Upper Dolpo Trek - 28 Days

When you arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, you will be received and transferred to your hotel by our representatives. Located in the centre of Nepal, Kathmandu is the lively capital where ancient tradition and modern urban dwellings flourish. After checking in, you can use the time for refreshing and also feel the pulse of this historic city.

In the evening, you can take a stroll through the busy streets of Thamel, famed for its souvenir shops, cosy restaurants, and cafes, another excellent area for preparation for the adventure by ensuring what is needed for the trek ahead.

The second day of the Upper Dolpo Trek 28 Days is the day for cultural and historical exploration within the valleys of such historical places in the UNESCO World Heritage site, Kathmandu. You can start with the Swayambhunath Stupa, also known as the Monkey Temple, from which the whole city is easily seen. Then you will pay a visit to the holy Pashupatinath Temple, the holiest Hindu temple. After that, you will end your sightseeing activities with a visit to Boudhanath Stupa, one of the largest Buddhist stupas in the world.

In the evening, you will meet your guide and attend a pre-trek briefing to finalize your gear and get your permits. Overnight at a hotel in Kathmandu.

Today is the first step for the Upper Dolpo Trek: a flight from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj, a beautiful city in the Terai region near the Indian border. This flight slowly transforms the dramatic Himalayan skyline into a sprawling green plain, showing all of Nepal’s varieties of terrain. You will experience the warm and humid lowland climate upon arrival.

Thereafter, you can spend your time on a tour to the gregarious marketplaces in Nepalgunj, amalgamating Nepali and Indian lifestyles. You may delight in trying some of these local snacks, meet and communicate with people, and then take ample rest for today to prepare for tomorrow morning’s tour to the Himalayas.

Starting very early in the morning, a flight will take you for 45 minutes to Jhuphal, the doorway to Dolpo. Quite a lot of distance will be covered in this very short but exciting journey: rolling hills, deep valleys, and snow-capped mountains all surround you. There, you meet your trekking team and begin the trek. 

The first 2 or 3 hours trek takes you from hilly, terraced fields to the junction of the Bheri River and Dunai, the administrative headquarters of Dolpo. This is a very lively town where you get a feel of the traditional form of life in the region. Overnight stay at Dunai in a local tea house.

Today, you will trek through green forests below with the course of the Bheri River. You follow a trail between climbs and descents over 5 or 6 hours, presenting some interesting challenges in scenery and sound. 

Upon passing through small villages and farms, you feel the sound of water flowing along the way. Ankhe is a small settlement and a gateway to the Shey Phoksundo National Park. Here, you will stay at a tea house, preparing for the deep wilderness of Dolpo.

The sixth day of the Upper Dolpo Trek takes you from Ankhe to Sulighat. Today’s 5 to 6-hour trek across narrow paths carved out of hilly trails and penetrating deep into thick forests. On the way, you will be greeted by some waterfalls and wooden bridges providing the vibes of splendid views.

Sulighat, an ideal place where two rivers meet with a calm flow is a place where you will stay overnight. It is rich in biodiversity and is a good place to witness local flora and fauna.

Today’s hike will take you to one of the most popular places in Nepal, Phoksundo Lake. The trek leads through a beautiful scenic landscape and moves past the beautiful village of Ringmo, where the traditional Tibetan culture flourishes. All around this area, the prayer flags and chortens add to giving this journey a holy touch.

As you approach the Lake, its turquoise waters seem to swallow with their dramatic cliffs. Phoksundo Lake, revered by borrowers and Bon practitioners, hides its natural beauty in Shey Phoksundo National Park. Tonight you will stay overnight at a tea house located just in front of the beautiful Lake.

The eighth day of the Upper Dolpo Trek 28 Days is set for acclimatization and rest. You can spend a full day acclimatizing to high altitudes while visiting the Phoksundo surroundings. In the meantime, you can take the time to visit Tshowa (Bon Monastery), situated on a ridge above the lake, to better understand the Bon religion and its ancient practices. 

Shey Phoksundo is the deepest lake in Nepal and its blue water attracts you for sure more than anyone. Here, you can generally relax and enjoy the peace-filled surroundings. The stillness of the lake and the lofty cliffs around compose a peaceful atmosphere favourable for reflection and preparation for the tough days to come.

Today’s hike will take you along the western edge of Phoksundo Lak towards Phoksundo Khola. It is a thrilling 4 to 5 hours of travel along a narrow trail whose cliffs hug the faint but amazing views of the turquoise lake sprinkled below. 

