Yartung Horse Festival Mustang Trek - 17 Days

Mustang · 17 Days

Yartung Horse Festival Mustang Trek - 17 Days

· Moderate · Max altitude 4,200m (13,780 ft) at Lo Manthang viewpoint · Max group 2-12 people

Duration

17 Days

Max Altitude

4,200m (13,780 ft)

at Lo Manthang viewpoint

Grade

Moderate

Lodging

Hotel / Teahouse

Overview

Yartung is the mid-summer horse-racing festival of Upper Mustang - three days of racing, feasting, archery and Tibetan-Buddhist liturgy that mark the end of the agricultural cycle in the Lo Kingdom. The word breaks down as Yar (summer) and Tung (let it go/release). The festival is one of the very few traditional events in Nepal that has continued unbroken for centuries; the current dates rotate slightly each year on the Tibetan lunar calendar but generally fall in August.

This 17-day itinerary times the central days at Lo Manthang to coincide with the festival. The first 8 days walk into Mustang through the standard Upper Mustang corridor (Jomsom-Lo Manthang via Chele, Ghami and Dhakmar); days 9-11 are at Lo Manthang for the festival; days 12-15 walk a different return route through Yara, Luri Gompa and Muktinath; days 16-17 return via Pokhara to Kathmandu. The Upper Mustang Restricted Area Permit (US$500) is required throughout.

Highlights

  • Attend the three-day Yartung horse festival inside the walled capital of Lo Manthang
  • Watch traditional Tibetan-pony racing with riders in full ceremonial dress
  • See the famous "scarf grab" - riders snatching khata from the ground at full gallop
  • Walk into Mustang the slow way - through painted cliffs of Dhakmar and Chungshi Cave Monastery
  • Return via the eastern Mustang valley - Yara, Luri Gompa and Muktinath Temple
  • Visit Lo King Jigme Palbar Bista's palace (the family retains symbolic status)
  • Experience the 12th-century culture of the Lo people
  • Sample Mustangi food during the festival - meat dumplings, chang barley wine, butter tea
  • Stay in traditional Mustangi homes during the festival rush
  • Combined cultural + scenic trekking in one of Nepal's most protected zones

Itinerary

Day 1

Arrival in Kathmandu (1,300m)

🍽 None included

Airport pickup and hotel transfer.

Day 2

Kathmandu sightseeing - Pashupatinath, Boudhanath, Swayambhunath

🍽 Breakfast

Half-day heritage tour with guide.

Day 3

Drive Kathmandu to Pokhara (850m)

⏱ 6-7 hours 🍽 Breakfast

Tourist bus along the Prithvi Highway.

Day 4

Fly Pokhara to Jomsom (2,720m), drive to Lubra (2,740m)

🍽 Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Morning flight, short jeep transfer to the Bonpo village of Lubra.

Day 5

Trek Lubra to Chele (3,050m) via Chungshi Cave Monastery

⏱ 5-6 hours 🍽 Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Visit the Padmasambhava meditation cave en route.

Day 6

Trek Chele to Sangboche (3,800m)

⏱ 6-7 hours 🍽 Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Climb into central Mustang.

Day 7

Trek Sangboche to Dhakmar (3,820m)

⏱ 5 hours 🍽 Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Walk through the painted red cliffs.

Day 8

Trek Dhakmar to Lo Manthang (3,810m)

⏱ 5-6 hours 🍽 Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Enter the walled capital. First festival evening.

Day 9

Yartung Festival Day 1 - Men's racing

🍽 Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Attend opening parades and the men's racing.

Day 10

Yartung Festival Day 2 - Women's racing and dance

🍽 Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Continue festival programme. Visit Choede Gompa.

Day 11

Yartung Festival Day 3 - Monks' ceremonies

🍽 Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Final liturgy at the closing ceremony and royal-family dinner.

Day 12

Trek Lo Manthang to Yara (3,650m)

⏱ 5-6 hours 🍽 Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Begin the return route via the eastern Mustang valley.

Day 13

Trek Yara to Tangye, visit Luri Gompa

🍽 Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Side trip to the 14th-century cave monastery.

Day 14

Drive Tangye to Charang (3,500m)

🍽 Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Jeep transfer.

Day 15

Drive Charang to Muktinath, sleep Kagbeni

🍽 Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Visit Muktinath Temple (108 spouts, eternal flame), drop to Kagbeni for the night.

Day 16

Drive Kagbeni to Jomsom, fly to Pokhara

🍽 Breakfast

Early flight to beat the wind. Afternoon at Phewa Lake.

Day 17

Fly Pokhara to Kathmandu, departure

🍽 Breakfast

Morning flight to Kathmandu, evening international departure.

