Thamel, Kathmandu, Nepal (Local tour/trekking agency in Nepal)
Upper Dolpo Trekking
  • Total Duration:24 Days
  • Trip Grade: Easy to Challenging
  • Max Elevation:4510 Mtr.
  • Best Time:March to November

Described as the final bastion of unadulterated Tibetan culture, Upper Dolpo Trekking offers a landscape and Buddhist way of life that closely resemble pre-Chinese Tibet, distinct from the rest of Nepal. The region boasts an expansive and rugged terrain, inhabited by resilient and resourceful people who reside in some of the highest villages on the planet.

As a culturally Tibetan area located in western Nepal, Upper Dolpo is dotted with numerous Buddhist and Bönpo (pre-Buddhist shamanistic) monasteries, which we will have the opportunity to explore during the trek. Prior to 1996, access to this region was restricted for foreigners, meaning that tourism has had a limited impact on the local culture. Of particular interest is Shey Gompa, considered one of the most significant sites in Upper Dolpo, where twice a year, pilgrims undertake a kora (or pilgrimage circuit) around Crystal Mountain, known as the younger sibling of Tibet's Mount Kailash.

Upper Dolpo was first documented in David Snelgrove's book "Himalayan Pilgrimage" and more recently in Peter Matthiessen's "The Snow Leopard." The area was also the setting for Eric Valli's magnificent film "Himalaya." Dolpo Trekking offers breathtaking views of lakes, authentic Buddhist monasteries, and abundant wildlife, including blue sheep, mountain goats, jackals, wolves, and even snow leopards. For those in search of a breathtaking and awe-inspiring panorama, this trek is an excellent choice.

 

 

Trip Itinerary:

Day 01: Kathmandu (1360m): You will be warmed welcomed at airport by our office representative and then you will transfer to hotel. Our staff will give brief explanation about the program. This day you can stay within the hotel or enjoy night at Thamel, Kingsway especially famous for clubs and bars.

Day 2 : Kathmandu: you will visit many cultural heritages, which includes some of the famous worlds UNESCO heritages sites Pashupatinath, Kathmandu Durbar Square, Bouddhanath stupa. You can do shopping various Nepalese cultural stuffs in this day.

Day 3 : Kathmandu - Nepalgunj (150m): Flight from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj. Nepalgunj is situated in south western part of Nepal a steaming hot city. It is a plain land hesitated by different people from different parts of the country. Visit Bageshowri temple, Nepals one of the important Hindu temples. Overnight at Hotel.

Day 4 : Nepalgunj – Juphal (2475m): We will reach Juphal just in 35 minute flight from Nepalgunj with beautiful views of snowcapped mountain. Juphal is a small mountain village, where we can breathe cold and fresh air than that of Nepalgunj. We will stay here because we have to arrange porters and other remaining equipments.

Day 5 : Juphal - Chhepka (2838m) 6 hrs: From Juphal, we have to descend through wheat and vegetables field to reach Thuli Bheri River. A big suspension bridge will lead us to the entrance of Shey Phoksando National Park (SPNP), Nepals largest National Park with the area of 3,555km/sq. It is comprising the Trans Himalayan ecasy stem and the Tibetan type of floras and faunas. will follow Suli Khola viewing a part of the Dhaulagiri Range. We have tea while we pass through the village as can stay there. We can enjoy the tea with honey, pure and fresh honey. Then we will trek through the trail surrounded by pine tree line spruce, fir, Juniper and Cyprus and bamboo forest. Really a beautiful time to get close with nature. At the end of the day we will reach Cheep Ka, a small village surrounded by millet and wheat field. Overnight at tented camp, inclusive of full board meal.

Day 6 : Chhepka - Palam (3820m) 7 hrs: To reach to Palma, we have to pass through beautiful forest, following a river. We have to ascend sometimes and descend sometimes. On the way we can see the local people with their mules as dzopas (cross bread of Yak and Cow). Loaded with thongs to sell. After 4 hrs we will reach Reechi village, leaving behind Reechi we will reach Chumuwar after 2 hrs. There is a Amchi Hospital, an Amchi is a doctor who is educated in traditional Tibetan medicine. You can have treatment from herbs and numerals. Interested person can donate for this Hospital. Overnight at tented camp, inclusive of full board meal.

