Upper Dolpo Trek
Nepal's remotest trans-Himalayan wilderness
Duration
20 Days
Max Altitude
5,190 m / 17,027 ft (Numa La Pass)
Best Season
June–September (rain-shadow trekking season)
Group Size
Minimum 2 trekkers (restricted area regulation)
Overview
Upper Dolpo is the setting of Peter Matthiessen's 'The Snow Leopard' and Eric Valli's film 'Caravan,' and remains one of the most remote and least visited trekking regions in the Himalaya. The trek crosses multiple 5,000 m passes through a stark trans-Himalayan landscape into the Shey Phoksundo National Park, visiting Shey Gompa — a sacred Bon Po monastery beneath the Crystal Mountain — and the impossibly turquoise Phoksundo Lake. This is a genuine wilderness expedition requiring full camping support, a minimum group of two, and a real appetite for remoteness; there are no teahouses in Upper Dolpo, and villages are days apart.
Trip Highlights
- Shey Gompa, a sacred Bon Po monastery beneath the Crystal Mountain
- Phoksundo Lake, one of the deepest and most vividly turquoise lakes in Nepal
- Crossing multiple high passes including Numa La and Baga La
- Snow leopard habitat and genuine wilderness camping
- Bon Po culture found almost nowhere else in Nepal
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Day 1–2
Kathmandu to Juphal via Nepalgunj
Fly Kathmandu–Nepalgunj–Juphal, then trek to Dunai (2,140 m), Dolpo's district headquarters.
Day 3–4
Trek to Phoksundo Lake
Follow the Suli Gad river through forest to the shores of turquoise Phoksundo Lake (3,612 m).
Day 5
Rest and exploration day
Explore Ringmo village and the Phoksundo waterfall, Nepal's highest.
Day 6–8
Trek toward Shey Gompa
Cross remote high terrain via Kang La Pass (5,360 m) to reach Shey Gompa.
Day 9
Explore Shey Gompa
Rest day visiting the monastery beneath the sacred Crystal Mountain.
Day 10–13
Cross Numa La and Baga La passes
Two of the trek's high passes (around 5,190 m and 5,070 m) lead into the Tarap valley.
Day 14–16
Trek through Tarap Valley
Walk through the wide, Tibetan-influenced Tarap valley and its Bon Po villages.
Day 17–19
Trek back to Juphal
Descend via Tarakot back to Dunai and on to Juphal.
Day 20
Fly to Nepalgunj and Kathmandu
Return flights back to Kathmandu.
Cost Includes
- All internal flights
- Licensed trekking guide & Dolpo-region camping crew
- Full camping equipment and cook staff
- All meals during the trek
- Restricted area & national park permits
Cost Excludes
- Meals in Kathmandu
- Travel insurance (incl. helicopter evacuation)
- Personal gear
- Tips
Permits Required
- Upper Dolpo Restricted Area Permit (special permit)
- Shey Phoksundo National Park Entry Permit
Upper Dolpo Trek — FAQs
No — we provide full camping equipment, a cook team and all meals as part of the package, since teahouses do not exist along most of this route.
Like Upper Mustang, Dolpo lies in a rain shadow, so June–September avoids both the winter snow that closes its high passes and the monsoon rain that affects the rest of Nepal.
