Upper Dolpo Trek

The striking sceneries of the Himalayas give you a warm welcome as you enter the beautiful country. Not long after, your flight makes its land at the only international airport in Nepal.After arriving at Tribhuvan International Airport, you head out to the terminal where the officials will be waiting for you. They take you to your hotel and help you check into your rooms. The journey must be tiring, so you can take a rest or visit nearby places as the remaining day is free. You must be excited to begin your Upper Dolpo trekking, but still, a day is left before your journey.

The second day is an off day to let you relax and prepare for the trek. During this day, you will mostly go sightseeing around the city and visit the famous UNESCO sites of the Kathmandu valley. You will visit Pashupatinath, Swayambhunath, Boudhanath, Kathmandu Durbar Square, and Patan Durbar Square. After finishing the tour, you return to your hotel, where the guide will brief you about the trek.After the briefing, if you have things left to buy for the trek, you can hit the local shops. Get some rest and sleep fast for the next day as you begin the Upper Dolpo Trekking.

You have your morning breakfast, then drive to the domestic airport to catch the flight to Nepaljung. This is an hour-long flight to the mid-western part of Nepal in the Terai region. The flight is quite scenic as you begin with a slight glimpse of mountain ranges. Then as it heads towards lower parts of Nepal, the scenarios change to dry, barren land with no sight of peaks for miles.Viewing these different landscapes, you arrive at Nepalgunj, a major trade center in the mid-western region. This beautiful city shares an open border with India from where goods come inside the country.
From the Nepalgunj airport, you drive straight to your hotel. The rest of the day is free, so you can explore and visit different places in this city. After returning, you prepare for the next day.

The 24 Days Upper Dolpo trekking journey begins today as you first fly to Jupal. After having breakfast in the hotel, you drive to Nepalgunj airport to get on the flight.The flight is scenic and a spectacular one with mesmerizing views of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges. Viewing them, you enter the Dolpo region and land at Jupal airport.
Here you meet up with the rest of the crew, ready with all trekking stuff to begin the Upper Dolpo Trekking 24 Days. After a short introduction, you set off on the journey by walking to Dunai.The trails to Dunai are easy one. You hike along with the terraced fields and Bheri river for most of the parts. The trek duration from Jupal to Dunai is relatively short but exciting as well.

The trekking trip to Ankhe is quite exciting with beautiful scenarios. The trek starts after a healthy breakfast at the tea house. You initially begin the journey by walking through the trail that follows along the beautiful river valley.Then taking the western direction leads you to the junction of Thulo Bheri and Suli Gahd, from where you catch the trail to Ankhe. After that, continuing the walk alongside the Suli Gadi river, you do a climb towards the villages. You cross beautiful farm fields of mullet, pumpkin, chilies, sweet corn, and more. Following the path, you pass the traditional villages of Dhara and Raha and head to a dense forest.On this path, you get to view Kangmara peak for the first time. As you keep moving ahead, you arrive at Hanke, the gateway to Phoksundo National Park. From there, you cross a couple of hamlets and arrive at your destination, Ankhe.

Today’s journey to Renji has several ups and downs, which will be tiring and harsh compared to the previous day. The trek starts by crossing a suspension bridge over the Suli Gadh river.Then following the routes alongside the river, you walk a narrow uphill path facing the cliff. Continuing your trek, you enter the emerald woods and, while making a descent to the river, view the beauty of nature.
After that, you again catch an upward trail that leads you to the top of a hill giving out stunning views of the unique landscapes. With this, the trek comes to a stop for this day.

The walk today is full of adventures; the paths are accessible for the first half and harsh the next one. The trek this day leads you to the core of the Phoksundo region.The routes from Renji are easy for the first couple of hours. Initially, you follow the paths along the Pungmo river that leads you to Palam village. Then after making several ups and downs, you arrive at Sumdo.From here, you walk along the inclined path above the river to the ridge at 3875 m elevation. You get the view of a 300 m waterfall, the highest one in Nepal and Phoksundo lake, from this point.Then making a steep drop through the mystical forest, you reach Ringmo village. Continuing the walk further ahead, you arrive at Phoksundo lake. This pristine turquoise lake is the deepest lake in Nepal.