Day 7 : Palam - Phoksundo Lake (3620m) 4 hrs: It takes about 4 hrs to reach Phoksundo Lake. We have to climb steep about 2 hrs. before reaching the top, we can have the new of Nepals highest waterfall, a spectacular waterfall of 107m high knows Phoksundo waterfall as known as sunlight waterfall. Then we will descend from the top to get Ringmo village a small charming village. People residing here practice Bonpo religion, religion related to Buddhism but it is older than Buddhism. The religion was founded by Buddha Lonpa Shanrab Miwo, 18000 years ago. It is believe that Dolpa used to be the centre of Bon Kingdom called Zhang. It,s a big and powerful kingdom in past western and north western Tibet. It is believed that in the century Zhang was defeated by the Buddhist kingdom of Tibet and Bonpo disappeared completely, but still some people practice it. Overnight at tented camp, inclusive of full board meal.

Day 8 : Phoksundo Lake:  Walking for many days, it is most that we should have rest at least for one day to admire the beauty of Phoksundo Lake and visited nearby villagers inhabited by Bon and Buddhist religion. Overnight at tented camp, inclusive of full board meal.

Day 9 : Phoksundo Lake - Salla Ghari (3640m) 6 hrs: This day, we will enter restricted area of Upper Dolpo. We will follow the famous trail where the famous movie called CARAVAN of Eric Valli was casted. This trail is used by peoples of Dolpo and other trade with Tibetans. Ti is really adventurous to pass through the trail. When we reach the top we will have beautiful view of Lane Ringmo, the dark green pine forests and snow capped mountain to the South. We will have to descend first and ascend through a wide valley which will let us to have spectacular view of Kanjirowa Himal (6612m) then we will reach an alpine area with junipers called Thaneba or Lake side camp, a beautiful place of camping. Overnight at tented camp, inclusive of full board meal.

Day10 : Salla Ghari - Lar Tsa (4120m) 6 hrs: This day we will have Salla Ghari, trekking through between high rock walls on both sides and crossing a couple of streams. We will enter a arrow gorge where will set our camp. We can continue trek but there is possibility of altitude sickness problem. Overnight at tented camp, inclusive of full board meal.

Day11 : Lar Tsa - Shey Gompa (4320m) 8 hrs: We will start trek by a long and strenuous climb of about 2 and half hrs over a dusty path to Kang La (5350m), also called as Ngadra La. We have to descend through pass covered with snow which is very steeply and after about 3 hrs we will reach Shey Gompa, a very small village with a couple of houses and the Gompa. It is a 11th century Gompa, situated beneath the crystal peak on a small grassy plain, at the confluence of two rivers people believed that it was constructed by a Tibetan Buddhist, who arrived here on the back of flying snow lion. It is also called spiritual heart of Dolpo. Every year many pilgrims visit his gompa to make Kora of crystal peak. Overnight at tented camp, inclusive of full board meal.

Day12 : Shey Gompa: You can explore around Tsakang Gompa which is at about 457m. It is not really a monastery but a retreat. Tsakang had been a meditation centre of many famous lamas from Tibet. Shey Gompa belongs to the Chaiba community, followers of the Padmasambhava and Kagyu sects. It was the first Kagyupa monastery and its founder was the lama Ten-szin-Ra-Pa. The monastery was built during the 11th century. Shey is famous for its ancient Buddhist culture. In Dolpo the ancient Tibetan way of life combines animism with the teachings of Buddha. Drutup Yeshe introduced Buddhism in the Dolpo valley. Many years ago he came to Dolpo and came across a wild people whose supreme God was a 'fierce mountain spirit'. Crystal mountain is to the west of Shey monastery. It is a very strange mountain indeed. Its contorted cliffs are laced with quartz and embedded with a rich variety of marine fossils. Shey Gompa stands above the confluence of Kangju nala and Yeju nala. Near the confluence there is a group of prayer mills turned by water wheels. Overnight at tented camp, inclusive of full board meal.