Descending through alpine forests and rocky cliffs, you will reach the valley of the quiet river Phoksundo Khola, surrounded by pristine nature. It is the ideal place to spend the night, basking in the tranquillity of the wilderness of Dolpo.

Today’s hike will take you about 6 to 7 hours while you continue ascending the Phoksundo Khola valley. The trek gets rugged sometimes you have to cross small streams and navigate through glacial moraines. The uphill gradient is also smoother but with a solid steady climb surrounded by dramatic alpine landscapes and snow piles on the peaks.

You will reach the camp called Phoksundo Bhanjyang, found in a very remote and quiet glacial valley. This campsite, preparing you for the crossing of the Kang-La pass tomorrow, also gives you a panoramic view of the rugged terrains. Overnight stay at Phoksundo Bhanjyang.

Today’s journey starts pretty early in the morning, and there’s a tough climb up to Kang-La Pass, which takes about 3-4 hours. From the pass, the side view is just beyond comparison in the dense, rugged mountains and wide, untouched vast landscapes of Dolpo. It’s one of the best sections of the trek-the sense of achievement being at such a high altitude of over 5,000 meters. 

From the pass, a steep descent leads towards the mystical Shey Gompa-here an 800-year-old monastery revered as the ‘Crystal Monastery’. Below the magical Crystal Mountain, this gompa, besides being an important pilgrimage site for Tibetan Buddhists and Bon practitioners, radiates a very peaceful and spiritual aura.

On the twelfth day, you will acclimatize and delve into the Shey Gompa area and adjust to high altitude. Super-fine architecture and complexity make this monastery a peek into the spiritual tradition of the area. You can learn about all the different stories attached to the locals about Crystal Mountain, from the believers to where they regard it as sacred.

You can take short walks around nearby areas to enjoy beautiful scenery. Shey Gompa is peaceful and has a spiritual touch that makes it an extraordinary resting point in this journey.

Today’s journey will trace the trail from Shey Gompa to Namduna Gaun. Crossing the Saldang La Pass up today leads to wide views of the dry, barren landscapes of the Upper Dolpo. This 6-7 hour trek is quite strenuous, owing course, as the trail opens up to show the rugged beauty of the high Himalayas.

From the pass, you will descend to Namduna Gaun, a small and traditional village. Here, visit the Namgung Monastery, which is built into the cliff. This remote settlement is witness to the struggle of the Dolpo people, living hand in hand with mother nature, giving an insight into the spirituality embedded in their lives.

The distance from Namduna to Saldang is a 4-5 hour walk across empty hills and great openness. The descent is gradual, with the sight of occasional yak pasturelands and the sight of prayer flags twisting and flapping in the wind. The bare beauty of the land is incredibly striking, and wide views continue well beyond the horizon.

Among the larger villages in Upper Dolpo, Saldang is the largest. It is situated on a plateau, giving one a perspective on the age-old lifestyles of the Dolpo-pa people. This is also a trading village and gives one the opportunity to meet people and experience their hospitality up close. Overnight stay at Saldang.

It takes about four or five hours of trekking along a trail that leads to a high-altitude desert landscape at Yangze Gompa. Small chortens and mani walls dot the path, infusing the otherwise barren terrain with a spiritual touch. The trek offers opportunities to glimpse wildlife, such as the snow leopard, Himalayan blue sheep, and others.

Yangze Gompa is a secluded, ancient monastery of great cultural and religious importance. You will spend the evening in this remote place to discover more about the spiritual ways that have remained unchanged for centuries.

Between Yangze Gompa and Sibu, a journey today will take about 6 to 7 hours through narrow gorges and wide-open plains, with glorious views of the mountains and valleys. This trek is indicative of how isolated this region is, showing very few signs of modern civilization.

The camp site at Sibu is indeed a tranquil site whose dramatic landscape-the place does not have much activity, being as it is untouched perfection for rest and getting ready for the events that are to unfold ahead.

Today, you will hike from Sibu to Jeng-La Phedi. Most of the trek toward the place has been well defined, taking roughly 5 to 6 hours from the initial camp and performing gradual ascent through rugged trails. It is quite difficult in some places due to high altitude, yet the view-alp view with snow-covered peaks and vast landscapes are greater.

It is at the base of Jeng-La Pass Jeng-La Phedi, where you can rest before tomorrow’s high run. It offers views of tall mountains and big open skies all around it, showing the raw beauty that is Upper Dolpo.