Today’s trek enters you to an even more remote area as you head to Phoksundo Lake. The trip is not an easy one as you face several challenges like steep ups, downs, walking in the wilderness, etc.You will experience a different alpine topography on these routes. First, you walk on the western end of the Phoksundo lake, whose trail adjoins its edge. Next, you continue the walk on a rocky path that lets you pass through the beautiful meadows.Then making a steep ascent to the height of 4040 m, you climb down to the valley below. After that, you follow the trails alongside the river beach and reach Phoksundo Khola..

Today, the paths offer a walk through glacier valleys and streams, so be prepared for the magical journey. You start by heading north and passing the sharp cliffs and distorted rock formations.Following the trails, you reach the junction of Phoksundo lake and another unnamed stream. Next, you continue walking northeast, where you crawl over rocks and boulders then cross a stream rushing down the valley.Then, you make an ascend to pasture land and again a steep uphill climb and arrive at Phoksundo Bhanjyang. During this climb, you get to catch the sights of majestic mountains and landscapes..

Today you are going to cross Kang La Pass, which adds challenges to your trek. This pass lies above 5000 m, so build up your confidence and equip yourself with proper gear.You begin by ascending the paths for about a few hours before reaching the top of Kang La Pass. This place offers you a dramatic view of the glorious mountains and landscapes.
You capture some beautiful moments here and begin to descend to the riverside. Then following the routes along the riverbank, you pass through incredible pasture land. Finally, crossing a wooden bridge, you arrive at Shey Gompa, also known as Crystal mountain.

Rest day is allocated to explore around Shey Gompa. So, you can fill the day visiting the sacred historical Shey Gompa or exploring the village. The people living in these areas belong to the Chaiba community.The village is surrounded by prayer flags, prayer wheels, and Mani walls. This place gives out religious vibes making trekkers feel at peace. Exploring around gives you great insight into the authentic Bon Po and Buddhist culture.The Shey Gompa is a complete retreat and a meditation center for many Lamas. This ancient Buddhist monastery marked its origin in the 11th century. And on the west of the Gompa lies a crystal mountain with distorted cliffs surrounded by marine fossils. Explore and enjoy your acclimatization..

After a wonderful exploration in Shey Gompa, you now bid farewell to this place and head towards Namuda Gaon. You will cross another high pass known as Saldang La pass on this trail today.You begin by walking through the lovely track of juniper and then ascend to the grey stony gorge. From there, you continue the walk through a meandering path and reach a flat spot. This point gives an incredible view of the Mustang landscape and Tibetan mountains. Then continuing the climb, you cross the Saldang La Pass and make a long descent to the Namuda Gaon. This village offers a beautiful Namgung monastery, stone houses, and farm fields extending to Nam Khong valley.

Today’s trek takes you through the old trade route path to Tibet, which few people still use. Some visit Tibet for trade instead of going to the Nepali markets. The trek is enjoyable but still tough, with steep climbs and rocky trails.Leaving the village behind, you continue the trek with an uphill walk to the dusty barren mountains. This hilltop gives you a stunning view of the region, including picturesque terraced fields, snowy mountains, green forests, etc. Then continuing the trek, you climb up to a flat path, make a descent, and climb the routes to reach Saldang. This is the biggest village in the inner Dolpo area situated high above Nang Khong Nala..

Usually, trekkers choose between trekking to Sibu or Yangze Gompa. But as the trek to Yangze Gompa is longer, you head to Sibu today. After walking out of the village, you head down the trail towards the river bed, passing several terraced farms.Then moving ahead, you pass several Mani walls, chortens, prayer flags, and prayer wheels. You also walk across the Chaiba monastery and continue walking for the next few hours to Namdo. The village stretches up to 5 km on the high slopes to the left of Nam Khong Khola. From this place, you head towards the river bank and reach Sibu. This place also has Namdo Monastery near the river bed..

Today you begin the journey after a healthy breakfast. You will be heading to the foothills of Jenga La. The trek this day is easier for the first section but gets harsher with elevation gain.Initially, you follow the trail along the river banks for about a few hours and cross a stream. From here, you enter the dense forests of juniper, pine, and silver birch. Walking a bit further, you gradually do an uphill climb to the side valley. The trails from here onwards are challenging. You continue your walk till you meet a confluence and make an ascend to Jenga La base via yak pastures.

