Upper Dolpo

The morning after breakfast our city tour guide will take you on a half-day tour of places of interest around interesting old temples, monasteries, and palaces, Kathmandu is full of World Heritage Sites, and afternoon transfer to Kathmandu domestic airport for the flight to Nepalgunj with alluring views of Himalayan mountains during 50 minutes flight, on reaching Nepalgunj airport transfer to respective hotels around the city area.

Morning a short drive from the hotel to Nepalgunj airport for the connecting short scenic flight to Jhuphal which takes about 40 mins, on the flight super panorama of the Dhaulagiri mountain range, on reaching Jhuphal, our field and trekking crews will meet, and then with a short drive on the jeep track road to Dunai for overnight stop, Dunai a moderate size and a headquarter town with Government administrative of Dolpo region.

After a flight and a short drive to Dunai, the morning starts with the first day's walk by crossing a suspension bridge and then leading towards North West with a climb to the banks of Thulo Bheri Valley, after a while it leads to a ridge at Phokshumdo river valley at 2,499 meters, with magnificent views of Kagamara Peak, then walking on the path with a long downhill through several scattered houses and walnut groves near to a stream, then reaching Dhara small winter settlements of cattle herders, from here climbing to Rahagaon village inhabited mostly by Thakuri, a Hindu tribe of people of the Western Himalaya mid hills, after Rahagaon walking downhill towards a dense forest, reaching at Ankhe for overnight camp, this small place is the main entrance to Shey Phokshumdo National Park, afternoon at leisure for a short walk around this nice area.

Morning from Ankhe starts with short ups and downhill walks into the forest and then to the riverside, then climbing to a ridge leaving behind the forested area high above the river, after the ridge top descending back to the forest area to another riverbed. From here walk leads upstream then crosses a small bridge near Ryajik village, after this village walks further towards our overnight camp at Sumdu near Sulighat village with time for a short visit around this nice small village.

Today walk leads to one of the highlight of this trip to a beautiful emerald Phokshumdo lake, starting the morning walk into the valley of Phokshumdo and Pungmo Kholas (streams) confluence, after crossing the western side of Phokshumdo Khola, and then following the Pungmo Khola west bank, after a nice and pleasant rest stops, walk leads on the downhill path through birch and pine forests towards upper side of Phokshumdo Khola, and then finally reaching at Ringmo village, this is one of the interesting and attractive village with mud plastered chortens and Mani (prayer) walls, from this nice village a short walk towards the enchanting, turquoise and emerald colored Phokshumdo Lake, overnight camp near the bank of this beautiful lake.

An important and necessary rest day at Ringmo and Phokshumdo Lake for acclimatization before heading higher area, this is an ideal spot for free day around this place one take an optional walk or visit the Ringmo village and its old interesting Buddhist Monastery along with stunning views of surrounding landscapes and snow-capped mountains.

After a great and enjoyable time on this serene, emerald Phokshumdo lake area, our journey continues towards higher unto upper Dolpo region which is our final destination of this wonderful adventure and the highlights of this trip, morning walk leads contouring a rocky ledge on the river bank towards an unsteady trail, at the western rim of Phokshumdo lake then entering a summer grazing pasture opening into a flood plain of Phokshumdo Khola for our overnight camp on the bank of the river.

From this nice camp by the stream in the middle of nowhere, our walk starts on a pleasant trail towards a glacial valley leading north of Phokshumdo Khola confluence where another stream joins, then from here walking up on the long ridge slopes on the grazing land area, after a strenuous walk uphill reaching to the ridge top with views of another vast wide valley and of Kang-La pass which leads to Shey Gompa and our destination, here our overnight camp will be set on the nice wide grazing spot, this camp is christened with a name as ‘Snowfields Camp' by Peter Matthiessen in his classic novel “The Snow Leopard” .

