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Upper Dolpo Trekking |
• Best season : |
Mar - Aug, Sep - Nov |
• Trekking duration : |
18 - 25 Days. |
• Trekking grade : |
D (Challenging) |
• Max. altitude : |
5,400 m. |
• Starting point : |
Nepalgunj |
• Ending point |
Nepalgunj |
• Culture |
Different Community with majority of
Tibetan, Thakalis and Brahmins |
• Mode of trekking : |
Fully Organized Camping Trekking. |
• Himalayan sights : |
Annapurna, Dhaulagiri Himalayan ranges,
Thorong Peak and Tibetan rugged mountains. |
• Highlights : |
Dolpa is the most remote and least developed
isolated corner of Nepal, The region offers
opportunities to visit ancient villages,
high passes, beautiful Lakes, isolated
Buddhist monasteries and also to experience
the vast array of wildlife inhabiting the
region, including Blue sheep, Mountain Goat,
Jackal, Wolf and the legendary Snow Leopard |
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Map of Upper Dolpo Trek Click Here. |
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Dolpa is the most remote and least developed isolated
corner of Nepal, situated in the Trans Himalayan region
of Mid- West Nepal inside the Shey- Phoksundo National
Park, behind the Dhaulagiri massif. Geographically Upper
Dolpo is a part of the Tibetan Plateau and is generally
dry, cold and sparsely vegetated which is unlike most
other parts of the Nepal Himalayas. It has fascinating
villages and is still a land of mystery, scenery and
peace. Time has stood still here for centuries as the
inhabitants of Tibetan stock continue to live, cultivate
and trade the way they have done since time immemorial.
The ecosystem encompasses a wild and wonderful variety
of plants and wildlife, including the blue sheep and
snow leopard. As the most remote and least developed
district in Nepal, this trek is reserved. for those with
a true sense of adventure.
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Itinerary in Detail |
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Day 01 : |
Arrival In Kathmandu |
Day 02 : |
Sightseeing / Cultural Day In Kathmandu
Valley |
Day 03 : |
Kathmandu - Nepalgunj |
Day 04 : |
Nepalgunj - Jumla |
Day 05 : |
Jumla – Gothi Chaur |
Day 06 : |
Gothi Chaur – Naphuknona |
Day 07 : |
Naphuknona – Bheri River Valley |
Day 08 : |
Bheri River Valley - Hurikot |
Day 09 : |
Hurikot – Garpung Khola |
Day 10 : |
We start the trek following the river
upstream. |
Day 11 : |
A big day crossing the Kagmara La (5100m).
Taking a packed lunch, follow the Right Bank
off the river for a short way until the path
becomes slightly obscure below a steep
climb. Reaching the top of this, the angle
eases off slightly and the pass is no more
than an hour and a half away. The pass is
marked in the traditional Tibetan way with
hundreds of prayer flags, and the view is
quite stunning. The short climb to the
summit of Kagmara RI (5370m) takes no more
than half an hour, but the extra view is
well worth it. The mountains of Tibet and
Mount Everest in the distance form just part
of this impressive panorama, which is
dominated by the Dhaulagiri massif and the
Annapurnas. The view to the south and west
of the Kagmara Lekh and the Kanjiroba Himal
is equally impressive. All in all a very
special spot. There is no need to leave in a
hurry, as the campsite is a mere hour below
the pass on a flat grassy clearing by the
river (3450m). |
Day 12 : |
On our 1990 reconnaissance trip, Himalayan
blue sheep and wild fox ware seen from the
camp as well s numerous birds of pray. A big
descent, over 1200 meters, leads through an
idyllic valley to the village of Pungmo.
Camp is made by the Choten the entrance to
the village. |
Day 13 : |
A rest day if you wish, but the spare day is
to give everyone the chance to visit the
important Gompa above Pungmo. There are in
fact two Gompas as we have entered a region
where both 'Bon' and 'traditional' Buddhism
are practiced. Chotens become very confusing
s one dictates an anti- clockwise passing
whilst the other clockwise. However, the
lams of both Gompas are willing to show you
around for a small donation. To reach them,
look out for a wooden bridge below the
village. Cross this to the opposite bank of
the river and follow the path up through the
pine forest past a Choten. The path becomes
quite exposed as it cuts across a cliff to
reach the sanctuary |
Day
14 : |
Today's destination is the village of Ringmo
by the beautiful Phuksumdo Tal (lake).
Keeping to the left side of the river,
descend for one hour to a military camp
(31d50m) at the junction of the Pungmo and
Phuksumdo Rivers. Turns left immediately
after the camp and follow a delightful path
by the Phuksumdo River to a grassy clearing
for lunch.
