Group size: | 12 | ||
Max-Altitude: | 4500m | ||
Destination: | Nepal | ||
Fitness level: | moderate | ||
Arrival on: | Kathmandu | ||
Departure from: | Kathmandu | ||
Meals:
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Accommodation:
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Group size: | 12 | Max-Altitude: | 4500m | ||
Destination: | Nepal | Fitness level: | moderate | ||
Arrival on: | Kathmandu | Departure from: | Kathmandu | ||
Meals: | Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | ||||
Accommodation: | Hotel and guest house |
A forbidden remote area of Mustang at Trans-Himalaya Region, Upper Mustang provides great experience of “off the beaten trek”. Upper Mustang is historically enriched area which provides us the opportunities of exploring beautiful landscapes, yak caravans, ochre valley, Tibetan tradition and beautiful mountains such as Nilgiri, Annapurna, Thukche, Dhaullagiri and many more. Other captivating factors of Upper Mustang are colorfully painted mud brick houses, monasteries and caves. In order to preserve and protect the enriched tradition and delicate environment, limited visitors are allowed in the area.
The amazing journey begins from the world’s deepest gorge known as Gorge Kaligandaki into Lo-Mangthang Valley that exposes to barren landscape, high peaks, rocky trails and several alpine valleys. Loba is another source of attraction here which represents Mustangi people, still living with their enriched culture and lifestyle
Tiji Festival in Lomonthang, upper Mustang
Tiji is a fascinating annual three-day festival consisting 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.
"Tiji" the name is an abbreviation of the word "Tempa Chirim" which means "Prayer for World Peace". This festival commemorates the victory of Lord Buddha's incarnation Dorjee Sonnu over a demon called Man Tam Ru a vicious creature feeding on human beings and causing storms and droughts.
The Tiji festival usually takes place around mid May and lasts for 3 days. The monks of Lo Manthang's "Choedhe" monastery perform ritual dances during the celebration. The harassment of Ma Tam Ru Ta (in a dance called "Tsa Chham" on the first day), the birth of Dorjee Sonnu as the demon's son (on the second day called "Nga Chham") and the attempt to return the demon to Lord Buddha's realm (on the third and final day) are enacted during the performances.
The Tiji festival dances are all organized by the Choedhe Monastery, which belongs to the Sakya sect of Buddhism. The monastery is headed by a Rimpoche. About 65 monks from Lo Manthang, Nhenyul and Chhosyer reside in this monastery.
Outline itinerary:
Day 01: Arrival in Kathmandu
Day 02: Kathmandu: Sightseeing and trek Preparation
Day 03: Drive to Pokhara (910m/3020ft) Duration: 6-7 hrs
Day 04: Fly to jomsom (2700m/3020ft) and trek to Kagbeni (2800m): 3hrs
Day 05: kagbeni to Chele (3110m/10200ft) Duration: 6 - 7 hrs
Day 06: Chele to Geling (3500m/11480ft) Duration: 7 - 8 hrs
Day 07: Geling to Charang (3620m/11875ft) Duration: 6-7 hrs
Day 08: Charang to Lo - Manthang (3840m/12595ft) Duration: 4-5 hrs
12th may 2018: The celebration of the first day of Tiji festival
Day 09: Lo – Manthang (3730 m)
13 May 2018: Second day of Tiji festival
Day 10: Day 10: At Lo-manthang
14th May 2018Final day of the festival Tiji
Day 11: At Lo-Manthang
Day 12: Lo-manthang to Drakmar (3820m/12530ft) Duration: 6-7 hrs
Day 13: Trek to Shyangmochen (3800m/12465ft) Duration: 5 - 6 hrs
Day 14: Trek to Chhusang (2980m/9775ft) Duration: 6 hrs
Day 15: Chhusang to Jomsom (2700/8856ft) Duration: 6-7 hrs
Day 16: Fly back to Pokhara
Day 17: Pokhara to Kathmandu
Day 18: Final Departure
Or,
Day 13: Trek to Ghami (1.5 hrs) and drive to Jomsom (4-5 hours)
Day 14: Jomsom to Pokhara
Day 15: Pokhara to Kathmandu
Day 16: Final Departure
General conditions/tips etc
Accommodation.
All hotels are of a good standard, within Tourist class category. Nepal is a developing country, so some rough corners should be expected, and tolerated. Electricity can suddenly be cut off, and hot water in the shower is not always guaranteed. A sense of humor is important.
When trekking we use lodges/home stays, where again the standard can vary. In the high season you may end up in a dormitory, or even sleeping in the dining room. We aim for own rooms with two or a double bed. But again: humor helps.
Food
In Kathmandu and pokhara you have a wide selection of places to eat. On the trek the menu is more limited. Here we tend to eat simple, with the Nepali national dish, Dhal Bhat being popular (rice, lentils and vegetables/meat curry), but there is pizza and other exotic foods on the menu. You rarely go hungry, but standards can vary. At each meal we provide tea and coffee.
Best Season of Trekking
May, June and August are the best months for Upper Mustang Trek and Lo Manthang Helicopter Tour. The Mustang region remains dry during the monsoon season giving us the benefit to travel sans crowd of the tourist season.
HIKING/TREKKING CHECKLIST
Boots suitable for your given trek, 4 pairs of socks, warm long johns, a windproof and a waterproof pair of trousers. Underpants, T-shirts, insulated mid layer, short and long arm shirts, fleece or wool jacket, and down jacket. Waterproof shell jacket. Gloves, warm hat, sun hat, Buff. Warm sleeping bag. Sun glasses, water bottle, first aid kit, nail clippers, note book and pen, reading material, camera. Lip cream and sun cream. Toiletries and towel. Torch, spare batteries, and charger for phone (lodges charge for this). Day pack (ca 25 to 30 ltr.). Inner shoes for the lodges.
Ski or Nordic walking poles are popular. Unless you have a knee or health issue, we recommend the use of just one. Why? When using two poles about 15% of your expended energy is in your arms, where God made legs to walk with. In addition your posture becomes more cramped, not helping with breathing at altitude. One pole allows you greater flexibility, so you may wind your way up the path, and put less pressure on the respiratory system. We recommend having one pole, especially useful on the way down, when it is steep, the path is wet, or you are simply tired.