Lower Dolpo Trek – 18 Days

Once you arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport, you will be received and taken to your hotel in Thamel. You are able to rest and unwind after your trip. You will be briefed on the Lower Dolpo Trek itinerary and adventure later.

It is a leisurely day of preparation, during which you can relax before the trek. The capital of Nepal is Kathmandu (1,400 m / 4,593 ft), and the starting point of most Himalayan expeditions.

Your trip will include a welcome dinner, which will be held in the evening. We have no trekking scheduled today, so arrival, rest, and last preparations are the order of the day. This relaxed beginning helps you get used to it before heading to western Nepal to undertake the trekking adventure within the next few days.

You will have a sightseeing tour of the major cultural sites of Kathmandu after breakfast. It starts with a trip to Pashupatinath Temple, which is among the most significant Hindu temples of Nepal.

There, you will proceed to Boudhanath Stupa, which is one of the biggest Buddhist stupas in the world. The next stop of the tour is Swayambhunath or Monkey Temple, after which Kathmandu Durbar Square, the ancient royal complex, is included.

These places are all UNESCO World Heritage sites and provide an understanding of Nepal’s culture, religion, and architecture. In the afternoon, you will meet your trekking guide and prepare last-minute arrangements to go on the Lower Dolpo trip. This is a day of sightseeing and preparing treks before you start your remote Himalayan trip.

The Lower Dolpo adventure will begin with a scenic domestic flight after breakfast in Kathmandu to Nepalgunj. This flight lasts approximately one hour and is worthwhile with a glance at the shifting landscapes of Nepal as you fly through the hills and the lowlands. Nepalgunj (150 m / 492 ft) is a busy city in western Nepal, and a key transit centre for flights into the Dolpo region.

Once there and checked into your hotel, you may rest or go about the local market and the surrounding areas. It is a lighter day that will put you nearer to the trekking area prior to the mountain adventure. It also allows you time to get ready for the early mountain flight, which is planned to take place the following morning.

Today you start on your long walk. Following breakfast, you will have a scenic flight over the mountains in Nepalgunj to Juphal (2,502 m / 8,208 ft). The flight is a tour of beautiful aerial views of western Nepal and the mountains. Upon arrival, you will start walking to Dunai, the capital of Dolpo, which is at (2,850 m / 9,350 ft).

The route runs over terraced lands and small towns and crosses the Bheri River in the quiet rural landscape. This initial trekking day is more or less moderate, and it assists your body in starting to start adapting to higher altitude. Upon arrival at Dunai, you will spend the night in a tea house before resting to venture further into the remote parts of the Lower Dolpo trek.

You will start after breakfast and will be trekking on the southern bank of the Bheri River at Dunai. The trail takes a scenic path over remote villages, narrow gorges, and hanging bridges to provide a real initiation into the rugged landscape of Lower Dolpo. The day contains a few medium-weight climbs and descents, but overall, it is not difficult and enables you to enjoy the view casually.

One of the former trading posts, Tarakot, is located on a hillside on the bank of the river at (2,543 m / 8,343 ft). The village is of historical value in the area and offers an overnight stay. The trail slowly brings you closer to civilization and more into the wilderness, as you get ready to take more distant trekking days in the future.

The present journey is along the Tarap Chu River and towards the further Dolpo area. The trail runs through isolated scenery after breakfast with numerous ups and downs. The path will take you over the river several times and through small villages and terraced farmlands. Among the interesting places along the way is that of Sandul Gompa, between the rivers Barbung Khola and Tarap Chu.

The landscape grows steeper and steeper as the path ascends higher up into the mountains. You will arrive at Laini (3,160 m / 10,367 ft) by the close of the day and spend the night in a tea house. A more challenging day of trekking as you ascend and advance toward the upper parts of the Lower Dolpo trail.

This will be followed by a further trek into the Lower Dolpo region after breakfast. The path leads along the Tarap River through scenic scenery as the valley narrows and is increasingly rugged. Today you will be climbing up and down the rocks, so it will be a hard day physically, but it will be rewarding.

The canyon-like path will take you through the distant wilderness that is unique to Dolpo. On your way, you will cross Chyugur Khola and then head towards Nawarpani. This is a memorable part of the trek due to the peaceful environment and mountainous landscape. When you get to Nawarpani (3,545 m / 11,630 ft), you will stay the night in a tea house.

After breakfast, you will be walking into the gorgeous Upper Tarap Valley. It will be a slow ascent up to Kamattarka, at the junction of the Tarap Chu River and the Lang Khola. The landscape becomes different as you go on. The lower valley is greener and yields to the arid Himalayan inner country, where the juniper shrubs and wild roses are found growing on the trail.

The trail provides a dramatic change in the landscape and a more Tibetan cultural feel. In the afternoon, you will reach Dho Tarap, a traditional village with stone walls at (4,090 m / 13,418 ft). This distant village has a culture and mountain lifestyle of its own. Due to the high increase in altitude, today is a major acclimatization day before going over higher mountain passes in the later part of the trek.

Today is a significant acclimatization day in Dho Tarap to ensure that your body adjusts to the elevated altitude. Such rest days are necessary when trekking in high altitudes to minimize the chances of altitude sickness. You will not have to rest all the time, but you can use the day to explore the village and its surroundings in a relaxed manner. Dho Tarap is among the most permanent settlements in Nepal and provides an interesting insight into life in remote Himalayan areas.

You can socialize with the local people, get to know the local way of life, and get to know the local culture and religious beliefs, such as the Bon and Buddhist cultures. The experience is enhanced by the mountainous landscape around. The day will permit physical rest and cultural exploration, prior to the tougher pass crossings that await in the subsequent trekking days.