Today trek leads to our destination at Shey Gompa and the high lights of this great wonderful journey, morning walk starts with a steep climb on the slated stone scree atop Kang-la pass at 5,360 meters, the highest spot of this trip offering grand vista of surrounding valleys and snow capped mountains and all the way views of Mt. Dhaulagiri range. After rest with beautiful scenery, walk leads downhill towards a valley floor, from here the trail meanders along the river banks, then walking on the green marsh and wet meadows, encountering herds of yaks, sheep’s, goats, nomadic huts of cattle herders, and then slowly heading towards a red chortens (Buddhist monument) this is a relief sign that the walk is complete for the day and welcoming you at Shey Gompa, our overnight camp set beneath the stunning Crystal Mountain regarded as sacred mountain as well.

A rest day after a hard walk for a week, this morning optional excursion around Shey Monastery, Shey means crystal in local language, this monastery is also known as the Crystal Monastery, which is mentioned in Peter Matthiessen novel The Snow Leopard. Crystal Mountain to the east of Shey Gomba one of the strangest mountains, as its contorted cliffs is laced with quartz and embedded with a rich variety of marine fossils.

After a wonderful enjoyable time here our journey continues with a mesmerizing moment of Shey and the Crystal Monastery, walk follows in the middle lined with juniper trees, and then descending into a canyon, the track winds up on top of Saldang-la pass, from here on the downhill path towards north direction, then reaching to an area at a pasture with yaks, sheep grazing, from here a gradual walk to our overnight stop at Namduna Gaon. This village with an old monastery of Karmapa sect of Tibetan Buddhism this is a farm village growing only one crop a year mainly barley, in some villages buckwheat, mustard, potatoes, and radish are also cultivated.

From here morning walk heads up on a scree rocky slope, along a dusty windswept country, after four hours of strenuous climb reaching at Saldang an interesting village of this area, located high above on a plateau and it is one of the largest village of inner Dolpo area. In Saldang there are five villages a flourishing village scattered around near the area, this is one of the main village not only agriculturally but also for its prime location with trade route to Tibet.

This grand classic trek leads further north on least visited area by other trekkers, then following Nang chu river most of the way on this dry arid and picturesque terrain, leading ups and downs and through Tiling and Lurigaon small cattle herders settlement then reaching to our overnight camp, at Yangze village with an old Bon-Po Monastery, Bon – Po or Pa a pre-Buddhist religion started before Buddhism came to Tibet. Buddhism started only from 6th Centaury onwards in Tibet and in the high country of Nepal.

Journey continues retracing the trail towards Saldang village as this is the most straight forward route, and as well it saves time making the walk much shorter than on the northern western trail to Siby and beyond, after criss-crossing the path reaching at Saldang village area, from here our walk follows the river into terraced fields with rows of stupas, chortens, monastery, then through Namdo another large flourishing village with more than sixty houses after visiting the monastery at Namdo, walk continues for another two hours further descending towards a river and into a temporary Sheppard’s settlement at Sibu for overnight stop.

From this campsite at the grazing pasture land, the morning walk starts following Nam Khong Khola (stream) for an hour, then coming towards yaks laden caravan on their way towards the Tibetan border for trade and bartering, as this area on the old Trans Himalayan Trade route, been trading with Tibet for hundreds of years till today, the walk continues following the same river, and then finally our route diverts heading east to the meeting point of two smaller rivers, from here walks leads on the steep uphill climb towards Jeng –la base or a bottom for an overnight camp on a nice grassy spot.

After being few days in total isolation away from the village, today’s walk leads to an interesting village at Tokyu Gaon, one of the largest village of this region, starting the morning with a steep climb for near two hours at the top of Jeng - la with panoramic views of snow capped mountains looking at the North Face of Mt. Dhaulagiri massif range of peaks, after enjoying the awesome scenery, walk leads to a long descend towards Tarap valley, which is one of the longest beautiful green valley extending near about 20 k.m. distances along the Tarap Chu River, with more than 10 villages with well tended farm fields with monasteries and chortens, then walking on a pleasant trail after completing the downhill portion to reach our overnight stop at Tokyugaon a wonderful village with an old interesting monastery, afternoon with ample time to visit the village and the monastery or just relax and interact with the locals.

