Upper Dolpo

Trip Overview

The Upper Dolpo Trek to Shey Gompa in the far western region of Nepal takes us you into a mystical land where ancient Tibetan cultures and traditions remain an important part of daily life. This trek is unspoiled by the hordes of trekkers found in other parts of Nepal. Local people are incredibly friendly, a trait peculiar to people of these remote mountainous regions. This unique culture along with some of the most spectacular scenery Nepal has to offer makes this remote and rugged area an amazing trekking destination.

Upper Dolpo is the most remote and least-developed district in Nepal. Magnificent views of great Himalayan peaks, breathtaking landscapes, ancient monasteries and interesting villages await you. You will get to hike to the beautiful and tranquil Phoksundo Lake, the jewel of Dolpo, in the Shey-Phoksundo National Park and close to the gigantic mountain ranges of Annapurna, Dhaulagiri and Kanjiroba. Another highlight is the beautiful but tiny village of Shey Gompa with its colourful monastery built in 11th century lying just below Crystal Peak.  Shey Gompa is often referred to as the spiritual heart of Upper Dolpo. Other interesting villages such as Saldang and Dho Tarap also offer an insight into the culture and traditions of the region.

Along the way you will observe some unique wildlife including Himalayan blue sheep, the huge Himalayan griffon, mountain goats, jackals, wolves and if you are lucky, you may even get to see the elusive snow leopard. We also cross three high passes, Kang-La pass (5,360m), the Saldang La pass (5,200m)  and Jeng La pass (5,090m) making it quite a strenuous trek with long periods spent above 4000m.

Our adventure begins with a short one hour flight from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj, near the Nepal-India border where we have the afternoon and evening to explore the town, visit the local market and nearby villages. The following morning we fly to Jhupal, a town in the Himalayan foothills, with views of Annapurnas and Dhaulagiri and trek to the village of Dunai. We trek through the villages of Ankhe and Sulighat on our way to the beautiful and tranquil Phoksundo Lake, the jewel of Dolpo, in the Shey-Phoksundo National Park. After stops at Phoksundo Khola and Phoksundo Bhanjyang we make our way via Kang-La pass to the amazing village of Shey Gompa with just a couple of houses and monasteries.

We spend an extra day in Shey Gompa to rest, acclimatise and explore the beautiful village and surrounds before tackling the most arduous part of the trek, crossing the two remaining high altitude passes. Along the way we pass remote villages stopping overnight at interesting places such as Saldang and Sibu before commencing our slow descent through Dho Tarap, Kamakharka, Khanigaon, Tarakot, Dunai and Jhupal from where we take the flight back to Nepalgunj and on to Kathmandu.

Upper Dolpo is a restricted area. A fee of US$500 for the first 10 days and US$ 50 for each additional day is charged to access this area. Trekker numbers are limited to 250 per year making this trek a very special and exclusive experience.

The trek starts and finishes in Kathmandu and includes flights to and from Jhupal via Nepalgunj where your trek begins. In order to keep the trek cost as low as possible, we offer the flexibility for you to arrange your own accommodation in Kathmandu however we are happy to arrange this for you if you wish.