Upper Dolpa trek

Tour itinerary: Kathmandu → Dolpo Buddha → Kathmandu

Overview-

Dolpo is one of the most remote regions of Nepal. The Upper Dolpo certainly is the upper part of the Dolpa region that is located within the range of 4530m to 5115m. There is also the Lower part of Dolpo which is located within 4000m, equally beautiful and different than any other place in Nepal. Trekking to this isolated part of Nepal is certainly the best adventure. Dolpo lies in the far-western region of Nepal in the Himalayas, between Nepal and Tibet. Hence, during your journey to Dolpo, you also get to see a mini-Tibet. People, culture, language, food, festivals, etc there are highly influenced by Tibet and Tibetans. The Upper Dolpo region is beautifully decorated with local Villages, Monasteries, prayer walls, and Gompas. Throughout the journey, you also get to see much rare flora and fauna of Shey Phoksundo National Park as the place is under its protection. Juniper, white Himalayan Birch, Rhododendrons, hemlock, spruce, snow leopard, grey wolf, musk deer, etc are commonly seen here. Dolpo region is also one of the few remaining places where a rare religion called Bon Po is practiced. Bon Po is a pre-Buddhist religion and is quite similar to Buddhism. The only difference is this religion walks anti-clockwise around stupas and shrines. Beautiful views of the mountain, Shey Phoksundo Lake, traditional Tibetan villages, Gompas, etc are the major highlights of this trek. 

Best season to visit upper Dolpo

The peak and best season to trek upper Dolpo is spring and autumn. Considering its altitude and temperature and hardest trails it is the best season to trek Dolpo. The temperature is very bearable, the atmosphere is very clean and fresh. You can have a clear view of mountains and the sky is crystal blue during this season. During the spring season, the average temperature is around 13⁰C in the daytime and usually falls to around -10⁰C in the morning and night. The autumn season has a similar temperature. Summer or monsoon season is comparatively a little warmer with an average temperature of 17⁰C in the daytime and falls to -4⁰C during the morning and night. During the winter season, the average temperature is around -14⁰C which is the coldest of all. During the spring and autumn season, the trail is the best situation to trek. 

Food/drinks and accommodation in upper Dolpo-

If you are trekking to the Dolpo region, you need to understand it is one of the most remote areas of Nepal, and facilities here are barely available. During the trek, you will see very few teahouses that are also only up to Shey Phoksundo Lake. They are usually very packed and you need to share a room with other trekkers. Toilets, bathrooms, and the dining hall is shared as well. In the teahouses, few items of food are available like basic Dal, Bhat, and fresh vegetables. As the place is highly influenced by Tibetans, you will also find some Tibetan foods in the teahouses. Being a remote area, there are no proper facilities for transportation. The goods and accessories need to be transported by airplane or helicopter from Jhupal. That is why you will find everything expensive here including food and accommodation. As you go to higher altitudes there are no teahouses or any other lodges. The only option is camping. You need to be prepared with all the stuff like tents, sleeping bags, food, cooking gas, and many more. However, some travel agencies manage all these for you so you can just enjoy the thrill of camping. 

The difficulty level of the upper Dolpo region-

Trek to upper Dolpa is all about walking 5-6 hours every day for at least 20 days. As the place is very remote, you need to be well prepared for some rough roads and steep hills. Again, the lack of teahouses in this region can be a problem for some people. The place, of course, lies at a higher altitude so climate change, cold weather, and mountain sickness can be other problems for people. Despite everything, if you are well prepared and have some experience in trekking then you can easily trek Upper Dolpo. You can prepare yourself with light exercises and long walks before you start your journey. Keep in mind that there is always a risk of Mountain sickness. 

Permits for upper Dolpo- 

1) Shey Phoksundo National Park Entry Permit

    SAARC countries – 1500 NRS (15$), (excluding VAT)

    NON-SAARC countries – 3000 NRS (30$), (Excluding VAT)

2) Upper Dolpo restricted area permit- 40$

3) Dolpo district special permit- 500$

Guides and porters for upper Dolpo-

Dolpo is a restricted area. you need a special government permit to enter the Dolpo region and You need a professional guide to get that permit. So basically, trekking to upper Dolpa is kind of impossible without a guide. They have enough knowledge and ideas about the places and people. On the other hand, a porter is more than important in this trek. As the trail is very rugged and remote you cannot simply carry all your belongings by yourself. Porters will carry them for you. Guides might charge you around 30-40$ per day while porters might charge you around 20-25$ per day. 

Route and duration 

Day 1- Kathmandu to Nepalgunj, (1-hour flight)

Day 2 Nepalgunj to Jhupal Flight and Trek to Dunai,(3 hours walk)

Day 3 Dunai to Ankhe, (5-6 hours walk)

Day 4 Ankhe to Sulighat, (5-6 hours walk)

Day 5 Sulighat to Phoksundo Lake, (4 hours walk)

Day 7 Phoksundo Lake to Phoksundo Khola, (5 hours walk)

Day 8 Phoksundo Khola to Phoksundo Bhanjyang, (6 hours walk)

Day 9 Phoksundo Bhanjyang to Shey Gompa, (5 hours walk)

Day 10- Shey Gompa to Namduna Gaun,(6-7 hours walk)

Day 11- Namduna Gaun to Saldang,(4-5 hours walk)

Day 12- Saldang to Yangze Gompa,(4 hours walk)

Day 13- Yangze Gompa to Sibu,(6-7 hours walk)

 Day 14- Sibu to Jeng La Phedi,(5 hours walk)

Day 15- Jeng La Phedi to Tokyo Gaun,(5-6 hours walk)

Day 16-Tokyo Gaun to Dho Tarap,(4 hours walk)

Day 17- Dho Tarap to Tarap Khola,(6 hours walk)

Day 18-Tarap Khola to Khani Gaun,(4 hours walk)

Day 19- Khani Gaun to Tarakot,(4 hours walk)

Day 20- Tarakot to Dunai,(5-6 hours walk)

Day 21- Dunai to Jhupal,(2-3 hours walk)

Day 22- Jhupal to Nepalgunj and Kathmandu.