Day13 : Shey Gompa - Namgung (4430m) 6 hrs: To get to Namgung, we have to cross the pass Sheyla which is also called Geln La is about 5000m. While we are through the Glen pass, we can see beautiful view of northern part of Tibetan plateau, which is highest plateau in the world. To the east we can see Mustang. After through pass we have to descend to the pastures of Namgung. Peoples of Namgung heartily welcome us. It is a beautiful place with friendly environment. Overnight at tented camp inclusive all board of meals.

Day14 : Namgung - Saldang (4046m) 3 hrs: Our Trek to Saldang starts with climbing a tree slope. We have to ascend to 4700m before going down steep slopes to picturesque village of Saldang, situated on a plateau high above the Nam Khong nala and the biggest villages of lower Dolpo area. The village is prosperous, not only agriculturally but also for its strategic location on a trade route to Tibet. Overnight at tented Camp inclusive of full board meals.

Day15 : Saldang - Sibu (4000m) 6 hrs: We will leave Saldang village and on way to Sibu we have to pass through terraced fields, Stupas, Chortens mani and a Chaiba monastery. Namdo, the next village contains sixty houses having nearby four hundred in habitants. It streaches 5 km on the high slopes to the left of Nam Khong Khola. We will set camp near the small settlement of Sibu, right on the river bank. Overnight at tented camp inclusive of full board meals.

Day16 : Sibu - Jengla (4480m) 5 hrs: We will follow the line of the river valley and the trail is easy going initially. But after two hours, we must make another stream before turning into side valley where the rise becomes very sharp. Overnight at tented camp with full board of meals.

Day17 : Jengla - Tokyo Gaon (4240m) 7 hrs: To reach to Tokyo Gaon we have to cross the Jeng La which is about 4850m. It will take about 2 hrs climb to reach the top of Jeng La. Form the top of the peak we can have good views of Dhaulagiri, beautiful goldy views in the morning then we will descend towards Tarap valley. By the after we will see green valley which leads us by a beautiful trail down. Towards Tarap Chu. Tarap is a spectacular valley with vast plants in high mountains extending to twenty kilometer along the Tarap Chu River. It consist of ten villages with cultivated fields, many Gompas and Chhortens. Overnight at tented camp with full board of meals.

Day18 : Tokyo Gaon - Dho Tarap (4200m) 2 hrs: To reach to Dho Tarap we will walk east along the downward lower of Tarap Chu. The trail is easy as it is well travelled. There are many mani walls, we can see but some of the Chhortens are in a bad situation. The Frencch School is just outside the village of Dho Tarap. Dho is surrounded by an irregular stone wall and consist of thirty four houses. Both Bonpo and Buddhist is inhabitant here. We will visit Buddhist Gompa where a Lama lives. He is very happy to show his monastery and might even let you see his private Gompa and the Thankas which he has made himself. Overnight at tented camp with full board of meals.

Day19 : Dho Tarap - Serkam (3623m.) 7 hrs: The next two days are longish with a choice of several different campsites so the itinerary can be flexible. Your route follows the course of the Tarap Khola, generally downhill. You go through narrow gorges with the river rushing through. One may see blue sheep, marmots, yaks, sheep and goats and perhaps meet people from Dolpo taking their flocks of sheep and goats to lower pastures for the winter. The afternoon brings more undulations in the path when it leaves the immediate course of the river. There is evidence of improvements to the trail where parts of the rock have been blasted out. You will also see the first of the modern steel suspension bridges which have been built to facilitate movement of people and animals. The track is very narrow in places. Overnight at tented camp, inclusive of full board meal.

