Nepal

Lower Dolpo Trek

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Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Best Season: All Year Round

Max Altitude: 5,309 m

Group Size: Min 2 Pax

Transport: Flight and Private Vehicle

Trip Grade

Difficulty

moderate

Duration:
17 Days

Trip Overview

Lower Dolpo lies in the northwest region of Nepal. Dolpa is a high-altitude mesmerizing place which is occupied by dry desert surrounded by snowcapped mountains. 

Lower dolpo trek is very exciting as well as adventurous. It is considered a hidden treasure of Nepal. The trek lets you discover remoteness and wilderness of Nepal Himayalas. It is very adventurous because it is composed of sloppy hills which are very steep and one needs to cross challenging passes to complete the track. It is well exciting because this region has breathtaking landscapes, rare wild animals, varieties of flora and fauna, Tibetan culture and ancient villages. Lower Dolpo Trek provides the opportunity of exploring completely preserved region, untouched nature, tradition, culture and its religion. A special permit is required for trekking in this region, granted by the government, as it is a protected place for its culture and nature.

Trek starts from Jhuphal. From there trekkers stroll towards to the headquarters of Dolpo which is Dunai. From Dunai, the route is towards the Thule Bheri River via Tarakot. From there the difficult phase of the trek starts where trekkers need to cross Numa La and Baga La to reach the final destination of the trek Shey Phoksundo Lake. It is the deepest lake of Nepal which has very clear blue water. 

Trekkers will also be able to visit traditional villages of the Lower Dolpo region. Tarap, Dho and Tarakot are the name of the villages where they can find out the lifestyle of people, their rituals, experience their diverse culture and mainly customs of different ethnic groups of people. Some area of the region is protected by Shey Phoksundo National Park. The trekking route goes through the dense forest of Shey Phoksundo National Park which has different varieties of floras and faunas. The beautiful forest mainly consists deodar, blue pine, birch, spruce, cypress, fir and poplar. Trekkers can also have the chance to glance different species of animals in the dense forest like Himalayan weasel, Himalayan mouse hare, thar, black bear, Himalayan musk deer, rhesus monkey, goral, wolf, jackal, mountain goat, blue sheep and rarely found snow leopard.   

Since Dolpo is the very remote area therefore trekkers may endure difficulties in this trek. A good trekking experience and high level of fitness is also a must have thing to complete this trek. Despite facing many hurdles in this trek, at the end trekkers will be rewarded by cultural and natural beauty of Lower Dolpo which will be worth every penny.

ITINERARY OVERVIEW

Day 01: Arrival Kathmandu – transfer hotel – tour briefing
Day 02: Fly from Kathmandu - Nepalgunj
Day 03: Fly from Nepalgunj - Jhuphal then trek to Dunai
Day 04: Trek from Dunai – Tarakot
Day 05: Trek from Tarakot – Laina Odar
Day 06: Trek from Laina Odar – Nawarpani
Day 07: Trek from Nawarpani – Dho Tarap
Day 08: Acclimatization Day
Day 09: Trek from Dho Tarap – Numa La Basecamp
Day 10: Trek from Numa La – Numa La Pass - Danigar
Day 11: Trek from Danigar – Timche via Bagala Pass
Day 12: Trek from Timche – Ringmo Gaon
Day 13: Rest day & exploration of Shey Phoksundo Lake
Day 14: Trek from Ringmo Gaon – Chhepka 
Day 15: Trek from Chhepka – Jhuphal
Day 16: Fly from Jhuphal – Nepalgunj - Kathmandu
Day 17: Transfer airport – Flight to onward destination.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Kathmandu

We team of Firante Treks and Expedition welcome you the rich and marvelous land of the Himalayas. Upon your arrival, our rep from Firante will honour you at the aiprort and then transfer you to the hotel.

Later in the evening you can stroll around Thamel and see some glimpses of the hot and happening sight of Kathmandu.