You will leave Dho Tarap after breakfast and enter the upper valley. The path is along the Tarap Chu River in open country with grassy fields and lovely mountainous scenery. This more subdued part of the journey seems isolated and serene, with fewer places of human habitation on the path. The higher you are, the more difficult the land, and the thinner the air.

The slow ascent is a way of getting your body ready to tackle the strenuous pass that is to come. At the end of the day, you will be in Numa La Base Camp at (4,440 m / 14,566 ft), where you will be camping in a tent. This night’s rest has put you in an excellent position tomorrow to make your way over Numa La Pass. Fare thee well, it is one of the hardest days of the trek.

Today is one of the most challenging and rewarding days of the trek. You will then start the difficult climb to the top of Numa La Pass at (5,190 m / 17,027 ft), the highest point of the day, after having had an early breakfast. It is a strenuous climb, but the view is worth it as the whole Dolpo mountains surround them, with a distant glimpse of Dhaulagiri. You will then start a lengthy downhill journey over rocky terrain to Pelung Tang after a stay at the pass.

The trail is narrow and should be stepped on steadily and with care because of the height and the ground. A tented camp will be your portion as you approach Pelung Tang at (4,465 m / 14,648 ft). It is a big day of achievement, combining physical challenge, high altitude trekking and incomparable Himalayan scenery.

Following breakfast, you will embark on another difficult day of trekking as you approach Baga La Pass at (5,070 m / 16,633 ft). Climbing is strenuous and involves gradual effort, but the mountain views render the climb pleasurable. At the summit, you will get panoramic views of the arid Dolpo Valley, the far snow-capped mountains, and the arresting Himalayan wilderness.

You will have spent some time at the pass, and down the steep mountain tracks, you will carefully come to Dajok Tang. The distance is physically exhausting due to the elevation and constant ups and downs, thus a slow pace is significant. In the evening, you will come to Dajok Tang and spend the night at (4,080 m / 13,385 ft). Here is the other memorable high altitude day in the remote and beautiful Dolpo region.

The current trek is not as difficult as the past strenuous crossings of the passes. Following breakfast, you will go through beautiful alpine sceneries, the changing scenery that follows is inclusive of open mountain terrain, green vegetation, as well as pine forests. The path will provide a cool breeze after the dry high altitude areas that have been passed during the trek. As one goes further down, the air is cooler, so the day is not as physically challenging.

In the afternoon, you will reach Ringmo, a typical village of the Dolpo region (3,600 m / 11,811 ft). This camp is a good representation of Tibetan culture and also a good place to relax after some tough trekking days. Tonight you will be staying in a tea house and make the arrangements for your visit to the renowned Phoksundo Lake region tomorrow.

Then, after having breakfast, you will have a short yet unforgettable trip to Phoksundo Lake at (3,611 m / 11,847 ft), one of the most beautiful natural sites in Nepal. It is a scenic trek with mountainous views and calmness as you head towards the lake. On the route, you can see local villages, caravans of yaks and the traditional mountain life that represents the nature of the Dolpo region.

It will greet you with the magnificent turquoise waters of the Phoksundo Lake, with its spectacular mountain and cliff setting. It is also one of the highlights of the whole trek and a great chance to have a rest and enjoy the remote Himalayan setting. You will stay in a tea house by the lake, taking in the relaxing environment and getting ready to descend in the days to come.

After breakfast, you will start a long descent of the Phoksundo Lake area towards Shyanta. The path has varied sceneries such as rocky routes, forested areas and mountain hamlets. On your way down, you will be out of the high alpine region into lower terrain with warmer weather. The route includes some dramatic cliffside sections, where the views of the surrounding valleys are memorable.

It is a long, yet satisfying day, retracing part of the trail through the beautiful Dolpo landscape. In the evening, you will reach Shyanta at (2,520 m / 8,267 ft) and spend the night in a tea house. This descent will ease the burden of the elevation and will be the start of your journey back to Juphal and finishing the trekking adventure.

You will proceed in the morning after breakfast to Juphal. The trail is located in scenic lower mountainous terrain, featuring the sights of forests, villages, and the hills. Relative to the more challenging high mountain parts of the trek above, today is not so challenging, but the hours of walking are long. The path gives you time to look back as you trek into Dolpo through the remote landscapes towards your last trekking point.

You will go by Sulighat, and on the same path, you will proceed to Juphal, which you have seen. On reaching the Juphal (2,320 m / 7,611 ft), you can sleep and have your last evening in the trekking area. This will be the concluding part of your walking around Dolpo trip before you are brought back to Kathmandu by plane.

You will depart the Dolpo region after breakfast and will start the flight back. The first one is that you will go on a mountain flight, Juphal to Nepalgunj, and a domestic flight to Kathmandu. The ride provides a last opportunity to experience aerial sightseeing of the Nepal scenic topography, of the remote mountainous region, to the lower plains, and eventually Kathmandu Valley.

Upon reaching Kathmandu, you will be taken to your hotel, and you can rest after a long day of traveling. The evening will be spent having a farewell dinner to celebrate the successful end of the Lower Dolpo adventure. This is the last official day of the trekking adventure, and you have time to unwind, reflect, and get ready to head to a foreign country the next day.

You will then leave Kathmandu and your hotel and get ready to leave after breakfast. Your flight will be scheduled to Tribhuvan International Airport, where a transfer will be granted. This day is the last day of your Lower Dolpo venture in Nepal. Depending on your time of departure, you might have some time to do final packing, relax, or look back at the memorable experiences of the trek.

The trip brings with it long-term memories of the cultural sights in Kathmandu, the secluded valleys, mountain ranges, the village life of the traditional people, and the breathtaking scenery of the Phoksundo Lake. You will be taken to the airport, where you will do departure formalities and board your international flight home. The end of your magnificent Himalayan adventure has arrived today, and with it, you have carried with you memorable trekking memories.