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Upper Dolpo Trekking

 

"This wild, wild trek may take the wind out of your sails, but its a journey into the kind of remote wilderness that’s so pure in its natural beauty…it may change your life for the better…with the mementos placed on the walls of some of your most favorite places at home…and you will relate the stories to the generations to come…this is Dolpo for you… allow us to tell you why:

 

Geographically one of the highest plateaus on the planet, and unbelievably inhabited at this altitude, this remote isolated region was closed to the outer world to preserve its natural beauty…till 1989…when the gates opened after this and the Nepalese government decided to share its beauty with the world outside. To trek into this region, special permission is required from the government; and with the new regulations in place, this once unknown area is now open to the world’s veteran trekkers and mountain lovers…and is a major destination for the high and wild today…
 
The Upper Dolpo is situated midway between the Tibetan Plateau and the huge Dhaulagiri Himal range and is a southern extension of Tibet but is physically placed within the borders of Nepal’s Himalayas and is the largest declared National Park and Conservation zone which is home to some of the world’s rare species in flora & fauna.

Possessing within its realms some 30 inhabited villages and quiet monasteries at altitudes of eleven to 15000 ft, Dolpo belongs to Nepal but its people – in tradition, culture and religion are so much like the Tibetan Buddhists who take their roots from the nomadic tribes who set up shop in this area in the 10th century BC. Since it was in peaceful Nepal, the Chinese occupation of Tibet and the subsequent ‘cultural cleansing’’ of Tibet had no repercussions on the ‘Dolpi’ {people of Dolpo} and their religion and culture has survived through the winds of a rough time and is one of the best preserved symbols of the real Tibetan Buddhism anywhere in the world. As a matter of fact, some of the local folks in certain parts of the region practice Bon Po, an animistic religion that pre-dates Buddhism and which, most scholars reckon, is actually an antecedent to Tibetan Buddhism as we see it today… the Lower Dolpo, an area opened to trekkers, is densely forested with conifers and slit by milky white gushing rivers that are sparkling clean. The upper portion of Dolpo seems to be more like an extension of the Tibetan Plateau and is a replica of the wild, windswept, open outlets that have the same traits of Tibet.

The National Park is the only one that encompasses a Trans-Himalayan eco-system that’s unique and rare. The National Park has not only protected the culture but also the precious wildlife of the region. The lower Dolpo is home to the endangered musk deer which you may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of along the trails and to a great range of birds of which some are so beautiful to behold.

Though rarely seen the blue sheep, the Himalayan black bear, snow leopard and the Himalayan wolf are also seen in Dolpo though you may not get them to pose for your camera…but be sure they are watching you from somewhere. Your journey to the land of the Dolpo-pi begins with a lovely flight from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj, followed the next day by another flight to the STOL airstrip at Jumla. It’s from Jumla where our hike begins a south-easterly path through the villages of Gothichaur, Chaurikot and Hurikot. We cross the Kagmara La 16,800 ft/5115m to the villages of Pungmo and the lovely Ringmo where we haul up at the famous Shey Phoksundo Lake; note, trekkers are not allowed to go beyond the lake. Our revert journey brings us south through the villages of Sepka and Ankhe to Dunai for our flight back to Nepalgunj and finally kathmandu and so called civilization…but to the warmness and comfort of a soft bed and fluffy pillow at our hotel…

Outline Itinerary

Day 01 – Arrive at Kathmandu
Day 02 – A sightseeing tour in Kathmandu
Day 03 – Drive from Kathmandu to Beni
Day 04 – Trek from Beni (770m) to Tara Khet (970m) via Singa bazaar (850m)
Day 05 – Trek from Tara khet to Dangya Khola (1125m)
Day 06 – Trek from Dangya khola to Dharapani (1470m)
Day 07 – Trek from Dharapani to Muna (1850m)
Day 08 – Trek from Muna to Jaljhala Na (3390m) via Lumsum (2100m)
Day 09 – Trek from Jaljhala Na to Dhorpatan (2990m) via Gurjakot (3070m)
Day 10 – A day for rest at Dhorpatan
Day 11 – Trek from Dhorpatan to Takur (3190m) via Phagune Dhuri Pass (4061m)
Day 12 – Trek from Takur to Pelma (2600m)
Day 13 – Trek from Pelma to Dhule (3340m) via Yamakhar (2480m)
Day 14 – Trek from Dhule to Seng Khola (3820m) via Nautale Bhangyang (3961m)
Day 15 – Trek from Seng khola to Purpang (4050m)
Day 16 – Trek from Purpang to Sahar Tara (3010m)
Day 17 - Trek from Sahar Tara to Kanigaon (2540m) via Tarakot (2550m)
Day 18 – Trek from Kanigaon to Dunai (2150m)
Day 19 – Trek from Dunai to Juphal (2490m)
Day 20 – Fly from Juphal to Nepalgunj
Day 21 - Fly from Nepalgunj to Kathmandu
Day 22 – This is a free day for you
Day 23 – Depart for home

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Trip Info
  • Trip Code: ATT-UDT-RA-01
  • Trip Grade: 
  • Total Duration: 22 Nights / 23 Days
  • Trek Days: 15 Nights / 16 Days
  • Best Season: Autumn, Spring, Summer
  • Trip Style: Camping
  • Transportation: Flight/Land
  • Meals: Provided on the trek
  • Highest Altitude: 5010m
  • Group Size: 2 +
  • Start From: Kathmandu
  • Ends In: Kathmandu
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