Upper Dolpo trek is started in Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal and it is the second home to the great Himalayan Mountains. Flying from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj in the western Nepal and continue flying to Jhupal. Juphal is the small airport of Dolpo at the elevation of 2500mts above sea level. Dolpo or Dolpa in Tibetan. Dolpa in Tibetan means the people who live in the upper valley of a valley is called Dolpa. The people in Dolpo valley are originally Tibetans and their language is also Tibetan and they practice Buddhism and Bon religion.
According to the history, the people in Dolpo valley came from Ngari region in Tibet, Ngari is located in the western part of Tibet and it is a very famous Tibet travel destination nowadays because of Mount Kailash and Mansarovar lake which are holy to the followers of Buddhism, Hinduism, Bon Religion and Jewish.
During our upper Dolpo trek, we can see a lot of Bon monasteries and people in
Dolpo valley are still practicing Bon religion, the original religion of Tibet so the people in Dolpo valley basically came to settle there during the time of Tibetan King Songtsan Gampo in the 7
th century or during Shangshong kingdom in Ngari which was prior to the Tibetan Kingsongtsan Gamp who reunited Tibet. In around 8
th century, Padmasambava or Guru Rinpoche in Tibetan, came from India to Tibet. Guru Rinpoche was one of the most revered and greatest Buddhist saint,
travelled to Tibet all the way from India via Dolpo valley. Guru Rinpoche spread Buddhism entire Himalayan region and discovered this beautiful Dolpo valley or hidden land of Tibet for over 1400 years history. Until 1989, Dolpo has remained isolated due to it’s remote location. Even today, there is a limit to trek in Dolpo valley and the permit fee of upper Dolpo trek is very expensive.
During your Dolpo trek, you will see beautiful and unique Bon and Buddhist monasteries and most of them are very old and historical monasteries with extremely beautiful old natural wall painting which has over 800 years hisotry, smiling and very kind monks inside the monasteries, welcoming you to their temples or rooms any time when you visit the monasteries. The temples and monasteries are usually located on a mountainside and very much quite. It is exactly a place for a retreatment and meditation without any disturbance from outside. Seeing the people in Dolpo, wearing real Tibetan traditional gowns, ( Chupa in Tibetan ), lots of ornaments on their head and around the neck including turquoise and corals. They rear cattle, sheep, horses and yak. Yak and horses and used for their transportation since there is no road in the upper Dolpo valley.
Some of the spectacular rocky mountains, most challenging over 5000mts high mountain passes, beautiful view of snow covered peaks, beautiful nomad camp on the beautiful green meadow and pasture land, grazing flock of Yak, sheep, goat, horses and other cattle, unique Tibetan styled traditional house with prayer flags onto the roof of the houses and colorful prayer flags on the top of the passes. Tibetans believe that you will gain good luck if you raise prayer flags onto the roof of the houses or on the top of the mountain passes. The most highlight of the upper Dolpo trek is in the one hand, it is to witness different culture of the different regions, especially the long historical culture of Buddhism, Bon religion, thousand years history of wearing Tibetan traditional clothes, weaving different kinds of cloth in a traditional way, getting married a wife by two to three brothers together in order to help each other in the family so on and in the other hand, it is one of the most adventurous trekking tour in Nepal and to see and enjoy the view of Phoksundo lake is an absolutely paradise. When you are sitting by the side of the Phoksundo lake, watching Yaks and horses are passing by the rocky mountains on the shore of the lake, you really feel as if you were in the movie of Himalayan caravans and it is extremely gorgeous.
