Tiji Festival Tour for 2025: 14 Days
The Tiji Festival Tour is a unique blend of cultural immersion and adventure, offering an unparalleled experience in the Himalayas, Upper Mustang, Nepal. We are committed to environmental sustainability and our tour practices reflect this. Join us on this journey to experience the wonders of Upper Mustang while contributing to its preservation.
Join the Outfitter Himalaya team on the Tiji festival Tour and departure for a smooth and safe journey to Lo Manthang, the last forbidden kingdom in Nepal. Our experienced guides will ensure your safety at all times, and we have emergency protocols in place for any unforeseen circumstances.
Tiji festival is a vibrant and culturally rich festival in the remote and mystical kingdom of Upper Mustang, Nepal. The local people celebrate the festival to mark the victory of good over evil, a story that holds immense cultural and religious significance. The festival is observed with great zeal and enthusiasm, making it a unique cultural immersion experience.
The festival lasts three days and features colorful dances, masked performances, and a grand display of traditional attire.
The Tiji Festival tour is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to uniquely experience the Upper Mustang's wonders. While the Tiji festival is the main attraction, remember that you will be exploring for multiple days before and after the celebration.
With vibrant festivals, arid landscapes, and spectacular mountain views, the Tiji Festival Trip is an unforgettable journey for any traveler.
The Tiji festival Trip is an incredible way to experience the unique culture and spectacular landscapes of the Upper Mustang. Start from Pokhara with an overland Jeep Ride to Jomsom. You will travel through arid landscapes, rocky terrain, and deep gorges from here. The trail follows the Kali Gandaki River, known to be one of the deepest gorges in the world.
As you make your way through the rugged terrain of Upper Mustang, you will be treated to breathtaking views of the Himalayan range, including Annapurna (8,091 m), Dhaulagiri (8,167 m), and Nilgiri (7,061 m). The region is characterized by arid and barren landscapes that strikingly contrast the brown, desert-like hills and the snow-capped mountains.
The major highlight of this Trip is the Tiji festival. It is celebrated in the walled city of Lo Manthang, the former capital of the Mustang Kingdom. The town is a maze of narrow streets and mud-walled houses, with the magnificent palace of the King at its center.
During the festival, the locals dress in their finest attire and perform ancient dances and rituals passed down through generations.
The festival is particularly famous for its masked dances, depicting good triumph over evil. Monks perform the dances in elaborate costumes and masks, and each dance represents a different story or legend.
Observe the Tiji Festival Celebration
The Tiji festival is a traditional Tibetan festival celebrated in the upper Mustang region of Nepal and parts of Tibet. It takes place annually and lasts for three days. During the festival, the region's people come together to celebrate the victory of good over evil. The festival is a vibrant and colorful event steeped in tradition and religious significance.
The Tiji festival commemorates the victory of Lord Buddha's incarnation, Dorje Jono, over a demon named Man Tam. The festival holds immense cultural and religious significance, symbolizing the triumph of good over evil. Lord Dorje Jono defeated the demon and brought peace back to the world. The Tiji festival is celebrated to honor this victory and commemorate the triumph of good over evil.
The celebration of the Tiji festival involves a series of rituals and ceremonies that the local people perform. On the festival's first day, a purification ceremony is held to cleanse the community of evil spirits. The second day is the festival's primary day, which involves a series of dances and rituals the local community performs.
The dances are performed by masked dancers who represent the various characters from the story of Lord Dorje Jono's victory over Man Tam. The Tiji festival is a time of grand celebration and rejoicing for the locals. The streets are decorated with colorful flags and banners, and the people wear traditional clothing and masks.
There is much singing, dancing, and feasting. The Tiji festival is a time of great joy and happiness. It is a time for the community to celebrate the triumph of good over evil and honor Lord Dorje Jono's victory over the demon Man Tam.
Historical monuments and bustling markets of Kathmandu
The Tiji Festival Trip Package includes a guided visit to UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Kathmandu on the second day of the Itinerary. You will visit the Monkey Temple, Pashupatinath Temple, Boudhnah Stupa, and Kathmandu Durbar Square. All these places are must-visits and present intricate Nepali art and architecture.
Natural hot springs in Tatopani
On the way from Pokhara to Lo Manthang, you will spend a night at Tatopani, 1,190 meters (3,904 ft). It is a small settlement with natural hot springs where tourists can relax for a small fee. These hot springs have healing properties that soothe muscles and benefit skin.
Kagbeni
Kagbeni is 2,804 meters (9,199 ft) high. It is a beautiful village and gateway to Upper Mustang. The town is known for its well-preserved mud-brick houses, narrow alleys, and medieval fortress.
Jomsom
At 2,700 meters (8,856 ft), Jomsom is a central village in the Mustang region. It is located in the lower part of the Mustang and serves as the central economic hub.
Kali Gandaki gorge and Shaligram
The Kali Gandaki Gorge is known as the deepest gorge in the world. The Kali Gandaki River carves it as it flows between the Dhaulagiri and Annapurna mountain ranges, and you will travel through this gorge on the Tiji Festival Tour.
Shaligrams are found in the Kali Gandaki River. Shaligrams are believed to represent the various forms of Lord Vishnu. They come in different shapes and sizes. Smaller Shaligrams are kept in households for daily worship, and larger Shaligrams are enshrined in many temples.
Ancient monasteries and sky caves
Upper Mustang is home to several ancient Buddhist monasteries that have withstood the test of time. These monasteries are religious centers and warehouses of Tibetan Buddhist art and culture.
Thubchen Gompa, Champa Lhakang, Namgyal Gompa, and Ghar Gompa are centuries-old monasteries you will explore on the Trip.
Upper Mustang is also famous for its sky caves, which are ancient artificial caves carved into the cliffs of the Kali Gandaki Valley.
They are believed to date back thousands of years and were used for meditation, habitation, and burial.
Muktinath Temple
Situated at 3,800 meters (12,464 ft) in the lower Mustang region, Muktinath Temple is a sacred pilgrimage site for Hindus and Buddhists in Nepal. The temple complex houses a Vishnu temple and a Buddhist gompa, symbolizing the region's coexistence of Hinduism and Buddhism.
Pilgrims believe that visiting Muktinath brings salvation and purifies the soul. The temple is famous for the 108 water spouts where pilgrims take a bath, will feel to cleanse them of sin. Muktinath is also known for its natural gas fires, which have been burning continuously for centuries.
Apple orchards
During your overland tour to Upper Mustang, you will encounter various lush apple orchards in the hills and valleys. Apple farming has been a traditional livelihood for the locals here.
Apple cultivation has become a cultural practice, and the fruit is used in various forms, from fresh produce to local delicacies and even apple-based products like jams, wines, pies, and juices.
Arid landscapes and snow-capped mountain views
The Tiji Festival tour presents breathtaking arid landscapes like the Tibetan plateau. You will come across thorny bushes and low shrubs. The rugged landscape provides a habitat for wildlife, and lucky visitors might spot Himalayan blue sheep or other mountain fauna.
Along the way, you can see Himalayan Mountains like Dhaulagiri (8,167 m/26,795 ft), Nilgiri (7,061 m/23,166 ft), and Annapurna (8,091 m/26,545 ft).
