Lower Dolpo Trekking

Morning sightseeing tour around interesting places of Kathmandu visiting world heritage sites of great wonders, where Hindu and Buddhism religions blend in perfect harmony.

After an interesting tour with time to refresh and transfer to Kathmandu domestic air terminal for a scenic sweeping flight to land at Nepalgunj airport, during air grand views of the Himalayan range of mountains.

At Nepalgunj transfer to its city hotels, with time to explore this interesting city similar to Indian Hindu culture with some Muslim people as this areas situated close to India border within Nepal Far South West of sub-tropical climate.

Morning another connecting flight of short hours in a smaller aircraft to land at Jhupal in Dolpo region airstrip, here meet our other trekking and camping staff and porters where few hour drives takes you to Duanai, headquarter and administrative town of Dolpo region here with time in the afternoon to roam around its bazaar of great interest to witness local people of Far Western Nepal.

With an interesting overnight stop at Dunai, where morning starts crossing over a bridge above Thulo Bheri River, as walk leads to a climb on a high hill and ridge towards Phuksumdo River valley facing views of Kagmara peaks, from here on downhill past farm villages within walnut groves getting close to a stream at Dhara, a small farm settlement, and taking short climb to reach Raha-Gaon village within Hindu populated with Thakuri people (the indigenous tribe of Nepal), from here on the downhill into a forested area then reaching our overnight camp in a small farm village called as Chhepka.

After Chhepka which is close to another village of Ankhe, as morning walk leads to a short climb with a descent into the woodland of tall pine and spruce tree lines reaching a river bank, where here climb leads after leaving the tree lines behind and then back into the forest after downhill to cross a small bridge reaching at Ryajik village, as walk leads beyond to our overnight camp close to the entrance of Phuksumdo National Park.

With lovely pleasant morning as our route takes you to beautiful Phoksundo Lake after walking past Pungmo Khola (stream) and its valley, where walk follows Pungmo Khola downhill into pine and birch trees to reach the upper areas of Phoksundo Khola after a short rest continue to walk to Ringmo village, an interesting village of Tibetan origin where houses are built with mud and religious Buddhist Chorten or Mani (prayer) walls.

From here a short walk leads to the bank of Phoksumdo Lake for overnight camp facing turquoise coloured Phoksumdo Lake.

A perfect spot for a rest day at this scenic spot, with ample time for short walks and hike with views of Kagmara peaks, and visit its interesting village of Ringmo village located close to the lake.

After an enjoyable and exciting time around Ringmo village within beautiful Phoksundo Lake, where morning walk takes you another inner side of the Dolpo area towards the east using an alternative route with high passes of Baga-la and Numa-la.

As morning walk leads past Muduwa village and following a stream of Muduwa within a gorge to reach a small grazing area at Temche for an overnight stop near Ghuchun Khola (stream).

The morning begins taking a nice gradual path that leads uphill to cross over Baga-la at 5,165 meters high, a steep climb for nearly three hours to reach the top, on reaching pass rewards you with a breath-taking panorama of Phoksumdo lake with Kagmara peaks, after a short rest with excellent views.

A long descent leads to overnight camp at Danigar or Phedi, which means base or the bottom of the hills and passes.

From this isolated and remote campsite, the morning starts with a climb to reach another pass Numa-la South at 5,315 meters, which is the highest spot of the adventure, where the climb leads on grassy slopes for nearly three hours to reach on top Numa-la facing glorious panorama with Dhaulagiri range and Kagmara peaks includes beautiful scenic valleys.

After an enjoyable stop with views then downhill walk to the base of the pass, where walk leads about some hours to reach a gradual even trail then ending the day on a nice summer pasture field at the base or Phedi for overnight camping.

From the bottom and base of Numa-la, the morning starts with a steep climb to reach on top of a small ridge with grand views of the Dhaulagiri range, and then with a long descent to reach Modo valley, time permitting visit the monastery from here where the trail from Upper and Lower Dolpo joins.

After visiting Modo and Khanger areas a good walk of a few hours reaches you to an interesting and most impressive village around Tokyu-Gaon for an overnight stop, one of the largest villages within the Dolpa area, as its consists of more than ten villages with nice tended farm fields having its old monasteries.

enjoying lovely moments at Tokyu Gaon, the morning starts downhill heading toward Tarap Chu within a broad and wide green valley, this is one of the most beautiful valleys with lots of Yak herder’s temporary settlements.

From here continue to walk to reach our overnight camp at Dho-Tarap, another interesting village with mixed tribes of Tibetans origin and Magar hill tribe people.

From Do-Tarap and its interesting village where morning leads to a long descent reaching at Tarap valley, the largest and longest valley of Dolpo which is about 20 k.m distance stretches from Tarap Chu River to Thuli Bheri River near at Tarakot village.

The walk leads past Langa with wonderful views of cascading waterfalls where our route heads due south following a trail past Sisaul with smaller areas of Kesila around Yak herder’s temporary camps to reach our overnight camp at Ghyamgar.

Today our journey leads towards the scenic valley of the Tarap area, as the walk enters into a narrow gorge with some vegetation of bushes of juniper and wild rose, walk leads past Tol-Tol within the large overhanging cave, around this area chances of spotting some wild-life like Naur or Blue Sheep and other animals.

As the walk progress reaching a confluence of Tarap Chu and Lang Khola Rivers, an overnight camp is made by the bank of the river after a long day walk of nearly six hours or more

Morning walk begins by passing smaller rural farm villages and into the smaller woodland areas, where the route follows Tarap Chu all the way to reach Tarakot, one of the most interesting and largest villages with a heritage of ancient history, where in early days was a fort village taking toll and taxes from the trade between Nepal and Tibet on this Old Trans Himalayan Salt-Trade Route.

