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Lower Dolpo Trekking is a fascinating journey to the least visited region of Nepal, which is the land of Snow Leopard, Blue Sheep and Phoksundo Lake. Lower Dolpo with Phoksundo Lake Trekking offers incredible scenery of landscapes and mountains. One can enjoy relaxing times at turquoise Phoksundo Lake before heading to the highest point of this adventure, Numa La Pass 5190m, which boasts fabulous views of Dolpo rolling hills, mountains and the valley.
Trekking to Lower Dolpo starts with the flight to Nepalgunj and then to Jhupal in the Dolpo region. The real adventure begins with a visit to picturesque Phoksundo Lake, where you will explore ancient Bon and Buddhist culture. Lower Dolpo trekking passes through several attractive villages and crosses 3 difficult high passes, Baga La 5070m, Numa La 5190m and Jeng La 5090m. The trek to Lower Dolpo ends in Jhupal, with the flight back to Kathmandu eventually.
Trekking into the Lower Dolpo region exposes us to the isolated Himalayan valleys resembling the Tibetan highlands. Also described as the ‘World’s natural hidden wonders,’ Lower Dolpo also shelters the Shey Phoksundo National Park and the tranquil Phoksundo Lake.
Day 01:Trek preparation and afternoon flight to Nepalgunj, Hotel
Day 02:Fly to Jhupal 2320m, trek to Dunai 2000m 3hrs, BLD, Camp
Day 03:Trek to Ankhe 2890m 6hrs, BLD, Camp
Day 04:Trek to Sulighat village 3500m 6hrs, BLD, Camp
Day 05:Trek to Phoksundo Lake 3612m 5hrs, BLD, Camp
Day 06:Rest day at Phoksundo Lake for a local excursion, BLD, Camp
Day 07:Cross Baga La 5070m and to Phedi 4470m 7hrs, BLD, Camp
Day 08:Cross Numa La 5190 m and to Phedi 8hrs, BLD, Camp
Day 09:Trek to Tokyu Gaon 4200m via Jeng la 5090m 6hrs, BLD, Camp
Day 10:Trek to Dho Tarap 4040m 5hrs, BLD, Camp
Day 11:Trek to Tarap Khola 3800m 7hrs, BLD, Camp
Day 12:Trek to Khari Gaon 3150m 5hrs, BLD, Camp
Day 13:Trek to Tarakot 2850m 5hrs, BLD, Camp
Day 14:Trek to Dunai and drive to Jhupal, BLD, Camp
Day 15:Fly to Kathmandu via Nepalgunj, B.
Day 01: Trek preparation and afternoon flight to Nepalgunj, B, Hotel
After the final preparation in Kathmandu, we start our trekking journey with an hour's flight from Kathmandu. We land in the western part of Nepal. Nepalgunj is a town near the Nepal-India border, the gateway to Simikot and Humla.
Day 02: Fly to Jhupal 2320m, trek to Dunai 2000m 3hrs, BLD, Camp
Today we experience another thrilling flight from Nepalgunj to Jhupal. Jhupal is a beautiful town situated in the Himalayan foothills. It offers magnificent views of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri peaks to its North East. Once we land, we walk through terraced fields to the Bheri River and its narrow gorge. We continue walking until we reach Dunai, the Dolpo region's administrative headquarters.
Day 03: Trek to Ankhe 2890m 6hrs, BLD, Camp
Once we leave Dunai, we start our trek crossing a suspension bridge and turning west. Slowly our trail ascends to the treeless zone, Thulo Bheri Valley. Moving forward in the path, we get to view Kagmara Peak. As we move forward, we pass through walnut groves and Rahagaun villages. We walk down the dense forest and finally reach Ankhe.
Day 04: Trek to Sulighat village 3500m 6hrs, BLD, Camp
Today our trail ascends and descends along the wooden riverbank and climbs on a steep route. You can witness a few streams along the way. The trail eventually crosses the forest and passes through the grassy slope. Now we trek downhill on a path surrounded by green forest to the river bank at Sulighat village.
