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Duration17 Days
LanguageEnglish
Elevation
Tour Highlights
Lower Dolpo trek is an exhilarating trek to the high pass around the Shey Phoksundo National Park. This region is situated between the Dhaulagiri range and the Tibet plateau. This area is occupied by the “Bon” and has its Tibetan culture intact. We first get to the place named Jufal to start our trekking journey to the lower Dolpo and it is the ending point as well.
We cross three passes on this trek namely the Numa La (5159 meters), Kangmara La (5115 meters) and the Baga La (5190 meters) as we walk past amazing villages with warm and hospitable people. We will be awestruck by the mesmerising beauty of the lake, Shey Phoksundo. Despite the tourism restrictions in this region, this region is still very popular for trekking.
Note that there is no hard and fast rule to follow this itinerary so it can be extended or minimised based on your requirement and convenience. We can schedule to begin the trekking journey on any date in the trekking seasons during Spring, Autumn or Summer. This trek will be extremely memorable.
Expand Details Collapse DetailsItinerary
Tap each days to expand detailsDAY 1Reach Kathmandu
As soon as you reach Kathmandu, you will be received by our representative and will be escorted to the hotel. You will be provided with a briefing on the trek afterward.
DAY 2Kathmandu-Nepalgunj
On this day, we board on the bus or flight to reach Nepalgunj from Kathmandu. Nepalgunj is a town situated in the western Terai of Nepal and it is very close to Bardia National Park as well the Indian border. Nepalgunj is known to be the transportation hub to travel western, mid-western and far western parts of Nepal. Overnight stay at a hotel.
DAY 3Nepalgunj to Juphal via flight and trek to Dunai (2150 meters)
We board on the flight to get to Juphal which will take us around thirty-five minutes. Our trek begins from Juphal. We first descend and then walk past villages. We trek along the riverside and then cross the Roop Ghar which has a water mill and then we get to Dunai village (2150 meters). Dunai has some government offices along with a school and a police check post. Dunai is our overnight stop for the day.
DAY 4Head to Tarakot (2540 meters)
After having a hearty breakfast, we move to Tarakot as follow the upstream route along the river, Bheri. We walk past small villages which have monasteries, fields and mani stones. Tarakot lies above the river, Thuli Bheri and was a popular trading point since it sed to be the capital of the kingdom Tichorung. This village is mostly occupied by the Magar tribe and the locals practice Tibetan Buddhism.
DAY 5Move to Laini Odar (3375 meters)
After breakfast, we head to Laini Odar en route Laisicap (2775 meters) along with Kanigaon (2950 meters) crossing a river with the spectacular views of the peaks Churn Himal and Putha Hiunchuli. Laini Odar is a great camping site which has a pristine waterfall at close proximity.
DAY 6Head to Nawarpani
We have breakfast and move forward, passing Chhyugar (3440 meters) as well as Toltol (3530 meters), walking across deep gorges along with high cliffs.
DAY 7Move to Dho Tarap (3950 meters)
After we have breakfast, we follow the Tarap Khola en route to Langa and Ghyamghar. Dho Tarap is a beautiful settlement that resembles Dolpo. This place is above the valley and used to be a popular trading spot for the Mustang and Tibet traders back in the day.
DAY 8Acclimatization day in Dho Tarap
On this day, we take time to get our well-deserved rest. We explore the surroundings of Dho Tarap and the Ringo Bumpa monastery here, which was built around thousands of years ago. This monastery is similar to the Samye Monastery, which is in Tibet, in terms of its architecture. Kakar Gompa is a well-known monastery of the Dolpo region. Dho Tarap is home to many monasteries including the Drakmar Dewa Monastery, Mekhyim Monastery, Bon Gompa of Sipichowk, Dhoro Monastery, and so on. Choose wisely which monastery you would like to explore properly.
DAY 9Head to Numa La Base Camp (4350 meters)
We eat breakfast and then head to Numa La Base Camp en route to the Crystal Mountain School, Tokyu Village (4209 meters) and health post. We will witness the Sharing Gompa, where there are many monks of this region.
DAY 10Move to Danighar (4510 meters) en route Numa La Pass (5310 meters)
We will have strenuous walks on this day as we move to Danighar en route Numa La Pass (5310 meters). We have a steep uphill climb to the top of Huma La which will take us around four hours with the spectacular views of the Norbu Kang, Mt. Dhaulagiri and Churen Himal. The trek gets comparatively easier as we move along the Gyambo Khola.
