Dolpo is the home to one of the last remnants of traditional Tibetan culture. This region is given the name of “Hidden Valleys” by the legends. Interestingly this hidden valley was created by Guru Rinpoche as a refuge for devout Buddhists during the troubled times. Hidden beneath the high mountains that include Dhaulagiri massif to the south-east and cut off by high passes closed by snow half the year, Dolpo's easiest access is from Tibet, where its people emigrated from perhaps 1000 years ago.
The Lower Dolpo Trek takes you on a trail that transverse through ancient villages like Dho Tarap, people here practice centuries-old traditions and customs, trail meander around the woods of pine, oak and juniper which homes the endangered animals like the Himalayan musk deer, blue sheep and snow leopard. Sky-piercing mountains will always give you company while trekking.
We pass over through two high passes: the Baga La (5,070m) and the Numa La Pass (5,360m), the highest point in this trek from where we enjoy the stupendous views of the Dhaulagiri Himal to the south and Tibetan ranges Kugung La and Khyung La to the north. We also visit the beautiful lake of Shey-Phoksundo which adds just another highlight of this magnificent trek.
Trip Code
LDT82
Starts
Juphal
Finishes
Juphal
Duration
19 Days
Difficulty
Hard
Group-Size
2 - 7
Age
Minimum 18
Seasons
Mar-Jul,Sep-Oct
Elevation
5360 m/ 17585.3ft
Trip View
2291
Activities
Trekking
Travel Style
Comfortable
Trip popularity
TRIP FACTS
Journey to the remote cultural destination of Nepal through the old Trans-Himalayan caravan route.
Lower Dolpo is also popularly known as "Land of Natural Hidden Wonders".
The Dolpo region has only been opened for foreigners since 1989.
The Dolpo region preserves one of the last remnants of traditional Tibetan culture where the pre-Buddhist Bon-Po religion is still in practice.
Views of Labyrinthine valleys and the vividly turquoise Phoksundo Lake are the main highlights of this unique trip.
Thrilling High passes Numa La Pass and Baga La Pass.
Why this Trip
This trek is selected by very few travellers who want to see the unspoilt beauty and culture of a remote world without the traffic of tourists. This trek is a time travel to the hidden world that has kept alive the essence of the ancient world that existed a thousand years ago.
Trip Notes
•We reserve the right to change and that the program may be reversed. Things can happen that make it impossible to meet them as planned. If any meeting or plan would not be feasible, we always try to find an equivalent alternative. In Nepal, you always have a plan B and C!
•What follows is a general flow of events. Expect the unexpected and prepare to be flexible
•A trekking permit is a must to travel to controlled areas. Permit, however, is issued only to groups. Individual trekkers will not be issued trekking permit
At the arrival section of Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, one of our representatives will be waiting with a placard-carrying your name on it. The airport representative will explain the program upon arrival and escort you to the hotel on a private vehicle. Overnight in Kathmandu.
Kathmandu Valley is an ancient city with diverse cultures and traditions. It has a significant part in the history of Nepal. Home to 7 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, it has been chosen as a cultural and historical site of study and excursions throughout history. We’ll observe some of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Kathmandu throughout a day. Overnight stay at the hotel;
We’ll take a brief flight from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj. It’s one of the biggest cities in the far west region of Nepal. We’ll meet with our porters and the rest of the team in the hotel. Overnight at the hotel;
On this day, we take a brief 35 minutes flight to Juphal. Juphal is a starting point for our trek, from Juphal we hit the road and commence the trekking. The trail descends and skirts through local villages. To reach Dunai, we walk along the riverside and pass Roop Ghar with the water mill and finally reach the village of Dunai (2,150m). We stay overnight in Dunai;
After breakfast, we trek to Tarakot following the upstream trail of Bheri River. A pleasant trek passes small villages with the monastery, Mani stones and cultivating fields. Tarakot is a small settlement that nestles high above Thuli Bheri River was once a famous trading point as it was the capital of ancient independent kingdom Tichorung. Most of the natives of the village belong to the Magar tribe and most of them practice Tibetan Buddhism as their religion. Overnight stay at Tarakot;