Days |
Trip Outline |
Daily Activity |
Accommodation |
Guide & Driver |
Meal |
01 |
Arrival in Kathmandu (1,350m/4,428ft) |
Tribhuvan international airport-Kathmandu city-Thamel Bazar |
Hotel |
Nepalese |
B |
02 |
Kathmandu to Nepalgunj (150m/1 h flight/10 miin drive ) |
Kathmandu-Nepalgunj |
Hotel |
Nepalese |
BB |
03 |
Nepalgunj to Juphal (2475m)/ 45 min flight and Juphal to Dunai 2800m/ 3 h trek. |
Nepalgunj-Juphal-Dunai |
Lodge |
Nepalese |
BLD |
04 |
Dunai to Chhepka (2687m/6 h ) |
Sulighat-Phoksundo river-Jutung village-Shangta-Chhepka |
Camp |
Nepalese |
BLD |
05 |
Chhepka to Chunuwar (3110m/ 6 h ) |
Tibetan Amchi hospital- Sulligad Dovan-Phoksundo Khola-Yulung Khola |
Camp |
Nepalese |
BLD |
06 |
Chunuwar to Phoksundo Lake (3600m/ 5-6 h ) |
Palam-Shey Phoksundo National Park-Ringmo villag-Phoksundo lake |
Camp |
Nepalese |
BLD |
07 |
Phoksundo – Rest day |
Ringmo Village-Tshowa Bon monastery-explore Phoksundo lake |
Camp |
Nepalese |
BLD |
08 |
Phoksundo- Sallaghari ( 3580m/ 5-6 h ) |
Another side of Phoksundo Lake-Beautiful small piine forest-Sallaghari |
Camp |
Nepalese |
BLD |
09 |
Sallaghari to Nangdala HC (4717 m/5-6 h ) |
Nangdala High Camp 4100m-Tuk Kyaksa River |
Camp |
Nepalese |
BLD |
10 |
Nangdala HC to Shey Gompa ( 4280m/5-6 h ) |
Nangdala pass (5240m)-Shey Gompa-Crystal Mountain-view of Shey Shikkar and Kang Chunne-Shey Gompa |
Camp |
Nepalese |
BLD |
11 |
Shey Gompa to Namgung Gompa (4800m/6-7 h) |
Shey La Pass (5100m-Sela La (5095m-Namgung Gompa |
Camp |
Nepalese |
BLD |
12 |
Namgong Gompa to Saldang ( 3620m/ 4-5 h ) |
Visit Namgong Gompa-Namga Khola-Saldang village |
Camp |
Nepalese |
BLD |
13 |
Saldang to Day hike to Yangjer Gomba ( 4960m )-Salding ( 3620m /4 h ) |
Day excursion to Yangje Gompa -Salding |
Camp |
Nepalese |
BLD |
14 |
Saldang to Sibu ( 4560m/6-7 h ) |
Mani walls-white stupa-Namdo village-Sibu |
Camp |
Nepalese |
BLD |
15 |
Sibu to Jeng La Phedi ( 4900m/5 h) |
Jeng La Pass-beautiful meadow-Yak caravans-Jeng La Phedi |
Camp |
Nepalese |
BLD |
16 |
Jeng La Phedi to Tokyo Gaun ( 4209m/5-6 h ) |
Jeng La Pass: 5,100m-North face view of Dhaulagiri Massif-Monastrery at Tokyo |
Camp |
Nepalese |
BLD |
17 |
Tokyo Gaun to Dho Tarap ( 4040m/4 h ) |
Tokyo Gaun-Dho Tarap village |
Camp |
Nepalese |
BLD |
18 |
Rest Day and visit local families in the villages. |
Visit local families in Dho Tarap village-Bon Gompa |
Camp |
Nepalese |
BLD |
19 |
Dho Tarap to Tarap Khola ( 3800m/ 6 h ) |
Tarap Chu ( river )-Lang Khola rivers-Tarap Khola |
Camp |
Nepalese |
BLD |
20 |
Tarap Khola to Khani Gaun ( 3150m/ 4 h) |
Tarap river-Khani Gaun-local herdsmen with their Yak and Sheep |
Camp |
Nepalese |
BLD |
21 |
Khani Gaun to Tarakot ( 2537m/ 4 h) |
Lalberi village-monastery near Bheri river-Tarakot |
Camp |
Nepalese |
BLD |
22 |
Tarakot to Dunai ( 2800m/4 h)-Dunai to Jhupal ( 2500m/ 3 h ) |
Bheri river-Dunai village-Jhupal |
Camp or lodge |
Nepalese |
BLD |
23 |
Jhupal to Nepalgunj and Kathmandu ( 1300m ) |
Jhupal-Nepalgunj-Kathmandu |
Hotel |
Nepalese |
BB |
24 |
Departure for home |
Kathmandu-Tribhuvan international airport |
End the trip |
Nepalese |
B |
Inclusive
- Accommodation as mentioned in the program on twin sharing room basis
- All camping equipment except sleeping bags
- Transportation by one good conditioned tourist vehcile
- All necessary paperwork and trekking permits (National Park Permit, TIMS)
- B in Kathmandu and fullboard during the trek
- All entry fees to the sites and monasteries during your Neapl trekking tour
- One good local English speaking guide
- Porter service (2 trekkers: 1 porter) or pack yak and Yak for Dolpo trek
- Staff costs including their salary, insurance, equipment, domestic airfare, food and accommodation
- Camping fee
- Medical kit (carried by your trek leader)
- All government and local taxes
Exclusive
- International flight
- Lunch and dinner in Kathmandu
- Nepal visa fee
- All kinds of insurance such as personal insurance, evacuation and medical insurance
- Personal and medical evacuation insurance
- Any extra cost in the event of landslides and personal nature expenses need to be paid by clients themselves