Tour overview
The Upper Dolpo Trek is a difficult and remote trek that should be performed only by experienced trekkers. The trail crosses various rivers and glaciers, as well as rugged pathways and numerous steep passes. Extreme weather, such as high winds and cold temperatures, is common on that place. Because there are fewer conveniences along the path, hikers must be self-sufficient along the journey. The Upper Dolpo trip takes you through western Nepal’s isolated countryside. As we walk along the old salt trade route, we pass the gorgeous Shey Phoksundo lake, many high passes, and majestic mountains. the trial allow to explore t he ancient Tibetan Buddhist culture thrives in the parched region between the Dhaulagiri massif and the Tibetan plateau. Unique and creative monasteries of the neighboring ethnic communities, like Shey-Gumpa, are depicted in prayer flages and ancient lifestyles that are in excellent shape, free of any modern influences.
The Upper Dolpo region is considerably more remote and little visited. There are spectacular vistas of mountains, grey slopes, and grazing deserts in the alpine region, as well as old Bon Po and Buddhist sacred sites. The culture of Nepal’s Dolpo district is heavily affected by Tibetan influences. Upper Dolpo has some virgin wilderness. The location is part of the sedimentary Tibetan Tethys zone, which acts as a barrier to the surrounding semiarid climate. Annual rainfall in the region is less than 500 mm. Nepal is thus a desert country with a chilly temperature.
In Nepal, the Upper Dolpo trek is known as the Trans-Himalayan Trek. It is located in mid-western Nepal, and the itinerary includes the famed Shey Gompa Monastery beyond Phoksundo Lake, as well as one of the closest and most open borders with Tibet. While the lower Dolpo trek also brings you to Phoksindo Lake, the upper Dolpo trek takes you to the spiritual core of the Dolpo Region, also known as the Crystal Monastery, which is located at the foot of the famed Crystal Mountain. Many followers visit the mountain to circumambulate it, believing that doing so will release them from the vicious wheel of life and death.
Upper Dolpo to Jomsom walking trails take you across massive Himalayan peaks with five high passes: Kang La (5,380m), Saldang La (5,060m), Chharka La (5,015m), more top Sangda La (5,515m), and lower Sangda La (5,515m) (5,035m).
The Upper Dolpo Circuit to Jomsom Trek route takes you through parts of Nepal’s Great Himalayan Trail, which connects to the Tibet border. The region is still technically in Nepal, although it is ethnically linked to Tibet, akin to the Upper Mustang journey.
The Upper Dolpo trek route was introduced to foreign trekkers in 1989 as part of Nepal’s restricted area trek. The government was in charge of this in order to limit the area’s environmental and cultural repercussions.
The Upper Dolpo Trek route begins with a flight from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj, then to Juphal and then to Dunai. Along the walk, you may see a variety of stunning sceneries as well as large mountain ranges. The trail passes through dry terrain and mixed woods on its way to Ringmo Lake and Say Phoksundo Lake, as well as indigenous cultures. On Crystal Mountain, there is a Buddhist monastery named Gombas Monastery, which contains semi-precious stones and historical buildings. The Upper Dolpo route travels through ethnic Buddhist settlements. In this location, Tibetans only speak Tibetan. Our journey will lead us to the last settlement before Tibet, and as we approach Musi Gaun, we will be able to glimpse the Tibetan border. We continue our ascent to Jomsom through the Sangdala pass (5,111 meters). The Upper Mustang Trek, the Tilicho Pass Trek, the Dhaulagiri Pass, and the Thapa Peak Climb all begin here.
Itinerary
Depending on the season, flying from 1,300m in Kathmandu to barely 150m in Nepalgunj will result in a hot arrival! To avoid spending too much time in the heat, we will fly from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj in the afternoon and stay the night before taking an early morning flight to Jhupal, where the trek begins.
on second day you can visit to some popular sites of Nepal that located inside the valley. on the day you can enjoy your shopping for trekking after you complete your day sightseeing.
our team will arrange your plane ticket to Nepaljung and for that we will send our taxi to hotel to pick up you.
Flights from Nepalgunj to Jumla depart early in the morning. In Jumla, the team will be waiting with the essential camping equipment. On the first day, climb for around three hours to Dunai, the administrative capital of the Dolpo Region. Today's hike leads us across terraced fields to the Bheri River gorge. Before retiring for the night, there is time to explore the small town.
Moving on from Jumla, we descend to a bridge and arrive at Garjankot after an hour and a half journey on a calm trail. A slightly longer walk takes us past a few residences and through the irrigation channel, where we can view beautiful hills. The camp is located 200 meters below, in a sheep meadow known as Gothi Chaur (2800m). Spend the night at a tented camp.
Following breakfast at GothiChaur, you will re-enter the Tila river valley and leisurely follow the river to its source. After hiking through barley and buckwheat fields, you reach the trail junction at Muni Sangu, a little town where we can view strange carved wooden faces called dok-pa that are said to protect us from evil spirits. These faces can be found all around the Dolpo region. From here, you'll keep on the river's southern bank as the valley narrows and follow us to Changrikot (a series of houses builtinto the hillside on the opposite side of the river at 2900m). The trail then crosses the river and climbs towards Chotra's grey stone buildings (3380m). The settlement contains traditional Mani walls (stones etched with Tibetan Buddhist prayers) and a Kani (arch with murals on the inside) over the trail. And we'll make camp at Chotra.
The morning trek leads to a difficult climb covered with slate that leads to the pass. The ascent is difficult, especially on the slate screed. The views from the top of Kang-la 5,160m/16925ft are spectacular, with a huge valley bisected by a flowing river. After descending sharply to the valley floor, the path continues on a long meandering trip along the river's banks, crossing and re-crossing it multiple times. There are mud caves bordering the slopes above the river, and we pass through meadows where hairy yaks, hundreds of sheep, and domestic mountain goats (Chengra) can be spotted grazing alongside the herders' unusual nomadic tent. A scarlet chorten welcomes our arrival at Shey Gompa, 4,390m/14,440ft, where a charming wooden, log bridge leads up to our overnight camp at Shey Gompa compound.
After an early breakfast, stroll up to the airport in Jomsom, which is close to the hotel. Take one last look at the magnificent Himalayas. You will fly to Pokhara on a short trip.
take early drive from Pokhara to Kathmandu which takes around 5-6 hours to reach. Spend the day at leisure after checking in at the hotel.
You can spend the day relaxing, doing some last-minute shopping, or looking for locally made handicrafts and souvenirs.
It is time to travel back home, remembering all of the wonderful experiences in Nepal. The Nepal Sanctuary Treks agent will transport you to TIA airport, where you should check in 3 hours before your scheduled flight.
