Lower Dolpo Trek - 18 Days

You will be welcomed by one of the agents OF Greater Himalaya. Our agent/ representatives will receive you from Tribhuvan International airport or your preferred location, and then escort you to the hotel room booked for your accommodation. You would be staying the night in a 3-star hotel. You shall be staying 2 consecutive nights in the hotel. Later, you will be picked up for a welcome dinner hosted for you by the trekking company.

We have attempted to make this tour as diverse for you as possible so on the second day of the tour, we have arranged a proficient guide who will help you in exploring the rich places of Kathmandu valley. The places that you will visit today are Kathmandu Durbar Square, Pashupatinath, Swayambhunath, and Boudhanath.  These places are among the most visited places of Kathmandu valley given their cultural, traditional, and historical significance. Your guide will fill you in with some essential tips and about these places. You can also try delicious cuisines where you are at it.
We shall also complete other trekking preparations and provide you with a trekking orientation for our trekking program. If you are running behind in any trekking gears, our team will also help you with that. We shall drop you at your hotel room after the day tour and necessary trekking preparations. See you tomorrow.
 

Today we will enjoy a scenic flight from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj. This approximately 1-hour long scenic flight will provide you alpine views of mountains, valleys, rivers, and forests. Nepalgunj, located in western Nepal, is an important business spot. You will be escorted to the hotel room in Nepalgunj and you can relax for a while there. You can take a stroll around the streets of Nepalgunj and perhaps even try some local cuisines.

We will take a 40 minutes flight from Nepalgunj to Jhupal of Dolpo. Overlooking the occasional glimpses of mountains, we will commence trekking from Jhupal. We will first trek downhill passing some villages and cultivated lands to arrive at Nepalgunj. Eventually, we will approach the Bheri river and trek by the riverside. We will finally arrive at Dunai after 2 to 3 hours of trekking from Jhupal.  Overnight at a lodge in Dunai.

After breakfast in Dunai, we will trek along the edge of the Bheri River and ascend through the pine woods, terraced fields, and many other diverse landscapes. En route we will trek past deep valleys, hanging bridges, lush forests, pastures, desolated villages, dry stones, etc. We will continue trekking for 5 to 6 hours from Dunai to arrive in Tarakot located at 2543 meters. Tarakot, situated south of the Bheri river, is an ancient fortress town. Overnight at a lodge in Tarakot.

After breakfast in Laina, we will follow the bank of the Bheri River to reach Laini located at an altitude of 3160 meters. We will trek in a forested trail through a dense forest of rhododendron and pine and also walk across a series of very picturesque suspension bridges. We will trek along Bharbung Khola and eventually trek beside the Tarap river. En route, you shall be bestowed with mesmerizing views of Sandul Gompa. As we approach Laini, we shall see astounding views of Putha Hiunchuli located at 7246 meters. Overnight stay at a lodge in Laini.

We will make our way towards Nawarpani (3545 meters) by trekking in a gradual uphill alongside Tarap Khola. We will trek past grazing fields, barren lands with sporadic views of the Himalayas. There’s a good chance of witnessing alpine faunas like blue sheep and yak along the trail today. Eventually, we will get closer to Chaya Khola and cross this picturesque river via a suspension bridge. This ultimately leads us to the Nawarpani village where we shall stay the night.

As we trek away from Nawarpani, we will take a trekking route along the edge of the Tarap river and ascend to Kamattarka. Kamattarka is the confluence of Tarap Chu and Lang river. We will then trek through the lush forest of Juniper relishing the fragrance of wild roses and Junipers to arrive at Do Tarap village located at an altitude of 4090 meters. You will pass countless chortens and some whites easahed stupas as you approach Do Tarap. Overnight at a lodge in Do Tarap.

We will let our bodies acclimatize with the changing weather and increasing climate today by exploring Tarap. You can witness Tibetan settlements in this region. We will visit the nearby monasteries, get a glimpse of the local’s lifestyle and learn the culture and traditions of locals. On exploring Do Tarap, you shall be bequeathed with the magnetic views of dominating mountains and exotic Shey Phoksundo lake. Overnight stay at Do Tarap.

