Upper Dolpo Trek

Fly from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj (150m).

Early in the morning, with our necessary luggage, we will fly to Nepalgunj from Kathmandu. Nepalgunj is one of the cities of Nepal that lies in the western part. It might be sweltering compared to Kathmandu because of the lower elevation above sea level. The culture and people living there are influenced by Indian society, given the city's proximity to India. After reaching Nepalgunj, we will rest during the day and stroll around in the evening, as the daytime temperatures are too hot.

Fly from Nepalgunj to Jhupal (2,475m) and trek to Dunai (2,140m).

Today we will take a flight to Jhupal from Nepalgunj. Jhupal is the only airport, and the locals have to go to other parts of the country. While on the air, we will view the astonishing landscape along with the Dhaulagiri and Annapurna range to the north. The roadway to Dhadang has now been opened, which has increased the hope of the Dolpo people for alternative transport. Upon arriving in Jhupal, we will trek downward through a narrow gorge to Dunai, which is the administrative headquarters of Dolpo.

Trek from Dunai to Ankhe (2,896m).

As we pass through several hills, we will walk towards Ankhe, taking in the view of Kagmara Peak above the valley. Crossing the new suspension bridge, we will follow the trail to the west. On the way, we will encounter the winter settlement area of people from Upper Dolpo. Here, during the winter, they bring down their herds of Yak and Cow to cope with the extreme snowfall.

Similarly, the route starts to climb uphill, where the area is treeless, in the Thulo Bheri valley. Walking through the ridge there, we enter the Phoksundo River Valley. Near the Phoksundo National Park, Ankhe is located, which is our destination today. We will spend our night there before entering the National Park.

Trek from Ankhe to Sulighat (3,180).

The path is small, with sections that are both uphill and downhill, and runs along the forest with rivers from Ankhe to Sulighat. We need to ascend steeply to the elevation of 2900m from sea level with numerous streams on the trail. Slowly, the forest disappears, and the grassy path starts high above the rivers. At the end of the trail, we will encounter a rocky road that is more technical for walking, where the local people run away with their yaks and sheep, just out of imagination. Finally, we will cross the bridge near Ryajik village. Spend overnight there.

Trek from Sulighat to Phoksundo Lake (3,600m).

We will continue our trip today from Sulighat to Phoksundo and Pungmo Khola. Firstly, we will cross the west side of the Phoksundo Khola. Then, passing the wooden bridge, we will go to the way that leads to Phoksundo Lake near Ringmo valley, following the west bank of Pungmo Khola.

Today, a walking distance of around 5 hours takes us to Ringmo Valley with traditional Chortens as well as a long Mani wall. Heading the path of the forest with Ceder and Palam, our trail goes uphill to an open place. Once we settle in Ringmo, we have an entire afternoon to explore the shores of Phoksundo Lake.

Acclimatization day. Explore Phoksundo Lake (3,600m).

After spending our night in Ringmo village, today we will hike further towards Phoksundo Khola with its beautiful Phoksundo Lake and Tibetan Buddhist monastery. One can lie just next to Phoksundo Lake and spend the entire day of acclimatization.

Trek from Phoksundo Lake to Phoksundo Khola (3,750m).

The trek continues with passing the Lake, following the rocky path along the western bank of the river, heading towards Phoksundo Khola from Phoksundo Lake. The trail leads towards a lush meadow opening into the plain Phoksundo Khola. After, we will reach the valley and walk again, crossing the river. We will set our camp near Phoksundo Khola and spend the night there.

Trek from Phoksundo Khola to Phoksundo Bhanjyang (4,717m).

Early in the morning, we will walk along the flat path on the northern side. There is an old wooden bridge near Phoksundo Khola Camp and the mountain stream. In the end, we will face a long climb, culminating in a steep canyon. Further ahead from the valley, we will climb the rugged ridge. We can see Kang La pass from there. Similarly, the pass leads to She Gompa. Just nearby this ridge of a pass from where we can see Kangla Pass. Stay overnight.

Trek from Phoksundo Bhanjyang to Shey Gompa (4,343m) via Kang La Pass (5,350m).

With a technical uphill climb, crossing Kang La can be quite strenuous due to poor trail marking through the rocky slate. Once we summit the top of Kang La, we can have a fantastic view of the valley on the other side of Kang La pass. We will descend steeply again toward full of She, which is just about to be bisected by the Gushing River. We will trek along the riverbank, crossing it several times. Passing through a grazing field with hundreds of yaks and Sheep, we will find an ancient red Chorten that announces our arrival in Shey Gompa at an elevation of 4,343 m above sea level.

Acclimatization day in Shey Gompa (4,343m).

After this long, challenging hike to Kang la and a higher elevation area, we will spend another acclimatization day in Shey Gompa. The land of Bon She is famous for its biggest monastery in Nepal. Shey Monastery is also known as Crystal Monastery, as in the Tibetan Language, Shey means Crystal. Another highlight of Shey Gompa is Crystal Mountain, east of the Gompa, which looks like it is entirely made up of crystal quartz. We will explore around Shey, one prehistoric village with Bon culture.

Trek from Shey Gompa to Namduna Gaon (4,360m) via Sele La Pass (5,094m).

