Upper Dolpo Trek

Key Information
  • Destination:Nepal
  • Duration:27 Days
  • Trip Grade: Strenuous
  • Starts/Ends:Kathamndu
  • Trip Style:Trekking

It was not a long ago that trekkers had no idea about Dolpo. Hidden behind snow-covered mountains in the north-western part of Nepal, Upper Dolpo is a heavenly place for trekkers. The region offers a wealth of natural beauty and unique culture and lifestyle of locals. On the way, you will pass through habitats of many endangered species protected in Shey-Phoksundo National Park.

Upper Dolpo is one of the least explored regions of Nepal. Although it has started getting trekkers, the number of trekkers is vast less as compared to other classical treks of Nepal like Everest Base Camp Trek or Annapurna Base Camp Trek. So, for those who want to experience the wilderness of the Himalayan region of Nepal without bumping into crowds of trekkers, Upper Dolpo trek is the perfect destination.

Highlights

  • Excursion to the old monasteries of Dolpo region.
  • Exploration of Phoksundo Lake.
  • Visit the Shey-Phoksundo National Park
  • Scenic views of Dhaulagiri Himalayan range, Mt Api, Mt Saipal, etc.
  • Habitats of species like Musk deer and Snow leopard
  • Villages resided by Tibetan Buddhists next to stunning Phoksundo Lake
  • Observe the culture of locals
  • Some glimpses of people searching herbs like Yarchagumba which is used as medicines and is in high demand

On your 27 days Upper Dolpo Trek with Halesi Treks, you will walk through off-the-beaten trail and explore the remote and undiscovered land of Upper Dolpo. You will fly to Nepalgunj on the third day of your trip and on the fourth day, you will fly to Juphal, a town of Dolpo. You will then travel for four days to reach Phoksundo Lake.

After spending a day there exploring the lake and surrounding, you will enter Upper Dolpo where you will cross numerous high passes and walk through amazing barren terrains for about two weeks until you arrive back to Juphal for your flight back to Nepalgunj and then to Kathmandu.

On your trek to Dolpo, you will see numerous Buddhist gompas and monasteries. You will meet locals who have culture, tradition, and religion strongly influenced by that of Tibetans. Also, the caravans of yaks you may meet on the way are also a highlight of this trek as you have the chance to meet nomad people.

Since Upper Dolpo is a restricted region of Nepal, trekkers have to take a permit that costs USD 500 for the first ten days and then additional USD for each additional day that you spend in the region. Solo travelers do not get a permit to trek to Upper Dolpo. You have to book your trek with a reliable tour operator for this trek.

Itinerary

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You have nothing to worry about as you land at the airport. Our personnel from Halesi treks will be waiting at the terminal to receive you from the airport and leave you to your hotel. He will give you short details on Upper Dolpo Trek. At night, we will give you a small welcome dinner with our traditional Nepali food.

    Today, you will sightsee Kathmandu. At first, you will visit the UNESCO-listed cultural and religious heritages i.e. Kathmandu Durbar Square, Pashupatinath temple, Swayambhunath temple, Boudhanath Stupa and as we as well as many other places which are tourist areas like Thamel.

    After that, you will return back to the hotel and pack up your belongings that are essential for your forthcoming excursion.

      You will take an early morning flight to Nepalgunj from Kathmandu. The flight takes about an hour to reach this city of Western Nepal. It lies near the Nepal-India border on the Terai Region. It is one of the biggest cities in Nepal.

      Since you take an early morning flight, you will have the entire day that you can spend by exploring this city. Taste street foods, explore the culture and traditions of people and watch the hustle and bustle of this city.

      • Max. Altitude: 150 m
      • Duration: 1-hour flight

      On day four, you will fly to Juphal early in the morning. In the 45-minute scenic flight, you will witness Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, Nilgiri, and many other mountains.

      After you land at Juphal, you will meet the porters and logistics. You will then begin your trek to Dunai. The walk is about 2-3 hours depending on the pace of your walk.

      Dunai is a small settlement and a part of Thuli Bheri Municipality that lies on the bank of Bheri River. It is the district headquarter of Dolpa.

      • Max. Altitude: 2000 m
      • Duration: 45 min flight/2-3 hours trek

      You will start your walk after morning breakfast in Dunai. You cross a suspension bridge over Thuli Bheri River and walk towards the west. You will then start ascending Thuli Bheri Valley and continue your walk to set your foot into Phoksundo Valley. The trail then takes you through villages of Dhera and lower regions of Rahatagaon villages. Then, you will continue your journey through a dense forest to finally reach the village of Ankhe.

      • Max. Altitude: 2,900 m
      • Duration: 5-6 hours

      From Ankhe, you will continue your walk towards Sulighat in the morning. You will pass through many streams and walk on a rocky trail. Although you may find walking on the hard and steep rocky trail too challenging, you may be surprised to see locals walking past those trails easily with huge loads on their back.

