Upper Dolpo Trek - 28 Days

Trip Overview

The Upper Dolpo Circuit Trek is a strenuous and high altitude trek suitable for experienced trekkers. The trekking is through the remote and beautiful Upper Dolpo region of western Nepal. The journey takes you to Phoksundo Lake, Ringmo Village, Shey Gompa, Saldang, Yangze Gompa, Dho Tarap, and the high passes of Kang La, Saldang La, and Jeng La. The route offers beautiful mountain scenery, turquoise lakes, deep valleys, dramatic cliffs, and traditional Himalayan landscapes.

This 28 day journey starts with flights from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj and Juphal before trekking through the remote valleys of Dolpo. The trek combines spectacular mountain scenery with the unique culture and traditional lifestyle of the Dolpo people, including Tibetan Buddhist and Bon traditions, ancient monasteries, traditional stone villages, and historic salt trading routes.

Trip Detail

Itinerary Overview

This 28 day trek begins with permit work and sightseeing in Kathmandu, then flights to Nepalgunj and Juphal to reach the trailhead at Dunai. From Dunai, the trail follows the Phoksundo Khola up to Phoksundo Lake, then climbs over Kang La Pass to Shey Gompa. The route continues through Namduna Gaun and over Saldang La Pass to Saldang, then through Yangze Gompa and Sibu before crossing Jeng La Pass to Tokyu Gaon and Dho Tarap. From Dho Tarap, the trail comes down through Tarap Khola, Khani Gaon, and Tarakot back to Dunai and Juphal, from where you fly back to Nepalgunj and Kathmandu.

Here is a quick look at how your 28 day trek unfolds.

• Day 1: Arrival in Kathmandu at 1,400 m

• Day 2: Permit preparation and sightseeing in Kathmandu

• Day 3: Flight from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj at 150 m

• Day 4: Flight from Nepalgunj to Juphal at 2,500 m, trek to Dunai at 2,850 m

• Day 5: Trek from Dunai to Ankhe at 2,896 m

• Day 6: Trek from Ankhe to Sulighat at 3,180 m

• Day 7: Trek from Sulighat to Phoksundo Lake at 3,612 m

• Day 8: Acclimatization day at Phoksundo Lake at 3,612 m

• Day 9: Trek from Phoksundo Lake to Phoksundo Khola Camp at 3,507 m

• Day 10: Trek from Phoksundo Khola Camp to Phoksundo Bhanjyang at 3,910 m

• Day 11: Trek from Phoksundo Bhanjyang to Shey Gompa at 4,500 m, via Kang La Pass at 5,306 m

• Day 12: Acclimatization day at Shey Gompa at 4,500 m

• Day 13: Trek from Shey Gompa to Namduna Gaun at 4,430 m

• Day 14: Trek from Namduna Gaun to Saldang at 3,620 m, via Saldang La Pass at 5,200 m

• Day 15: Trek from Saldang to Yangze Gompa at 4,960 m

• Day 16: Trek from Yangze Gompa to Sibu at 4,560 m

• Day 17: Trek from Sibu to Jeng La Phedi at 4,900 m

• Day 18: Trek from Jeng La Phedi to Tokyu Gaon at 4,209 m, via Jeng La Pass at 5,100 m

• Day 19: Trek from Tokyu Gaon to Dho Tarap at 4,090 m

• Day 20: Acclimatization day at Dho Tarap at 4,090 m

• Day 21: Trek from Dho Tarap to Tarap Khola at 3,800 m

• Day 22: Trek from Tarap Khola to Khani Gaon at 3,150 m

• Day 23: Trek from Khani Gaon to Tarakot at 2,537 m

• Day 24: Trek from Tarakot to Dunai at 2,850 m

• Day 25: Trek from Dunai to Juphal at 2,500 m

• Day 26: Flight from Juphal to Nepalgunj, then Nepalgunj to Kathmandu

• Day 27: Leisure day in Kathmandu

• Day 28: Final departure
   

Upper Dolpo Circuit Trek Highlights

• Walk the ancient salt trading route used by Dolpo families for centuries to trade grain, wool, and salt between Nepal and Tibet.

• Reach Phoksundo Lake, the deepest lake in Nepal, with its turquoise waters, dramatic cliffs, and spectacular waterfall inside Shey Phoksundo National Park.

• Cross three high mountain passes above 5,000 m at Kang La, Saldang La, and Jeng La, with stunning views of the remote Dolpo landscape and the Tibetan plateau.

• Visit Shey Gompa at the foot of sacred Crystal Mountain, an important spiritual centre of Dolpo and a famous pilgrimage destination.

• Trek through Shey Phoksundo National Park, Nepal’s largest national park, home to rare wildlife including snow leopards, blue sheep, and Himalayan black bears.

• Experience Bon and Tibetan Buddhist traditions at Yangze Gompa, Dho Tarap, and the traditional stone villages of the Nankhang Valley.

• Explore one of the most remote and less visited regions of Nepal, where much of the trail has no roads, ATMs, or modern facilities and very few trekkers.
   