Day 05: Trek to Phoksundo Lake 3612m 5hrs, BLD, Camp
We start our walk along the confluence of the Phoksundo and Pungmo rivers. After crossing a bridge, we continue walking on the Pungmo Khola's western bank. Passing through the Cedar forest, we reach Palam village. We trek up to the ridge from where you can enjoy the distant views of Phoksundo Lake and the magnificent waterfall. Slowly trail descends through the birch forest. Moving forward, we gradually reach Ringmo village, filled with mud-plastered chortens and mani walls. Continue further to the tranquil and turquoise lake, Shey Phoksundo Lake.
Day 06: Rest day at Phoksundo Lake for local excursion, BLD, Camp
Today we will have a rest day since we have trekked a long way. One day should be there for a local excursion around the gorgeous Phoksundo Lake.
Day 07: Cross Baga La 5070m and to Phedi 4470m 7hrs, BLD, Camp
We cross the magnificent Baga La pass on this strenuous day to feast on the breathtaking view of Norbu Kang peak and the vast serene Phoksundo Lake before we descend to Baga La Phedi for the overnight camp.
Day 08: Cross Numa La 5190 m and to Phedi 8hrs, BLD, Camp
What an adventure Lower Dolpo trekking is! It's yet another gorgeous day in the Himalayas but with a challenging pass. The majestic view of Mount Dhaulagiri, Churen Himal range and Norbu Kang will soon make you forget all those challenging climbing parts.
Day 09: Trek to Tokyu Gaon 4200m via Jeng la 5090m 6hrs, BLD, Camp
As we walk through a steep trail, our step ascends to grazing land below the Jeng La pass and with much steadiness on the strenuous trail, we will come down to Tokyu Gaon in Tarap Valley for the overnight camp. It is also an excellent vantage point from where you can view the north face of the Dhaulagiri massif.
Day 10: Trek to Dho Tarap 4040m 5hrs, BLD, Camp
Moving forward, we descend on a rough trail further down in Tarap valley. Tarap valley is a fascinating valley with the Tarap Chu River. Dho Tarap for the overnight camp.
Day 11: Trek to Tarap Khola 3800m 7hrs, BLD, Camp
We continue today's walk by trekking downhill on a plain valley through lush grass on both sides of the river. This river goes through various parts of inner Dolpo. You can also witness the marsh, a common but unique feature in Tibet's desert mountains and the Ladakh Himalayas. Tarap Khola for the night.
Day 12: Trek to Khari Gaon 3150m 5hrs, BLD, Camp
We start our trek walking down the gorge of the Tarap River. Moving forward trail becomes more interesting since the valley gets narrow in a deep gorge that, in some places, we can jump from one side to another while sometimes there may be no trace of a path, and we may have to walk across stone slabs between the walls which act as a bridge.
Day 13: Trek to Tarakot 2850m 5hrs, BLD, Camp
Today we keep moving through a trail that takes us to the village of Lalberi. Our route crosses through lush green forests and descends into another gorge. Once we reach Tarakot, we can visit Sandul Gompa, located 8km east of the village at the juncture of the Barbung and Tarap Chu Rivers. We can witness the monastery, which stands on the hill of Bheri Khola.
Day 14: Trek to Dunai and drive to Jhupal, BLD, Camp
Today we walk along the Bheri river to Dunai and drive, enjoying the beautiful landscapes. We pass through Dhupichaur and Rupgad villages and temples. We continue driving through the unique Kalagaonda and Motipur villages before reaching a small airstrip.
Day 15: Fly to Kathmandu via Nepalgunj, B.
Storing everything deep in our memories, now it's time to get back from where we started our story. You can witness beautiful scenery from the airplane. It will take us about an hour to reach Kathmandu. End of the journey.
