Upper Dolpo Trekking

On arrival, meet our TH staff for a courtesy transfer to your respective hotels in the heart of Kathmandu, in the Thamel area, a popular spot for shopping and dining at many world-class restaurants, pubs, and bakeries. Our guide will provide details about the Dolpo and Lake Phokshumdo trek.

The morning after breakfast at a given time our city and cultural guide will guide you in and around Kathmandu at places of interest and importance, as Kathmandu Valley is full of World Heritage Sites the holy Pashupatinath temple, Bouddhanath (Little Tibet), Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple) &monasteries, ancient Kings Palaces and courtyard in Kathmandu; after an interesting sightseeing back to the hotel and transfer to Kathmandu domestic airport for 55 minutes scenic flight to Nepal’s South West region at Nepalgunj close to the border of India, where the temperature is warm of sub-tropical climate on reaching Nepalgunj transfer to respective hotels for an overnight stop.

Morning, a short drive from the hotel to Nepalgunj airport for the connecting short scenic flight to Jhuphal, which takes about 40 mins. On the flight, a super panorama of the Dhaulagiri mountain range. On reaching Jhuphal, our field and trekking crews will meet. Then, with a short drive on the jeep track road to Dunai for an overnight stop, Dunai is a moderate-sized town with the Government administrative headquarters of the Dolpo region.

After the flight and a short drive at Dunai, here morning starts with the first day's walk by crossing a suspension bridge and then leading towards North West with a climb to the banks of Thulo Bheri Valley, after a while it leads to a ridge at Phoksumdo river valley at 2,499 meters, with magnificent views of Kagmara Peak, then walking on the path with a long downhill through several scattered houses and walnut groves near to a stream, then reaching at Dhera small winter settlements of cattle herders, from here climbing to Rahagaon village inhabited mostly by Thakuri, a Hindu tribe of people of the Western Himalaya mid hills, after Rahagaon walking downhill towards a dense forest, reaching at Ankhe for overnight camp, this small place is the main entrance to Shey Phoksumdo National Park, afternoon at leisure for a short walk around this nice area.

Morning from Ankhe starts with short up-and-down walks into the forest, then to the riverside, then up to a ridge, leaving the forested area high above the river, descending back into the forest, then to another riverbed. From here, the walk leads upstream and then crosses a small bridge near Ryajik village. After this village, we will continue walking towards our overnight camp at Sumdu near Sulighat, with time for a short visit around this nice, small village.

Today’s walk leads to one of the highlights of this trip to a beautiful emerald Phokshumdo lake, starting the morning walk into the valley of Phokshumdo and Pungmo Kholas (streams)confluence, after crossing the western side of Phokshumdo Khola, and then following the Pungmo Khola west bank, after a nice and pleasant rest stops, walk leads on the downhill path through birch and pine forests towards the upper side of Phokshumdo Khola, and then finally reaching Ringmo village, this is one of the interesting and attractive village with mud plastered chortens and Mani (prayer) walls, from this nice village a short walk towards the enchanting, turquoise and emerald colored Phokshumdo Lake, overnight camp near the bank of this beautiful lake.

An important and necessary rest day at Ringmo and Phokshumdo Lake for acclimatisation before heading to higher areas. This is an ideal spot for a free day around this place. One can take an optional walk or visit the Ringmo village and its old, interesting Buddhist Monastery, along with stunning views of the surrounding landscapes and snow-capped mountains.

After an enjoyable and interesting time at Ringmo village and Phokshumdo lake, today’s walk leads to the other side of the Dolpo area towards the east by an alternative way crossing a few passes, starting the morning walk on a pleasant and gradual trail and then leading to an uphill climb to cross over Baga-la at 5,070 meters, with a steep climb for about 03 hours to reach the top of the pass, the top offers an overwhelming panorama of Phoksumdo lake and Kagmara peaks after a great scenery walk leads to a long descend to our overnight camp to Phedi, meaning base or a bottom of the hills.

From this camp, the morning walk leads to another pass at Numa-la at 5,190 meters, the highest spot of this awesome trip, The walk leads to a climb on the nice grassy slopes for about three hours then reaching the top of Numa-la with impressive views of snow-capped mountains from Dhaulagiri mountain range to Kagmara peak and looking down at beautiful valleys and surrounding dramatic landscapes, after an enjoyable moment descend to the base of this high pass, then with few hours of good walk on the gradual path to our overnight camp on the summer pasture fields and meadows.

