Upper Dolpo Trek

Your travel will start by first getting to Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal. After you get to the TIA, your trekking agents will receive you and then take you to your hotel on a smooth taxi/car ride.

Then, you can wear off your flight exhaustion by relaxing at your hotel.

Today after breakfast, you will have a short briefing with your crew and guides regarding the upcoming trek. You’re free to ask questions regarding anything about the trip here. Then, after the meeting ends, you’re free to explore the richness of the bustling streets of Kathmandu, visit nearby UNESCO heritage sites, do any last-minute shopping, and relax at your hotel.

Today we’ll take a short flight to Nepalgunj. As it lies in the Terai Region of Nepal, you’ll find the temperature to be slightly higher than in Kathmandu. The flight to Nepalgunj will take around 50 minutes and will be filled with sceneries of the hills and snow-peaked massifs such as Langtang, Manaslu, Annapurna, and Dhaulagiri.

Nepalgunj is a tropical city with delicious delicacies, so make sure to try some.

With a short early morning flight from Nepalgunj, we land at Jhupal. Then, after a short break, we’ll head towards Dunai passing by Kalagauda, and walking along the Thuli Bheri River.

Dunai is the district headquarters of Dolpa Region and also has some amazing locations and viewpoints. You can also trek up to certain nearby spots.

From this day onwards, your strenuous trekking to Upper Dolpo starts. Following the classic Dolpo trekking route, we’ll move across the Bheri River to reach Shulighat where we’ll register our permits and enter the Shey Phoksundo National Park.

Then, moving alongside the Phoksundo River, we will pass by dense woodlands, and villages such as Kageni, Jutung, and Shangta ultimately getting us to Chhepka.

Today, hiking along the Phoksundo River, we head towards Chunuwar after stopping by Raichi Village. Hiking through sharp ascents and descents alongside the swift Pokhshundo River, we’ll reach Raichi.

Continuing on, we reach Sulligad Dovan, where you’ll witness the captivating view of the meeting of the Phoksundo River and Yulung Khola. Thereon, after a short hike, we reach today’s destination, Chunuwar.

One of the major points of this trek will be completed today. Shey Phoksundo Lake is one of the deepest lakes in Nepal, with its turquoise color and the stunning panoramas around it, make the whole site breathtakingly beautiful.

We will start off with a steep climb up to a viewpoint holding a majestic view of a high waterfall and the first sight of the Lake. From there, we’ll continue our walk to reach Ringmo, a beautiful village.

You will spend the day adapting to the high altitude and enjoying the unbelievable Pokhsundo Lake and its natural turquoise hues. You can also walk around the village and get to certain locations.

There are also several monasteries in the region that you can visit.

From today’s trek, we enter the Upper Dolpo Region. Advancing on small tracks above the Phoksundo Lake which is truly otherworldly, then passing by lush Greenlands on a downward path we reach Sallaghari, where we’ll camp for the night.

Sallaghari is a beautiful campsite holding breathtaking vistas of surrounding landscapes, hills, small settlements, and mountains.

Moving on an uphill route following the Tuk Kyaks River, crossing over rivers, we reach an open valley, with amazing views. Thereon, walking along the canyon for a couple of more hours, we reach Nangdala Base Camp.

On the eleventh day, walking on a strenuous route uphill for about three hours will lead us to Kang La Pass which stands at a height of 5,350m. Reaching this high pass unveils incredible sceneries of pristine mountain ranges, including Annapurna II, Gangapurna, and Tilicho Peak.

Then, taking some time to enjoy the beauty of the high pass, we’ll start descending towards Shey Gompa.

Today, we take a rest day to revitalize our energy and kind of reward for our long expedition. Shey Gompa. Shey Gompa is one of the major monasteries in the Dolpo region, dwelling upon the base of Crystal Mountain.

Reaching the high Shey La Pass at 5,000m, today offers a panoramic view of several snowcapped mountains, Mustang, Tibet, and more.

Thereafter, through rugged terrain that includes boulders, and dry lands, move down to pasture lands indicating we’ve reached Namgung Village.

On the 14th day, our day commences with a challenging sharp ascending climb up to the 4700-meter pass. Thenceforth, after a quick descent we reach Saldang village, one of the biggest villages in this region. Due to the massive size of Saldang Village, it is a perfect spot for trading.

Our trek today will hike along the canyons that are surrounded by green farmlands of barley, chortens, monasteries, and mani walls on all sides. As we push for Sibu, we have to get across a small river by ourselves without any bridges. Worry not, the river is only knee-deep and it will be a fun experience.

Ultimately, continuing on this path, we reach Sibu.

Today, we will be crossing paths with our last high pass, Jeng La Pass. The journey to Jeng La Pass begins with a mild uphill climb with a beautiful view of the soaring river. As we progress to Jeng La Pass, the uphill trail will gradually increase its steepness. Atlas. After a drenched journey, we finally reached our last high pass, Jeng La Pass Base Camp.

Today, on the 17th day, we lead our way to Dho Tarap, a village inhabited by Tibetian people. It will be around a 3-hour hike from Jengla Base Camp to Dho Tarap, starting with an uphill hike which gradually comes down to a descent walk. Here on the journey, we get an explicit view of the mountain peak of Dhaulagiri and the deserted lands of Inner Dolpo.

Upon reaching Dho Tarap, we go through a downhill path along the banks of the Tarap River. We will be going through narrow canyons with a majestic view of the gushing river. Along the way, we may even stumble on wildlife like mules, horses, and Yaks. Lastly, we reach Serkam crossing re-constructed steel bridge.

Today, we lead our way through the same trails as the 18th day. Our hike will be lined with ascends and descends. As the trails is unexpected, be ready for unusual rocky boulders on your way. Trek might be hard but the beautiful view of dense forests, soaring rivers, and canyons will keep you motivated.

After a long difficult hike through slippery and unexpected terrains. Today, we will be granted a relatively easy trail that guides us to Dunai. Moving forward, we get gorgeous views of crystal-clear rivers partnered with lovely vistas of landscapes and hills

As the end of this journey is close, we’ll make our way back to Juphal today. We’ll hike following the familiar and relatively easy path, we encountered before. On the way, we’ll stop by Kala Gouda where we’ll have some refreshing meals before ending today’s journey.

Thereafter, on a short incline via rice fields, we reach Juphal.

After a hefty breakfast at Juphal, we’ll catch a flight back to Nepalgunj with an overlook of the towering massifs of the region like Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, and more. Upon arriving at Nepalgunj, depending on your scheduled flight, you can take a short break at the airport there and then get on to your flight back to Kathmandu.

As your long exhilarating upper Dolpo trek has come to an end, enjoy this day indulging yourself in the attractions of Kathmandu City. you can also visit the spots you missed last time and go shopping in the streets of Thamel.

After a farewell from your agents, you will be driven to the international airport of Kathamndu for your flight back home. With unparalleled experiences of the highlands of the Upper Dolpo Regions of Nepal, your journey comes to an end