The afternoon's walk up to Ringmo is very
rewarding as huge rock walls guard the upper
valley and it is not until some prayer flags
are reached at 3800m that the lake can be
seen. Equally impressive is the huge
waterfall falling down from the Phuksumdo
River. From the prayer flags, a pleasant
half an hour's walk leads to the village of
Ringmo and camp is made on the opposite side
of the village (3700m). Crossing the bridge
in the village and turn left to reach the
lake. |
Day
15 : |
A rest day in Ringmo camped by the beautiful
clear waters of Ringmo Lake. The nearby
monastery is worth a visit. |
Day
16 : |
The final part of the trek sets out to
explore the hidden valley of Tarap, one of
the last bastions of Tibetan culture in
Nepal. An easy day involving a couple of
hours walks in the morning to a Yak grazing
pasture by the Manduwa Khola. The path
skirts along lodges hacked out of cliffs for
the Yak caravans from Dolpo. The views down
the Suli Gad and across to the Kagmara Lekh
are particularly impressive. The campsite is
in a lovely spot (3900m) below Kang Taiga
(5916m). |
Day
17 : |
Today is a very strenuous day crossing thee
Basic Bhanjyang (Bagar La) (5200m). It is
also one of the most fascination of the trek
as we cross the watershed of the main
Himalayan onto the dry Tibetan plateaus.
Following the river to begin with, the path
turns north up the first obvious side valley
and climbs steeply to the pass, which marked
by a choten and the usual prayer flags. The
views to the east and north are one of
complete contrast to those of the previous
two weeks trekking. The mountain is orange
and brown stretching out into Tibet to the
north. The pass is often windy and the
descent is party rapid to the river below
and our camp (4650m). The road to shey and
saldang is clearly etched out of the
landscape by the tracks of thousands of Yaks
that have made the journey south over the
centuries the lifeline of Dolpo. At this
point we are only three hours from the
village of Shey, but access is not
permitted. |
Day 18 : |
The Tarap Valley is today's destination and
despite the climb to the Numla La (5350m),
the walk into this beautiful and wild
Tibetan landscape is one of the highlights
of the trek. A four to five hour climb leads
to the pass and the view is indeed stunning.
Dhaulagiri I am the prominent feature, with
the rolling Tibetan hills and the Kanjiroba
Himal to the west equally impressive. For an
excellent 3600 panorama, climb the small
peak to the left of the pass. The path
descends gradually into the Tarap Valley. In
two to three hours the Champa Gompa is
passed on the left and camp is made a little
further down the valley in the first village
(4300m). |
Day 19 : |
A long day. Due to the opens of the Tarap
Valley, the sun hits the tent early, giving
a spring feel to the morning. The mornings
walk passes through the villages off Clumaga
and Kakar, both extremely interesting with
many Choten, again both Bun-Po (the ancient
pre-Buddhistic religion) and Choba (orthodox
Buddhist). There are two Gompas in Dho, Guru
Bumba (Chob) and above the village Scipcha
Gompa (Bon). Leaving Dho (a name given to
the last village but actually meaning the
upper collection of villages), the Tarap
Khola is followed for two hours, at first on
its left bank, to a bridge where lunch is
taken. This is the last flat ground for
three to four hours as the valley becomes
narrow with deep goes crossed by innumerable
small bridges. However, it is an extremely
well made path, one of the finest gorge
paths in the Himalayan, offering an
entertaining afternoon's walk. A small
campsite by a large campsite by a big cave. |
Day
20 : |
The path through the gorge continues to
impress, switching from the riverbank to way
up the cliff side on some amazing
constructions! After a long morning's walk
(look out for Musk Deer), a large clearing
by the river is reached. This is Lahini and
marks the end of the gorge. The path
Kanigaon (2700m) where we camp. |
Day 21 : |
From the check post, head east for a few
hundred yards to a well mad bridge which is
crossed to the left bank of the Barbung
Khola, into which the Trap Khola now flows.
This river is followed for three hours to
the village of Tarakot where we stop. Rest
afternoon. |
Day 22 : |
Another easy day, continuing along the
Barbung Khola through a beautiful alpine
valley to the Hindu village of Dunai. Four
hours walking. Camp by the new 'Blue Sheep
lodge'. |
Day
23 : |
The final day's walk continues along the
river to a tea shop by the side of the path
(One and a half hours) which marks the start
of the climb to the Juphal airstrip. The
path climbs steadily, passing through the
village of Juphal to the airstrip. Camp is
made outside the RNAC office. |
Day
24 : |
We take the flight to Nepalgunj, for an
afternoon's rest before flying on to
Kathmandu the following day. The views from
the lake of the Annapurnas are famous
throughout Nepal. |
Day 25 : |
Free day in Kathmandu |
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For
Further Information & Booking
CLICK HERE. |
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Picture of Upper Dolpo Trek |
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Trekking in Nepal |
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Current Tourism News |
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Nepal trekking /
travel related business was booming until 1999. After that, the
incessant conflict scared off tourists from visiting
Nepal and we are feeling the pinch of the fall in
tourist arrivals. There was a time when we recorded such
a huge flow of tourists that we used to turn back some.
As a professional Nepal tour operator we did not have sufficient
staff and equipment to handle all of them...
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