Upper Dolpa Trekking

Trip Facts


Duration: 28 Days
Trip Start From: Kathmandu
Trip End In: Kathmandu
Group Size: 2-12 pax.
Tansportation: Private Vehicles or by air
Activity Per Day: 6-8 Hours
Max Altitude: 5,360m/17,581ft
Trip Grade: Strenous

Trip Highlights

  • Trek through parts of Nepal that few visitors ever see
  • Pristine Buddhist culture and lifestyle.
  • Location of the Oscar nominated movie “Himalayas” and inspiration for the book “ The Himalayan Leopard”
  • The tranquil shey Phoksundo lake “Nepal’s deepest lake”
  • Living antique of Tibetan Buddhism and Bon
  • Beautiful Hamlets with Mani walls, Kanies and Chorten
  • Visit Shey Gompa, an 800-year-old monastery

Trip Overview

Upper Dolpo Trekking is most exciting and thrilling adventure ‘off the beaten’ treks of Nepal of  western Nepal. This trek is especially for those who is seeking a bit challenging and adventurous journeys in the Himalaya. Dolpo borders Tibet, where the culture and much of the landscape is reminiscent of its northern neighbor. The western part of the district is home to the She-Phoksundo National Park, which is Nepal’s largest.

The rugged natural beauty, distinctive people, unique light conditions makes Dolpo a unique Nepali paradise. It  is a wonderful trekking destination in Nepal which  is a reminiscence of heaven on earth.Walking along the ancient salt trading route, we come across picturesque Shey- Phoksundo lake, various high passes and majestic mountains.  The arid landscape between the Dhaulagiri massif and Tibetan plateau is rich in ancient Tibetan Buddhist culture. Various artistic monasteries including Shey- Gumpa, enrolled in prayers flags and traditional lifestyles of the local ethnic communities are in the pristine form, free of modern influence.

Upper Dolpa Trekking is best recommended during the spring, summer, monsoon and autumn season. Due to heavy snowfall, winter season is avoided. You need to be in good shape possessing physically and mentally fit health condition. Join this Upper Dolpa Trekking with Adventure Sherpa Tracks and create once in a lifetime memory around remote areas of Nepal. Contact us for booking and further information.

Itinerary Overview

Day 1: Arrival in Kathmandu (1300m/4264ft)and transfer to hotel

Day 2: Casual day in Kathmandu and trip preparation

Day 3:Fly from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj (150m/ 490 ft)

Day 4:Fly from Nepalgunj to Juphal(2,475m, 8,118ft) and trek to Dunai(2,140m, 7,019ft) 

Day 5:Trek from Dunai(2,140m/ 7,019ft) to Ankhe(6988ft/ 2,130m)

Day 6 :Trek from Ankhe(6988ft/ 2,130m) to Sulighat

Day 7: Sulighat to Phoksundo Lake(3,611m/11,849 ft)

Day 8: Acclimatization and rest at Phoksundo Lake

Day 9 :Trek to Phoksundo Khola(3,750m/12,300ft)

Day 10 :Trek to Phoksundo Bhanjyang(4,717m/15,417ft)

Day 11:Trek to Shey Gompa(4,500m/14,760ft) via Kang-La pass(5,360m/17,581ft)

Day 12:Acclimatization and rest at Shey Gompa

Day 13:Trek  to Namduna Gaun(4,800m/15,744ft)via Saldang La(5,200m/17,056ft)

Day 14:Trek from Namduna Gaun to Saldang (3,620m/ 11,874ft)

Day 15:Trek from Saldang to Yangze Gompa(4,960m/16,267ft)

Day 16:Trek from Yangze Gompa to Sibu (4,560m/14,957ft)

Day 17:Trek from Sibu to Jeng-la Phedi (4,900m/16,072ft)

Day 18 :Trek to Tokyu Gaon(4209m/13809ft) via Jeng La pass (5,090m/16,695ft)

Day 19: Trek from Tokyu to Dho Tarap(4,040m/13,251ft)