After being a few days in total isolation away from the village, today’s walk leads to an interesting village at Tokyu Gaon, one of the largest villages in this region, starting the morning with a steep climb for nearly two hours at the top of Jeng - la with panoramic views of snow-capped mountains looking at the North Face of Mt. Dhaulagiri massif range of peaks, after enjoying the awesome scenery, walk leads to a long descend towards Tarap valley, which is one of the longest beautiful green valley extending near about 20 k.m. distances along the Tarap Chu River, with more than 10 villages with well-tended farm fields with monasteries and chortens, then walking on a pleasant trail after completing the downhill portion to reach our overnight stop at Tokyugaon a wonderful village with an old interesting monastery, an afternoon with ample time to visit the village and the monastery or relax and interact with the locals.

From this nice village, a morning walk follows the downhill path towards Tarap Chu into a wide valley, around which are temporary settlements of local cattle herders. The people here belong to both the Bon Po and Chaiba sects of Tibetan Buddhism (Mahayana), living together in friendly harmony.

Then, with a nice walk through this beautiful valley, we will reach Dho Tarap for an overnight camp. In the afternoon, we will have time for a local visit to this interesting village, inhabited by people of Tibetan origin, mostly the Magar hill tribe.

On the long day walk, with a moderate, gradual trail featuring few short climbs and downhills, the morning starts with a descent into a wide valley that narrows into a gorge. Following the path with sparse vegetation of juniper and wild rose bushes which is typical in this dry barren area of inner Himalaya climate and arctic temperate zone, around this place chances of spotting some wildlife including herds of blue sheep, after a great enjoyable walk reaching the junction of Tarap Chu and Lang Khola, flowing from Tarap River beyond east, source of the river from the glacier of North West Dhaulagiri Himalayan range of mountains.
After a pleasant walk, reach a beautiful grassy field, a meadow, or a summer pasture called Kamekharka. The word Khaka means the shepherd's shelter or shade.

On the long day walk, with a moderate, gradual trail featuring few short climbs and downhills, the morning starts with a descent into a wide valley that narrows into a gorge. Following the path with sparse vegetation of juniper and wild rose bushes which is typical in this dry barren area of inner Himalaya climate and arctic temperate zone, around this place chances of spotting some wildlife including herds of blue sheep, after a great enjoyable walk reaching the junction of Tarap Chu and Lang Khola, flowing from Tarap River beyond east, source of the river from the glacier of North West Dhaulagiri Himalayan range of mountains.
After a pleasant walk, reach a beautiful grassy field, a meadow, or a summer pasture called Kamekharka. The word Khaka means the shepherd's shelter or shade.
 

This exotic journey carries on to reaching the lower Dolpo area through Lalberi village and then back into the tree lines on the trail following the river again downstream to Tarakot village, this picturesque village with nice terraced cultivated fields and an old fortress around this village-town &(over a hundred years ago, before the Gorkha dynasty, this beautiful place was the capital and had a Dzong meaning Fort).
Tarakot village is home to the famous Sandul Gompa, located at the confluence of Barbung Khola and Tarap Chum. After an interesting detour and a visit to Tarakot village, we walk down from the village to our overnight camp near the river, just below the village, close to a monastery at the edge of a grassy plateau, with an interesting solitary tree.

This remarkable and finest journey slowly comes to an end at Jhupal, the gateway to Dolpo and many other destinations in this far west region, starting this final day walk to Dunai following several scattered farm villages and cattle herders shades and huts, then leading to a gradual uphill to a valley and then with a descend to the other side on the barren treeless landscapes at Thulo Bheri valley at Dunai area, from here walking past a hospital to cross the new suspension bridge then finally reaching at Dunai town, a large town area with an administrative headquarter of Dolpo zone, to make this walk shorter and to reach Jhupal on time to check with our flight taking a jeep ride for an hour drive on the dirt rough road to Jhuphal for the last and final overnight stop of this impressive journey at Jhupal with time for a short walk around this village.

Early morning, depending upon the flight time get in a small plane Dronier or Twin Otter or a similar type for a short scenic flight of 40 minutes to Nepalgunj with an awesome panorama of Mt. Annapurna and Mt. Dhaulagiri range of mountains, on reaching Nepalgunj depending upon the connecting flight to Kathmandu, with few hours of rest and refreshment at Nepalgunj, then connect the flight to Kathmandu which takes almost 50 minutes with a sweeping panorama of a mountain range from the plane, then finally concluding this fantastic journey in Kathmandu, on arrival transfer to respective hotels with afternoon free at leisure.