Tarakot with well managed terraced farm fields with an old historical fortress known as Dzong or Kot in local and Nepalese languages which guarded the village against outside invaders.

Tarakot village houses the famous old Sandul Gomba situated on the junction of Barbung Khola and Tarap Chu River where the overnight camp is set.

Trek to Dunai – 05 hrs then drive to Jhupal – 02 hr jeep ride. headquarters and administrative town of Dolpo region here with time in the afternoon to roam around its bazaar of great interest to witness local people of Far Western Nepal.

As per flight time for Nepalgunj city, morning with final moment within Dolpo at Jhupal walk to its small airstrip, where short scenic flight drops you at Nepalgunj airport, here with time for refreshment before connecting flight in a larger plane to Kathmandu taking approx: 50 minutes to reach Kathmandu, after an exciting flight with mountain views on reaching at the airport transfer for a short ride to your hotel, after a most remarkable adventure on Upper Dolpo afternoon with ample time for individual activities and shopping souvenirs.

Reserve this extra free day in Kathmandu in case of flight delay and cancellation in Jhupal-Dolpo which might occur sometimes due to bad and unfavourable weather conditions, this day allows you free for individual activities if all goes well as per our standard itinerary days.

Today, your last day in amazing Nepal with great experience and fond memories of excellent adventure on Lower Dolpo trekking, as per your time for an international flight, our guide and staff transfer you to the airport for your final departure homeward bound or to your next destinations.

Around Nepal Far West a mixture of Buddhists in the lower area with Hindu people of Brahmin-Chettries-Dalits and Magar tribes, as walk leads higher region of Lower and Inner Dolpo dominated by Dolpa people of Tibetan origin with same Buddhist culture and religion. On this trek, Lower Dolpo witness the fascinating culture and traditional farm life of the hill people of Dolpo visiting its monasteries and villages with the ancient Bon sect of pre-Buddhism which is of great interest to witness.

From a minimum of 3-4 people in the group with a maximum of 10-15 persons in the group, in some cases we do allow booking for a single person as well, running independently at an extra cost than in groups.

The season-wise, where best time is from April to May when most of the day is clear with minimum temperatures of 0° to 20° Celsius depending upon the altitude and areas. Where most of the morning till middays clears for views and walks, sometimes afternoon can get overcast with chances of light rains and snow. Dolpo can be visited during the monsoon months of July and August as the area falls within the rain-shadow area blocked by the high Himalayan mountain range.

ea-House is the word used in the early days when there were smaller numbers of lodges on route trekking, at present only a few main towns and villages like Jhupal and Daunai have more lodges to stay with simple and basic facilities. On this trek to Dolpo where camping is organized as this region falls within a remote and isolated part of the country, camping is the best way to enjoy this adventure around Dolpo region with complete camping facilities of different units of the kitchen with cook-kitchen staff-guide and porters, carrying much of foods from Kathmandu itself.

Most of the places do not have electricity on route trekking some villages run by their own small hydro-power like in Tokyu or Tarakot, much of the electric supply is private and individual of the village and some lodge owners with sun / solar power to activate electric just for the lodge and as well for customers to charge their computers and cell-phones.

In this situation where our guides are well equipped with knowledge for emergency and medical purposes, depending upon the seriousness of the victims if it is much critical where nearest medical attention is needed, we call for immediate evacuation for Helicopter services to reach the victims to the nearest medical station and hospital. For light AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness), resting and drinking enough fluid leaving an extra guide to take care of sick clients till he/she recovers on route treks or help them to descend to safer areas and taking an advance flight back to Nepalgunj or Kathmandu.

Meals are prepared by our head camping chef with varied items, all foods are carefully prepared with much hygiene concern, with good breakfast-lunch and dinner with afternoon tea and snacks prepared by our camping cook and staff.

Well hearing rumours and seeing for your own self is a different picture, to be honest, some people are not used to Asian and spicy foods, that’s why people could get sick with the change of diets as well. To be on the healthy side before and after the treks is to get advice from your guides on what will be the best food to consume while on treks, we strongly suggest staying away from meats items in the first place, as it is not hygienic could be stale meat of a week time or more. If you go with vegetarian sometimes will be the best option to stay healthy till you get immune to the local environment and culture.

In our list we always mention general medication to bring from home as well from your doctor's advice also, your doctor might recommend you some basic medication list like a medicine against diarrhoea, headache, fever, cold-flu as well constipation including first aid for cuts-wounds and burns as well. On every trip of ours, we carry comprehensive medical kits which will be carried by our trekking staff, guides or group leader for common use if required as for your own personal illness, where your doctors might have recommended some medicine to carry with you

Always abide by the rules of the company and guides/leader, most of the main sickness is stomach disorder due to change in foods and culture shocks. If people have travelled in Asia countries and know the food well will be not a problem. Other factors might leads to altitude sickness known as AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness) which can happen to any people if they are not careful by walking fast in higher elevations and might catch the symptoms of AMS. We have designed the itinerary days where people can acclimatize well with rest days in a couple of high places before reaching much higher to our goal and highlights. Some people who might take Diamox pills, which is often used as high altitude pills, should consult their doctors before taking the right dose, which helps to regulate the flow of blood systems from getting clots at high altitude. Where drinking plenty of fluids, water juice and rehydration drink including black warm tea also helps and taking much rest after getting tired.

depending upon your time and duration for the trek you can book this trip at least 2-3 weeks ahead of our departure dates for the trek, with advance payment as per the norms and rules of the company. Make sure that you have checked your medical and physical fitness before signing for the trip and as well purchasing medical and travel insurance which is very important for this kind of adventurous trek in Nepal Himalaya.