Day20 : Serkam -Tarakot (2280m) 5 hrs: You leave Khanigoan by the new suspension bridge and then walk alongside the river, sometimes going very high before reaching down to the water again. Some of the going is quite demanding and one bridge, said to have unusable for six years, necessitates crossing on wet stepping-stones.Coming into the broad fertile valley of the Barbung Chu, you walk amongst the various crops of millet, sweet corn, barley, buckwheat, green beans, chillies and marijuana. Your lunch and night stop is high above the river but there is a standpipe for water. Tarakot is an old fortress town known by the local people as Dzong, meaning 'fort'. Before the Gorkha dynasty Tarakot was the capital and had a dzong. The famous Sandul gompa, which lies 8km east of Tarakot and at the junction of Barbung Khola and Tarap Chu, stands on a knoll to the south of Bheri River and at one time supervised collections of tolls for the trading caravans traversing an area called Tichu Rong. As an alternative to camping at Tarakot, you may camp down by the river as there are good cooking facilities there and a clean, locked toilet for trekkers' use. Overnight at tented camp, inclusive of full board meal.

Day21 : Tarakot - Dunai (2109m) 5 hrs: The trail is mostly down and fairly firm underfoot. Walking beside the Bheri River you use the ingenious path built twenty feet above the river. All too soon you have reached the village of Dunai and the camp site you used before. You will now have completed the circuit and can mark the occasion with a celebration party! Overnight at tented camp, inclusive of full board meal.

Day22 : Dunai - Juphal (2404m) 3 hrs: You now retrace your steps to Juphal. Initially the way is flat but the final hour up to your destination seems steeper than you remember on Day One! Camp overnight in the grounds of one of the lodges. Overnight at tented camp, inclusive of full board meal.

Day23 : Juphal - Nepalgunj - Kathmandu: Early morning flight to Nepalganj. This is a wonderful 35- minute flight over the Himalayan foothills, with fine views of the main peaks including Annapurna and Dhaulagiri to the north. You then connect with the flight back to Kathmandu. Overnight at hotel, inclusive of breakfast.

Day24 : Kathmandu Departure: Today is your departure day, we will drop you to the International airport to catch your flight back .

 

Cost Includes:

  • All the airport pick up drop by private car, van or bus as per group size.
  • All the necessary paper work such as national park entry fees, special.
  • camping equipments tents mattress Kitchen untensils Etc.
  • All the trekking crews will be insured as Nepal government regulation.
  • Company guarantees the rescue services incase of emergency please hand over your insurance policy copy us.
  • Full board meals (B.L.D.) during the trekking period with hot tea and coffee.
  • Insurances and salary, accommodation,food Etc to all Staff.
  • Rain protection duffel bag for client luggage and first aid medical kit .
  • 3 star category hotel in Kathmandu on B/B plan and Guest house in Nepalgunj.
  • Supported staffs and camping stuffs will transfer by bus from / to Nepalgunj and by plane from / to Nepalgunj to Juphal.
  • One full day Kathmandu sightseeing in cultural UNESCO world heritage sites.
  • Trekking Map.
  • All the government taxes and company service charge.

Cost Excludes:

  • Nepal visa.
  • International & Domestic airfare.
  • Alcoholic beverages, bottle mineral water, soft drinks and snack foods Etc.
  • Any personal medical or evacuation expenses incure and strongly recommend
  • international Travel insurance which included rescue.
  • Extra porter for the personal day bag pack.
  • Riding horse along the trek.
  • Extra cost on natural disaster.
  • Restaurant food bills, if the client decide to go other restaurant during the trek.
  • trekking permit and TIMS card fees.
  • Personal Trekking Equipments.
  • Extra night hotel Nepalgunj due to bad weather and earlier back to Kathmandu.
  • Helicopter charter and all accommodation on flight cancellation due to bad weather.
  • Tips to trekking crews.
  • Single Supplement.
  • Services other then mentioned above.

Trip Dates and Costs

Start Date End date Trip Price Availability Book
On Request On Request US$ On Request Available Book Now

Note: If the above departures dates are not matched for you may request own your suitable date!

Useful Info

Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Nepal
Department of Immigration Nepal
Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal (TAAN)
Nepal Association of Tour & Travel Agents(NATTA)
Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA)
Nepal Tourism Board
Village Tourism Promotion Forum-Nepal
Kathmandu Environmental Education Project Nepal
Himalayan Rescue Association Nepal
National Trust for Nature Conservation Nepal
Department of national Park in Nepal
Trip Advisor
Travel Insurance
Online Application form for Nepal Tourist visa
http://online.nepalimmigration.gov.np/tourist-visa 

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