Customized Trips and Trip departure
Lower Dolpo Trekking departs from Kathmandu as per our fixed departure dates. You can join any available fixed departure groups if you are a solo or small group travelers if you wish to, when the trips cannot be customized.
But if you are in a private group, fixed departure dates are not suitable for you and so you need to choose your own dates and packages, when you can customize the trek as per your travel needs. For further information, please kindly contact your own friendly neighbor, Nature Lovers Treks and Tours.
Accommodations in Kathmandu and during trek
You will be staying in the tented camps during the trek.
Route Map and Company T-shirt
Nature Lovers Treks and Tours offers you a complimentary trekking map and the company t-shirts.
Safe Drinking Water during Lower Dolpo Trekking
Hydrating yourself is the most important thing to do during the trek. You should drink at least 3 liters of water every day or more. The main reason is to avoid the altitude sickness and to avoid other health issues. Nature Lovers Treks and Tours provides you water purification tablets or liquids to purify the water in the mountains. We will also boil the water time and again since there's no other way round.
Your trekking guides and porters
Nature Lovers Treks and Tours has the best guides and porters in the whole tourism industry. We can guarantee you on that. Ask yourselves a question. What do you look for in a guide and a porter? Are they fully insured and are they paid well? Well, they are the staffs of Nature Lovers Treks and Tours so they are hundred percent happy with their treatment by the company. They are experienced, licensed and knowledgeable in the field. They are well paid and fully insured for their journey as well as for the medicals.
Now, let’s talk about our backbones. The leader or a guide should have a significant knowledge in the climbing and trekking so that he can wonderfully and safely lead you, clearing any obstacles on the way. We, Nature Lovers Treks and Tours can proudly say that our guides (climbing, assistant, trekking guide) are highly qualified for the role. They are fully trained, experienced and licensed. They have undergone through a whole lot of training to make themselves useful in various situations and to make your journey a smooth and pleasant one.
Our guide knows the local areas, the cultures, the traditions and the lifestyles much more than anyone do. Some of the things he tells you, might even be hard to find in the travel guide books. Depending upon the situations and weather conditions, the daily plans might change slightly which when happens, he will inform you beforehand. You should always be flexibly ready to accommodate to your guides’ instructions. Let him know if you have any health problems as well since he will act accordingly to the situation. Depending upon the group size, we will also provide you assistant guides and extra Sherpas if needed.
Our porters are always fully equipped with the gears they need and as per the company policy, they are always insured and completely looked after. They are our backbone. We allow maximum weight of 25/30 kg to be carried by one porter. They are the strongest in our group with less communication skills. We also closely work with IPPG {International Porter Protection Group} and follow their ethics and guidelines.
Your safety
Nature Lovers Treks and Tours puts your safety as the top priority. We provide you our own comprehensive first aid medical kit bag along with the professional team of guides and porters. We are always in communication with our field team members to keep track of your safety and concerns. Your entire journey will be monitored by us and we make sure you enjoy your journey in full scale. We are available 24/7 for your health and safety checks during Lower Dolpo Trekking.
Important point to Note
We always suggest you to keep extra one or two days in your trek since we are taking many domestic flights. The weather in the mountains is unpredictable and can change anytime drastically which means your flight can be delayed or at worst cancelled and postponed for the next day. Therefore, this goes to all the Lower Dolpo trekkers, that extra days are needed.
How much does the Lower Dolpo Trekking cost?
The cost of the Lower Dolpo Trekking varies from $2000-$3000 depending upon the number of days you choose to trek. The longer the trek, more expensive it will become. It also depend on the group sizes. Normally, Nature Lovers Treks and Tours offers a comprehensive package which is inclusive of all the cost and expenses for the entire journey from the moment you land in Nepal till the moment you fly back home. However, you could also choose to buy only service-based package from us when we will be providing you only the supporting field staffs plus trekking permits and you have to arrange the rest by yourselves.
How is the Accommodation during the Lower Dolpo Trekking?
In Lower Dolpo Trekking, we will provide you the full camping service.