Aiprort Pickup in a Private Vehicle.

Day 2: Fly from Kathmandu - Nepalgunj 

Flying from Kathmandu's (1400 meters) higher altitude to Nepalgunj's (150 meters) lower altitude might be hot depending on the time of year. As a result, we will fly from Kathmandu in the afternoon and spend the night in Nepalgunj to avoid the sun and heat. The flight takes around an hour. From there, we'll fly to Jhuphal early in the morning.

Day 3: Fry from Nepalgunj - Jhuphal then trek to Dunai

After a 40-minute flight from Nepalgunj, we will arrive in Jhuphal. Our team members will be ready to greet us with all of the necessary equipment. After that, we'll hike for another three hours to get to Dunai. Dunai is the administrative capital of the Dolpo district. The road to Dunai takes us past terraced farms until we reach the Bheri Gorge on the River Bheri. There will be enough time for us to do a quick inspection before getting dark. Before it becomes dark, we'll have enough time to take a quick tour of the town.

Day 4: Trek from Dunai – Tarakot  

A series of rivers trace the route for the day through terraced hillsides and deep pine forests to Tarakot.  Tarakot is at the altitude of 2530 meters. It is a fortified village positioned defiantly at the top of magnificent hillside with a flagpole sitting proudly among the houses. It takes around 6 hours to reach Tarakot from Dunai. The nearby Sandul Gompa monastery is definitely worth a visit where we can see a path flanked with several chortens and mani walls.

Day 5: Tarakot – Laina Odar

The trail gradually climbs for most of the day. Therefore, it takes around 7 hours to complete today's trek. The route is through the dense forest and gorgeous suspension bridges until we reach our destination Laina Odar, which is at the altitude of 3370 meters.  Laina Odar is a former construction site with a stunning Cliffside and a cave that gives ideal protection during bad weather.

Day 6: From Laina Odar – Nawarpani

As we steadily climb beside the banks of the Tarap Khola, the thick forest of yesterday inevitably leads to barren terrain.  The alpine animals such as blue sheep and yak can be seen on the barren landscape. The day comes to an end by crossing suspension bridge high over Chaya Khola to reach Nawarpani village which is at the altitude of 3780 meters. It takes 6 hours to reach Nawarpani from Laina Odar.

Day 7: Nawarpani – Dho Tarap

Today's route is led by the Tarap Khola taking us down an undulating path that peaks at Charkala (4920m) before descending into the narrow valley. The valley is so deep that the lower pathways require the midday sun to see it. Dho Tarap's whitewashed gompa stands majestically at its core. It is a Tibetan village at the altitude of 3944 meters. It is surrounded by many stupas and chortens. It is a long way route which takes almost 7 hours to reach Dho Tarap.

Day 8: Acclimatization Day

A day to relax and adjust to the higher altitudes. Dho Tarap provides sufficient chance to explore its various charms and witness the traditional Tibetan lifestyles of its friendly residents. The residents still use their Yak caravans to trade with Tibet to the north.  We will also take a trip to the Gompa to explore fascinating laneways and watch a spectacular view of Phoksundo Lake and Himalayas. Dho Tarap is the kind of location where you might easily spend a week luxuriating.

Day 9: Dho Tarap – Numa La Basecamp

Next day, we will say farewell to Dho Tarap unwillingly because of its beauty. Then, we will climb higher through the northern and dry part of the valley for 7 hours to reach Numa La Base Camp which is situated at the altitude of 4440 meters. Similarly, the route will lead us towards the rocky basin that will be our campsite tonight.

Numa La Base Camp is soaked in the beautiful views of Dhaulagiri and other peaks.

Day 10: Numa La – Numa La Pass – Danigar

A steep track leads us to the tough climb of Numa La Pass, where we take a break to enjoy the wonderful scenery offered by our height. From there, it's all downhill to Danigar village which is at the altitude of 4512 meters. We need to pass through Yak pastures and terraced fields to reach Danigar village. The journey of today’s trek from Numa La to Numa La Pass to Danigar takes 7 hours completely as the route is challenging while climbing towards Numa La Pass.