Key Destination You Will Visit on the Upper Dolpo Circuit Trek

Phoksundo Lake and Ringmo Village

Phoksundo Lake is the deepest lake in Nepal, located at an altitude of about 3,611 m, and one of the most beautiful highlights of the Upper Dolpo trek. Its clear turquoise water, dramatic cliffs, and peaceful surroundings make it a memorable place to visit. Before reaching the lake, you pass Phoksundo Waterfall, one of the highest waterfalls in Nepal, and the traditional village of Ringmo at about 3,600 m, with its stone houses, mani walls, and small Bon monastery. You spend two nights here on Day 7 and Day 8, giving you a full day to walk along the lake shore, explore Ringmo Village, or climb to a viewpoint for beautiful views of Phoksundo Lake.

Shey Gompa and Crystal Mountain

Shey Gompa is located at an altitude of about 4,500 m, beyond Kang La Pass, in one of the most remote parts of the Upper Dolpo trek. The historic red walled monastery is several centuries old and belongs to the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism. Behind the monastery stands Crystal Mountain, a sacred peak covered with natural quartz formations. Local people walk around the mountain as part of an important pilgrimage. Shey Gompa and Crystal Mountain are also connected with Peter Matthiessen and George Schaller, who travelled through this region while researching The Snow Leopard. Shey Gompa remains an important spiritual centre of Dolpo. You arrive here on Day 11 and spend Day 12 resting and exploring the area.

Saldang and the Nankhang Valley

Saldang is the largest village in Upper Dolpo, located at an altitude of about 3,620 m. The village has traditional whitewashed houses and barley fields spread across the dry hills above the Nankhang Khola. Local families live here throughout the year, growing barley and buckwheat during the short summer season and raising yaks and goats in the high pastures. Saldang has a school, health post, and monastery, making it one of the best places to experience the traditional lifestyle and daily life of the Dolpo people. Walking through Saldang and the Nankhang Valley gives you a chance to see local culture, farming, and mountain life in one of Nepal’s most remote regions.

Yangze Gompa

Yangze Gompa is an ancient Bon monastery located on a hillside above the Nankhang Valley at an altitude of about 4,960 m. Bon is an ancient spiritual tradition that existed in Tibet before Buddhism became established there. At Yangze Gompa, you can learn about Bon traditions and see how followers walk around sacred shrines in a counterclockwise direction. The monastery is home to old murals, thangkas, and traditional religious objects, with a small group of monks living nearby. Because of its remote location, very few foreign tourists visit Yangze Gompa each year, making it a special place to experience the ancient culture and spirituality of Dolpo.

Dho Tarap and the Tarap Valley

Dho Tarap is located at an altitude of about 4,090 m in a wide and beautiful valley. After crossing the high mountain passes, the open Tarap Valley feels peaceful and welcoming. Dho Tarap is one of the highest permanent settlements in the world. It is also special because Bon and Buddhist families live together in the same village, with separate monasteries located within walking distance of each other. The local people are known as Dolpo pa and traditionally wear warm woollen clothes and continue to raise yaks and other livestock. Your rest day on Day 20 gives you time to visit both monasteries, explore the village, and walk through the surrounding fields.

Unique Culture and Lifestyle of Dolpo

The people of Dolpo, known as Dolpo pa, are of Tibetan origin and have lived in these valleys for roughly a thousand years. They speak a Tibetan dialect and live in traditional stone houses with flat roofs built along the hillsides. During the short summer growing season, they grow barley, buckwheat, and potatoes. Yaks, dzo, and goats are also an important part of daily life, providing milk, wool, transport, and support for farming and trade. For centuries, Dolpo was known for its salt trade, with local families carrying grain from Nepal to Tibet and bringing salt back from Tibet. Although this traditional trade has declined, some families still follow the old routes to move livestock and goods.

Religious life here follows two traditions. Tibetan Buddhism is practiced at monasteries such as Shey Gompa, while the older Bon religion survives at Yangze Gompa and in parts of Dho Tarap, making Dolpo one of the last strongholds of Bon anywhere. In daily life the two sit comfortably together, with prayer flags, chortens, and mani walls marking every pass and village entrance. Winters in Dolpo are long and very cold, so many families move to lower areas or Kathmandu between November and March, which is part of why the trekking season here runs from late spring through autumn.

Altitude and Activities

The trek begins in Kathmandu at 1,400 m before flying to Nepalgunj at 150 m and on to Juphal at 2,500 m, the starting point for walking. From Juphal, the trail climbs step by step through Dunai, Ankhe, and Sulighat to reach Phoksundo Lake at 3,612 m, with a rest day before the route pushes higher. The trail then climbs through remote high country over Kang La Pass at 5,306 m to Shey Gompa at 4,500 m, followed by a second rest day. From Shey Gompa, the route continues over Saldang La Pass at 5,200 m to Saldang, then through Yangze Gompa and Sibu before crossing Jeng La Pass at 5,100 m to Tokyu Gaon and Dho Tarap at 4,090 m, where a third rest day is scheduled. The trail then drops steadily through the Tarap Khola valley back to Tarakot, Dunai, and Juphal, from where you fly back to Kathmandu.

Accommodation and Meals

You will stay in a 4 star hotel in Kathmandu, with breakfast and dinner included on your Kathmandu and Nepalgunj days. Lunch is not included in Kathmandu or Nepalgunj, since these are free days meant for sightseeing, permit work, or rest, and you can choose your own place to eat lunch. Day 1 includes a welcome dinner, and your last evening in Kathmandu includes a farewell dinner. During the trek, you will stay in teahouses where available and in camping tents with full crew support elsewhere, with all three meals included every day.