Upper Dolpo is a camping trek which brings you into a mystical land where centuries-old Buddhist and Bon Po traditions, with shamanistic influences, are still an important part of daily life. The landscapes here are even more desolate than on the Dolpo Circuit and the villages even more isolated and authentic.
The upper Dolpo trekking route passes many gigantic mountain ranges of Mt. Annapurna, Dhaulagiri and Kanjiroba, to name but a few, pass through Lower Dolpo, at one time a small kingdom in its own right. Meanwhile, Shey Phoksundo Lake that lies at Shey Phoksundo National Park during the trek to Upper Dolpo is also the main attraction of the trek.
Upper Dolpo is located in the restricted region of Nepal. Because of that, a restricted permit is required to explore this untouched area. Meanwhile, the cost of special permits is comparatively low during the Lower Dolpo Trek. The Upper Dolpo Trek itinerary is one of the longest trek itineraries that passes through the rural and isolated places of Nepal. We have mentioned the detailed itinerary of the upper Dolpo trek so that you could understand the trekking route and the lifestyle and the culture and traditions of the people living in this region.
Upper Dolpo is one of the challenging treks of Nepal. Meanwhile, there are no technical difficulties throughout the trekking routes. Kang La Pass, Saldang La Pass and Jeng La Pass are 3 of the high passes that you will be crossing during your upper Dolpo trek. All of these passes are situated above 5,000 meters in altitude. Because of such high altitudes, high altitude sickness is one of the major problems around this region. But you will be taking enough acclimatization and following other instructions by the experienced trekking leader to avoid altitude sickness.
Trekkers admire the wild remoteness, the stunning mountain scenery and the fact that the local people had that innocent friendliness peculiar to people who live in excessively remote mountainous regions in this trekking route. Trekking in Nepal’s Dolpo region allows you to experience the grandeur of Nepal’s rugged and remote far west. Dolpo borders Tibet, where the culture and much of the landscape is reminiscent of its northern neighbour.
Best time to visit Upper Dolpo is February, March and April and October, November and December when temperatures are pleasant, skies are the clearest, and there is minimal chance of snow at high altitudes. Late/early snow can affect this trek in April and November, making some passes impossible to cross.
Summary of Upper Dolpo Trek
A scenic flight will take you to Nepalgunj situated at an elevation of 1,50 meters above sea level. The small aircraft will take you to the beautiful airport in Juphal. The trail Dunai village is mostly descending down. The trail then takes you to the Sulighat which is followed by Shey Phoksundo National Park check post. The view of magnificent waterfalls, lush vegetation, and the tropical forest is throughout the trail reaching Chhepka.
During the walk to Jharana Hotel, you will get the first view of the Shey Phoksundo Lake. You walk through the trail of rocky hills on the western end of the lake. The trail continues through a lush grassland to the floodplain of Phoksundo Khola. The height of the Kang La is 5,360 meters above sea level. On descending steeply to the valley floor, not more than 45 minutes, you make a long meandering trek along the banks of the river, crossing it once. A red chorten heralds your arrival at Shey Gompa.
The path begins to zig-zag over bare rocks and coarse eroded soil until it eventually brings you to the top of Saldang-la. Surrounded by terraced fields, Saldang is an agriculturally prosperous settlement of Inner Dolpo. You walk further to Yangze village. The trail then leads to Namdo village. You then trek for two more hours to reach Sibu. From Jeng La Pass, you can witness picturesque views of Dhaulagiri massif. You walk through a broad fertile valley visiting several chortens on the way. About 4-5 hours of the trek will take you to Dho Tarap.
Sometimes there is no trace of any path and you may have to walk across stone slabs fitted on logs in between the walls which act as a bridge. The gorge also provides unexpected adventure and thrills. Through such an adventurous trail, you will reach Khanigaon. Tarakot is a small town which once used to be a fortress and capital of Tichorung Kingdom and was a popular trading point. You will be following the same route from Dunai Village to reach Jhuphal and take a flight back to Nepalgunj.
Upper Dolpo
Nature rewards this isolated western region of Nepal with exceedingly amazing landscapes and serene beauty. Upper Dolpo is a paradise unexplored. It resembles the roofs of the world- Tibet. At places, the beauty of Dolpo by far surpasses the striking views people get to behold in Tibet. The villages, gompas and people you meet during this trek will leave an unforgettable impression on you. The Dolpo region lies between the Tibetan plateau and the Dhaulagiri ranges. Meanwhile, Shey Phoksundo National Park is another highlight while trekking in the Dolpo region.
The entire district was bound to trekkers until 1989 when the southern part of Dolpo was opened to organized trekking groups. Dolpo region which was made famous by Peter Matthiessen’s book – The Snow Leopard. Nepal’s first English subtitled movie on Dolpo, The Caravan, was also a huge success. Also, Within the trek route scheduled by Snowy Horizon, at Ringmo, the highlight of our Upper Dolpo. Trekking Trip is to have two nights here to enjoy the beauty of the deep blue waters of the Shey Phoksundo Lake. Our classic journey continues to the amazing country of Crystal Mountain at Shey Gompa. After following the ancient Trans Himalayan Trade route and back to Juphal.
Shey Phoksundo Lake
Shey Phoksundo Lake is located at an elevation of 3,620 meters above sea level inside the Shey Phoksundo National Park. It is an alpine freshwater oligotrophic lake, in the Dolpo district of Nepal. All-weather the crystal bluish water on the lap of mountains along the Yak routes. It is more beautiful with a real view than a virtual one. Shey Phoksundo Lake is the Deepest lake of Nepal which itself is pristine and untouched by the modern world. The length of the Shey Phoksundo lake is approx 5 km. There are more than 20 stupas in the southern belt and one gompa in the eastern side of the lake, where annual prayers and worship are carried out.
When you trek there you will find fresh air, pure natural water, the sounds of the river, the sound of horses walking through the trails, the people are very kind and helpful. Mirroring the snowy Kanjiroba massif, the turquoise lake waters look heavenly. Shey Phoksundo is considered to be a holy place by the Buddhists living in the Dolpo region and around.
If our trip itinerary doesn’t suit your holiday schedule or you wish to modify the itinerary then feel free to inbox us. We want our valuable guests to enjoy their travel according to their needs and wills. We provide a variety of packages for student groups/family groups/corporate teams and many more. Every travel package is different according to the group size and the demand of the guests. We are also more than happy if you combine it with any travel plans, please let us know and we’ll create a tailor-made itinerary, designed especially for your travel group.
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