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Ace The Himalaya, Trekking in Nepal, Adventure tour, Nepal Trekking, Tibet, Bhutan, Himalaya.
Upper Dolpo Trek Nepal, Upper Dolpo Trekking, Upper Dolpo Trek Itinerary
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Trip Facts
Country : Nepal
Activities : Tour & Trekking.
Start/End: Kathmadnu
Destination :Shey Phoksundo Lake, Shey Gompa, Numa la, Saldang La.
Trip Duration : 25 days.
Max. Altitude : 5360 meters
Group Size : Min. 2 / Max.12
Best Season : Mid February  to November.
Trip Grade : Very StrenuousVery StrenuousVery StrenuousVery StrenuousVery Strenuous
Daily working Hour: Approximately 4-7
Highlights
-Kathmandu ciry tour.

-Scenic flight to and from Nepalgunj/Juphal

- Shey Phoksundo Lake and National Park.

-Crossing passes of Kang La, Saldang La and Jeng La.

-Shey Gompa- the Buddhist monasteries

-Pristine mountains, Flora & Fauna, unique culture
Travel Tips
Equipment List
Altitude Sickness Info
Extend Your Trip
Chitwan Jungle Safari Chitwan Jungle Safari
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../Everest Base Camp Tour Kathmandu Shopping Tour
The best quality bargains available in Nepal with a wide choice of outlets to include carpets, trekking equipment, gems, jewellery, shoes, Pashmina, Mandalas (Thankas), Gurkha Khukuri Knives, wooden carvings, custom made suits and gifts.
Everest Base Camp Tour Scenic Everest Flight
Want to be in camera range of the highest peaks in the world, fly above the clouds, over glaciers, lakes, rivers while cruising so close to the awe-inspiring massifs of rock and ice an out-of-this world experience.
Everest Base Camp Tour Trisuli River Rafting
Rafting is inarguably the best way of exploring and experiencing Nepal’s natural thrill with rivers crashing down through the foothills providing the best white water rapids with many exciting moments.
  Upper Dolpo Trek - Mysterious Land - 25 Days.  

Dolpo, a land beyond the Himalaya, conjures up visions of mysterious monasteries, snow leopards and blue sheep, it is situated in the western part of the country, and is one of the most remote regions in Nepal.

The Dolpo region is a very isolated area which has been strictly off-limits until only recently, so the traditions and way of life have remained intact. In the autumn of 1990 the first British tour operator organized a trek from east to west, from Pokhara to Jumla through Lower Dolpo. 

This trekking routes passed many gigantic mountain ranges - Annapurna , Dhaulagiri and Kanjiroba, to name but a few - and passed through Lower Dolpo , at one time a small kingdom in its own right. More recently we have repeated the route, with variations and our groups see very few other Europeans so they are enthused greatly about 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.

The people that live here number only a few hundred and are among the world's highest dwellers. The villages in Upper Dolpo are 4,300meters and above. It is here specifically that people still practice the pre-Buddhist Bon Po religion. This early sect was almost entirely replaced after Buddhist doctrine began to spread across Tibet in the 9th century.

Peter Matthiessen's The snow leopard and David Snellgrove's Himalayan Pilgrimage have contributed to the mystique and attraction of Dolpo. Both writers visited the Shey Gompa, to the north of the Phoksumdo Lake, inner Dolpo. This is the goal of most trekkers but this Dolpo trek will take you even further into this mysterious land.

Itinerary in Details
Day 01- Arrival in Kathmandu airport (1345meters).
There you will be met by our Airport Representative and transferred to hotel by private tourist vehicle. Overnight at hotel.

Day 02- Sightseeing around Kathmandu valley.
Your sightseeing trip will start at 9 AM in the morning after breakfast. We provide a private vehicle and professional tour guide. Places we visit are Pasupatinath temple, Buddhanath, Monkey temple, Bhaktpur durbar square and Kathmandu durbar square. The afternoon includes a final briefing and preparations for the trek. Overnight at hotel.

