breakfast you will visit Kagbeni Monastery and the old villages of Kagbeni. Our guide will check in your special permit at the office in Kagbeni. After completing our permit formalities, you will drive to Ghami village. On the way you will discover beautiful villages, like Chhusang, Samar, Chelle, Syangboche, and Ghiling. Overnight at a guest house.
Today you will drive to Lo-Manthang. Explore the wonderful Lo-Manthang village, Chode Gonpa, Jampa Gonpa, and Thupchen Gonpa. In the afternoon you will join at the Mustang Tiji and can take photos and videos for memories about the Tiji festival.
On the second day of the Tiji festival’s celebration, you will visit many notable monasteries and temples. Lo Manthang faithfully captures the wonderful Tibetan Buddhist culture and traditions. Hiking is the best way to explore the hidden areas of this amazing city that was built among desolate terrain. The event typically begins around noon, so you can drive to Chhoser village in the morning. From Lo-Manthang, the trip takes only about an hour. You could catch sight of blue sheep and other animals. You will visit the village’s Buddhist school and the sky cave at Chhoser as well. Then return to Lo-Manthang for the festival after exploring Chhoser. Overnight at a guest house.
Today is the third and last day of the festival. You will discover Lomanthang’s monasteries and Buddhist schools as well. You will enjoy taking in the village’s sightseeing. Those from the Lhoba and Bon tribes make up the majority of the population of Lo, a region that is mostly Buddhist. Learn about the history of the old ancient kingdom by visiting the village. The significant Buddhist temple with a massive Buddha statue and Mandala paintings on the walls is the Champa Lhakang, where you may also go. Join the local people to celebrate the last day of the Tiji festival, and in the afternoon, just exchange cultural experiences with the villagers while watching the festival dancing and ceremonies. Overnight at a guest house.
Today you will gradually bid farewell to the ethereal region of the Upper Mustang and proceed to the famed location known as Jomsom. Following a sumptuous breakfast, your Tiji Festival Jeep Tour in Upper Mustang will retrace your steps back to Jomsom. To go to Kagbeni, you will cross the same small villages at Tsarang, Ghiling, and Samar. At Kagbeni, your paperwork and special Tiji Festival Jeep Tour permit will be scrutinized.
You will start your journey after breakfast and then head to Pokhara. You will follow the same route that we used in order to reach Jomsom before. In the evening, explore the lakeside downtown with dinner.
Breakfast at the hotel, then we drive back to Kathmandu. It will take 6 – 7 hours. Upon arrival in Kathmandu, you will be transferred to your hotel. Evening you will have a farewell dinner with a culture program in the evening with our official team. Overnight at a hotel.
Departure day, after breakfast we transfer to the airport 3 hours before your scheduled flight. We hope you enjoyed the Tiji festival tour with us, and we are sure you will be back for a trip to the Nepal Himalaya next year with your friends.
Includes / Excludes
Trip Includes
- Airport pickups and drops by private car/jeep.
- Everyday breakfast.
- Full day Kathmandu sightseeing tour.
- 3 Nights deluxe hotel accommodation in Kathmandu.
- Two nights' accommodation in Pokhara.
- All meals (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner) during the tirp.
- Kathmandu to Mustang drive via Pokhara by private jeep
- Necessary entry permits fees & traveler TIMS card.
- All government fees and local taxes.
- Tea house/lodge accommodation during the trip.
- Farewell dinner in final night.
Trip Excludes
- International airfare
- Nepal entry visa fees (Visa available at immigration office in Kathmandu airport)
- Travel insurance which covers emergency rescue & evacuation.
- Lunch and dinner in Kathmandu and Pokhara.
- Personal expenses