Upper Dolpo Trekking -23 Days

Dunai Town serves as the headquarters of Dolpa District. Leaving Dunai, you’ll commence the first day of the trek. Begin climbing upstream along the Bheri River. Cross a suspension bridge and walk past a local hospital to enter Thulo Bheri Valley. The trail continues along the ridge at 2499m, overlooking the beautiful view of Kagmara Peak. Walk past walnut groves at Dhera and cross numerous cattle sheds towards Rahagaun, a Thakuri village. Continue walking past the canyon and deep ravines towards Ankhe. Overnight in Ankhe.

Leaving Ankhe village, the trail climbs almost 444 meters in altitude to reach Renje village. Renje lies at 3104 meters inside Phoksundo Khola Valley. You may have to cross numerous suspension bridges over the Thulo Bheri River and trek through rugged and exposed ridges. Upon arrival in Phoksundo River Valley, you’ll continue trekking uphill towards Renje. Overnight in Renje.

Leaving Renje, the trail begins to climb along the Pungmo River. The narrow trail goes past the beautiful cedar forests. A short hike brings you to Palma village. A steep ascent through dense Cedar forests brings you to Ringmo village, where you can enjoy lunch. After lunch, you’ll continue your trek and advance toward the pristine destination of Shey Phoksundo Lake.

The beautiful Phoksundo Lake is an oligotrophic, alpine freshwater lake. Also known as the deepest lake in Nepal, Phoksundo supports the local ecosystem. You may witness high ridges and dense forests around the lake. Spend the rest of the day relaxing inside your tent. Overnight at Phoksundo Lake.

Today, you’ll explore the beautiful lake and the surrounding areas. Embark on a short hike to the charming village of Ringmo, where you’ll witness the ancient Tibetan-Buddhist Monastery. The hundreds of years old Monastery boasts rich architecture influenced by Tibetan monasteries. You’ll also get the chance to witness the local customs, culture, and lifestyle.

Locals in the village depend on animal rearing, farming, and preparing handicrafts. You’ll retrace your path and head back to the lake, where you can explore the surrounding Buddhist Chortens. Overnight at Phoksundo Lake.

Enjoy breakfast, then embark on an uphill trek to your next destination. The trail leaves Phoksundo Lake and begins climbing towards the contours on a rocky ledge. Catch the last of Phoksundo Lake as you climb through the remote terrain. The rigorous climb takes you to the westernmost edge of the lake and goes through a lush meadow.

The trail gradually advances towards the Phoksundo Khola or Phoksundo River. A short hike along the river brings you to the campsite. Overnight in Phoksundo Khola.

Leaving Phoksundo Khola, you’ll begin climbing for a few hours along the trail en route to a glacial valley. The trail turns north towards the confluence of Phoksundo Khola and another massive river. Cross the old wooden bridge and continue walking north-east through the sheep meadow.

You’ll climb into a deep ravine and cross into another valley overlooking the beautiful Kang La pass. Today, you’ll camp at Phoksundo Bhanjyang, overlooking the beautiful Chamlang Peak (6739m) and Peak 7 (6105m). Overnight in Phoksundo Bhanjyang.

Leaving Phoksundo Bhanjyang, you’ll continue along the remote trail toward the fabled Shey Gompa at Crystal Mountain’s base. The local quartz-like peak remains the most sacred peak for Dolpalis. The locals refer to it as the Kailash. The trail climbs through the slated path towards the high pass of Kang La. Catch the magnificent view of the snow-capped peaks of Shey Shikhar and Kang Chunne.

The trail drops towards the valley, leading through a steep, rough climb to a crest towards the Tar Valley. Walk past Tsakang, the 800-year-old Buddhist Monastery, en route to the ancient Mani walls. Walk past the Mani walls to reach Shey Gompa Monastery. Overnight in Shey Gompa.

Spend the day hiking around the beautiful village and witness the traces of the Bon-Po Religion. You may also witness Tibetan-styled villages surrounded by juniper and larch forests. A short hike brings you to Shey Gompa, built in 1655 in reverence to the Sakyamuni Buddha. You may find the statues of Padmasambhava Guru Rinpoche, Sakyamuni, and Milarepa. Just beside the majestic Gompa lies the Crystal Mountain. You can later head towards Tsakang Monastery. Overnight in Shey Gompa.

Wake up to the beautiful view of Crystal Mountain. After enjoying breakfast, you’ll begin trekking through equally beautiful juniper trees toward a grey, stony canyon. Walk past numerous bare-rock and coarse terrain towards the high pass of Saldang La. From here, you’ll begin climbing downhill along with the herds of Yak and Sheep towards the Yak pastures. The day ends at Namduna Gaun, home to the Namgung Monastery. You can consider visiting the beautiful red-stone Monastery in the evening or the following day. Overnight in Namduna.