DAY 11Head to Temche (4000 meters) en route Baga La Pass (5170 meters)
On this day, we have a challenging trekking journey as we climb uphill to get to Gaga La Pass which has to offer amazing views of the Norbung Lang Peak and the pristine Phoksundo Lake. We then descend down to Temche which is beautiful meadow at the height of 4000 meters.
DAY 12Move to Phoksundo (3600 meters); five to six hours
We descend down to Yak Kharka and then move uphill to reach Ringmo as we walk across the pine, cypress and junipers forest enjoying the panorama of the cliffs and the waterfall on the right. We finally get to Ringmo which is a popular Bon settlement here. We trek downhill for thirty minutes from Ringmo to finally reach the picturesque Shey Phoksundo lake.
DAY 13Phoksundo lake exploration
On this day, we explore the surrounding of the Ringmo village along with the amazing Phoksundo lake. Ringmo is a Tibetan village. We get to witness the beautiful glaciers around the lake. We will see many monasteries and religious sites here. We spend our time exploring all of this.
DAY 14Move to Chepka; five to six hours
We eat breakfast and then climb up and down en route Recchi as well as Chunuwar. We walk along with lush green forests of birches, bamboo, and pines enjoying t final sight of Phoksundo lake.
DAY 15Head to Juphal; five to six hours
We move to Juphal, passing Khangadanda and Shanta across diverse landscapes and barley and wheat fields among the trees of walnut, apricot, and peach. Juphal is an amazing village that has a marketplace.
DAY 16Return to Kathmandu en-route Nepalgunj
On this day, we first fly to Nepalgunj and then to Kathmandu.
DAY 17Leave Nepal
On this day, we escort you to the international airport at Kathmandu from where you leave for your native country or next travel destination.
Availability
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Contact us for any Inquiries
Included & Excluded
- Airport and hotel pickup and drop off facility
- Accommodation facility at Kathmandu in a hotel inclusive of breakfast
- Accommodation facility at teahouses and tents while trekking
- Complete land transportation according to itinerary via private vehicle
- Special permit to Dolpo
- Guide and porter (covers their food, lodge, salary, gear, transport, and insurance)
- Flight for Kathmandu-Nepalgunj-Juphal and back
- Welcome and farewell dinners
- All the meals while trekking
- Important trekking permits, paperwork and so on
- First aid box
- Travel and emergency evacuation arrangement
- Government taxes, service charge, and royalties
Good To Know
Given that you are trekking along a region with a different culture and environment. There is some consideration for this trekking journey.
Dos
- Smile and greet the locals by saying the phrase “Namaste” or “Tashidelek”
- Make certain that you travel in groups with also keeping a distance from people you see either walking in front or behind you
- Having an uncertain plan during the trek should be consulted with the guide when trying something new on the trek.
- Make yourself ready for the following day by having queries with the guide about what belongings can you carry with you and what belongings are carried out by the porters which are given for your convenience.
- Contributing to the donation boxes at monasteries will help them prosper and develop around the trekking zone as they do not charge tickets rates for visitors during the trek.
- Make sure you be comfortable while trekking if you feel uneasy and uncomfortable with your health please do inform the guide who will arrange the necessary preventions for you to be well fit during the trek.
Don’ts
- The trek is filled with rich cultures and beliefs which may be uneasy for you to handle; make sure you respect the local culture and beliefs and it is mandatory for you not to criticize such practices
- Make sure you have asked permission of the local people before capturing the pictures of them during the trek.
- As people here are friendly in nature do not feel difficult when people stare at you; they are just interested in the visitors and have no ill intentions
- Do not expect extravagant facilities around the trekking zone; basic facilities can only be provided given the geographical difficulties
- Harming the floras and faunas during the trek is strictly prohibited during the trek and be responsible about the environment around you.
- Giving money to the people during the trek should be prohibited as it encourages them to beg even more from the visitors during the trek.
Note About Itineraries
We will try to survey the timeline stated in the itinerary while they are subject to change if any external events occur in the trek which is beneath our control. Such external events can be an alteration in weather, campsite availability, and group’s health condition. Please recall that this trek is complex logistically so alterations may have to be made. Our trekking leader or guide will orient you to the next day’s plan each evening and note that their rational judgment has been the key to the successful trips offered by our company. Please note that these alterations are made to ensure maximum safety and for successful accomplishment of the trekking journey.a
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