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What's included

Included

  • Airport pickups in Kathmandu
  • 3 nights twin-share 3-star Kathmandu hotel
  • 2 nights twin-share Pokhara hotel
  • Domestic flight Pokhara-Jomsom (one way)
  • Domestic flight Pokhara-Kathmandu (return)
  • All private jeep transfers
  • Teahouse and homestay lodging during the trek
  • All three meals during the trek
  • Senior English-speaking trek guide (Mustangi region specialist)
  • 1 porter per 2 trekkers (insured)
  • ACAP, TIMS, Upper Mustang Restricted Area Permit (US$500)
  • Half-day Kathmandu sightseeing
  • All applicable taxes
  • HHT duffel bag

Not included

  • International airfare
  • Nepal visa fee
  • Travel and medical insurance (compulsory)
  • Lunches and dinners in Kathmandu and Pokhara
  • Bottled drinks, alcohol (chang is paid-for during festival)
  • Personal trekking gear
  • Photography/video charges at Lo Manthang palace
  • Monastery entrance fees
  • Tips for the trek crew

Trek guide

What Yartung Is

Yartung literally means "release of summer" - the celebration at the end of the agricultural cycle when herders bring yaks down from the high pastures and farmers complete the barley harvest. Three days of structured activity:

  • Day 1: Men's horse racing and equestrian events
  • Day 2: Women's horse racing, dancing and chang competitions
  • Day 3: Monks' liturgy and the closing ceremony at Choede Gompa

The festival is held in a flat plain just below the walled city. Riders gallop along a 500m straight track and try to snatch ceremonial scarves (khata) from the ground without dismounting - the most skilled feat of the festival.

2026/2027 Dates

Yartung dates rotate slightly each year on the Tibetan calendar. Recent and forecast dates:
- 2026: 17-19 August
- 2027: 5-7 August
- Verify with our office for current year scheduling

Cultural Context

The Lo Kingdom was formally annexed by Nepal in 1789 but retained nominal kingship until 2008. The 25th Lo King, Jigme Palbar Bista, passed away in 2016 but the royal family remains the ceremonial focus of festivals like Yartung and Tiji. Customs trace back to the 12th century when the Tibetan empire collapsed and refugee aristocrats established the Lo court.

Permits

  • ACAP entry
  • TIMS card
  • Upper Mustang Restricted Area Permit - US$500 for 10 days

Best Season

This is a fixed-date festival. The August window is technically late monsoon but Upper Mustang sits in the rain shadow of the Annapurna massif and stays mostly dry. Day temperatures 18-22C, nights 5-10C.

Fitness

Moderate. Daily walking 4-5 hours. Maximum sleep altitude 3,810m (Lo Manthang). Suitable for first-time multi-day trekkers with good general fitness.

Packing list

Clothing: Light down jacket, fleece, soft-shell, waterproof shell, 4 trekking shirts, 2 trousers, thermals (one set), 5 pairs socks, beanie, sun hat, gloves. For the festival - smart-casual is appreciated for the closing dinner with the royal family.

Footwear: Mid-cut waterproof boots already broken in, camp shoes

Accessories: 30L daypack, 60L duffel for porter, light sleeping bag (-5C), trekking poles, headlamp, polarised sunglasses, 2L water bottles, purification, power bank, camera with telephoto for the racing

Documents: Passport with Nepal visa, insurance certificate, 4 passport photos. Monastery dress code = long sleeves and trousers; no hats inside.

Medical: Diamox optional, painkillers, blister care, SPF 50+, lip balm

Frequently asked questions

Are foreign trekkers welcome at Yartung?
Yes - the Lo community welcomes respectful visitors. Photography is fine outside the closing monastery ceremony.

Can I ride a horse during the festival?
Foreign participation in the racing is not part of the formal programme but local owners often let visitors ride their ponies in casual rides on rest hours.

How do the festival dates change?
They rotate with the Tibetan lunar calendar - typically falling between late July and late August. Confirm exact dates with our office before booking flights.

How crowded is Lo Manthang during the festival?
Several hundred Mustangis attend plus 100-200 foreign visitors. Lodge beds are tight - we pre-book.

Is Lo Manthang sleeping altitude a problem?
3,810m is moderate - some clients feel mild AMS on Day 8. We have built the slow climb to acclimatise.

What about Tiji Festival?
Tiji is the spring festival (May) - separate itinerary. Yartung is the late-summer event.

How does the weather work in August?
Upper Mustang sits in the Annapurna rain shadow. Daytime 18-22C, mostly dry. The Lower Mustang section (Jomsom-Pokhara flight) is more weather-sensitive.

Can vegetarians manage?
Yes - dal-bhat and Tibetan dumplings (often filled with cabbage) are widely available.

Are children welcome?
Yes - the festival is family-friendly. Children 8+ generally enjoy the spectacle.

Can I extend my trip after the festival?
Yes - we can add a Damodar Kunda extension or a Tilicho/Annapurna combination. Speak to the office.

Still have questions? Talk to a guide →

Why book this with us

Senior local guides. Small groups. Honest pricing.

  • Departures led by a guide who grew up in the region.
  • Max 8 trekkers per group — no convoys.
  • 100% Nepali-owned. Profit stays in the valleys.
  • Free cancellation up to 30 days before departure.
  • Permits, internal flights and TIMS handled by us.
  • 24/7 in-country support during your trek.

From $2295

per person

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