During the camping days, you will be sleeping in the camps set up by our field Sherpa staffs. There will be separate kitchen and dining and toilet tents. Your meals will be freshly cooked and you will be served day and nights by our Sherpas. Our staffs will carry the sleeping bags, pillows and mattresses for you to sleep in the tents. Undoubtedly, you will have a perfect camping trek experience with Nature Lovers Treks and Tours.
What are the permits that I need for Lower Dolpo Trekking?
For Lower Dolpo Trekking, you will need to make three different permits: Dolpo Restricted Permit, Shey-Phoksundo National Park fee and TIMS Card (Trekkers' Information Management System).
How does this tipping system in Nepal works and do I have to tip?
Tipping is not compulsory for Lower Dolpo Trekking however tipping is all about showing your gratitude and appreciation. We care about our staffs in the fields so we expect you to look after them in return for them looking after you throughout your journey. They are your closest friend in the remotest parts and also your protector whenever anything seems to happen to you. So tipping is highly expected and we’ve made it mandatory too. The amount of gratuities can be determined by yourselves.
Can I charge my phones, batteries or other electronic devices during Lower Dolpo Trekking?
The charging of your electronic devices can be rarely done in this trek so please charge every instrument of yours before leaving for the journey. It's highly recommended to carry the solar backups and extra power backups as well.
Is there WiFi and mobile signal on the Lower Dolpo Trekking?
Lower Dolpo Trekking route has hardly any mobile networks in most of the days. But you can buy one of the NTC or Ncell Sim cards from any local phone shops in Kathmandu which has coverage in most parts of Nepal. It is wiser to buy a sim card with around 4 GB data in Kathmandu and use the mobile data in the trek if available.
When is the best time to trek to Lower Dolpo?
Lower Dolpo Trekking can be done throughout the year. However in average, Spring {March, April and May} and Autumn {September, October and November} are the best times or seasons to trek to Lower Dolpo. Spring and Autumn are known as the Peak season or Busy season in Nepal. It’s because the temperature is moderate during these seasons and the best panoramic mountain views are guaranteed while during other Summer {June, July and August} and Winter {December, January and February} season, the clear weather is not guaranteed. But if you are an explorer, a photographer and a peace lover, less busy season can also be the right time to do Lower Dolpo Trekking. Dolpo is in fact popularly known as the monsoon trek in Nepal.
Do I have to worry about the altitude sickness in Lower Dolpo Trekking?
The itinerary of our Lower Dolpo Trekking is perfectly designed by Nature Lovers Treks and Tours and has separated enough time in the places to let the body acclimatize well in high altitudes. As long as you follow the guide, you should be fine. Altitude sickness in fact can affect anyone regardless of the age or the fitness level, so it is very important to walk slowly and gradually as you go higher. Learn more in details about Altitude Sickness to prepare yourselves for the upcoming Lower Dolpo Trekking.
Do I need to be healthy and physically fit for Lower Dolpo Trekking?
When it comes to trekking in the mountains, health and fitness of a person plays a vital role. If you are a healthy person without any serious medical problems, Lower Dolpo Trekking is for you but if you have any sorts of medical issues, please consult to your doctor before coming to Nepal for the trek. We will be gaining the high altitude of 5190 m above the sea level which is not a joke. People normally start to have breathing problems above 3000 meters from the sea level, if they have pre-existing health conditions.
Now when it comes to the fitness level required, Lower Dolpo Trekking demands high physical fitness. The trekking includes daily walks of about 4-8 hours and involves many ascents and descents including the high passes which means you need a lot of practices before you start the trekking journey. If you do not have the previous trekking experience, that's going to be hard for you but obviously if you have previous experiences, it will be lot easier. For those not having previous trekking experiences, please exercise regularly for at least few months prior to your trekking departure. Go for the morning walks, do some jogging as you get time, participate in some cycling activities, etc. This way, you will be good to go for trekking to Lower Dolpo Lake.