The day begins with a scenic tour of Namgung Monastery. Enjoy seeing the rich architecture of the Monastery and meet the local monks. After breakfast, you’ll climb the steep slope and walk into the dusty, barren mountains. The steep trail goes for almost 3 hours. Once at the top of the ridge, you can catch the delightful sight of Saldang Village awaiting you.

Climb the high ridge towards Nagma Khola stream and begin trekking towards Saldang. Despite its remoteness, Saldang is the largest village in the Upper Dolpo Region. The entire region consists of five different villages with over six hundred people. Overnight in Saldang.

Leaving Saldang, the trail begins to climb north along the Nagaon Khola or Nagaon River. The trail advances through wild and barren terrain and continues through numerous zigzag trails en route to Marang. Walk past Marang and Ki villages to arrive at the tributary of the Panzang River. The trail continues upstream along the Panzang River, heading east towards Yangze Gompa, an old Bon-Po Monastery. You’ll spend the night camping at Yangze Gompa. Overnight in Yangze Gompa.

Leaving Yangze, you’ll retrace your path and climb downhill towards Saldang village. The short trail saves time and opens access to the trail leading towards Sibu village. Continue walking along the river and trek past terraced fields, Stupas, Chortens, and Mani Wall towards Chaiba monastery. The trail drops towards Namdo village, just beside Nam Khong Khola. A short trek along the Nam Khong Khola brings you to the tiny hamlet of Sibu. Overnight in Sibu.

Leaving Sibu, you’ll continue walking upstream along the Nam Khong Khola. The trail advances alongside Yak caravans towards the Tibetan border. Turn east and continue trekking towards the confluence of two small streams. The final section of the trail goes past a steep climb towards Yak pasture just below Jeng La Pass (4900m). Overnight in Jeng La Phedi

After the early morning breakfast, you’ll embark on the steep climb of Jeng La Pass (4900m). It may take almost two hours to reach the top of Jeng La Pass, from where you can catch the majestic sight of the north face of the Dhaulagiri massif. The trail begins to climb through a rough trail towards Tarap Valley, just beside the massive Tarap Chu River. A short trek brings you to Tokyu village beside Tarap Chu River. Overnight in Tokyu.

Leaving Tokyu, the trail begins to climb downhill towards a plain valley surrounded by grass meadows. The trail continues along the Tarap Chu River and goes through marshy land. You’ll continue trekking through the remote marshland towards the small settlement of Dho Tarap. The entire trek may last almost 5 hours. Overnight in Dho Tarap.

Leaving Dho Tarap, the trail begins to descend towards a wide valley and leads into the gorges. Continue trekking along with the lush juniper and wild rose bushes. You may witness the rare sight of the herds of blue sheep climbing the nearby cliffs. After a lengthy descent, you’ll arrive at the confluence of Tarap Chu and Lang Khola. You’ll continue trekking towards the village of Serkam. Overnight in Serkam.

Leaving Serkam, the trail continues along the Tarap Khola and begins to climb down south. You’ll continue walking past deep gorges. There are no villages in sight. Cross the small wooden bridges en route to Khanigaon. Overnight in Khanigaon.

Leaving Khanigaon, you’ll begin trekking downhill through the lush forests towards Lalberi. As you begin descending, the lush forests, terraced fields, and small settlements begin to appear often. A short downhill hike brings you to Tarakot. Upon arrival, you can enjoy your lunch and then embark on a short hike towards Sandul Gompa at the juncture of Barbung Khola and Tarap Chu. You’ll spend the night in a camp just beside the Tarap Chu River, about 150 meters below Tarakot village. Overnight in Tarakot.

By leaving Tarakot, you’ll begin trekking downstream along the massive Bheri River and cross a wooden bridge at Lawan to arrive at Bays Gadi. The trail continues west and goes past easy trail just beside the Bheri River towards Lochakkhola Gaon. A short ascent brings you to Dunai Town. Overnight in Dunai.

Leaving Dunai, you’ll embark on a local commute and begin driving along the Bheri River, enjoying the beautiful landscape. You’ll drive past Dhupi Chaur and Rupgad villages to reach Kalagauda village. After a brief rest, you’ll continue driving past Motipur village to arrive at Juphal. Overnight in Juphal.

Catch an early morning flight from Juphal to Nepalgunj. A scenic trans-Himalayan flight offers an equally spectacular view of beautiful mountains. Catch the pristine snow-capped peak of Dhaulagiri as you fly towards Nepalgunj. Upon arrival, you’ll enjoy breakfast and embark on a connecting flight back to Kathmandu. Upon arrival, you can choose to rest in the hotel or head out to explore the beautiful city.