Lower Dolpo Trek in Western Nepal, is very isolated and under-visited, due to its distance from the cities of Nepal. That means that the rewards for dedicated travelers are great—empty trails, uninterrupted views, and unspoiled landscapes.
Lower Dolpo Trek in Western Nepal, is very isolated and under-visited, due to its distance from the cities of Nepal. That means that the rewards for dedicated travelers are great—empty trails, uninterrupted views, and unspoiled landscapes. Tibetan Buddhist culture and practitioners of the almost-extinct Bon religion add cultural intrigue to this beautiful camping trek.
Highlights of the Lower Dolpo Trek
The Dolpo region is divided into Lower and Upper Dolpo. While Upper Dolpo requires an expensive permit to visit, Lower Dolpo Trek doesn’t have the same restrictions. Reaching the trail—which requires two flights from Kathmandu—is part of the adventure, and really highlights how remote a region this is.
An especially interesting aspect of this trek is that you’ll encounter followers of the Bon religion. People in various places throughout Nepal practiced this religion before Buddhism and Hinduism took over, and it is now almost extinct. So, this trek allows for a rare insight into the Bon religion.
The landscape is also beautifully varied, with deep river valleys, high alpine pastures, two high passes to cross, and of course that amazing lake towards the end of the trek: Phoksundo.
The Route Followed
It’s necessary to begin this trek with two short flights: one from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj, on the Western Terai, and the other from Nepalgunj to the mountain airstrip at Juphal (2490m), from which the trek begins. Although roads are being built on the region, it is still very cut off, and flying to Juphal is the only way to reach the area from the plains.
Follow the trail to Dunai, and spend the next few days trekking towards Dho. There, you will do a few shorter acclimatization hikes to the monasteries around Dho, including a Bon monastery.
After your acclimatization days you should be well prepared to push on to Baga La High Camp, and then the pass. From the pass, there are great views of the Dhaulagiri Range to the east and Kagmara Range to the west.
After crossing the pass, descend steeply to Danigar, but then prepare to cross the second pass—Numa La. The descent from the pass is quite steep and uneven but smooths out after a while. After a day you’ll reach a bridge over the Phoksundo River, which comes off Lake Phoksundo, in the SheyPhoksundo National Park. Camp at Ringmo village, beside the lake.
Spend a rest and exploration day at the lake, exploring the nearby monasteries and beautiful nature views. Continue through the Phoksundo River Valley, finally reaching Juphal at the end of the trek.
Accommodation
This is a camping trek. The Dolpo region is under-visited, so the infrastructure of trekkers’ lodges that are common elsewhere in Nepal have not reached here. Furthermore, it can be difficult to pick up provisions along the way in Dolpo, so all food supplies need to be carried in. Your guides and porters will ensure you are sleeping comfortably and eating well.
Lower Dolpo Trek’s Short itineraries;
Day 01: Arrive in Kathmandu. (1350 meters).
Day 02: Sightseeing and Trek Preparation.
Day 03: Fly to Nepalgunj. (130 meters).
Day 04: Fly to Juphal (2490 meters) and trek to Lingdo.
Day 05: Trek to Laini.
Day 06: Trek to Sim Odar.
Day 07: Trek to Dho.
Day 08: Acclimatization day.
Day 09: Trek to Baga La High Camp.
Day 10: Cross Baga La and trek to Danigar
Day 11: Cross Numa La and trek to Yak Kharka.
Day 12: Trek to Rigmo
Day 13: Rest day
Day 14: Trek to Chepka
Day 15: Trek to Juphal 1 hour to Sangta. 1 hour to Kageni. 1:30 hour to Kageni. 1:30 hour to sulighat. 3 hour to Juphal.
Day 16: Fly to Nepalgunj and an afternoon flight to Kathmandu A morning flight to Nepalgunj is followed by an evening flight to Kathmandu.
Day 17: Free day in Kathmandu Also an extra day in case of delays or cancellation of flights
Day 18: Departure
Service include on trip cost
Service exclude on trip cost
Visit Himalaya Treks has always been keen on safety on the journey. We have prepared Trekking Equipment List which the trekkers will need during their trek in Nepal. The following list should help you with your packing. Generally, you should always try to keep the weight of your equipment to a minimum. The weight of your trek bag while trekking should be no more than 15 KG. You must bring the following items: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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