28-Day Upper Dolpo Trek from Kathmandu with Shey Gompa and Phoksundo

28 Days Duration

Experiences

About This Tour

Embark on a 28-day Upper Dolpo Trek from Kathmandu into Nepal's remote and restricted Dolpo region. Discover breathtaking Phoksundo Lake, the sacred Shey Gompa,...

Duration: 28 Days · Tour type: Private · Activity level: Hard · Accommodation: Included · Premium · Transport: Included · Wheelchair access: No · Cities: Nepalganj, Kathmandu, Phoksundo Lake, Shey Phoksundo National Park · Languages: English

Know before you go: Sometimes flights may face hassle to/from Juphal.

About Nepalganj

Nepal

Nepalganj

One of Nepal’s few lowland cities, Nepalganj is a lively town of Indian undercurrents that’s home to the Bengal tiger populations of Bardia National Park. Discover it all with help from a local guide.

Explore Nepalganj Nepal All destinations

What's Included

Airport pick-up and drop-off by private coach/van
Accommodation in Kathmandu in a 4-star hotel or similar for 3 nights with breakfast
Pashupatinath, Boudhanath, Kathmandu Durbar Square, and Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple) sightseeing with city guide and all entrance fees
Nepalgunj airport transfers
Nepalgunj hotel for one night with full board meals
Kathmandu-Nepalgunj flights with required taxes, including return
Nepalgunj-Juphal flights with required taxes, including return
Guide airfare to Nepalgunj from Kathmandu, including return
Guide and cook flights to Juphal from Nepalgunj, including return
Kathmandu to Nepalgunj transfer expenses for trekking food and necessary camping utensils
Cargo
Required mules
Meals from the camping kitchen prepared by a highly experienced trekking cook: breakfast, lunch, and dinner with tea, coffee, and hot water
Kitchen, dining, toilet, and sleeping tents, mattress, and cooking utensils
Lower Dolpo and Upper Dolpo special permits, Phoksundo National Park fee, and TIMS card fee
Camping charges made by the local community
Rain protection duffel bag for luggage
Accommodation as mentioned in the program
First aid kit (it is better to have your own as well)
All staff salaries, insurance, food, and accommodation
Farewell dinner in Kathmandu at the end of the trip

Not Included

International airfare
Nepal visa
Helicopter charter to/from Juphal in case of flight cancellation due to bad weather
Extra nights at a hotel in Nepalgunj due to flight cancellation caused by bad weather
Alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, and bottled mineral water
Meals in Kathmandu (lunch and dinner)
Restaurant food bills during camping if not included in the plan
Any personal medical or evacuation expenses; we strongly recommend international travel insurance
Excess baggage (15 kg allowed free of cost, including handbag)
Additional porter for a personal day backpack
Horse riding during the trek
Expenses related to political disturbances or blockades
Extra costs arising from natural disasters
Any other expenses not mentioned in the included costs
Tips for staff and drivers

Itinerary

1

Day 01

Arrival in Kathmandu

We will pick you up and transfer you to your hotel by private vehicle. Overnight at hotel.
2

Day 02

Permit Preparation in Kathmandu

This day is for issuing the necessary permits. You will need to show your original passport to immigration to obtain the special permit for Dolpo.
3

Day 03

Fly from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj

Fly to Nepalgunj, which takes about 45 minutes. Overnight at hotel.
4

Day 04

Fly to Juphal and Trek to Sulighat

This is the first walking day of the Dolpo trek. After flying to Juphal, begin trekking past villages and along the bank of the Thuli Bheri River valley, with awesome scenery all around. Trek for about 4 hours. Overnight in a tented camp.
5

Day 05

Trek to Chepka

After breakfast, begin your trek to Chepka. You will walk through villages and follow the river, and this is also the day you enter Shey Phoksundo National Park. There will be a lunch break on the way. The trek takes about 6 hours. Overnight in a tented camp.
6

Day 06

Trek to Amchi Hospital

As on the previous day, start trekking after breakfast with enough drinking water from the camping kitchen. Do not be afraid of the steep climb through some narrow cliff-facing sections. The trail offers scenic and panoramic views that make the effort worthwhile, even when the walking feels demanding. It takes about 6 to 7 hours. Overnight in a tented camp.
7

Day 07

Trek to Ringmo Gaon and Phoksundo Lake

This is a special day of the Dolpo trek because you are heading to Phoksundo Lake. This fresh alpine Himalayan lake is one of Nepal's deepest lakes at 145 m. It lies near the beautiful Himalayan village of Ringmo in remote Nepal. The walk takes about 7 hours. Overnight in a tented camp.
8

