Upper Dolpo Trek

Arrive at the Tribhuvan International Airport and meet our representative who will transfer you to your hotel. As the rest of the day is free, you can spend it as you wish. Overnight stay at a hotel in Kathmandu. 

Today, you explore the major landmarks of the Kathmandu valley which include the UNESCO world heritage sites like Pashupatinath, Boudhanath, and Swayambhunath. Explore the Kathmandu Durbar Square and history that it holds too. After the sightseeing tour is over, you can head to your hotel and prepare all the stuff that is required for this long trek. Overnight stay at a hotel in Kathmandu.

Get on a plane and fly to Nepalgunj, first thing in the morning. The flight lasts for a while and provides ample time to witness the soaring mountains and flat plains that lie ahead. As you arrive at Nepalgunj, you can feel that it is pretty hot here. If you have time, explore the major parts of the city. Overnight stay at Nepalgunj. 

Wake up early in the morning and get on a flight that takes you to Juphal. As you reach Juphal, get all your stuff together and begin the trek to Juphal. We head downhill until we reach the Thuli Bheri River and cross numerous rivers and villages to reach the confluence of the Thuli Bheri River and Suligad. As we cross the huge cedar forests, we reach the settlement of Suligad Ghat. Overnight stay at Suligad Ghat.

The trail for the day takes us to Renje. We walk across bridges which later heads to Ruktang. The trail is a combination of ups and downs and we finally reach the junction to the Phoksundo lake and then later to Chhepka. From Chhepka, then we climb up a small ridge which crosses the western side and later climbs upstream. We finally arrive at Renje. Overnight stay at Renje.  

The walk from Renje to Ringmo village sees a drastic increase in altitude and as we head further we cross the wooden bridges and ultimately to the Pungmo river. You can even see the Phoksundo River that lies on the valley floor. We arrive at Ringmo village which contains mud houses along with mud plastered Chortens and Mani walls. We head towards the Phoksundo Lake which sits on the base of mountains and is similar to a gem. Overnight stay at Ringmo village. 

Today is a day for acclimatization, so we will spend it by exploring the Ringmo village and Phoksundo Lake. We can see the amazing Kanjirowa Himal range from the Lakeside. The Ringmo village is inhabited by people who follow the Tibetan-influenced lifestyle and traditions. This is exemplified by their food, house structure and clothing style. The village is filled with Chortens that carry the prayer of people. Overnight stay at Ringmo village. 

The hike takes us through the lake shore and we can see the vegetation that grows on the Lakeside. The pathway is rocky so be careful while walking. The trail later takes us through the lush grasslands which later transforms into the Floodplain of the Phoksundo stream. As we reach the Phoksundo stream, we shall set up our tents and rest there. Overnight stay at Phoksundo Khola

As we have breakfast on the calm riverside of the Phoksundo Khola, we admire the tranquil scenery in front of us. The trail starts to ascend and as we head further, we meet the Ghyampo Kapuwa River via a glacial valley. After crossing some shaky wooden bridges and fighting the uphill landscape, we arrive at Phoksundo Bhanjyang. We can clearly observe the Kang La Pass (5350m) from here. Overnight stay at Phoksundo Bhanjyang.

The first part of our journey takes us to the Kang La Pass (5350m). It involves walking on a steep path which is often slippery. The top of the Kang La Pass sports mesmerizing sceneries of the surrounding landscapes. We walk the winding path and cross grasslands and meet many sheepherders. As we walk ahead, we can see some Chortens swaying from a monastery. It signals our arrival on the Shey Gompa. Overnight stay at Shey Gompa.

With an objective to acclimatize, we shall rest and explore the Shey Gompa. The monastery has a history that dates back to the time of Saint Padmasambhava and is also the 1st Kagyupa Monastery. It is believed that the monastery was built in the 11th century. While exploring the monastery, we further visit the crystal mountain and then we shall head back to our camp. Overnight stay at Shey Gompa.

We shall set our sights on Namgung village today. The path takes us through forests of juniper which later descend into a stony canon. As we walk through the zigzag roads and cross huge rocks to arrive at the Saldang La pass (5094m). The path is excruciatingly long and it descends further north. Before arriving at Namgung village, we can see a red stone structure on the northernmost wall of a gorge- the Namgung Monastery. Overnight stay at Namgung village.  