On the eighteenth day of the Upper Dolpo Trek, you will make an early start. This early trek will take up to Jeng-La Pass – the ascent may be steep, but it’s not by any means bad, and the views from the pass itself are beyond description-it is truly phenomenal. The panoramas of Dhaulagiri and various other Himalayan peaks are among the best sights throughout the trek.

The descent leads down to Tokyu Gaon, which is a lovely village just surrounded by terraces. This place is one of the most elevated settlements in the world and shows how the Dolpo region is involved in its agriculture.

Trek to Dho Tarap is a really easy trek: 4-5 hours walk through broad trails. Here, the scenery turns into a landscape of dry land with meadows decorated with yak grazing. The trail also used to be adorned with small chortens and mani walls, showing the spiritual riches of the place.

Dho Tarap is an enchanting village among the high mountains and will be the abode of both Buddhist and Bon monasteries. One of the most exciting things about the area is this cultural mix between the two spiritualities, officially making Dho Tarap a very culturally interesting place to visit.

Today, you will camp at Dho Tarap for acclimatization. In the meantime, you can take the exploration of the village and a visit to Ribo Bumpa Monastery and Bon Monastery, which offer experiences of the ancient traditions of the local people. Villagers and their warm hearts are open to relating their customs and way of life. You can enjoy short walks around the village and absorb beautiful views of surrounding peaks and valleys.

The trek to Tarap Khola takes you on a trail that gradually descends through the Tarap Valley for around 6-7 hours. The track takes you through a gorge where there are steep, towering cliffs on both edges, pretty enough to make a dramatic landscape. On the whole trek, you will find small settlements and terraced fields that make a foil to the wilderness.

Tarap Khola, popularly known as Kamakharka, is a very serene riverside camping site because all sides are covered with giant mountains and with the slow flow of the river, this could be a good place to sit after a long trekking day.

The hike today is a walking distance of 4-5 hours along the river, where the trail alternates from a steady up and down. The lower altitude is greener; more vegetation is present, while the occasional view of wildlife is offered.

Khanigaon is a small, beautiful hill town that holds unbelievably sweet and busy folks and traditional houses. You will spend a night there; it’s worth every penny. You can explore some of those corners and connect with the locals to learn about their culture and unique lifestyle.

Walking to Tarakot is approximately 4 to 5 hours of hiking through lush and terraced lands. That way, you come closer to the Bheri River, which has bright-coloured wildflowers dotting the pathway. The scenery starts getting more attractive when nearing Tarakot.

This historical village was once famous as a fortress town and trading post. It has the ruins of old walls, which blend well with the colourful culture of its people and transforms it into a place of interest for exploration. Tonight, you will relax beside the river and enjoy the peace of the village.

The trek from Tarakot to Dunai is around 5 to 6 hours of journey, skirting the well-trodden path along the Bheri River. The track offers stunning views of hills and forests, and even encounters locals in between carrying things to nearby villages. Here comes Dunai, the capital of the Dolpo District, into which you again enter into resonance with vibrancy. Overnight stay at a tea house in Dubai, enjoying the traditional Nepali cuisine.

On the 25th day of trekking, you will walk only 2-3 hours of distance from Dunai to Jhuphal. The trail runs through terraced fields and small villages and promises a last glimpse of the beauty and simplicity of life in the mountains. As you arrive at Jhupal, you will have an overwhelming feeling of accomplishment which comes with having finished one of Nepal’s most challenging and rewarding treks.

The rest of the day is for exploring around in Jhuphal, remembering the adventurous experience in preparation for the return to Kathmandu. Overnight stay at a tea house.

Today, an early flight goes out of Jhuphal, connecting to Nepalgunj and, thus, Kathmandu. The high-flying views of mountains and hills will remind you, in picture-perfect beauty, of the majestic landscapes you have travelled over the past weeks.

Back in Kathmandu, you will check into your hotel, leaving the rest of the day open to relax. Overnight stay at a hotel in Kathmandu.

Day 27 of the Upper Dolpo Trek is free. You can take this day as a leisure day or to get familiar with more cultural treasures of Kathmandu: visit Patan Durbar Square or Bhaktapur Durbar Square, both listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites. Remember to buy some souvenirs, whether they be handmade crafts, trekking gear, or prayer flags, to take home to remember your journey. 

That evening, you will go to a farewell dinner with the rest of your trekking team members while celebrating their great accomplishments and reminiscing about the unforgettable experience of the Upper Dolpo Trek.

You will take a final trip to Tribhuvan International Airport for your last departure from Nepal. Our representative will escort you to the airport, from where you will fly back home. The memories of cultural richness and singular experiences of the Upper Dolpo Trek will stay forever with you.