Day 08

Rest Day in Ringmo

This is a rest day, and you may take a bath or shower and wash your clothes. Spend your free time exploring Ringmo village, a picturesque settlement where you will visit the monastery, chorten, and mani walls. According to the history of the village and monastery, the entrance gate was built long ago, and the place is believed to hold a history of three hundred to five hundred years. Overnight in a tented camp.
9

Day 09

Trek to Forest Camp or Salle Khola

This is another special day because you will enter Upper Dolpo, a restricted and controlled region of Nepal. The trail leads along the bank of Phoksundo Lake, and the campsite will be a little farther on from the forest camp. Walking time is approximately 7 hours. Overnight in a tented camp.
10

Day 10

Trek to Kang La High Camp

You are now in the high Himalayan region, and the walking day will be shorter. The trail follows the Yaksa River to a place where you will have lunch and also spend the night. The campsite is Kang La High Camp, also known as Kang La Base Camp. Walking time is about 5 hours. Overnight in a tented camp.
11

Day 11

Cross Kang La Pass to Shey Gumba

Be prepared with good fitness, some dry food, and enough drinking water. The landscape of this region is truly remarkable. You will carry a packed lunch for the day. It is another fabulous day, with views of Shey Monastery and Crystal Mountain, a sacred peak in Dolpo. Pilgrims circumambulate this mountain each July or August during the full moon period. Walking time is approximately 7 hours. Overnight in a tented camp.
12

Day 12

Rest Day at Shey Monastery

This day is for visiting one of the most impressive and beautiful villages and monasteries of the trek. Shey Monastery is a colourful Bonpo monastery, believed to be 11 to 13 centuries old, and decorated with ancient statues. Shey is famous for its ancient Buddhist culture. In Dolpo, an ancient Tibetan way of life combines animism with the teachings of Buddha. Buddhism was introduced to the Dolpo Valley by Drutup Yeshe, who came into Dolpo many years ago and encountered a wild landscape. The cliffs of Crystal Mountain are distorted and laced with quartz, with various marine fossils embedded in them. Shey Monastery stands above the confluence of Kangju Nala and Yeju Nala, and inside the gompa there is a group of prayer wheels powered by water. Overnight in a tented camp.
13

Day 13

Trek via Saldang La Pass to Namdung Gaon

This is another day of equally, if not even more, spectacular scenery. Leaving the Shey campsite, head east along the Sephu Khola toward Saldang La. Along the valley, you can see seasonal settlements and mani walls. After approximately 3 hours of hiking uphill, you pass Saldang inhabitants along the route. The trail gradually follows a small stream and soon reaches the final steep climb to the prayer-flag-festooned summit of the pass, before descending to Namdung. Overnight in a tented camp.
14

Day 14

Trek to Saldang

Today is a short but spectacular walk along a high Himalayan trail leading to Saldang. You may see large groups of birds of prey, as well as migrating Demoiselle Cranes soaring above your head, while passing several doksas and villages along the way. The walk takes about 3 hours. Overnight in a tented camp.
15

Day 15

Explore Saldang Village

This is another rest or free day. You may have imagined it before, but now you will truly see the wonderful scenery of Saldang village. It is the largest village in the Nankang region of Dolpo district. There are several exploration options here. One is to make a loop walk through villages north of Saldang. You can follow the Nagaon Khola north to Karang and Marang villages to observe village life. Overnight in a tented camp.
16

Day 16

Trek to Rakyo

After leaving Saldang, the trail descends to the riverbed and passes through terraced fields, stupas, chortens, heaps of mani stones, and Chaiba Monastery. The next village is Namdo, a settlement of about sixty houses with around four hundred inhabitants. It stretches for more than 5 km along the high slopes to the left of Nam Khong Khola. The monastery of Namdo is located near the riverbed, and there is another monastery on top of a high cliff. Normally, the camp is near the small settlement of Sibu, right on the riverbank. Overnight at a tented camp, inclusive of full board meals.
17

Day 17

Trek to Kharka Camp or Jeng La Phedi

The trail follows a river valley and is mostly fairly easy-going. After about two hours of walking, there is another stream before the route turns into a side valley where the climb becomes steep. After a maximum of five hours of walking, you reach the lunch place and night stop. This is a lovely meadow with rocks, yaks, and other animal droppings. Overnight at a tented camp, inclusive of full board meals.
18

