Tiji Festival 2027: Group Trek or Private Trek?

The Short Answer

If you're traveling solo or as a couple and value flexibility, personal pace, and a dedicated guide: choose the Private Trek. If you're a solo traveler on a tighter budget who doesn't mind sharing the experience with a small group of like-minded people: the Group Trek delivers tremendous value. Both options cover the same 18-day route, attend all three days of the Tiji Festival, and include the same core components. The differences are in pace, cost, and control.

What's Included in Both

The Group Trek: Who It's For

The 2027 Tiji Festival Group Trek runs on fixed departure dates built around the festival schedule. The group is small – typically 6 to 12 people – so you're not on a bus tour. You'll have a dedicated lead guide for the group, porters at a 2:1 ratio, and an itinerary that moves at a pace manageable for most fit adults.

The group dynamic on a trek like this tends to work well. People joining the Tiji Festival Trek are a self-selected mix of culturally curious, reasonably fit travelers who've done their research. The shared experience of the festival itself – watching the same masked dances, being in the same palace courtyard – creates a natural sense of connection.

The main constraint of a group trek is the fixed daily itinerary. If you want to spend an extra hour photographing the cave complexes above Drakmar, or your knees need a slower pace on the descent from Nyi La pass, the group moves at the guide's predetermined schedule. You can adjust within reason, but the group waits for no one.

Starting price: from USD 2,090 per person. Contact us for 2027 fixed departure dates.

The Private Trek: Who It's For

The Private Trek gives you your own government-licensed guide and your own itinerary. The departure date is yours to choose, within the constraint of arriving in Lo Manthang before June 1. The daily distances can be adjusted based on how you feel at altitude. If you want a rest day at Tsarang to explore the dzong and monastery properly, you take one. If you're moving well and want to push the schedule, you can.

For couples and small groups of friends, the private option makes obvious sense – you're already traveling together, and having your own guide means every conversation, every explanation, every logistical decision is oriented to your group alone. For solo travelers, the private trek is still available and worth the premium if personal pace matters to you.

Private treks also allow more itinerary customisation beyond Lo Manthang. Some guests add a side trip to the Luri Cave Gompa, or an ascent to the high plateau north of Lo Manthang for views into Tibet. These detours aren't possible on a group schedule.

Starting price: from USD 2,180 per person. Email info@tijifestivaltrek.com to discuss your preferred dates and any customisation.

Can You Do the Tiji Festival Trek Solo?

Yes, though not independently. Nepal's rules for Upper Mustang require all trekkers to be accompanied by a licensed guide arranged through a registered trekking agency – solo self-guided trekking is not permitted in the restricted zone. See our permit guide for full details on the rules.

In practice, a solo traveler has two options: join an existing group departure (cost-effective, social, fixed dates) or book a private trek with a guide assigned solely to you (more expensive, fully flexible). Which works better depends on your budget and how important pace control is to you.

Other Ways to Attend the 2027 Tiji Festival

If 18 days of trekking isn't feasible, two alternatives reach Lo Manthang without the walking commitment. The 4WD Overland Tour (15 days) covers the same Upper Mustang route by jeep, passing through every major village with time to explore. The Helicopter Tour (7 days) flies you directly to Lo Manthang from Pokhara – the fastest possible route, but with extremely limited seats that fill months in advance.

Read our full 2027 Tiji Festival planning guide for the complete comparison of all travel options and what to book first.