Upper Dolpo Trek

Upon our arrival in Kathmandu, a representative from Nepal Spirit Adventure will pick us up from the airport and take us to our hotel. In the afternoon, we may take a rest or visit Nepal Spirit Adventure's head office in Kathmandu. In the evening, we will invite you a welcome dinner in a nice authentic Nepalese restaurant with folk and culture show overnight in Kathmandu.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Accommodation: 3-star Accommodation
• Location: Kathmandu
• Altitude: 1,315m/4,314ft

Today after breakfast we start a guided tour to several of the most historical and spiritual attractions in Kathmandu. Some of these landmarks are considered World Heritage Sites including the historic Durbar Square, the sacred Hindu temple of Pashupatinath, the famous 'Monkey Temple' (Swayambhunath) and Buddhist shrine (Bouddhanath), which is one of the largest stupas in the world. At noon, there will be a pre-trip discussion where we can meet our trek leader and other team members. Nepal Spirit Adventure will brief you regarding our trek as well as provide you with an opportunity to ask any questions we may have regarding our upcoming adventure overnight in Kathmandu.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Accommodation: 3-star Accommodation
• Location: Kathmandu
• Altitude: 1,315m/4,314ft

After our short excursion in Kathmandu, we take an hour-long flight from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj, located in Western Nepal. Nepalgunj, a town near the Nepal-India border, is also the gateway to Simikot, Humla. The town itself is an interesting Terai town that showcases the diverse culture of Nepal. In Nepalgunj, we visit the local market, mini-zoo and nearby villages overnight in Nepalgunj.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Accommodation: Lodge
• Location: Nepalgunj
• Altitude: 2,00m/6,57ft
• Walking Hours: 1 hours

Breakfast we fly to Jhupal. The town is beautifully located over the Himalayan foothills, with views of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri peaks to its north. Here, we meet our trekking staff and begin the adventure. We walk through terraced fields to the Bheri River and its narrow gorge. We continue walking to Dunai, which is the administrative headquarter of the Dolpo region. We explore the small town in the evening and camp there for the night.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Accommodation: Lodge
• Location: Dunai
• Altitude: 2,850m/9,350ft
• Walking Hours: 2-3 hours

After breakfast we leave Dunai and cross a suspension bridge and turn to the west following a trail past a hospital. The trail ascends up the side of the treeless, Thulo Bheri valley before entering Phoksundo river valley. During the walk we get to the view of Kagmara Peak up the valley. We pass through walnut groves, Dhera and Rahagaun villages, walk down dense jungles and finally reach Cheepka overnight in camp.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Accommodation: Lodge
• Location: Chhepka
• Altitude: 2,678m/8,786ft
• Walking Hours: 5-6 hours

Breakfast in camp then our trail ascends and descends along a wooded riverbank and climbs on a steep trail. The ups and downs can be a bit monotonous, but there are several streams along the way that offer a chance to cool off. The trail eventually leaves the forests and passes through a grassy slope high above the river. We trek downhill on a trail surrounded by lush forests before reaching a cliff followed by a dizzying drop on a wobbly stone staircase to the river bank. We continue trekking until we reach Chunuwar where we spend the night.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Accommodation: Lodge
• Location: Chunuwar
• Altitude: 3,140m/10301ft
• Walking Hours: 5-6 hours

We continue our journey along the valley floor to the confluence of the Phoksundo and Pungmo rivers. After crossing a bridge, we walk on the western bank of the Pungmo Khola. The trail passes through a cedar forest before reaching Palam village. From here we trek up to a ridge and enjoy distant views of Phoksundo Lake and a spectacular waterfall, one of the highest in Nepal. Next, our trail descends through birch forests to the upper reaches of the Phoksundo Khola, and then to the picturesque Ringmo village with its mud-plastered chortens and mani walls. From here it is a short walk to the shores of the Phoksundo Lake. Overnight at Phoksundo Lake.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Accommodation: Lodge
• Location: Phoksundo Lake
• Altitude: 3,611m/11,847 ft
• Walking Hours: 4-5 hours