We will trek along the banks of Tarap Chu river and trek uphill towards an ancient and cultural village of Tokyu. The majestic Dhaulagiri mountain range will be dominating the skyline as we approach the rocky basin. This ultimately leads us to Numa La Base Camp located at 4440 meters. We will have to trek in steep trails to approach this alpine base camp but the overall views of mountains and valleys are simply gratifying. We shall stay overnight in Numa La Base Camp.

After having breakfast in Numa La Base Camp, we will take a steep trail that leads us to the top ridge of Numa La Pass. Numa La Pass positioned at 5190 meters is the highest point of the trek and trekking there is going to be challenging and taxing. However, the vistas and landscapes seen from the exceptional viewpoint of Numa La Pass are very rewarding compensating for all the hurdles thus far.
Numa La Pass offers exceptional views of Mount Dhaulagiri (8167 meters), Norbung Kang (6085 meters), and the Churen mountain ranges. After spending a handful of moments and savoring this paradise on earth, we will trek to Pelung Tang via the banks of Gyambo Khola. Overnight stay at tented camp in Pelung Tang.
 

Our trail takes us to another point above 5000 meters today. Baga La Pass at 5070 meters, provides equally appealing views of the nearby Himalayas. Besides the mountains, these passes also provide the dry landscapes of valley forests as you see the floating clouds. After relishing these views for a while, we will return to Dajok Tang located at 4080 meters. We shall stay overnight in Dajok Kang after trekking for roughly 6 hours.

A slightly easier day of the trek after the past couple of taxing days awaits you. We will lose some more altitude and you will notice the snowline landscapes and panoramas turn to greener and forest teeming. We will trek amidst gorgeous and lush Pine forests and alpine vegetation as we approach Ringo Village. We shall trek for 4 to 5 hours today before arriving at Ringmo Village where we shall stay overnight in a basic lodge.

Today we shall hike to the grand and mesmerizing Phoksundo lake located at 3589 meters. We will pass through the lush oak and pine forest en route as we head towards Tibetan borders on the quest to explore Ringmo. We will also pay a visit to the nearby revered monastery and the astounding Phoksundo lake. We will take a tranquil walk around the beautiful Phoksundo. Overnight we shall stay at a tented camp or lodge in the Phoksundo periphery.

After having a hot and delicious breakfast in Phoksundo, we will trek downhill towards Chepka. Our trekking trail passes through lush vegetation, calm yet colorful villages, the forest of pines, and birches to eventually show us towards Shyanta located at 2520 meters. We shall stay overnight in Shyanta after trekking for about 7 hours from 2520 meters.

As we will head farther from Shyanta, we will take a forested path and arrive at the Shey Phoksundo National Park’s Check Post. We will trek over Dhim Khola and also cross Kagbeni on our way to Jhupal via cultivated lands of Barley and Wheat. We will be descending in a narrow and steep trail so we advise you to pay utmost attention. We shall stay overnight at a lodge in Jhupal. We will get indulged in a party at night; drinking, singing, dancing, and eating to rejoice our trip.

We will take a flight from Jhupal to Nepalgunj and from Nepalgunj to Kathmandu. Upon arrival in the domestic section of TIA, you will be escorted to the hotel room where you can relax for a tad bit and stroll around the vibrant streets of Thamel. Perhaps, you will even buy some souvenirs for your loved ones from here. Later, we shall host a dinner for trekking crews to rejoice in the successful completion of our trek and bid you goodbye. After the dinner party, you shall be escorted back to the hotel where you shall stay the night.

On the last day of the 18 days long Lower Dolpo trek, we shall drop you at Tribhuvan International Airport and bid you goodbye. You can either fly towards your next destination or your home from here. Thank you for choosing the Greater Himalaya.