What kind of food items or meals can I eat on Lower Dolpo Trekking?
Full meals are included during the trek. Tea and coffee will also be provided during the entire trip. During the trek, you will have your breakfast and dinner in the same tented camps where you spend the night while the lunch will be served en route towards the next destination of the day. Freshly cooked meals will be served in most of the days and usually the foods are basic and with few choices but they will certainly be healthy and nutritious. Our Sherpas will make sure that you eat enough food for the trekking journey.
Do I need a travel insurance for Lower Dolpo Trekking?
Travel insurance is a must when you trek to Lower Dolpo. Therefore before you come to Nepal, please make sure you have your insurance documents with you since our insurance companies cannot insure foreign nationals. Because of the reason that they cover all the expenses, if you face some unfortunate happenings and you have to be rescued or medically assisted during the trip or if your belongings are lost or stolen. We strongly advise you to take out an insurance which covers any medical risks up to 5000 meter as well as the medical evacuation from the mountains.
Can I use my debit or credit cards during the trek?
In general, most of the places in Nepal don't accept the card payments as they are remote and of limited use to them. So, we recommend you to withdraw some cash before departing for the journey. ATMs will charge you minimal service fee for withdrawing money and you will also get good exchange rate from the banks.
How much weight of luggage can I take during the trek?
Our porter is allowed to carry maximum of 25 kg so, since 2 clients will share one porter, both of your combined weights shouldn't be more than 20kg. We care about our porters and he also has his personal belongings to carry as well.
For the important things and your personal items, you might have to carry your own backpack. But please, only carry the essentials and you will have to leave the rest of the unimportant items, either in the hotel's locker room or in our office store for free.
Is there any age limit for lower dolpo trek?
Not, at all. No matter if you're 5 years old or 85, you can trek as long as you can. In fact, the children seem to adapt to the high altitudes faster than an adult. So, as long as you're willing to hike the Himalayas, you can hike no matter what your age is.
How do you take the remaining balance on arrival in Kathmandu? Do I need to pay you by cash or I can use my card?
On arrival in Kathmandu, you can pay the remaining balance either on cash or by card. We prefer to be paid in cash (doesn't matter which currency) rather than by card but however, you can also swipe your card which will incur you extra 3.5% charge from the bank.
How big should my backpack be?
It all depends on what you wish to carry on your day pack. We recommend a backpack between 20-40 liter or roughly the size of a school bag.
Can I leave my luggage in Kathmandu?
Definitely, you can leave your excess stuffs in Kathmandu. Either you can leave them on the hotel's locker room or in our office store for free.
What about extra days and nights in Kathmandu?
For any extra days and nights in Kathmandu which is outside of your schedule, you can let us know beforehand and we can book the hotels for you and also other add-ons or activities as you may like. If under unforeseen circumstances you get extra days in Kathmandu after the trek, we shall work out the right solution for you.
What if I get sick or injured during the trek?
Like we said earlier, we, Nature Lovers Treks and Tours puts your safety as the top priority. Our professional team is always with you and monitoring you to ensure your wellness and safety. Our experienced and well-trained guide will use his emergency skills in case of emergency; either if you get injured or if you get sick. If it's regarding a symptom of altitude sickness or AMS, you will have to go down to the lower altitudes as fast as possible in order to gain your energy back. You can always continue in the later days or retreat as per your choice. In case of necessity, he will arrange the rescue helicopter for you as well to get the quick medical attention in Kathmandu.
How cold is it during the Lower dolpo trekking?
The places in the mountainous region are always cold no matter which season or what time. But the temperatures vary depending on the season and altitude.
What gears and equipment do I need to pack for Lower Dolpo Trekking?
Choosing the right gear and equipment is important as well for the successful trek to Lower Dolpo. Pack the right gears and equipment but remember, packing as light as possible is the best way to go when trekking to Lower Dolpo. You should read this What to take for travel to get all the details on what you need to pack or carry for Lower Dolpo Trekking.
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