Day 20:Rest Day at Dho Tarap

Day 21:Trek from Dho Tarap to Tarap Khola (Kamakharka) (3,800m/12,464ft)

Day 22:Trek from Tarap Khola to Khanigaun(3,150m/10,332ft)

Day 23:Trek from Khanigaun to Tarakot ( 2,537m/8,321ft)

Day 24:Trek from Tarakot to Dunai (2,140m/ 7,019ft)

Day 25:Trek from Dunai to Juphal (2,475m, 8,118ft)

Day 26 :Fly from Juphal to Nepalgunj and then to Kathmandu

Day 27: Reserved Day in Kathmandu

Day 28:Transfer to airport for final departure.

Day to Day itinerary

After landing at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu and  completing your custom formalities pick up your luggage and look for representative of Adventure Sherpa Tracks who who will be with display board at the arrival gate. You  will be greeted by our representative and he/she  will pick you and transfer  to your  hotel. Then check-in at the hotel, freshen up and take a rest. In evening or noon , you  are introduced to your  fellow participants ,guides and discuss about our trip at Hotel where you stay.

After breakfast Adventure Sherpa Tracks’s tour guide will you pick from the hotel for full day sightseeing around Kathmandu . you will  tour among these world hesitate sites Durbar Square, Pashupatinath temple, Swayambhunath stupa and Bouddhanath stupa , The Durbar Square sheds light on the life of the royals in ancient times. Pashupatinath temple is one of the most important places of pilgrimage for all Hindus. Swayambhunath is also known as the Monkey Temple and Baudhanath Stupa is one of the largest stupas in the world. Depending on your preference it might be a other sites like Bhaktapur too .Back to hotel and preparation for the trek .

The next day, you will fly for 45 minutes to Nepalgunj. Nepalgunj is a sweltering city in the Mid-Western Terai. It lies in the vicinity of Nepal-India border and is a major city in Mid-Western region. Bardia National Park is also pretty close to Nepalgunj.

You can also travel to Nepalgunj from Kathmandu by bus. But, you have to catch a night bus on the second day of your trip to arrive at Nepalgunj in the third day. The long journey through East-West Highway is no less amazing. You pass through some other cities including Narayangarh, Hetauda, Bharatpur, Butwal and more.You will stay overnight in a hotel. Take an evening walk and explore the city.

In the early morning, you will travel to Juphal Airport from Nepalgunj. You fly over amazing landscapes witnessing Dhaulagiri and Annapurna ranges.

Juphal Airport is the only airport in Dolpa. It was also the only place to depend on for Dolpo locals to connect to other parts of Nepal. Recently, road track to Dhadang is opened. This has given Dolpo people a glimpse of hope that they will have alternative transport options as well.After you land at Juphal, you will trek for 2-3 hours to reach Dunai.

Dunai is the district headquarter of Dolpo based at 2000 meters on the bank of Thuli Bheri River. You will stay in a teahouse in Dunai.

On the next day, the trek starts towards Ankhe. You will cross the new suspension bridge, turn west and follow the trail. You start ascending to reach a ridge and enter into Phoksundo River Valley. The trek then passes through another ridge, then a canyon, then reach Rahagaon.

After that, you will trek through a dense forest to Ankhe. Territory of Shey-Phoksundo National Park begins from Ankhe. You will stay overnight in Ankhe.

The next day, you trek through a trail passing through forests and many streams. A river flows alongside the rocky trail. You will then trek to Ryajik and then to Sulighat to spend the sixth night of your trip.

On the seventh day, you trek along the valley to the junction of Phoksundo River and Pungmo River. After you cross a wooden bridge, you trek alongside Pungmo River all the way to Phoksundo Lake.

You have trekked a long way to Shey Phoksundo Lake. The lake is at an altitude of 3611 meters. So, today is well-earned rest and acclimatization day.You can explore the area around Shey Phoksundo Lake. This amazing turquoise colored lake is a heavenly sight to behold.