Day 03- Fly to Nepalganj
Today, you will take flight to Nepalganj. The flight will give good views of the Himalaya to the north. Transfer to your hotel. There will be time in the evening to have a look around the town which is situated 3 kms from the southern Nepalese border with India. Here it is quite hot and tropical. Overnight at hotel.

Day 04- Fly to Juphal (2,400meters) and trek to Dunai (2,150meters) 3 hours.
From Nepalgunj take a flight to Juphal. From here you will have walk through terraced fields to the Bheri River and the narrow canyon which after in 3 hours will lead you to a relatively larger village called Dunai. Overnight at tented camp

Day 05- Trek to Ankhe (2,660meters) 6 hours. 
From Dunai you cross the new suspension bridge and turn west, following the trail past the new hospital. At the confluence of the Thuri Bheri and Suli Gad rivers you turn to the north and follow the Suli Gad. The trail is fairly undulating but mostly up while the going is firm underfoot. You are never far from the river and can always hear its roar. You pass through an area which is overgrown with marihuana plants but also has crops for the villagers and animals including millet, pumpkin, potatoes, sweet corn and chillies. Many of the villages in this area are involved in the production of a lotus-like plant called 'chuk' that is used to make vinegar and medicines. You continue to track the river and eventually reach the settlement of Hanke, which is also the entrance to the Phoksundo National Park. The three villages you pass through have a strange name connection: Parela, meaning eyelash, Rahagaon meaning eyebrow, and Ankhe meaning eye. Overnight at tented camp.

Day 06- Trek to Renje (3,104meters) 7 hours.
The trail starts becoming very hectic but once you cross the river twice on well made bridges, you then make a steep ascent on a very narrow path, hugging the cliff face. Having descended to the river again the trail takes another steep ascent requiring frequent stops to watch the panorama of the landscapes and also for some rest. You may camp on the side of Suligad River. Overnight at tented camp.

Day 07- Trek to PhosundoLake (3,600meters) 6.30 hours.
From here the initial hours of the trek is fairly easy. But from Sumdo the trail becomes very much like an incline. Here the river is left behind and you follow the path high above the water. Climb up to a ridge, about 3,875meters, from where you will have the most staggering views of a 300meters waterfall, the highest in Nepal, and your first view of Phoksundo Lake, a study in turquoise. You then descend through birch forests to the upper reaches of the Phoksundo Khola and on to the picturesque settlement of Ringmo with its mud plastered chortens and mani walls. The village now has solar panels helping to improve the quality of life of the villagers. From the settlement it is a short walk to the shores of Phoksundo Lake where you set up camp. Overnight at tented camp.

Day 08- Trek to Phoksundo Khola (3,507meters) 6 hours.
You follow the trail that skirts the edge of the lake itself. This precarious trail is suspended on a gangway of wood supported on pegs, driven into crevices in the rocks and signals the remoteness of the area you are about to enter. You go very steeply up, to 4,040meters, and then plunge down again to the valley bottom to enter the flood plain of the Phoksundo Khola and trek to your night stop alongside the river,  within the confines of the forest to avoid the worst of the wind which is prevalent in the valley bottom. Overnight at tented camp.

Day 09- Trek to Phoksundo Bhanjyang (4,402meters) 7 hours.
Today you should take sandals or footwear suitable for Knee deep as you are crossings a few streams.  This morning you continue along the level path through a glacial valley that now heads north. As this becomes narrower and narrower there are impressive vertical cliffs and contorted rock formations. At the confluence of the Phoksundo Khola and another, unnamed, mountain stream there is an old wooden bridge. Here you take the barely discernible path to the north east up a side valley which has a cavernous look. There is no trail as such, so it is necessary to clamber over rocks and boulders and to ford a stream that rushes down the steep valley. A long climb brings you to a sheep meadow where the trail veers up a steep ravine. A hard climb to the top brings you to yet another valley where you can see the Kang La, the pass will lead you to Shey Gompa. You camp just before the pass in a place that Peter Matthiessen christened 'Snowfields Camp'. Overnight at tented camp.

