Upper Mustang Tiji (Teeji) Festival 2019

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

12^th 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.  

Cost Includes

TIM's trekking permit, and necessary ACAP permits, restricted areas permits. Airport arrival and departure transfer to/from hotel. Necessary domestic transport as per the program.  Deluxe hotel accommodation in Kathmandu for three nights 2 Nights in Pokhara  with breakfast. Pre-trek meeting with guide, and welcome Nepali dinner and farewell dinner. Full day sightseeing, English speaking Guide, all entrance fees. Kathmandu to pokhara, and return by tourist bus. Pokhara to Jomsom, and return, by flight, accompanied by Guide and porter. Breakfast, lunch and dinner during the trek. Lodge/guesthouse accommodation during trek. Sharing, during high season can be dormitory. English speaking experienced and qualified trekking guide. One porter between two pax, 8 kilo baggage per pax. Guide & porters receive 'fair wage', proper equipment and full insurance coverage. Group and staff first aid kit. All government taxes.

A details itinerary will come soon..... Upper Mustang Tiji (Teeji) Festival 2018 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. 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 Final day of the festival Tiji Day 11: 14 May 2018: 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.  

FAQ's

Included

TIM's trekking permit, and necessary ACAP permits, restricted areas permits. Airport arrival and departure transfer to/from hotel. Necessary domestic transport as per the program.  Deluxe hotel accommodation in Kathmandu for three nights 2 Nights in Pokhara  with breakfast. Pre-trek meeting with guide, and welcome Nepali dinner and farewell dinner. Full day sightseeing, English speaking Guide, all entrance fees. Kathmandu to pokhara, and return by tourist bus. Pokhara to Jomsom, and return, by flight, accompanied by Guide and porter. Breakfast, lunch and dinner during the trek. Lodge/guesthouse accommodation during trek. Sharing, during high season can be dormitory. English speaking experienced and qualified trekking guide. One porter between two pax, 8 kilo baggage per pax. Guide & porters receive 'fair wage', proper equipment and full insurance coverage. Group and staff first aid kit. All government taxes.

Excluded

Nepali Visa. Drinks and beverages, private snacks etc. Lunch & dinner in Kathmandu (allows you freedom of choice, place etc) Laundry, telephone etc. Tips to tour guide, trek guide, porters or hotel staff. Personal equipment (see list below. Personal medicine, first aid kit. Travel insurance, covering trekking over 4000m, evacuation, hospitalization and repatriation. Single room supplement, hotel or on trek, approx price will be given on request