You can visit Ringmo village and a Tibetan Buddhist Monastery in its neighborhood. You can delve into culture and tradition of people.

 

It’s day nine. The trail flanks the Shey Phoksundo Lake from the western side. You walk through the trail of rocky hills of the western end of the lake. The trail continues through a lush grassland to the floodplain of Phoksundo Khola.

On the tenth day, you walk through a glacial valley heading north and reach to the junction of Phoksundo river and a stream. As you cross the bridge, you walk towards the north-east direction and begin an uphill climb. As you climb to the top of a steep george, you can see Kang-La pass from the top.Over night Shey Gompa

 

On the eleventh morning, walking through a strenuous trail will take you to Kang-La Pass. Kang-La Pass is at an altitude of 5,360 meters from where you can have an excellent view of deserted valleys, Crystal Mountain and U-shaped canyon towards Shey-Gompa.

You then descend from the pass, cross the same river several times and walk through meadows where yaks, and sheeps are seen grazing. As you walk through small huts, a red Buddhist shrine welcomes you to Shey Gompa.Overnight

ou have walked tirelessly for days on high altitudes. So, you will have a well-earned rest in Shey Gompa to make sure your body acclimatizes with the change in altitude.Walk around the area and explore Shey Gompa. Shey Gompa is the most popular monastery in Upper Dolpo. Hundreds of Buddhist devotees visit Shey Gompa yearly.

To the east of Shey Gompa lies Crystal Mountain( Ribo Drugta). Locals gather and circumambulate this mountain every year before harvesting their crops.

The trek resumes. You trek through a trail that passes amid Juniper forest leading to a rocky canyon. You walk through a meandering trail to reach the top of Saldang-La Pass.

From there, the trail descends for a long time towards north to Namduna Gaun. You can visit Namgung monastery perched on the northern wall of a ridge.Overnight stay in Namduna Gaun.

 

In the morning, you start your trek by ascending barren hills for hours. After 3-4 hours of walk, you start to see Saldang Village which stretches through a slope above Namga River.

Saldang Village is the largest settlement of Inner Dolpo. This is home to nearly 600 people. Surrounded by terraced fields, Saldang is an agriculturally prosperous settlement of Inner Dolpo.

The third week of your trek begins from Saldang village to further unexplored area in the north. You follow Nang Chu river on your trail to Tiling, and Lurigaon village. You walk further to Yangze village. Here, you can explore Yangze region, Bon-Po monastery, and Panzang river. Overnight stay in Yangze village.

From Yangze, you have a couple of trails to Sibu. The longer route passes through Nishalgaon and Shimengaon to Sibu. We pick the shorter trail by retracing our path back to Saldang village.

The trail then leads to Namdo village which has around 400 residents and stretches over 5 km. There is Namdo monastery near Nam Khong river.You then trek for two more hours to reach Sibu.Overnight

 

On the seventeenth day, you begin your trek following Nam Khong river. On the way, you may see caravans of yaks herds. After a few hours of walk, you arrive at a junction of two small streams. You then begin upward climb to the base of Jeng La pass. Overnight stay in Jeng-La Phedi.

The day starts climbing to the top of Jeng La Pass(5110) that takes about two hours. From Jeng La Pass, you can witness picturesque views of Dhaulagiri massif.

After that, you descend towards Tarap Valley. As you reach a stream, you follow the stream to Tokyu village.Stay overnight in Tokyu village.

The trail in this region is an easy one. You walk through broad fertile valley visiting several chortens on the way. About 4-5 hours of the trek will take you to Dho Tarap. Overnight stay in Dho Tarap.

 

We spend the twentieth day resting in Dho Tarap(4080m). You can explore the village, visit the gompas and make friends.

Dho Tarap – one of the highest settlements of the world, is the junction of trails leading to Mustang, Jomsom, and Tibet. It has about 3 dozens of houses. Inhabitants consist of mostly Magars and Tibetans. There are many Buddhist shrines in Dho Tarap. Bon Gompa above Dho Tarap is a famous one.

