Upper Dolpo Circuit Trek

After having breakfast, we will take a scenic one-hour domestic flight from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj, located in the western part of Nepal bordering India. In the evening, we'll explore the streets near the town and visit local markets and the zoo. Our overnight stay will be in a comfortable hotel in Nepalgunj.

Today, we again take a flight heading to Jhupal after having breakfast. We will meet the porters and camping crew at the Jhupal airport. Our Upper Dolpo trek will begin from Jhupal as we head to Dunai, the administrative headquarters of Dolpo.

The hiking route will follow an ascent above the Thulo Bheri Valley and take us through terraced fields and small villages before arriving at Dunai.

Leaving Dunai, we will follow the trail along the Thulo Bheri Valley and enter the Phoksundo River Valley. As we move higher into the valley, impressive views of Kagmara Peak unfold before us. The trail also passes through small settlements such as Dhera and Mastha. The journey continues down the dense forests and past a river to reach Ankhe.

From Ankhe, our path crosses through subtropical forests of juniper and pine, with several ascents and descents. En route, we will encounter some steep ridges and dramatic drops in the deep gorges. We also stop at the Sulighat checkpoint, where we will register our permits and officially enter the Shey Phoksundo National Park. Our overnight stay will be in Sulighat

On this day, we will visit the first major attraction of the Upper Dolpo Circuit trek, Shey Phoksundo Lake. The confluence of the Phoksundo and Pungmo rivers is visible along the path of our trek. We will also have the beautiful Phoksundo waterfall, which is among the highest waterfalls in Nepal.

The trail then goes through Ringmo Village, adorned with mani walls and chortens bearing the strong presence of Tibetan Buddhism. We finally arrive at the shore of Phoksundo Lake after a brief hike from the village, where we will have our overnight stay in a camp.

It is an acclimatization day today at the Shey Phoksundo Lake. We may either take a hiking trip to the Ringmo Village or wander around the Phoksundo Lake. In the village of Ringmo, we will have the opportunity to explore a Tibetan Buddhist monastery and learn more about the lives and cultures of that place. Today, we are also able to enjoy the grand mountain scenery of the Kagmara and its neighboring peaks.

We will continue our walk on the west bank of the lake, which leads to a small gorge. We will follow the path along the Phoksundo Khola and witness dazzling waterfalls and rock walls. along our way. The path will be quiet and less travelled, and will give plenty of time to appreciate the pure beauty of the Dolpo region. Our overnight stay will be at a camp in the grazing area of the Phoksundo Khola.

Our journey continues as we trek along the northern side of the river to a glacial valley. The path will wind through several mountain streams before making an ascent to a sheep meadow. Again, we make a challenging ascent to reach another valley, where the views of the Kang La Pass (5,306 m) and Chhamlang peak can be witnessed. We will set our camp at the Phoksundo Bahnjyang, which lies at the base of the Kang La Pass, for our overnight stay.

Today’s trek will be a challenging one as we cross the high Kang La Pass to reach Shey Gompa. We begin our ascent to Kang La Pass on a steep trail early in the morning. From the top of the Kang La Pass, we are rewarded with awe-inspiring views of the crystal valleys and the deserted valleys, as well as the Dhaulagiri mountain range.

Then, we will go downhill, which starts on a steep trail and gets gentler as we approach nearer to the Shey Gompa, an important pilgrimage site of the Dolpo region. Shey Gompa, also known as the Crystal Mountain Monastery, is revered by followers of both Buddhism and Bon.

This day is scheduled as another acclimatization day in our Upper Dolpo Trek itinerary. We will spend our day by exploring the Shey Gompa village. We can visit the monastery and gain insight into the religious significance of the holy site. We also get the chance to experience the daily lifestyle of the locals of the region and enjoy the sight of the sacred Crystal Mountain today.