After our hearty breakfast, we head towards Laini. We pass via Laisicap (2,775m) and KhaniGaon (2,950m), and river accompanied by impressive views of the Himalayas including Putha Hiunchuli and Churen Himal. Laini is a great Campsite which has cascading waterfall nearby. We stay overnight at Laini;
On this day, we set our feet for Simara. We trek through the deep gorges and amazing cliffs via Chhyugar (3,440m) and Toltol (3,523m). We stay overnight in Simara;
Dho Tarap is a highlight of this trek. It is a wonderful settlement that portrays the rustic attributes of Dolpo. Dho Tarap situated above a wide valley and was a famous trading point to the traders of Tibet and Mustang in the ancient days. We take the route via Ghyamghar and Langa to reach the magnificent village of Dho Tarap. Overnight stay at Dho Tarap;
On this day, we are going to give our trekking a pause with deep rest and wonderful exploration in the vintage village of Dho Tarap. This place gives the feeling of an ancient world untouched by the modern world. We visit many provincial monasteries like Ringo Bumpa Monastery, a sacred monastery built 1000 year ago by Jigme Nyima Gyaltzen and Lama Tenzing Tragye to get rid of evil spirits wandering in the region. Being an ancient city it has a lot to offer us, Kakar Labrang Monastery, White valley, Drakmar Dewa Monastery etc. are examples of it. We visit as many as we can. Overnight stay at Dho Tarap;
After the stay at the wonderful Dho Tarap, we move to Numa La Base Camp. We trek via traditional Tokyu Village (4,209m) with dramatic views of Shering Gompa which is the house for the monks in the region. Stay overnight at Numa La Base Camp;
This day is challenging because we pass through the Numa La Pass (5,310m) to reach Danighat. It is a serious uphill trek to Numa La top for 4 hours that grants us with marvellous views of Mt. Dhaulagiri, Norbung Kang and Churen Himal. Stay overnight at Danighat;
On this day, we embark on crossing another pass called Baga La Pass. It is a strenuous uphill climb to Baga La Pass, it boasts a scenic view of Norbung Lang Peak and the entire Phoksundo Lake. Enjoying the beautiful meadow of Temche (4,000m) we come down toward the Yak Kharka. After 6-7 hrs walk, we reach our day’s destination. Overnight at Yak Kharka;
On this day, we start our trail from the Yak Kharka and ascend to Ringmo through the lush vegetation of pines, junipers and cypress. We pass through some of the highest waterfalls in Nepal. And from there, we reach out for Ringmo, a famous Bon settlement in the region. After the decent walk to downhill, we reach the turquoise colour lake called Shey Phoksundo. It is the deepest lake in Nepal. This beautiful lake will make it up for all the strenuous hard work of previous days. Overnight stay at Ringmo;
Besides the exquisite lake, there is much to explore nearby. We can observe the culture of Ringmo village and its monasteries. Many beautiful glaciers can be found near and above the lake area. There are many monasteries (Gompas) and Bon-po religious sites at the park. Overnight stay at Ringmo;
We bid farewell to beautiful Phoksundo and trek uphill and downhill via Chunuwar and Rechi. After 3-4hrs trek, we reach Jharana and if you feel tired then we can stay here for overnight or we transverse through the forest of pines, birches and bamboo. After the gentle walk for 3-4hrs, we reach Chepka. If you feel tired then we can stay at Jharana for overnight;
After having breakfast, we descend towards Rupghat from Chepka/Jharana. From Chepka, it takes around 4-5 hrs to reach Rupghat, and from Jharana it takes 6-7 hrs walking through the beautiful dense forest. We spend our overnight at Rupghat;
For nights in cities, we use standard/superior standard/deluxe rooms whereas, during the trek we use camping/lodges/tea houses/guesthouses/home stay for our clients, and whatever is available and accessible. We also arrange sleeping bags for our clients, on their request.
We believe in operating small intimate group to provide personal attention and services to our guests. Small groups can enjoy the trek hassle free and enjoy the customized trip according to their need and suitability. We do not incorporate more than 14 People in a group, unless we get special requests from our clients.
Yes, Nepal can proudly boast as one of the safest countries in South Asia for women, you will find people very friendly and respectful especially towards women. Locals are very respectful and welcoming toward women and tourist in general and our guides will make sure you are comfortable and safe while trekking in remote areas.