You start the next day trek descending towards a valley that finally turns into a gorge as you trek further. The trek passes through bushes of junipers and eventually leads to the junction of Tarap Chu and the Lang Khola. You then reach to Kamakharka for halting the trek.Overnight

You trek alongside gorge of Tarap Khola. The gorge sometimes gets so narrow that you can cross the river with a jump. So, the walk alongside the gorge can be exciting. As you reach Khanigaun, you stop your trek there.Overnight stay in Khanigaun.

 

You start your day trek following a trail to Lalberi village. Then, you pass through a forest, descend to a gorge then trek alongside the river. You then reach to Tarakot after a total of 4-5 hours of walk from Khanigaun.

Tarakot is a small town which once used to be a fortress. It used to be a capital of Tichorung Kingdom and was a popular trading point. Although it has lost the energy it used to share, it still has the charm to attract the travelers.Overnight stay in Tarakot.

After morning breakfast, you follow the Bheri River passing through several gorges, villages, and bridges to reach Dunai. You pass by Lawan village, Byas Gadi, and Lochakhola Gaon to finally reach Dunai.

Dunai is the district headquarter of Dolpo. There are about 2700 residents. You can find schools, campus, bank branches, and other infrastructures of development in Dunai.

The trail following Thuli Bheri continues. You pass through Dhupichaur, Rupgad, Kalagaonda, and Motipur to finally arrive in Juphal. The long and strenuous trek finally ends at Juphal.Overnight stay in Juphal.

You will take the first flight available from Juphal to Nepalgunj. After that, you will board the flight to Kathmandu the same day. Take a rest in your hotel, or if you want, take a walk around the city.

If you are traveling with a travel company, companies usually give you a farewell dinner.Overnight stay in Kathmandu.

The reserved day is for any delays in the domestic flight or delays .Today, you can spend the day as you please in the Kathmandu and casual day for Shopping around Kathmandu .

Your adventure in Nepal comes to an end today! Approximately three hours before your scheduled international flight, Our representative from Adventure Sherpa Tracks  will drop you off at the Tribhuwan International airport  and does  a farewell till next Adventure.

Price Includes

  • All meals during trek. (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
  • Accommodation during trek at local lodge.
  • Domestic airfares and transportation from Kathmandu to trek starting point.
  • English speaking  government-licensed Sherpa trekking guide & assistant guide (4 trekkers=1 assistant guide)
  • Porter Service (2 Trekker =1 porter)
  • Staff  cost including their (Salary, domestic airfare, equipments, food and accommodation)
  • Trekkers’ Information Management System fees
  • 3 nights accommodation at 3. 4 or 5 star hotel in Kathmandu on twin sharing with breakfast.
  • All guided sightseeing tour in Kathmandu and entry fees.
  • Airport transfers and escort.
  • Insurance for all staffs
  • All ground transportation on comfortable private vehicle
  • All government and local taxes

Price Excludes

  • International airfares
  • International Airport Departure Tax
  • Trekking Equipment
  • Major meals, Lunch and dinner during your stay in Kathmandu
  • Any type of personal expenses, such as alcoholic beverages and drinks, phone charge and laundry.
  • Airport departure tax to be paid in rupees on your departure 1760 rupees
  • Entry visa fee
  • Rescue & travel insurance, trip cancellation costs, accident or health emergency, evacuation, loss, theft or damage to baggage and personal effects.
  • We strongly advise you to take out personal travel insurance.
  • Tips & Gratuities to porters and guides

The cost of the trips with us depends on the level of service, type of accommodation in the city and size of groups. We have a special discount for large groups, travel and adventure companies, nonprofit organization etc. Email us for further information about the cost of the trip. We would be happy to provide pricing and further info if you kindly provide the information below or simply email us at either info@adventuresherpatracks.com or adventuresherpatracks@gmail.com

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