We begin with a descending trail leading to the stony valley, from where we follow a rocky, twisted path up to the top of Saldang Pass, which is approximately 5,200 m in elevation from sea level. Onward we will descend again toward the village of Namduna, which is accompanied by another red stone monastery and numerous Stupas, where only a small number of stone houses exist, probably the highest settlement in Nepal at an elevation of 4,800 m above sea level.

Trek from Namduna Gaon to Saldang (3,770m).

Hiking up with rubble slopes, we will head toward Saldang through Barren Mountain, which might be dusty. The largest settlement in Upper Dolpo, Saldang, is unique in appearance with eighty houses and approximately seven hundred people, which is stretched around 2 kilometers on an open slope. It serves as a central hub for the Dolpo people and the Trans-Himalayan Tibet people in terms of trade.

Trek from Saldang to Yangze Gompa (4,960m).

Yangze Gompa, probably the least explored area by any professional trekkers and hikers, is in a far north wild barren terrain field. We will pass through the small village settlement of Tiling and Lurigaon. Upon reaching Yangze Gompa, we will explore the ancient prehistoric Bon-Po Monastery and the village area of Yangze Gompa.

Trek from Yangze Gompa to Sibu (4,000m).

We will trek back a bit toward Saldang Village, passing through Chaiba Monastery near Namdo, which is the second biggest village with around 400 inhabitants and six households. Exploring Namdo Monastery near the riverbed, we will trek for the next two hours to reach the small settlement of Sibu.

Trek from Sibu to Jeng La Phedi (4,900m).

Early in the morning at Jeng La, we may encounter a caravan of yaks heading toward the Tibetan border, from where we will hike up for the next five to six hours. The last part is a bit steep to the bottom of Jeng La at an elevation of 4900 meters, where we will spend a night before traversing ahead of Jeng La Phedi.

Trek from Jeng La Phedi to Tokyu Gaon (4,240m) via Jeng La Pass (5,110m).

The final two hours of the uphill trail lead us to the summit of Jeng La Pass (5,110m), from where we can view the excellent southern Himalayas Range. We will descend toward Dho Tarap Valley through a rocky trail; we will spend our night at Tokyu Monastery at an elevation of 4,240 m before heading toward Dho Tarap.

Trek from Tokyu Gaon to Dho Tarap (3,944m).

Following a wetland similar to Tibet and Ladakh, we will trek toward Dho Tarap on an entirely different trail and terrain compared to the previous day's trek. The beautiful village of Dho Tarap is home to both the Bon and Chaiba religions, fostering religious harmony. A few Tibetans and the rest of the Dolpo People accompany Dho Tarap, which has forty houses in total.

Acclimatization day in Dho Tarap (3,944m).

On Dho, we will spend a beautiful time exploring both Buddhist and Bon Gompas, immersing ourselves in the culture of the people and villages. The itinerary is designed to be easy on the legs, with no challenging walks or steep climbs, allowing for adequate rest after long walks. Be friends with local people and spend one more night in Dho Tarap.

Trek from Dho Tarap to Tarap Khola (3,800m).

We begin our descent toward a wide valley, which eventually narrows into a gorge, traversing through juniper, small rose bushes, and a large tree. We might encounter a herd of wild blue sheep. Just nearby caves, we will set up our camp for an overnight stay in the wild section of Tarap Khola.

Trek from Tarak Khola to Khanigaon (2,950m).

Passing through a very narrow gorge with possibilities of jumping from one side to another, we will trek down with the absence of a trail. Today's adventure is both thrilling and tricky, so follow your guide's footsteps most of the time and listen to his instructions. Sometimes, the bridge might have been damaged or swept away. We will settle somewhere near Tarap Khola at Khanigaon.

Trek from Khanigaon to Tarakot (2,540m).

Now our wild and unexplored section of the Dolpo Trek is almost finished as we will be hiking on a regular trail passing through villages in the lower section of Dolpo. We will hike up in a total of around five hours from Khanigaon to Tarakot. Upon reaching Tarakot, we will hike up a little bit to the next ridge of Tarakot, where there are Chorten and Gompa. We will settle there.

Trek from Tarakot to Dunai (2,140m).

Today, we will walk along the Bheri River, and most of the trails are downhill. Passing through many gorges, Lawan Village, Byasgad, and Lochakhola Gaon, we will arrive at Dunai, the headquarters of Dolpo. Tonight we will stay at a comfortable guest house.

Trek from Dunai to Jhupal (2,475m).

On the second last day of our Dolpo Trek, we will walk beside the Thuli Bheri River, passing through Dhupichaur and Rupgad Villages, and continue towards Kalagauda and Motipur villages. We will hike for around three hours in total, a relatively long but demanding trail. Last night in Dolpo, celebrating the successful Dolpo Trek could be a great way to farewell the porter and other crew members. Since only the guide will be flying back to Kathmandu with you, we've chosen the porter from the local Dolpo area.

Fly from Jhupal to Nepalgunj (150m) and fly back to Kathmandu (1,400m) from Nepalgunj.

An early morning flight back to Nepalgunj from Jhupal Airport will enable us to catch a connecting flight to Kathmandu, as there used to be a late afternoon flight from Nepalgunj to Kathmandu. Upon arrival in Kathmandu, after an hour of refreshment, we will gather together for feedback, suggestions, and to know about your experience with NEST Adventure for the Dolpo Trek.