      Walk slowly and carefully and enjoy the scenic views and reach Sulighat after 5-6 hours of walk.

      • Duration: 5-6 hours

      Today is one of the highlighting days of Upper Dolpo Trek. You will begin your journey early in the morning after breakfast. After walking for a while, you will reach the confluence of Phoksundo River and Pungmo River. You will cross the river through a bridge and trek alongside Pungmo River.

      After walking through a cedar forest, the trail takes you to Palam Village. You will then ascend to a ridge from where the stunning view of Phoksundo Lake and a huge waterfall of Phoksundo Lake appear.

      You will then continue your walk towards Phoksundo Lake by descending through the birch forest. After about 4 hours of walk, you will finally reach Ringmo village where you will spend the night. Ringmo is a settlement of Tibetan Buddhists. The village sits next to the stunning Phoksundo Lake.

      • Max. Altitude: 3,611m
      • Duration: 4-5 hours

      Spend your day exploring the breathtaking Phoksundo Lake. The lake is turquoise in color and is the deepest one in Nepal. Locals have a sacred belief in this lake. So, taking a bath in this lake is prohibited.

      Tshowa Monastery sits at the lakeshore of Phoksundo Lake. Visit the monastery and learn about the art, artifacts, culture, tradition, and more information about Tibetan Buddhists.

      After exploring Phoksundo Lake, come back to Ringmo village. You can then spend the rest of the day resting or exploring Ringmo village.

        Today, you will walk for about 4-5 hours to reach Phoksundo Khola. You will start your walk after morning breakfast. You will walk through the path build on the cliff of the western bank of Phoksundo Lake. Many people who have to walk through this trail find this part of the trail pretty scary.

        After passing Phoksundo Lake through the trail on the western cliff, you will enter into the pristine and remote Upper Dolpo Region. Visited by very few; this unexplored region has plenty to offer its visitor.

        Cross a lush meadow, and then walk through the floodplain of Phoksundo Khola to finally reach a nice and flat place for camping.

        Overnight stay at the tented camp on the bank of Phoksundo River.

        • Accommodation: Tented camp
        • Duration: 4-5 hours

        You walk through the flat trail on the glacial valley. The stunning view of Chhamlang Peak and surrounding landscape makes the journey quite interesting. As the flat part of the trail ends, you will have to walk through quite a steep trail which makes the walk pretty tough. After ascending through a steep trail, you will finally reach a valley that offers a great view of Kang-La Pass. Walk for a while to finally reach Phoksundo Bhanjyang for the overnight stay.

        Overnight stay at the tented camp at Phoksundo Bhanjyang.

        • Max. Altitude: 6-7 hours
        • Accommodation: Tented camp

        The first part of this day trek takes you through a steep ascent to Kang-La Pass. The stunning view of the large valley and snow-covered mountains awaits you after a long and hard climbing to the top of the pass.

        From Kang-La Pass, you will start climbing down towards the valley that you saw from the top. The first part of the descent is pretty steep, so be careful while descending. The latter part of the descent is quite easy as you walk alongside a river and cross it a few times to reach a green lush grassland. You will walk through the meadow and see mud caves on the cliffs. Finally, after 6-7 hours of walk, you will reach Shey Gompa.

        • Max. Altitude: 5,360 m
        • Duration: 6-7 hours

        Today you spend the resting and acclimating your body to the high altitude of Himalayan Region of Nepal. You will explore Shey Gompa village, the monastery, and the surrounding region. Shey Gompa lies near the confluence of Kanju Nala and Yeju Nala rivers.

        The Shey-Gompa Monastery is a valuable asset of Dolpo Region. The name of Shey-Phoksundo National Park is kept by blending the name of Shey Gompa and Phoksundo Lake. Numerous Tibetan Buddhists visit this gompa every year. It is said that Tibetan Buddhists built Shey Gompa in the 11th century. The gompa has ancient statues, prayer walls, Tibetan Murals, and materials that carry a lot of value to Buddhists.

          Have a heavy breakfast as the day comprises of a long and enduring walk to Namduna Gaun. You will have to pass through Saldang La Pass that has an altitude of 5,200 meters. From Shey Gompa, you will walk through rocky trail into a canyon and ascend Saldang La Pass. You will get nice views of yak pastures and surrounding landscapes from Saldang La Pass.

          From Saldang La Pass, you will begin descending down towards Namduna Gaun. A famous monastery - Namgung Monastery lies at Namduna Gaun. The monastery carries a lot of value among Tibetan Buddhists and is one of the most significant monasteries of Upper Dolpo Region.

          • Max. Altitude: 5,200m
          • Duration: 6-7 hours

          You will walk through a dusty and barren trail towards Saldang. After a hard walk of about 3 to 4 hours, Saldang village appears. You will then begin descending down towards Saldang village.

