Upper Dolpo Trek: 27 Days Itinerary and Cost Considerations - 27 Days

Upon arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu, a representative from Himalayan Trekkers will greet you and escort you to the designated hotel.
After a brief rest at the hotel, you will be introduced to your trekking guides and the team of the company at our office. Later, we will be heading to an authentic Nepali restaurant for the welcome dinner hosted by Himalayan Trekkers. 

Note: If your arrival time is scheduled before noon, we will have half-day sightseeing of Kathmandu where you will be driven to Boudhanath Stupa, one of the most important Buddhist sites first, and then to Pashupatinath Temple, one of the most important Hindi sites in the world which is a 15-minute drive from Boudha. 

We will spend a relaxing time in the peaceful environment of Boudhanath, make a kora (circumambulation) around the giant white dome, probably feed the pigeons there, and light the butter lamp. We will click some photographs, watch the pilgrims doing their events, and probably have a cup of coffee at one of the rooftop restaurants there from where we will observe the stupa clearly and the sunset. 

We then exit from the gate, hop on the vehicle and drive straight to Pashupatinath Temple to observe the evening aarti ceremony. Opposite the event location is the open cremation ceremony area. We observe these ceremonies, stroll around the surroundings, and return to the hotel. 

After a warm and delicious breakfast, we will start our guided sightseeing of a few of the most important historical landmarks of the city. We will visit the famous monkey temple, Swoyambhunath, and the historic royal palace named Kathmandu Durbar Square inside Kathmandu city. If Boudhanath Stupa and Pashupatinath Temple were visited on a previous day, we will skip them today. Instead, we will visit Bhaktapur Durbar Square and Patan Durbar Square located in the other two cities of Kathmandu Valley. All these locations are listed as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. 

Swoyambhunath Stupa/Temple is one of the oldest pilgrimage sites in the country that has a history related to the formation of the Kathmandu Valley. It lies on a hilltop that offers a wonderful view of the Kathmandu Valley and the surrounding hills. It is filled with monkeys so it has a nickname called ‘monkey temple’. 

Kathmandu Durbar Square, Bhaktapur Durbar Square, and Patan Durbar Square are all three durbar squares in the valley that were former royal palaces of the former kings that are now turned into museums. All these three durbar square complexes have similar yet distinct arts and architecture that are inspired by Newari culture. Each durbar square is loved by historians and cultural enthusiasts and each of them is a must-visit place in the valley. 
After sightseeing, we will head to the office and have a short briefing regarding the Upper Dolpo trek. If you want to purchase or rent some personal gear for trekking, and favorite snacks, this is the right time as these things will be hard to find on the trail. 

Today, we will board an hour-long flight from Kathmandu Airport to Nepalgunj. Nepalgunj is an interesting town near the Nepal-India border located in the Western Terai of Nepal. Upon arrival in Nepalgunj, we will check-in at the hotel and take a short rest. At the noon, you can visit the local market, and nearby villages, interact with locals and get to know their lifestyle. We will also visit the Mahendra Park and mini-zoo here.  Overnight in Nepalgunj. 

Shortly after breakfast, we will fly to Juphal where we will meet our trekking staff and begin our walking adventure. The trail is not challenging because it is the start of the trek. We trek comfortably for 45 minutes and reach a place named Kalagauda from where will have 2-3 hours of hiking through the lush terraced fields along the Thulo Bheri River to reach Dunai, our destination for the day. 

Dunai is the administrative center of the Dolpa district. Government and private schools, colleges, government offices, and a police checkpoint are all located here. Once we reach Dunai, we set up our camps and have a brief rest. If the time permits, we may hike up to Bon Gumba/monastery for a panoramic view of Dunai and the surrounding settlements.
Overnight at tented camp at Dunai.

Leaving Dunai behind, we will cross a suspension bridge and move west towards the Thulo Bheri Valley, and further walk until we enter Phoksundo River Valley. Our walk is accompanied by the mesmerizing view of Kagmara Peak. We pass through a small settlement namely Hanke which is the gateway to Shey Phoksundo National Park. Our walk continues to Parela, and Rahagaon finally reaches today’s destination, Ankhe. These three names of villages are a literal translation of eyelashes, eyebrows, and eyes respectively in Nepali. We set our camp, eat delicious dinner prepared by the team, and spend the night at Ankhe. 

Today’s walk is full of ascents and descents which could be tiresome. However, the trail also offers several streams and occasional glimpses of Himalayan ranges cooling off our tiredness. We walk past forests, passes, and a grassy slope above the river. We will then descend for some time along the river and settle Ryajik. We will present the Dolpo and Shey Phoksundo National Park trekking permits at the Silughar checkpoint. We've officially entered Shey Phoksundo National Park from here. We will set our camp for an overnight stay on the bank of the Sulighat River. 

We start early towards the confluence of the Phoksundo River and Pungmo River. Crossing the bridge there, we will walk along the western bank of the Pungmo River and enter into a cedar forest and reach a beautiful village called Palam. Our walk up to a ridge offers an amazing distant view of Phoksundo Lake and Phoksundo Jharana (waterfall) one of the highest in Nepal. Our trail makes a downward way through birch forests and reaches the upper Phoksundo Khola. Then, we enter the amazing Ringmo Village where we can see its beautifully built mud-plastered chortens and mani walls. From here, we take a short walk to the bank of Phoksundo Lake and set our camps. 