Following our acclimatization day at Shey Gompa, we continue our journey from Shey Gompa to Namduna Gauna by traversing through another high pass, Saldang La (5,200 m). The climb to the top of the pass will be challenging, but it will be worth it for the view of the surrounding spectacular landscapes. After that, we will make our descent to Namduna Gaun. Here, we can visit Namgung Monastery, also referred to as the Red Stone Monastery.

Our trek continues as we leave the Namduna Gaun village and make an uphill climb on a wind-swept terrain before making a descent to reach Saldung village. Saldung is the biggest village in the inner Dolpo region, stretching to nearly 2 kilometers. The village has a population of more than 600 people and falls on the ancient trade route of Nepal and Tibet.

Leaving our amazing stay in Saldang, we head north along the Nagon Khola (river). Today’s hike will be gentle as we pass through Marang and Ki villages before crossing the Panzang River to arrive at Yangze Gompa. Here, we can visit the Bon-Po monastery, which dates back several centuries.

There are two ways to reach Sibu from Yange Gompa. We will take the shorter path and retrace our steps back to Saldang. The trail will pass through terraced fields, stupas, and chortens before reaching the village of Namdo. We will then walk for some hours down the river leading to the small settlement of Sibu, the place for our overnight stay.

Our destination for today will be Jeng La Phedi, which means the base of the Jeng La Pass. The path will follow along the Nagon Khola (river) with sightings of caravans with yaks moving towards Tibet. The trail to Jeng La Phedi will be demanding, as we will hike through rocky hills lying at high altitude. We will set our camp in a picturesque meadow of Jeng La Phedi for our overnight stay.

Early in the morning, we will set off on a short but challenging climb to the top of Jeng La Phedi. From the top, we can get gorgeous views of the northern side of the Dhaulagiri Massif. Then, the trail will follow a challenging descent towards the Tarap Valley, which is one of the highest human settlements in the world. The Tokyu village falls under the Tarap Valley, where we will have our overnight stay in a camp.

We will descend from Tokyu Gaon towards the Tarap Chu valley, following a path along the wide fields. After a few hours of walking, we will arrive at Dho Tarap, which is mostly inhabited by Magar communities. In Dho Tarap, we can find stone houses, prayer flags, and ancient monasteries, as well as Bonpo and Buddhist followers living in unity.

Today is yet another rest and acclimatization day in our Upper Dolpo Trekking package at Dho Tarap. This gives a perfect opportunity for us to relax and also learn about the local cultures in the area. We can learn about the daily lifestyle of Tibetans and Magars residing in the village, as well as visit the nearby Buddhist Gompa or take a short hike to Bonpo Gompa.

The trail will follow a descent into the lower region of Dolpo through bushes of juniper and wildflowers. We will encounter the confluence of the Tarap Chu and Lang Khola rivers on our way before we reach Tarap Khola (Khoma Kharka). We will set our camp beside the river with a tranquil and refreshing atmosphere.

Our trek continues along the Tarap River gorge towards the Khani gaon. We will be walking on a remote and isolated trail with challenging sections. Our camp for today will be set by the riverside of Khani Gaon for our overnight stay. If we have time on our hands, we will also interact with the locals and understand their lifestyle and practices.

We will first head towards the village of Labberi and traverse through a lush forest trail to a river. We will continue our journey until we reach Tarakot, which in the past used to be the center of the Tichorung Kingdom and an international trade hub. Here, we can visit the Sandul Gompa located at the intersection of the Barbung Khola and Tarap Chu.

The final segment of the 24-day Upper Dolpo trek itinerary continues with a mostly downhill path along the Bheri River. We will finally have our overnight stay in a teahouse after long days of camping.

This will be the day of trekking in the Dolpo region. The path will wind along the Bheri River and traverse through the villages such as Dhupichaur, Rupgad, and Motipur to finally arrive at Jhupal for our overnight stay. We can have a bunch of drinks and lunch as we celebrate our successful Upper Dolpo Circuit trek.

Today, we will take our flight from Jhupal to Nepalgunj and shortly after take another available flight back to Kathmandu. Thus, marking the end of our unforgettable journey in the Dolpo region.