Day 18

Cross Jeng La to Tokyu Gaon

Reaching the top of Jeng La takes about three hours. The trail is usually well-compacted, which makes the ascent easier, although it is still steep. From the top of Jeng La, you can enjoy pleasant views of the Dhaulagiri massif, especially impressive in the morning light. A rough trail then descends toward the next village in Tarap Valley. By afternoon, you reach a green valley that leads onto an enjoyable track down toward the Tarap Chu. Tarap is a valley of vast plains in the high mountains, stretching along the Tarap Chu River. There are ten villages with cultivated fields, many monasteries, and both Buddhist sects represented. Normally, you stop for the night at Tokyu Monastery. Overnight at a tented camp, inclusive of full board meals.
19

Day 19

Trek to Dho Tarap

The path follows downhill along the Tarap Chu through a plain valley with lush patches on both sides of the river, quite different from the previous parts of Inner Dolpo. Before reaching Tokyu, a short visit can be made to Chaiba Gompa if you are interested. There are many mani walls here, and some of the shorter ones are in a state of repair. There is also a
20

Day 20

Explore Dho Tarap

Spend the entire day exploring Dho Tarap.
21

Day 21

Trek to Sim Odar

The trekking route leads to the Tarap Khola, gradually descending downhill. You will walk through narrow gorges with the river rushing beside you. On the way, you may see blue sheep, marmots, sheep, yaks, and goats, and meet people from Dolpo moving with their flocks of sheep and goats to lower pastures for the winter. In the afternoon, the path becomes more undulating as it leaves the immediate vicinity of the river. Afterwards, the improved trail includes sections where rock has been blasted out. You will also see steel suspension bridges, built to facilitate the movement of people and animals. The trail is narrow in this area. Overnight at a tented camp, inclusive of full board meals.
22

Day 22

Trek to Laini

The trail continues down into the gorge of the Tarap River, at times following high above the river along narrow and steep slopes. Today is an exciting day with deep and breathtaking gorge views. Tonight's campsite is a pleasant meadow in the shade of the trees. Overnight at a tented camp, inclusive of full board meals.
23

Day 23

Trek to Satar

Cross suspension bridges and then walk alongside the riverside. The trail climbs high before descending again toward the river. Today brings you into the Barbung valley, where you trek among fields of millet, sweet corn, barley, buckwheat, marijuana, green beans, and hot chillies. Overnight at a tented camp, inclusive of full board meals.
24

Day 24

Trek to Dunai

Tarakot is called Dzong by local people and is also known as an old fortress. Before the Gorkha dynasty, Tarakot was the capital and had a dzong. There is a famous Sandul Gompa, which lies 8 km east of Tarakot. At the junction of Barbung Khola and Tarap Chu, it stands on a knoll to the south of the Bheri River. At one time, it supervised the trading caravans traversing a region called Tichu Rong. There is also an alternative campsite at Tarakot, where camp can be set by the river, as there are good cooking facilities and clean surroundings. The trail gradually descends. Following the trekking path beside the Bheri River, you use the original path built twenty feet above the river. Everything feels lower compared with previous days, giving the sense of heading back home. After reaching the village of Dunai, the campsite is probably the same as the one used before. At this point, the Upper Dolpo circuit trek is completed. Overnight at a tented camp, inclusive of full board meals.
25

Day 25

Trek to Juphal

This is the trail you already followed at the beginning of the trek. It is a time for celebration as you bring this dream trip of a lifetime to an end. Overnight at a tented camp, inclusive of full board meals.
26

Day 26

Fly to Nepalgunj and Kathmandu

Usually, there is an early morning flight to Nepalgunj. This is a wonderful scenic flight of about 35 minutes over the Himalayas, with views of major mountains including Annapurna and Dhaulagiri to the north. After landing in Nepalgunj, connect with your flight back to Kathmandu. Overnight at hotel, inclusive of breakfast.
27

Day 27

Leisure Day in Kathmandu

This is a free day for shopping. In the evening, enjoy a farewell dinner with a cultural program. Overnight at hotel, inclusive of breakfast.
28

Day 28

Departure from Kathmandu

One of our representatives will transfer you to the airport for your onward journey.

Meeting Point

Meeting point: Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM), International Terminal, Kathmandu, Nepal · Tour start: Kathmandu 44600, Nepal — Tour ends at the same location as the start point.