Today will be a well deserved rest day for acclimatization at Phoksundo Lake. During the day we can embark on a short hike to the village of Ringmo and it’s Tibetan Buddhist Monastery. During our short walks, we also get a chance to get acquainted with the local culture. The Dolpo people wear homespun clothing that is sometimes dyed a maroon color and they favor Tibetan-style somba or dhocha (boots with upturned toes) for foot wear. Both men and women often wear religious amulets and strings of coral, amber and turquoise. Overnight at Phoksundo Lake.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Accommodation: Lodge / camp
• Location: Phoksundo Lake
• Altitude: 3,611m/11,847 ft

After breakfast, the trail moves around the top western end of the Phoksundo Lake as it contours on a rocky ledge along the lake’s western bank. This unsteady trail suspended on a gangway of wood supported on pegs driven into crevasse in the rocks, signals the remoteness of the area we are about to enter. At the westernmost edge of the lake, the path leads through a lush meadow that opens up into the flood plain of the Phoksundo Khola. Then we walk through the valley, crossing the river and avoiding the occasional boggy marsh underfoot and then coming on the bank of the river to the overnight camp.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Accommodation: Lodge / camp
• Location: Phoksundo Khola
• Altitude: 3,630m/11,909ft
• Walking Hours: 4-5 hours

For an hour or so we walk on a trail that leads us along the level path through a glacial valley which heads due north. At the confluence of the Phoksundo Khola and another mountain stream, there is an old wooden bridge. From here, we walk towards the north-east. A long climb brings us to a sheep meadow where our trail veers up a steep ravine. A hard climb to the top brings us to yet another valley where we can see the Kang-La pass. We set up our camp near the pass in a place that Peter Matthiessen christened 'Snowfields Camp'. During our trek today we also get to admire the views of Chhamlang peak 6 (6739m) and peak 7 (6105m).

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Accommodation: Lodge
• Location: Phoksundo Bhanjyang
• Altitude: 5,313m/17,431
• Walking Hours: 6-7 hours

In the morning breakfast, we ascend on a steep trail littered with slate towards the pass. The climb to the top of the pass is quite strenuous. From the top of Kang-la pass, we get excellent views of the large valley dissected by a gushing river. We descend to the valley floor on a steep trail. Next, we walk on a meandering trail along the banks of a river, crossing and re-crossing it several times. There are mud caves lining the hills overlooking the river. We also pass through meadows where we see grazing yaks, hundreds of sheep and domestic mountain goat (Chyangra). After crossing a quaint log bridge we reach the Shey Gompa compound where we will be spending the night.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Accommodation: Lodge / camp
• Location: Shey Gompa
• Altitude: 5,350m/17,553ft
• Walking Hours: 5-6 hours

Shey Gompa was built in 1655 and the monastery is noted for its giant copper with a gilded gold statue of a seated Shakyamuni Buddha. To the east of the gompa is Crystal Mountain which is one of the strangest mountains, as its contorted cliffs are laced with quartz and embedded with a rich variety of marine fossils. Today is another well-earned rest day for acclimatization. We spend the day hiking around Shey village which is famous for its ancient pre-Buddhist culture, the Bon Po. In Dolpo, the ancient Tibetan way of life combines animism with the teaching of Buddha. Overnight in Shey Gompa.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Accommodation: Lodge / camp
• Location: Shey Gompa
• Altitude: 4,343m/14,249ft

After breakfast, we begin the day by following a pleasant trail amidst juniper trees which descends into a grey, stony canyon. Then the path begins to zigzag over bare rocks and coarse eroded soil until it eventually brings us to the top of Saldang-La pass. The subsequent descent towards the north is long and tiring but grazing yaks and sheep, and nomadic tents made from yak hair is a comforting sight. In Namduna Gaun we visit the Namgung monastery. The red stone monstery is built against the backdrop of a cliff on the north wall of a gorge. Overnight in Namduna Gaun.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Accommodation: Lodge / Camp
• Location: Namduna Gaun
• Altitude: 5,095m/16,716ft
• Walking Hours: 6-7 hours