Day 11: Danigar – Timche via Bagala Pass

Another day of high-altitude trekking, this time ascending gently over a traditional yak track to Bagala pass. It also has stunning views of the surrounding mountain ranges. We will descend down through the alpine parts of the path to a more moderate climate of pine forests for 6 hours to reach Timche, which is at the altitude of 3641 meters.

Day 12: Timche – Ringmo Gaon

We will receive a nice break from the lung-wrenching and high altitude climbing of the past few days with a reasonably easy trip to Phoksundo Lake. It is a short trip but it takes around 4 hours to reach Ringmo Gaon which is at the altitude of 3641 meters. Phoksundo Lake has breathtaking views one has never imagined due to the turquoise water and the lake's gorgeous location surrounded by the snow-capped mountains from both sides.

Day 13: Rest Day & exploration of Shey Phoksundo Lake

A whole day to discover the beautiful lake water and their surroundings. Tshowa, a medieval Bon monastery founded over 900 years ago is also close to Phoksundo Lake where we can go and furthermore explore the place in detail.

Day 14: Ringmo Gaon – Chhepka

We leave the iconic mountain capes behind and follow a stream until a hard ascent rewards us with one more view of Phoksundo Lake before continuing towards south through birch forests and deep pine to Chhepka, located at the altitude of 2678 meters. We will spend our night at Chhepka after the long trek of 6 hours.

Day 15: Chhepka – Jhuphal

We will leave Shey Phoksundo National Park and return to the outside world after a slow ascent via birch trees to the villages of Kageni and Shyanta. We will cross the Dhim Khola on a suspension bridge and continue on to Jhuphal, located at the altitude of 2475 meters, which will be our final destination for the continuous walk for 6 hours. We will spend the night at Jhuphal and celebrate the end of our long adventure.

Day 16: Jhuphal – Nepalgunj – Kathmandu

You will take an early morning flight from Jhuphal to Nepalgunj, then another flight same day, to get back to Kathmandu.

Day 17: Final Departure

Today you will leave Kathmandu after all these momories. Our representative will drop you at the airport on you schelduded time at the airport.

Cost Includes

  • Accommodations in Kathmandu twin share with breakfast
  • Twin sharing basis hotel in Nepalgunj with Dinner
  • Guide, cook and kitchen support staff.
  • Mules or porters for luggage on the trekking.
  • All meals during the treks
  • All camping and cooking equipments.
  • All camping Charges.
  • Clients Airfare Kathmandu-Nepalgunj-Juphal-Kathmandu 
  • Dolpo restricted area permit fee.
  • National Park fees
  • All travel expenses for Nepali staffs.
  • All pick up and drop services.
  • All local official donations if any.
  • Sightseeing in Kathmandu (Boudhanath, Pashupatinath and Bhaktapur) with tour guide

Cost Excludes

  • Insurance for Clients and Emergency Rescue and medicines and medicals.
  • Sightseeing entrance fees in Kathmandu.
  • Personal beverages.
  • Lunch and dinner in Kathmandu.
  • Domestic access baggage charge (Kathmandu to Nepalgunj weight limit is 20 kg and Nepalgunj to Juphal weight limit is 15 kg).
  • Sleeping bag & mattress during trip.
  • International flights.
  • Flight cancelations & its further more expenses
  • Tips

Accommodation

 Firante Treks and Expedition Manages for best and comfortable accommodation and also provides you hygienic food. Standard (3 Star) are booked in the cities such as Kathmandu and Pokhara, whereas a tyical trek lodge will be booked on remote areas. 

Luxurious rooms from 5 Star hotels are also made avaiable on demand in the cities on additional cost but remote regionss dont have such facilities.

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