Day 10- Cross Kang La pass (5,151meters) then trek to Shey Gompa (4,126meters) 7 hours.
The somewhat indistinct track is physically demanding, especially on the loose slate screed. It will take about two and a half to three hours to reach the top of the Kang La. The views from the top are magnificent and well worth all the hard work. The height of the Kang La is variously given between 5,200 and 5,500 meters depending on the map one uses. 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 where a quaint wooden log bridge leads up to the Shey compound. Overnight at tented camp.

Day 11- Rest and exploration day at Shey Gompa.
As Shey means crystal, this monastery is also known as the Crystal Mountain. The lama of Shey resides at a red hermitage known as Tsakang Gompa which is west of Shey. It is not really a monastery but a retreat. Tsakang has been a meditation centre to many famous lamas from Tibet. Shey Gompa belongs to the Chaiba community, followers of the Padmasambhava and Kagyu sects.

It was the first Kagyupa monastery and its founder was the lama Ten-szin-Ra-Pa. The monastery was built during the 11th century. Shey is famous for its ancient Buddhist culture. In Dolpo the ancient Tibetan way of life combines animism with the teachings of Buddha. Drutup Yeshe introduced Buddhism in the Dolpo valley. Many years ago he came to Dolpo and came across wild people, whose supreme God was a 'fierce mountain spirit'. Crystal Mountain is to the west of Shey monastery. It is a very strange mountain indeed. Its contorted cliffs are laced with quartz and embedded with a rich variety of marine fossils. Shey Gompa stands above the confluence of Kangjunala and Yeju nala. Near the confluence there is a group of prayer mills turned by water wheels. Overnight at tented camp.

Day 12- Cross the Saldang La pass (4,785meters), and then trek to Namduna Gaon (4,400meters) 7 hours.
Today, you start by following a pleasant track amidst juniper, which ascends to a grey, stony canyon. This begins to zig-zag over bare rocks and coarse eroded soil until it eventually brings you to a flat spot, suitable for a brew or lunch, if the weather is fine.  Then continuing very steeply up for 20 minutes before traversing to the top of the Saldang La pass. Here you will enjoy great views towards the arid landscapes of Mustang and the distant snow peaks of Tibet. The subsequent descent towards the north is long and tiring, but you finally come upon the welcome sight of pastures of grazing yaks and sheep and nomadic tents made from yak hair. This signals your approach to Namduna Gaon. Like Shey, the Namgung monastery is of the Karma-pa sect. The monastery, a red stone structure, is built against the backdrop of a cliff on the north wall of a gorge. The red and white colors of the Gompa and its Stupas are the only color in this stark landscape. The village itself consists of only six stone houses and has terraced fields on both sides of the tributary, which flows down to the Nam Khong valley. The economy of the region is based on agriculture, animal husbandry and trading. In Dolpo only one crop a year can be grown and this is mainly barley. In some village buckwheat, oilseed, potato and radish are also cultivated. Recently the main cliff temple collapsed and the villagers have now built a beautiful new monastery in the village itself. Overnight at tented camp.

Day 13- Trek to Saldang (3,903meters) 4 hours.
Leaving Namgung monastery and start climbing. Further on it begins a long thrilling traverse along some dusty barren mountains. Looking down into the valley bottom it is very evident that the people have made best use of the fertile valley as one sees the neat terraced fields showing bright patches of green and ripening crops. You ascend before going down steep slopes to the picturesque village of Salding, situated on a plateau high above the Nam Khong nala and the biggest village of the inner Dolpo area. Though the village lies at about the same altitude as Ringmo, it is totally different. Ringmo, a Himalayan village is situated below the tree line while Saldang belongs to the arid zone of the trans-Himalayan Tibetan plateau. The village stretches for two kilometers on an open slope and consists of five villages having eighty well-built houses with nearly six hundred villagers. It is prosperous, not only agriculturally, but also for its strategic location on a trade route to Tibet. Overnight at tented camp.