We leave the village and climb up a slope and begin a long walk along dusty barren mountains. After 3-4 hours of hard climb, we begin to see Saldang Village below us on a plateau high above the Namga Khola stream. It has a picturesque appearance. Saldang is the largest village of the inner Dolpo area. The village stretches for nearly two kilometers on an open slope and consists of five villages having about eighty well-built houses with nearly six hundred people. It is a prosperous village not only agriculturally but also for its strategic location on a trade route to Tibet. Overnight in Saldang.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Accommodation: Lodge
• Location: Saldang
• Altitude: 3,770m/ 12,368ft
• Walking Hours: 4-5 hours

After breakfast, we walk further north along the Nagaon Khola (river) on a wild and barren terrain. We begin our walk on a fairly gradual path with few ups and downs. On the way, we pass through Marang and Ki villages. Next, we cross a tributary of Panzang River and walk towards the east and cross the river again before reaching Yangze gompa which houses an old Bon-Po Monastery. Overnight in Yangze Gompa.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Accommodation: Lodge
• Location: Yangze Gompa
• Altitude: 4,960m/16,272ft
• Walking Hours: 4-5 hours

From Yangze, there are two trails that connect to Sibu. To save time we will retrace the path back towards Saldang village, which will be much easier and shorter than the other route. From Saldang we walk along a river and pass through terraced fields, stupas, chortens, heaps of mani stones and a Chaiba monastery, then pass through the Namdo village, which is also prosperous, with about sixty houses having nearly 400 inhabitants. It stretches for more than 5 km on the high slopes to the left of Nam Khong Khola. The Namdo monastery is located near the river bed. Our journey continues further down the river for another two hours to camp near a small settlement of Sibu.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Accommodation: Lodge
• Location: Sibu
• Altitude: 4,560m/14,960ft
• Walking Hours: 6-7 hours

Breakfast at the camp then we walk along the Nam Khong Khola for a while and pass by caravans with yaks that are moving towards the Tibetan border. After turning east and walking for a while, we arrive at a confluence of two small streams. Next, the steep trail ascends to a grazing area below the Jeng La pass (4,900m/16,076ft). Our camp will be set up in this beautiful meadow overnight in Jyanta la Phedi.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Accommodation: Lodge
• Location: Jyanta La Phedi
• Altitude: 4,900m/16,076ft
• Walking Hours: 5-6 hours

We get up early in the morning and set forth on today’s trek. It will take us two long hours to reach the top of the Jayanta La pass from where we get remarkable views of the north face of the Dhaulagiri massif. From here we descend on a rough trail to the Tarap Valley, a fascinating valley with vast plains in high mountains that extends twenty kilometers along the Tarap Chu river. We camp close to the monastery at Tokyu.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Accommodation: Lodge
• Location: Tokyu gaon
• Altitude: 5,520m/17,125ft
• Walking Hours: 5-6 hours

Today we trek downhill on a plain valley with patches of lush grass on both sides of the river which is completely different from other parts of inner Dolpo. There is also a marsh which is a common feature in the Desert Mountains of Tibet and the Ladakh Himalaya. Both the Bon Po and Buddhist sects are practiced in the valley. After a short trek, we reach Dho Tarap) 0vernight in Dho Tarap.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Accommodation: Lodge
• Location: Dho Tarap
• Altitude: 3,944m/12,940ft
• Walking Hours: 4-5 hours

We spend today resting and strolling in the village of Dho Tarap which is surrounded by an irregular stone wall. Our walks will help us get acquainted with the local culture of the area. At Dho, about 40 houses are divided into three clusters and built in a haphazard way inhabited by few Tibetans and mostly Magars who are a hill tribe of Nepal. While here, we can visit a Buddhist Gompa which is closest to our campsite or we could embark upon a 40-minute walk and visit a Bon Po Gompa overnight in Dho Tarap

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Accommodation: Lodge
• Location: Dho Tarap
• Altitude: 3,944m/12,940ft