As we have reached a certain altitude where acclimatization is required, we will use this day for acclimatization purposes and rest from long continuous trekking days. After a laid-back tent breakfast prepared by our tent cooks, we will spend the day exploring the area around Phoksundo Lake and Ringmo Village. Ringmo village is a traditional Tibetan settlement with its own culture and traditions.

We will make a short hike to the Ringmo Village, and pay our visit to the Monastery named Tshowa located on the lake's edge which is believed to be from 900 years ago. We will also study the lifestyle of the locals there, and interact with them, and following that, we'll make our way down to Phoksundo Lake and explore its breathtaking surroundings. Shey Phoksundo Lake is Nepal's deepest lake.

After exploring the paradise-like places to the fullest, we will spend the evening with the crew and spend the night in the starry sky. 

Today is one of the nicest trekking days of this Dolpo Trek. After breakfast, we follow the tiny trail carved into a rocky ledge overlooking the lake. The path then makes its way through a green meadow opening up into the flood plain of Phoksundo River. Then, we walk through the valley, cross the river and descend to the bank of Shey-Phoksundo Khola and make a final ascent of the day to Sallaghari where we will set our tents in the midst of a lovely pine forest and spend the night. 

After breakfast, we will start our short trek to Phoksundo Bhanjyang which is also called Nangdala Base Camp/Kang La Base Camp. Today’s whole trek will take around 3 hours so we will have a slow and easy pace. We will start by ascending the Tuk Kyaksa River's narrow track that leads us through a glacial valley and an old wooden bridge at the confluence of the Phoksundo Khola and another mountain stream. We'll flip sides of the river multiple times. 

A long climb from the northeast of the bridge takes us to a green grassland from where we make another hard climb to another valley offering the view of Kang-La Pass. We'll trek for another two and a half hours along the canyon from there. Then we'll set up camp at Kang La/Nangdala Base Camp, which is a gigantic rock slab that offers a spectacular view of Kang-La pass, Chhamlang peak 6 (6739m), and peak 7 (6105m). 

We make a morning climb to the top of the Kang- La Pass (5151m), also known as Nangdala which offers a dramatic view of the wide and large valley, Crystal Mountain, and the U-shaped canyon leading to Shey-Gompa. Then, we walk downhill to the valley floor along a steep trail. From here, we continue along the banks of the river, re-crossing it several times. Yaks, a flock of sheep, and mountain goats could be seen grazing. A red Buddhist shrine welcomes you to Shey Gompa as you stroll through modest houses.

Shey Village is a little settlement with only a few houses and Gompa, is widely known as the spiritual core of Dolpo. The Shey Gompa or the monastery is located at the confluence of two rivers, Kangju Nala and Yeju Nala, close beneath the crystal peak. It is said to be an 800-year-old structure. 

Another well-deserving day for acclimatization and rest at Shey Village. We will spend the day walking around the Shey Village renowned for its ancient pre-Buddhist culture, the Bon Po, and visiting the Shey Gompa. The people that live in these regions are members of the Chaiba ethnic group. Prayer flags, prayer wheels, and Mani walls encircle the village. Shey Gompa is part of the Chaiba community, which includes Padmasambhava and Kagyu sect adherents. It was also the first Kagyupa monastery, with the lama Ten-szin-Ra-Pa as its founder. It is well-known for its Buddhist heritage.

We can also visit Tsakang Gompa, which is located north of Shey Gompa. It's more of a retreat than a monastery. Tsakang was previously a Tibetan meditation center frequented by many notable lamas. 

Bidding farewell to Shey Gompa Village, we follow the trail leading us towards the juniper forest before ascending to the grey stone gorge. Then, we walk through the zig-zag rocky trail making us stand at the top of Salang-La Pass(4785m). The view of the Mustang region and Tibetan mountains from this vantage point is breathtaking. From the top, we descend down enjoying the views of the landscapes and grazing cattle, and a few nomadic tents. These sights signify that we have entered the compound of Saldang village with stone houses and farm fields that extend to the Nam Khong Khola. We will visit Namgung Monastery, a red stone monastery in Namduna Gaon, and spend the remainder of the day walking around the area. 

Today, we will be walking through an old trade route to Tibet. We leave Namduna Gaon after breakfast and walk uphill on a slope from where we commence our walk along the steep hills and rocky terrain.  After a couple of hours' walk, we start to get glimpses of the Saldang Village, the largest village in the inner Dolpo surrounded by spectacular hills. It is located on a plateau high above the Nam Khong Nala River. We will have a walk around the village, interact with the locals, and taste some SuCha (salt butter tea) or Chhyang (barley beer). This community flourishes with Dolpo's ancient Buddhist and Amchi traditions. Overnight at a tented camp in Saldang Village. 