We make sure to take security measures during trek to make your trip delightful. We hire experienced and license holding guides to safeguard your life in mountains. We suggest you to follow the guide’s instruction carefully and take responsibility for personal belongings. Always keep your valued belongings near you and lock the door from inside during the night.
During camping, our expert camping cooks prepare a wide range of delicious meals empowering you with enough strength for your strenuous climbing. All the cooking materials will be carried by our porters.
There are plenty of water stations on each stop on the route. You can easily fill up the bottle from the open taps. We recommend that you bring water purifier tablets with you or at least get it from Kathmandu before you depart for trekking. You can also buy mineral waters but we usually recommend tap water which is pure and it helps us not promoting plastic bottled water.
We use private car for sightseeing inside the Kathmandu Valley and to drive towards Nepalgunj we will use min bus/car/jeep. We do drop and pick up from the starting and ending point of trek on private car or Jeep depending on the number of travelers.
Spring season (March to July) and autumn season (September to December) are the best time to do this trek, in winters it is difficult to trek in snow and harsh cold.
Before coming to Nepal make sure that you are covered by insurance policy for the altitude of 5500 meters. In the case of an emergency like altitude sickness, dehydration or any medical conditions ask your tour leader/guide to contact us as soon as possible so that we can manage/arrange helicopter for the rescue. Then you will be transferred to hospital for the treatment.
Trekking in Lower Dolpo Trek is a off the beaten track trek and tiresome activity that requires a lot of physical movement so pack your active wears and trekking pants for at lower altitudes. Weather at high altitude is unpredictable so carry a light weight waterproof jacket along with thick down jacket, pant and thermal inner wear t to escape severe cold. Needless to say that, Good shoes are very important for trekking in rough and snowy terrain, so invest on good quality shoes or rent it from us in a minimum price. As you are trekking in remote village try to wear modest clothes to quickly get up with the local people without hesitation.
We contact the lodge/guesthouse owner for reservation of the room before trekking on a particular day. On other days, porters reach the destination on advance and book the rooms for you. But there are always going to be exceptions but even in those cases, we may have to be flexible about very basic sleeping arrangements. We always try to make sure that we have everything well arranged.
All our Guides are trekking experts holding license from Nepal Tourism Board, Nepal Government. They are the most valuable assets of the company. Guides know the trekking route like the back of their hand and use their expertise in ensuring your safety in the mountains.
While trekking in higher lands you need to pay for charging the electronics upon request to the owner. The best idea always is to bring your power bank with you. It's easier and cheaper.
In some village, you can make local and international calls from telephone provided by the guesthouse owner after paying the price directly. Our guide also provided with a mobile phone in case of emergency you can call from his mobile and make a call.
If you need extra day to complete the trekking, you will need to inform the guide in advance and the guide will let the company know. Adding a day to trekking can result in many changes in other arrangements such as transportation, guide's schedule, flight details, hotel bookings and all, so we really don't recommend this to our clients unless there's an emergency cases. But it is true that those changes could be made but it will cost extra. The best way to do it is to inform the agent company about it.
Before coming to Nepal make sure you are covered for diphtheria & TB, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, malaria, typhoid, polio and tetanus. Make sure you are in best shape to complete the trekking without any complication.
We follow established trails used by local people for the trekking and each day trekking lasts for about 6-8 hrs. But it should not be taken as certain thing because the hour of walk depends on client's speed. So it's really relative
To confirm your booking, a deposit of 15% of total trip amount is required if you are booking at least a year in advance before trip departure date. If booking is made between 100-364 days before the trip departure, you'll need to pay 20% to confirm the trip. If payment is made between 99-60 days, 25% of the total trip amount will need to be paid and if booked between 59-30 days, 50% of the total trip amount needs to be paid and finally, if you are booking 29 days prior to trip departure, then 100% payment should be made. The payments can be easily made by the bank transfer. The due balance is payable on arrival in Kathmandu with cash (preferably USD/EURO) or card on POS/credit card machine. Please note that non refundable fee is 10% or $200 whichever is greater.
You cannot use the credit card during the trek. You have to withdraw the money before you start the trek. You can use credit card only in Kathmandu and Pokhara.
You have to carry your personal bags with water bottle and medicines remaining bags will be carried by porters to make you easy to trek. The weight limit for porters is 15 KG.