          Saldang is the biggest settlement of Inner Dolpo. The village spreads over two kilometers and consists of more than 600 people. You will see cultivable lands in Saldang. This is one of the prosperous villages of Dolpo.

          • Max. Altitude: 3620m
          • Duration: 5 hours

          will walk alongside Nagon River and pass through many small settlements including Marang and Ki. You will also cross a tributary of Panzang Khola on the way. You will cross that river once again as you come nearer to Yangze Gompa Yze Gompa is an ancient Bonpo monastery and is a very popular one in Dolpo Region.

          • Max. Altitude: 4960 m
          • Duration: 5 hours

          Today, you will return to Saldang from Yangze Gompa and then continue your journey towards Sibu. You will walk alongside a river, cross terraced fields of Saldang, and pass through Chaiba Gumba to arrive at Namdo Village. After having your lunch in Namdo, you will continue your trek until you reach Sibu.

          • Max. Altitude: 4560 m
          • Duration: 6-7 hours

          As usual, your trekking time starts after having breakfast. Today, the trail will be very easy following the river. After few hours of walk, you will have to cross the stream before you reach to side valley. From there the trail will be a little bit steeper than usual, and you will find the grassland partly covered with rocks and have a night camp at there. Make sure you get enough rest.

          • Max. Altitude: 4900 m
          • Duration: 5-6 hours

          Today, you will set to Tokyu Gaon by climbing the Jeng-La Pass which comprises of 2-3 hrs walk to reach out to the top of the pass. The eyeshot view of Mt Dhaulagiri in the morning time is very enticing.

          After that, you will walk down to Tarap valley. You will then ascend to Tarap Chu via green valley that expands as long as 20 kilometers side by the side of Tarap Chu river. It comprises villages with cultivable fields, monastery, Gompas as well as chortens. You will spend your night in this valley.

          • Max. Altitude: 5,090m
          • Duration: 5-6 hours

          Today, you trace out to Dho Tarap in the morning just after having your breakfast from Tokyu Goan. The trail you are following today will be quite easier than usual trails but taking a safety beforehand is a favor you can give to yourself. You can find thick leafy grass at either side of the river which is unlike other parts of Inner Dolpo. This valley is majorly inhabited by Magars and a few Tibetans as well. You will find a French school outside the Dho Trap village.

          • Max. Altitude: 4,000m
          • Duration: 5 hours

          On this day, you will explore Dho Tarap after getting plenty of sleep and goods meals. You will visit the fields where you can see adults engaged in harvesting the crops. Areas are covered with asymmetrical walls which seems like claiming your territory. And also, besides Magars and Tibetans, this valley is inhabited by Bonpo and Buddhists. The people are mostly found to be wearing their traditional dress (Bakhu-a heavy warm outer). You will have a chance to visit Buddhists Gompa.

            Today, the walking schedule is going to be longer than the usual days. After some moment, you will reach out to a desert-like area(bare) around Tarap. You will walk through Juniper bushes and wild roses after passing through a wide valley which takes you to the dry inner Himalayan valley above the treeline.

            On proceeding to Kamakharka, you might see herds of blue sheep and pass through the junction of rivers (Tarap Chu and Lang Khola). After some hours, you will reach to the grassy like area(meadow) called Kamakharka. You will spend the night here.

            • Max. Altitude: 3,800m
            • Duration: 6-7 hours

            Today your trek comprises of 4-5 hrs of a walk from Tarap Khola to Khani Gaon. You will walk through the staircases and bridges made up of logs cautiously. These staircases and the walks will be an unexpected adventure along with thrills. On the route to Khani Gaon, you may have to cross damaged bridges above the icy stream on foot. After a certain time, you will finally reach to Khani Gaon where you will spend your night.

            • Max. Altitude: 3,150m
            • Duration: 4-5 hours

            Today, we set out to our new destination, i.e. Tarakot from Khani Gaon after having morning breakfast. The trail leads you towards the village of Lalberi, and then you will cross the forest full of Pine trees, junipers and some apples trees as well as walnuts. You will also have to pass through a stream to reach Tarakot which is known to be old fortress town at the altitude of 2537m with beautiful views.

            • Max. Altitude: 2,540m
            • Duration: 4-5 hours

            Approximately 6 hrs of walking leads us to Dunai passing by Pine trees beside Bheri river through a trail full of scenic views.

            • Max. Altitude: 2,140m
            • Duration: 5-6 hours

            You will descend back to Juphal from Dunai with a few hours of walk by retracing the path of Bheri river. You will spend your night in the village of Dunai with unforgettable part of life.

            • Duration: 2-3 hours

            Your memorable and adventurous trek to Upper Dolpo ends today. On the flight heading Kathmandu, you will get a chance to view magnificent scenes of Mt Dhaulagiri and Mt Annapurna range if the weather is friendly with you.

              Have a safe journey and hope to see you soon!!!

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