Day 14- Trek to Sibu (3,942meters) 6 hours.
After leaving Saldang on the way down to the river bed you pass through terraced fields, Stupas, Chortens, heaps of Mani stones and a Chaiba monastery. Namdo, the next village is also prosperous with sixty houses having nearly four hundred inhabitants. It stretches for more than 5km on the high slopes to the left of Nam Khong Khola. The Namdo monastery is located near the river bed. There is also another monastery on top of a high cliff. You camp near the small Settlement of Sibu, right on the river bank. Overnight at tented camp.

Day 15- Trek to foot of the Jeng La (4,369meters) 5 hours.
Following the line of the river valley the trail is fairly easy going initially. After about two hours it is necessary to wade another stream before turning into a side valley and the rise becomes very sharp. This is a pleasant meadow, but bestrewn with rocks, yak and other animal droppings. Overnight at tented camp.

Day 16- Cross the Jeng La pass (4,845meters), trek to Tokyu Gaon (4,240meters) 7 hours.
The trail is generally well compacted making the going underfoot easy, much easier than loose shale, but it is steep. It is only a 2 hour climb to reach the top of the Jeng La. From the top of the pass there are good views of the Dhaulagiri massif, glittering in the morning light. A rough track descends towards the Tarap valley. By the afternoon you find a green valley which leads you by a pleasant track down towards the Tarap Chu. Tarap is a dream valley with vast plains in high mountains extending 20kms along the river Tarap Chu. It has ten villages with cultivated fields, many Gompas and Chortens of both sects. You halt for the night at Tokyu monastery. This monastery also belongs to the Chaiba sect. Overnight at tented camp.

Day 17- Trek to Dho Tarap (4,090meters) 4.30 hours.
Before leaving Tokyu a short visit can be made to the Chaiba Gompa. The trail is broad and well traveled, making the going easy and there is evidence of work in the fields, where the women will be bringing in the harvest - the men are away bringing down the herds of animals for the forthcoming winter. There are many Mani walls but some of the Chortens are in a bad state of repair. The ' French School ' is just outside the village of Dho Tarap where you have your night stop. Tarap is inhabited mostly by Magars who have lived here for generations but also by a few Tibetans. They wear home-spun clothing that is sometimes dyed maroon and they favor Tibetan style Somba (boots with upturned toes) for footgear. Men and women often wear both religious amulets and strings of coral and turquoise. The inhabitants of this village are both Bon Po and Buddhist (Nyingmapa). In the afternoon a walk up to the Buddhist Gompa is very worthwhile. There is a resident lama who is very happy to show off his monastery and might even let you see his private Gompa and the Tankas he has made himself. The Bon Gompa is about half an hour's walk from camp. Overnight at tented camp.

Day 18- Trek to Serkam (3,630 meters) 6.30 hours.
Your route follows the course of the Tarap Khola, generally downhill. You go through narrow gorges with the river rushing through. One may see blue sheep, marmots, yaks, sheep, and goats and perhaps meet people from Dolpo taking their flocks of sheep and goats to lower pastures for the winter. The afternoon brings more undulations in the path when it leaves the immediate course of the river. There is evidence of improvements to the trail where parts of the rock have been blasted out. You will also see the first of the modern steel suspension bridges which have been built to facilitate movement of people and animals. The track is very narrow in places. You reach your overnight camp on a grassy strip by the river. Overnight at tented camp.

