Tiji Festival Group Trek 2027 – 18 Days in Upper Mustang's Forbidden Kingdom
Upper Mustang sits north of the Annapurna range in a high-altitude rain shadow that feels more Tibetan plateau than Nepal. The landscape is stark and ancient: red-cliff gorges, eroded canyon walls, cave monasteries carved into limestone, and a sky that's blue roughly 300 days a year. At its heart is Lo Manthang, a walled medieval city where the Mustang royal family still resides and where, every spring, the sacred Tiji Festival pulls thousands of pilgrims and travelers into its orbit.
The Tiji Festival 2027 (exact dates June 1–3, 2027 per the Tibetan lunar calendar) is a three-day ritual performed by monks of the Sakya Monastery. It re-enacts the story of Dorje Jono, an incarnation of the deity Vajrakila, who battles his demon father to save the Kingdom of Mustang from drought and destruction. Over three days, the courtyard of Lo Manthang's royal palace fills with masked monks in elaborate brocade costumes, the sound of dungchen (long copper horns), cymbals, and chanting that carries across the desert valley. It is one of the most visually dramatic religious events in the Himalayas and one of the least commercial.
Our 18-day group trek is timed to arrive in Lo Manthang for all three festival days, with enough buffer for acclimatization and exploration of the region's other highlights: Chungsi Cave, the gompa at Ghami, the village of Charang (Tsarang), and the sacred pilgrimage site of Muktinath on the return. Solo travelers and small parties join a group of like-minded trekkers; all permits, logistics, professional guides, and accommodation are arranged so you can focus entirely on the experience.
Upper Mustang has a hard annual visitor cap enforced through its Restricted Area Permit (RAP). Spaces sell out months in advance, especially for festival-period trekking. Book early.
Tiji Festival: June 1–3, 2027 | Trek start: approx. May 24, 2027
Tiji (also spelled Tenchi or Tenji) is a three-day Buddhist ritual held annually in Lo Manthang, the walled capital of Upper Mustang. Monks of the Sakya lineage perform elaborate masked dances re-enacting the story of Dorje Jono defeating a demon that threatened the kingdom with drought. The festival date shifts each year based on the Tibetan lunar calendar.
The Tiji Festival 2027 falls on June 1–3, 2027. Our 18-day group trek is timed to arrive in Lo Manthang for all three festival days, with acclimatization days built in before the event.
The trek is moderate. Maximum altitude is 3,840m at Lo Manthang. Daily walking averages 4–7 hours on established trails. No technical climbing involved. You should be comfortable hiking for several hours a day on uneven terrain. Prior trekking experience at altitude is helpful but not required.
Yes. Upper Mustang is a restricted area requiring a Restricted Area Permit (RAP) – USD 500 per person for the first 10 days. An ACAP (Annapurna Conservation Area Project) permit is also required (USD 30). Both permits are fully arranged by us as a licensed trekking agency. Solo trekkers cannot obtain these permits independently.
The group trek joins you with other travelers on a fixed departure schedule (USD 2,090 pp). The private trek offers full itinerary flexibility, dedicated guide-to-client ratio, and customized pacing (from USD 2,180 pp for 2 people). See our Private Trek page for details.
Getaway Nepal Adventure (P.) Ltd
Thamel Kathmandu, Nepal
TripAdvisor