After having your breakfast, you first make your way to Jenga La Pass. Reaching this pass takes about two hours of a steep climb from the foothills of Jeng La. You get to spot the magnificent peak of Mount Dhaulagiri from this point.After devouring the beauty with your eyes, you now descend to Tarap valley through the rough trails. This beautiful valley extends along the Tarap Chu river. Continuing the trek, you walk past the green paths and head down to Tarap Chu, passing several small villages, monasteries, and Chortens. After a few hours of walking, you eventually arrive at Tokyu Gaon, which offers a beautiful Tokyu monastery.

You wake up early today and visit the ancient Tokyu monastery before leaving the village and beginning this day’s trek. The trails today are more expansive and moderate till Dho Tarap.Heading out the village, you pass through the hamlets and farm fields. You can see cattle grazing in the green area, which amuses most visitors. You also visit the beautiful Chaiba Gompa on the way While passing the villages, you can see people wearing their ethnic dresses and flaunting them beautifully. You are frequently accompanied by chortens and Mani walls on the trails.Enjoying and experiencing the incredible culture you arrive at Dho Tarap inhabited by Magar and Tibetan.

Today you descend the trails to reach Serkam after a big breakfast. You begin by descending from Dho Tarap through the narrow gorge along the side of Tarap Khola. While walking on this route, you can see animals grazing in the fields.You can spot blue sheep, yak, marmots, goats, and sheep on this trail. After arriving at the river, the route gets more accessible from here onwards. You walk through a remote mountain setting providing a magnificent experience. Continuing the walk, you come across a suspension bridge and enter the dense forests. Making a descent on this forest path, you see different species of flora like juniper, birch, pines, etc. As you walk further on this trail, you finally arrive at Serkan.

Today you trek to Khani Gaon from Serkam after a delicious breakfast. You follow the downhill trail through the narrow gorge along the Tarap river. After arriving at the river, you cross the suspension bridge over it and enter a lush forest.As you continue moving in the trail, you pass through the lower pasture land. The locals descend to this place during the winter season. Moving ahead, you walk through the narrow pathways and pass along the deep gorge.Making steep descends, you again cross a bridge on an icy torrent and enter a forest. You keep walking downhill through the jungles and reach Khani Gaon. You camp here for the night.

The trek from Khani Gaon to Tarakot is relatively short and easy. After breakfast, you resume the trek and begin by crossing a suspension bridge over the river. Then continuing the walk, you head to the village of Lalberi.Passing the village, you enter the mystical forest of pines and juniper that leads to the river bank. Then after climbing high, you again descend the path into another gorge and head to the river.Continuing the walk along the riverside, you pass the settlement of Barung Chu before reaching Tarakot. You can visit the Sandul Gompa from this village which resides at a hill south of the Bheri River.The Gompa lies 8 km east of the meeting of Barbung Khola and Tarap Chu. If you like, you can camp near the Tarpa river that is about 150 m below Tarakot.

This day you trek to Dunai completing a full circle around the Upper Dolpo region. Comparatively, the trek is easy today, with the most part downhill walking.You have a delicious breakfast before beginning your Upper Dolpo Trekking. Leaving Tarakot, the trail passes behind the Bheri river leading you to Lawani village. As you continue following the path, it leads you to the Bheri river, from where you ascend towards Byas Gadi. Moreover, the route is easy and leads you to Locha Khola Gaon.From here, you ascend, passing the gorge along the forested trail, and arrive at Dunai. You camp the night here.

Slowly, the Upper Dolpo trekking is coming to its end. Today is your last day in the Dolpo region, where you head towards Juphal to finish your trekking journey. The trail from Dunai to Juphal is leisurely surrounded by marvelous views.After breakfast, you start by trekking along the Bheri river, observing beautiful landscapes. Then passing different settlements like Dhupichaur, Rupgad, Kalakonda, and Motipur, you arrive at an airstrip in Juphal.

Today you fly back to Kathmandu via Nepalgunj, ending the 24 Days Upper Dolpo Trekking journey. You start by taking an early flight to Nepalgunj from Juphal; then, you take another ride back to Kathmandu from there.The guides will drop you at your hotels where you can freshen up and rest. Or, if you still have energy, you can roam around the city.

Today is free day, the spare day in case anything happens on the trek, if your trek goes smoothly, you might take some sightseeing in Kathmandu.

On the 25th day, our Upper Dolpo Trekking official ends with our guides dropping you off at the airport. They will take you to the airport according to your flight schedule, giving them your routine beforehand.With this, we hope your Upper trekking Journey was fun and adventurous. Remember us for more exciting treks in Nepal.