Day 19- Trek to Khani Gaon (2,550meters) 7 hours.
You continue to walk down the gorge of the Tarap River, at times alongside it and at others high above, on a narrow trail built out from the steep slopes. The quality of the path varies from broad, smooth and firm to very narrow and crumbly. There are also flights of man made stone staircases which need to be tackled with care – some of the constituent rocks wobble when stepped upon! An exciting day in deep and awe-inspiring gorges. Your camp site is a pleasant meadow in the shade of a stand of trees. Overnight at tented camp.

Day 20- Trek to Tarakot (2,281meters) 4 hours.
Leaving Khanigoan by the new suspension bridge and then walk alongside the river, sometimes going very high before reaching down to the water again. Some of the trail is quite demanding and one bridge, said to have been out for six years, necessitates crossing on wet stepping-stones.

Coming into the broad fertile valley of the Barbung Chu, you walk amongst the various crops of millet, sweet corn, barley, buckwheat, green beans, chilies and marijuana. Your lunch and night stop is high above the river but there is a standpipe for water. Tarakot is an old fortress town known by the local people as Dzong, meaning 'fort'. Before the Gorkha dynasty Tarakot was the capital and had a dzong. The famous Sandul Gompa, which lies 8km east of Tarakot and at the junction of Barbung Khola and Tarap Chu, stands on a knoll to the south of Bheri river and at one time supervised collections of tolls for the trading caravans traversing an area called Tichu Rong. Overnight at tented camp.

Day 21- Trek to Dunai (2,052meters) 5 hours.
The trail is mostly down and fairly firm. Walking beside the Bheri river, you use the ingenious path built twenty feet above the river. All too soon you have reached the village of Dunai and the camp site you used before. You will now have completed the circuit of mysterious land Dolpo and a celebration party is sure to happen. Overnight at tented camp.

Day 22- Trek to Juphal (2,404meters) 3 hours.
You now retrace your steps to Juphal. Initially the way is flat but the final hour up to your destination seems steeper than you remember on Day One! Overnight at tented camp.

Day 23- Fly to Kathmandu via Nepaljung.
Early morning flight to Nepalganj from Juphal. This is a wonderful 35-minute flight over the Himalayan foothills, with fine views of the main peaks including Annapurna and Dhaulagiri to the north. You then connect with the flight back to Kathmandu. Overnight at hotel.

Day 24- Leisure day in Kathmandu. Overnight at hotel.
It's also spare day in case of bad weather in Lukla, If you are interested in continuing onto Chitwan Jungle Safari, River Rafting Adventure, Kathmandu Shopping Tour or Scenic Everest Flight

Day 25- Transfer for your final flight departure.
The trip ends, our Airport Representative will drop you to the Kathmandu International Airport for your flight departure from Nepal.

NOTE: The above information is a guide and standard template of what we provide. The trek can be customized at your request to accommodate your specific requirements
Trip cost as per above program

      Group Size 2 - 3 4 - 6 7 - 9 10 - 12
Cost per person in USD 3250.00 3100.00 2800.00 2600.00
Cost per person in GBP 1800.00 1715.00 1550.00 1440.00
Cost per person in EURO 2690.00 2565.00 2320.00 2150.00
Cost per person in AUD 4335.00 4135.00 3735.00 3465.00

Single supplementary (if require) US$ 200, GBP 110, EURO 165, AUD 265 Per Person
The above cost Includes
1. Airport / Hotel / Airport pick up & drop by private car / van / bus.
2. Standard accommodation in four/five star hotel in Kathmandu breakfast included (4 nights on twin sharing).
3. Standard hotel accommodation in Nepaljung (1 night on twin sharing).
4. Guided city tour in Kathmandu by car / van / bus.
5. Full board meal during camping, prepared by our cook with Tea & coffee.
6. Twin sharing tented accommodation and equipment during the camping trek. (We will provide two man tents, dinning tents, kitchen gears, dining table, chairs, toilet tents, shower tent.)
7. A local government licensed English speaking Guide, a cook the required number of porters, their food, accommodation, salary, insurance, equipment.
8. Boiled and purify drinking water for the trek.
9. Special Trekking Permit US$ 70 per person per day and all local conservation fees.
10. Flight fare from Kathmandu – Nepaljung – Juphal – Nepaljung - Kathmandu including airport departure taxes.
11. Surface Transfer to and from Kathmandu.
12. Down Jacket, sleeping bag and duffel/kit bag by Ace the Himalaya (which needs to be returned after the trek.)
13. First aid Medical kid.
14. First aid medical kid.
15. All our government taxes.
16. Tourist service charge, vat.
17. Official expanse.

