Dolpo Trekking Cost & Itinerary

The Upper Dolpo Trek is a remote and challenging trekking route located in the western part of Nepal. It is one of the most beautiful and culturally rich treks in Nepal, and it offers an excellent opportunity to explore the unique lifestyle, culture, and landscapes of the Dolpo region.

The trek begins from Juphal, a small airstrip in the Jumla district, and follows the ancient trade route that links Dolpo with Tibet. The trek passes through beautiful landscapes, including lush forests, arid deserts, deep canyons, and high mountain passes.

One of the most unique aspects of the Upper Dolpo Trek is the opportunity to explore the traditional lifestyle and culture of the Dolpo people. The Dolpo people have lived in the region for centuries and have maintained their unique culture and traditions. They are primarily of Tibetan descent and practice Bon Buddhism, an ancient shamanistic religion that predates Tibetan Buddhism.

The Dolpo people are also known for their distinctive clothing, which includes woolen chubas, Topi hats, and colorful aprons. They are skilled in traditional crafts such as weaving, woodcarving, and metalwork.

The Upper Dolpo Trek is also famous for the Shey Phoksundo National Park, which is home to rare and endangered species of wildlife such as the snow leopard, musk deer, and blue sheep. The national park is also home to the beautiful Phoksundo Lake, which is a stunning turquoise-colored lake set amidst the high mountains.

The Upper Dolpo Trek is a challenging trek that requires good physical fitness and a trekking experience. The best time to undertake the trek is from May to October, which is a period of clear weather and optimal trekking conditions.

In summary, the Upper Dolpo Trek is an excellent option for those seeking a unique and off-the-beaten-path trekking experience in Nepal, with stunning landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and rare wildlife.

The Upper Dolpo trek is commonly called the Trans- Himalayan Trek Nepal. It is situated in mid-West Nepal and the itinerary includes the freezing settlement of the legendary Shey Gompa Monastery beyond Phoksundo Lake and one of the closest and open borders with Tibet. While Phoksindo Lake is also reached by the Lower Dolpo trek, the Upper Dolpo trek takes you to the spiritual heart of the Dolpo Region, also known as the Crystal Monastery, located at the foot of revered Crystal Mountain. The mountain is visited by many devotees for circumambulation, which they believe will free them from the vicious circle of life and death.

Traditional Tibetan cultures and home to snow leopards, blue sheep, and Yaks grazing highlands, upper Dolpo to Jomsom trekking trails take you around immense Himalayan peaks with five high passes Kang La (5,380m, SALDANG La (5,060m, Chharka La (5,015m), more top Sangda La (5,515m), lower Sangda La (5,035m).

The Upper Dolpo Circuit to Jomsom Trek itinerary explores parts of the Great Himalayan Trail trek in Nepal, connecting the Tibet border. Geologically, the region is still in Nepal, but it is ethnically connected to Tibet, similar to the Upper Mustang trek.

The Upper Dolpo trek route was opened to foreign trekkers in 1989 through the restricted area trek in Nepal. This was controlled by the government to minimize the environmental and cultural impacts of the area.

There are Buddhist monasteries to be found in the Upper Dolpo region, as well as Bon Po pre-Buddhist monasteries. It preserves one of the last remnants of traditional Tibetan culture. The Shey Gompa is a Buddhist monastery located at 4200m in the She Phoksundo rural municipality of the Dolpa district in Nepal. Tibetans call it Shey Gompa which means Crystal Monastery. The village was founded in the 11th century. The monastery is the spiritual heart of the Upper Dolpo trek. It is housed in a red two-story building, and its interior is decorated with Buddhist paintings.  In 1220 BS, the Kagyu tribe came to this place and began this festival as a symbol of victory against the evil spirits, the Rakshas. 

Likewise, a large part of Dolpo trekking is also charming Phoksundo Lake which is discovered by Shey Phoksundo National Park at 3,555 square kilometers,  the Shey Gompa, Dho Tarap village is also equally beautiful.

Moreover, Phoksundo Lake is the highlight of the entire Upper Dolpo trek circuit route, which is more than 1,500 feet deep. Its water is of turquoise blue color circled by dense pine forest and the snow-capped magnifications of Himalayas views.

The Upper Dolpo Trek itinerary starts by plane from Kathmandu-Nepalgunj-Juphal-Dunai. Various picturesque landscapes can be viewed along the trail, as well as vast mountain ranges. Through arid landscapes and mixed forests, the trail leads to Ringmo Lake and Say Phoksundo Lake and through indigenous cultures. A Buddhist monastery called Gombas Monastery is located on Crystal Mountain, and it contains semi-precious stones and historical buildings. The Upper Dolpo passes through villages inhabited by ethnic Buddhists. Tibetans only speak Tibetan in this area. Our hike will take us to the last settlement before Tibet, and we can see the Tibetan border as we reach Musi Gaun. Continuing our ascent, we reach Jomsom via the Sangdala pass (5,111 meters). It is the starting point of the Upper Mustang Trek, the Tilicho Pass Trek, the Dhaulagiri Pass, and the Thapa Peak climb.

Accommodations

The Chharka Bhot has only a basic tea house room during the Upper Dolpo trek. but the rest of the places are only camping, with “no tea house access”. of course, Dunai Bazaar, Phoksundo Lake, and Jomsom have nice accommodations when trekking through the Upper Dolpo. Chharka Bhot is a rural village in the northeast of the region, on the Tibetan border. manage the Shree Chharka Bhot Basic School, a government school. A total of 120 children, including those from the surrounding villages, can now attend classes.  

Local people meals

Upper Dolpo Trek region local people’s main meals are Champa, boiled potato, Su Chya, yak, and goat meats. there is no particular irrigation land in the Upper Dolpo territory, and the local people cannot lucrative farming crops because of the parallel high altitude mountainous.

Trekking in the western region of the Dolpo trekking package with a knowledgeable guide and well-equipped porters will be handled by our Nepal wilderness trekking packages at a competitive price of the full board itinerary. Our guide knows the trails, culture, people, and fauna of the Upper Dolpo circuit trek.

Trip Highlights

• scenic flight to Juphal via Nepalganj from the capital of Kathmandu
• Challenging Trek through remote highest mountains
• Discover the unique lifestyle and culture of the mountain people
• Legendary Shey Gompa Monastery
• Explore the majestic monasteries as they were built over many centuries.
• Journey through Miraculous and landscape