Morning walk follows on the downhill path towards Tarap Chu into a wide valley, around this picturesque valley with temporary settlements of local cattle herders, the people here belongs to both Bon Po and Chaiba sects of Tibetan Buddhism (Mahayana) living together in friendly harmony. Then with a good nice walk on this beautiful valley reaching at Dho Tarap for overnight camp, afternoon with time for local visit around this interesting village which is inhabited by Tibetans origin people and mostly the Magar hill tribe.

On the long day walk but with a moderate and gradual trail with few short climbs and down hills, the morning starts with a descent into a wide valley which further narrows into a gorge. Following the path with sparse vegetation of juniper and wild rose bushes which is typical in this dry barren area of inner Himalaya climate and arctic temperate zone, around this place chances of spotting some wildlife including herds of blue sheep, after a great enjoyable walk reaching the junction of Tarap Chu and Lang Khola, flowing from Tarap River beyond east, source of the river from the glacier of North West Dhaulagiri Himalayan range of mountains. After a pleasant walk reaches a grassy field a summer pasture which is called Kamekharka, the word Khaka means shelter or shades of the Shepherds.

After a nice morning in this wonderful area, the trek leads towards the Tarap River and into a gorge, rising above from the path built on steep slopes. This narrow gorge offers some challenges and adventure as the path in some places a damaged broken bridges by river floods, and sometimes wading across the chilly river on foot, after some adventure and excitement this fine day walk reaches at Tarap- Khola near Kharigaon overnight camping.

Adventure carry’s on reaching at lower Dolpo area through Lalberi village and then back into tree lines on the trail following the river again downstream to Tarakot village, this picturesque village with nice terraced cultivated fields and an old fortress around this village- town'. (over a hundred years ago, before the Gorkha dynasty, this beauty was the capital and had Dzong meaning Fort). Tarakot village houses the famous Sandul Gompa, located at the confluence of Barbung Khola and Tarap Chum after an interesting detour and a visit to Tarakot village, walking down from the village to our overnight camp near the river just below the village close to a monastery at the edge of a grassy plateau, with an interesting solitary tree.

This wonderful journey slowly comes to an end at Jhupal, the gateway to Dolpo and many other destination on this far west region, starting this final days walk to Dunai following several scattered farm villages and cattle herders shades and huts, then leading to a gradual uphill to a valley and then with a descend to the other side on the barren treeless landscapes at Thulo Bheri valley at Dunai area, from here walking past a hospital to cross the new suspension bridge then finally reaching at Dunai town, a large town area with an administrative headquarter of Dolpo zone, to make this walk shorter and to reach Jhupal on time to check with our flight taking a jeep ride for an hour drive on the dirt rough road to Jhupal for the last and final overnight stop of this impressive journey at Jhupal with time for a short walk around this village.

Early morning, depending upon the flight time get in a small plane Dronier or Twin Otter or a similar type for a short scenic flight of 40 minutes to Nepalgunj with awesome panorama of Mt. Annapurna and Mt. Dhaulagiri range of mountains, on reaching at Nepalgunj depending upon the connecting flight to Kathmandu, with few hours of rest and refreshment at Nepalgunj, then connect the flight to Kathmandu which takes almost 50 minutes with a sweeping panorama of a mountain range from the plane, then finally concluding this fantastic journey in Kathmandu, on arrival transfer to respective hotels with afternoon free at leisure.

Sherpa Nomads reserve this day as spare in Kathmandu, on account of flight delay and cancellation in Jhupal, Dolpo due to unfavorable bad weather, if all goes well as per the itinerary one can book for another sightseeing tour or any trip for a day.

On your last day in Kathmandu as per your international flight time, our Sherpa Nomads staff will transfer you to the airport for the flight homeward bound after a lifetime experience around Upper Dolpo and in amazing Nepal with the excellent service of Sherpa Nomads.