From Tarap we descend towards a wide valley which eventually narrows into a gorge. We walk along with juniper and wild rose bushes just above the tree line. On our trek, we see herds of blue sheep and by the afternoon, we reach the confluence of the Tarap Chu and the Lang Khola, a stream that joins with Tarap River from further east. We will make our camp on a nice meadow also known as Kamakharka and spend the night.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Accommodation: Lodge
• Location: Kamakharka
• Altitude: 3,800m/12,467ft
• Walking Hours: 6-7 hours

After breakfast, we continue walking down the gorge of the Tarap River, at times alongside it. During our walk, we pass by the local people who will be taking their herds to lower pastures for the winter. This will be one of the most exciting days of this trip as the valley becomes so narrow in a deep gorge that in some places we can jump from one side to another. Sometimes there is no trace of a path and we may have to walk across stone slabs fitted on logs in between the walls which act as a bridge. The gorge also provides unexpected adventure and thrills. At some places, the bridges are either damaged or washed away and we may be forced to cross the icy torrent on foot. Finally, we reach our camping spot beside the Tarap Khola at Khanigaon where we spend the night.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Accommodation: Lodge
• Location: Khanigaon
• Altitude: 2,950m/9,678ft
• Walking Hours: 4-5 hours

From the camp, we follow a trail that takes us to the village of Lalberi. Our trail then passes through a lush forest, descends into another gorge and continues to follow the river again. After reaching Tarakot, we can visit Sandul Gompa which lies about 8 km east of the village at a juncture of Barbung Khola and Tarap Chu. The monastery stands on a hill to the south of Bheri River. Today we camp by the Tarap Chu river about 150 meters below Tarakot, near the police post overnight in Tarakot.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Accommodation: Lodge
• Location: Tarakot
• Altitude: 2,540m/8,333ft
• Walking Hours: 4-5 hours

We begin our trek on a trail behind the Bheri River before crossing a bridge near the Lawan village. Our trail will continue alongside the big Bheri River ascending until the Byas Gadi. From here the trail moves towards the west on a relatively easy trail. We cross the river again near the Lochakhola Gaon and ascend to Dunai for an overnight stay. Today’s trek will mostly be on a wonderful gorge with pine trees overnight in Dunai.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Accommodation: Lodge
• Location: Dunai
• Altitude: 2,140m/7,019ft
• Walking Hours: 5-6 hours

From Dunai, we trek along the Bheri River enjoying the beautiful landscape. On the way, we pass through Dhupichaur and Rupgad villages as well as a temple. We continue trekking via Kalagaonda village and Motipur village before reaching the small airstrip. Overnight in Jhuphal.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Accommodation: Lodge
• Location: Jhuphal
• Walking Hours: 2-3 hours

After breakfast morning board on a smaller aircraft for short flight to Nepalgunj, on reaching Nepalgunj, transfer to another flight back to Kathmandu with views of mountains during 50 mins flight, on reaching Kathmandu transfer to your hotel overnight in Kathmandu.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Accommodation: 3-star Accommodation
• Location: Kathmandu
• Altitude: 1,315m/4,314ft

Nepal Spirit Adventure reserves this spare and free day in Kathmandu as contingency in case of flight delay and cancellation which can occur sometimes due to bad weather condition, if all goes well according to our itinerary days, on this day you can join in our optional tour to medieval period city of Bhaktapur which is east from Kathmandu city, visit of great old palace square and temples. After a great time with an enjoyable tour of Bhaktapur, a short drive to Patan / Lalitpur means city of arts, here visit of an old palace and beautiful temples and work of art. Enjoying a lovely tour and then the day ends with a drive back to your hotel for last night dinner and celebration, after an overwhelming and memorable time around Nepal Far West on Dolpo trekking overnight in Kathmandu.

• Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
• Accommodation: 3-star Accommodation
• Location: Kathmandu
• Altitude: 1,315m/4,314ft

After wonderful memorable time on Upper Dolpo & Shey Gompa trekking with grand service of Nepal Spirit Adventure, as per the flight time transfer to the international air terminal for your departure towards homeward bound or to next respective countries.

• Meals: Breakfast