As we leave the village of Namgung, we ascend a slope formation and tread further on the dusty mountain trails. The difficult climb is rewarded by a gorgeous display of Saldang, and below we can see the Nagon River. As we walk further we can see small settlements and people which signals our arrival in Saldang. If you have enough time, then you can explore the Saldang village and interact with the locals. Overnight stay at Saldang village.

The path from Saldang to Yangtze Gompa is straight north. We follow the path which comprises of numerous ups and downs, and eventually, we reach the Nagon River. We pass through small settlements like Tiling and Kaigaon. We can have lunch on one of those places. The sight of the Yangtze Gompa is tantalizing and we'll spend the remainder of the day in exploring it. This monastery is based on the Bon religion and we shall interact with the monks here to know more about it. Overnight stay at Yangtze Gompa. 

We have two paths to reach Sibu, but we shall take the one that involves less loss of time. We take the road back to Saldang and follow the river bed which provides a cinematic display of stupas, terraced fields, Chortens, and Mani stones. We walk on the left side of the Nagon River and as we continue to walk for about 2-3 hours to reach Sibu. Overnight stay at Sibu.

After having a delicious Nepal cuisine, we head on the road to Jeng La Phedi. We follow the Nagon stream. We head east and continue to the confluence of two small rivers. We walk all the way to the Phedi of Jeng La. As there are no settlements here, we shall set our camp here and have dinner. Overnight stay at Jeng la Phedi.

We continue the trek to reach the highest point of the Jeng La Pass (5220m) which provides us with a grand display of the snow-laden mountains. After spending time on the pass, we descend through the rough path towards the Tarap valley. On the way, we visit the Tokyu monastery. As we walk on the side of the Thakchiu Khola, we arrive at Dho Tarap. Overnight stay at Dho Tarap.

Today we shall not trek further, but spend the day in exploring and acclimatizing. We explore the valley and head to Dhoro Gompa and Shipchaur Gompa. We explore the Ribo Bhumpa Gompa. Along with exploring Dho Tarap, we interact with the locals too. Here, there are plenty of destinations, especially monasteries, to visit in the Dho Tarap village vicinity. Overnight stay at Dho Tarap.

The path descends into the wider valley, which later leads to a gorge. As we walk amidst the juniper bushes and wild roses, we reach the confluence of Tarap Chu and also Lang stream. We walk in the huge grasslands of Karma Kharka and we shall set our tents here. We can enjoy the beautiful display of mountains and green hills. Overnight stay at Karma Kharka. 

We walk on the gorge of the Tarap River and we shall walk past several campsites on the river banks. The narrow gorges and stone slabs are simply amazing. Passing Lammchaur and Laina Odar, we head towards Khanigaon. We walk on shaky bridges until we reach the campsite that sits beside the Tarap River at Khanigaon. Overnight stay at Khanigaon. 

To reach Tarakot, we walk through the lush forests and continue to walk through the riverside. The path is mostly downstream and as we reach Tarakot, we can see terraced fields and small mud houses. We will have our lunch at Tarakot and descend downwards through the bank of Thuli Bheri River. A small walk leads us to Dunai where we shall spend the remainder of the day. Overnight stay at Dunai. 

The walk from Dunai continues to be flat and we shall walk on the trail along the Thuli Bheri River. We have to cross the terraced fields and villages in order to reach Juphal. After walking for 3 hours we reach Juphal. On the way, we also pass Dhupichaur, Rupgad, and Motipur villages. Overnight stay at Juphal. 

Get on an airplane and enjoy the short yet picturesque flight to Nepalgunj which shows the delightful panorama of the snowy Himalayas and barren hills. Upon arrival in Nepalgunj head back to Kathmandu on a scenic flight over the mid-western hills of Nepal. In Kathmandu, you can head to the local markets and shop for gifts and souvenirs. Overnight stay at a hotel in Kathmandu

Today is your final day in Nepal and our representative will drop you off at the Tribhuvan International Airport for your final day. As the mesmerizing journey comes to an end, we hope that you will choose us again in your next visit to our country.