Today, we will have a side hike to Yangze Gompa (3885 m) or Yangtsher Gumpa which is located in the northern part of Saldang. Walking along the Nagon Khola on a barren windswept path, we will encounter a few ups and downs. We pass through the settlements of Marang and Ki, cross a tributary of Panzang River, and move towards the east finally reaching Yangze Gompa. It is believed to be a 1000-year-old monastery. It is also the region’s most extensive monastery, with several chortens of all sizes adding to its striking look, which is the highlight of the day's effort.

We return to Saldang after exploring the monastery and paying our respects. Or you can opt. to stay at the Gompa today and return to Saldang in the morning. 

We leave Saldang village after breakfast following the trail to the riverbed, passing various terraced farms along the way. Then we pass through Mani walls, chortens, prayer flags, and prayer wheels as we go on. Our walk goes along a river taking us to Chaiba Monastery and Namdo Village where we will pay our visits to Namdo Monastery. We continuously follow the river for a couple of hours and reach Sibu village.  Overnight at a tented camp in Sibu. 

After a hearty breakfast, we begin the day’s trek following the trail along the Nam Khong Khola’s edge and bridge a creek. We then enter the deep juniper, pine, and silver birch forests from here. After a short distance, we begin an upward ascent to the side valley. From here on out, the trails are slightly difficult. We continue walking till we reach a fork in the trail and rise to Jenga La's base via yak farms. Our camp will be set on this pleasant meadow for a night. 

We start early in the morning and start the journey to Jeng La Pass. After two hours of trek, we reach the summit of Jeng La Pass which offers a mesmerizing view of the Dhaulagiri Mastiff. After spending an ample amount of time at the vantage point admiring the magnificence, we descend via a rough trail towards a fascinating valley named Tarap Valley through a challenging route. We can see the vast plains in the high mountains extending 20 kilometers along the Tarap Chu River. 

Upon arrival at Tokyu Gaon, we will visit the Gompas and Chortens. We will spend the night near the Tokyu Monastery. 

Our morning starts quite earlier than the previous days today because we will visit the historic Tokyo Monastery before leaving the village and starting the journey for the day. The trail goes downhill on a plain valley along with the fields, Mani Walls, and Chortens. We can opt. you stop by the lovely Chaiba Gompa on the route and take a look at its surroundings. Then, we continue along the trails with more mani walls and chortens and reach the destination. Magars and few Tibetans reside in the village of Tarap and they practice both the Bon Po and Buddhist sects. We will set up our camps, rest and go to interact with the locals, explore the village, and visit the Gompas there. 
Overnight in Dho Tarap. 

The day can be spent resting and roaming around the village of Dho Tarap and it is worth it. Dho Tarap is a big village with colorful Buddhist prayer flags adorning it and numerous chortens, mani walls, and monasteries surrounding it. Beautiful wheat, buckwheat, barley, potatoes, and other green crop fields add to the village's splendor. This village is depicted in Eric Valli's popular film "Caravan," in which Karma, Thinley, and their companions set out to sell salt for barley across the high passes.
Today, we will have the option of visiting one of the monasteries in the Dho Tarap area such as Ribo Bumpa Monastery, Drakmar Dewa Monastery, Mekhyim Monastery, and Dhoro Monastery. 

Descending from Dho Tarap towards a wide valley, we enter the bushes of Juniper and wild roses. If we are lucky enough, we could encounter the herds of blue sheep on our way. By the afternoon, we will reach the junction of Tarap Chu and Lang Khola from where the Tarap River flows further east. We will set our camp at Kamakharka and spend the night. 

Today’s trek will be a thrilling and exciting experience as the valley becomes so narrow that we have to jump from one side to another. We will also walk on the man-made stone slabs fitted in between the walls where we need extra care. Our campsite beside the Tarap Khola is so pleasant and beautiful in the shade of big and long trees. 

Soon after breakfast, we leave Khanigaon and head towards the village of Lalberi. We then walk through a dense forest, move downwards into another village, follow the river and reach Tarakot. There lies the Sandul Gompa standing on a hill at a confluence of Barbung Khola and Tarap Chu. We will spend the night at our camp near the police post by the Tarap Chu River. 

Our trail goes beside the Bheri River to reach the village of Dunai. Our trek to Upper Dolpo has come to an end. Upon reaching the village, we will take a fresh break and spend our evening with some local wines, bottles of beers, or local brews. 

We leave Dunai following the Bheri River and enjoying the beautiful landscapes. We walk past Dhupichaur and Rupgad Villages and continue towards Kalagaonda and Motipur villages and reach the small airstrip in Juphal.  

We will board the earliest flight from Juphal and Nepalgunj and take another connecting flight to Kathmandu. Upon arriving in Kathmandu, you can spend the remainder of the day as per your interest. You can stroll around Thamel or other traditional markets of Ason, and Indrachowk and purchase a few unique items as a souvenir for your family and friends. In the evening, we will dine in at an authentic Nepalese restaurant where we will enjoy dinner along with a traditional event. 

The time to bid farewell to each other has come today. After breakfast, we will help you check out from the hotel and transfer you to the airport 3 hours before your scheduled flight back to your home country or onward destination.