Please Note: -US$65 per person per night if you need extra accommodation in Kathmandu including breakfast.

The above cost Excludes
1. Lunch and dinner whilst in Kathmandu
2. Your travel insurance (compulsory).
3. International airfare and airport departure tax.
4. Nepal entry visa fee (US$ 30 per person) you obtain a visa easily upon your arrival at Tribhuwan International Airport Kathmandu for 60 days from date of issue.You will require 2 passport size photos.
5. Items of a personal nature such as alcoholic drinks, cold drinks, laundry.
6. Personal trekking Equipments.
7. Tips for trekking staff and driver. (Tipping is expected.)
8. Sightseeing/Monuments entrance fees in Kathmandu.
9. Any others expenses which are not mentioned on Price Includes section.

Frequently Asked Questions for Upper Dolpo Trek

Q. What type of shape do I need to be in, is this trip for me?
A. Upper Dolpo trek is suitable for any kind of person who is moderately fit, no previous experience is required. To condition yourself for the trek, some physical fitness programs such as walking, running, swimming, and hiking are recommended before you embark on your journey. Any person suffering from a pre-existing medical condition or diseases must seek medical advice before considering any trek. Whilst on the trek, it is common to experience some discomfort before being fully acclimatized.

Q. What sort of accommodation can I expect in Kathmandu and in trekking?
A. We use standard rooms from four or five star hotels in Kathmandu with breakfast included. Along the trekking routes we provide the best possible camping service complete with comfortable two person tents with good mattresses. A kitchen, dining, shower, toilet tents, chairs with tables are also provided. Refer to the equipment list for items you will need to bring. We usually camp in or near a village, which allows you to buy sweets and drinks, which we do not carry with us. We provide a limited amount of toilet paper and facilities for hand and face washing before meals. You will also get a bowl of hot water each morning in your tent for a quick scrub up.

Q. What sort of food can I expect in trekking?
A. Our expert camping cook can prepare specially requested food if you advise. In any case, you will have similar fare to teahouses, except along the way we may buy some fresh local produce such as fish, chicken or cheese to supplement the supplies. And the cost of all the food we prepare is included in the price of the camping treks. You can eat as much as you like. If you have any special dietary requirements please advise us in advance so that we can make the necessary arrangements.

Q. What is the best season for this trekking?
A. The best time for Upper Dolpo trekking is October to November and mid February to June. This trekking can be also done during the monsoon season from July to September as it is located in Himalayan rain shadow

Q. What is the weather & temperature like in trekking?
A. Weather in the mountains is notoriously difficult to predict. At night it is generally cooler the days are generally warm. There will be snow during the month of December and February. It is important to make sure that you can stay warm and dry in just about any conditions. Expect the unexpected! The temperature could be as high as 20 deg C to -10 deg C low.

Q. Can I charge my digital camera or other batteries on my trip?
A. These facilities will be not available in this trekking as this is remote area trek in Nepal. But in Kathmandu of course yes. Remember to bring your adapters!

Q. Is the water OK to drink? Do I need to bring purifying tablets/filter?
A. We will provide you boiled and purify water to drink. So you don’t need anything. But you can buy also mineral water in some village along the trial.

Q. Are the Ace the Himalaya Agency's staff insured?
A. Our company insures all our trekking staff, including guide, cook, sherpa and porters. Please, Click on LEGAL DOCUMENT page (Company) to view insurance details.
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