Upper Dolpo Trek - 25 Days Langtang Ri Trekking & Expedition

Upper Dolpo Trek - 25 Days

Upper Dolpo trek flanked amid the Tibetan Plateau and region is the most remote trekking region. And the region is opened since 1996 for foreigners is the restricted region that requires special permit for the entrance. As the region is the medley of the arid landscapes, religion that mostly resembles with Tibetan , culturally vibrant villages comprised of traditional styled houses, age old monasteries so the trekking on the rustic Upper Dolpo is regarded as best trek in the Himalaya though still unknown to the most of the trekkers chasing for the nature wonders crafted with cultural vibrancy.

During the incredible Upper Dolpo trek indulge on the mesmerizing beauty of the Shey Lake that will blow the mind with its seducing beauty along with exploring the antique Shey Gompa; preserve house of the nomadic Bon religion as well as engaging on roller coaster journey of traversing the six passes along appreciating the Tibetan styled villages settled by Community ingrained to Bon religion to make the trekking journey memorable for the life time.

Apart from the sensational feeling of fantastic trekking journey along the insight on the culture, religion, festival of the remote Himalayan region of the also encounter different wildlife like blue sheep, marmots, eagles, lammergeyer, langur monkeys along with diverse bird species during the trek.

Duration: 25 days

Price: $4599

Group Size: 2

Grade: Moderate

Destination: Nepal

Activity: Trekking

Region: Dolpo - western Nepal

Equiment Lists: Upper Dolpo Trek - 25 Days Langtang Ri Trekking & Expedition

Recommended equipment list: Trekkers need to provide their own personal clothing and equipment. Some items of equipment are available for hire from us as like Down Jacket

Footwear : Well broken-in walking shoes - these must be suitable for snow, thick socks, light socks, camp shoes.

Clothing : Down or fiber filled waterproof jacket and trousers, sweater or fleece jacket, underwear, warm and cotton trousers or jeans, shirts and T-shirts, shorts, long underwear, wool hat, sun hat, gloves, bathing suit, track suit.

Other equipment: Sleeping bag (5 seasons), lock, day pack, water bottle, sun cream, sunglasses, flashlight with spare bulbs and batteries, lip salve, gaiters.

Other items: Insect repellent, toilet articles, diary, toilet roll, laundry soap, wet ones, pocket knife, towel, sewing kit, plasters, binoculars, camera, film, cards and personal medical kit.

Itinerary:

Day 1: Arrival Day in

Langtang Ri Trekking & Expedition representative will greet you in an airport & transfer you to your Hotel, after refreshment you will be picked from hotel lobby to office where you will be formally introduced to your Guide and the activities to be enjoyed over the next few days. We will also ask for your passport photographs and any other details required for your trek permits, at this stage.

Day 2: Kathmandu valley sightseeing & trek preparation

Today, morning we will ready after your breakfast to head on for our relaxing guided day trip to world heritage sites in Kathmandu valley and visit the highlights of Kathmandu and the surrounding areas. We take you to visit the pilgrimage sites of Hindus temple Pashupatinath, one of the most important shrine of Shiva temples on the subcontinent which is place of thousand of devotees, Saddhus (holy men/Baba), and can be seen the cremating body most of the times in the holy riverbank of Bagmati. Hundreds of monkeys are giggling with you and take a time to exploring surrounding area and visit Bouddhanath an another pilgrimage centre which is most popular and important place for Buddhist. You can explore with rounding prayer wheel and flattering colorful flag with melodious chanting noise. After your lunch at Bouddha visit Swoyambhunath stupa also known as monkey temple covering wide range of area with highest point of Kathmandu valley and enjoy the 360 degrees of valley view. After exploring the surrounding areas visit to Kathmandu Durbar Square which is old royal palace of Kathmandu and can be seen lot of temple, architectures and Kumari (living goddess) and walk in a freak street and late afternoon back to hotel and evening briefing about your trip, what is your responsibility, what to do and does not in the trek? Introduce with our fellow trekking staff and chances to ask remaining question and simply relax at the hotel.

Day 3: Fly from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj

As per the flight schedule for Nepalgunj we transfer to the domestic airport for one and half hour scenic flight to Nepalgung. At Nepalgunj we will have time in the late afternoon or evening to have a look around the town which is situated on the southern Nepal border with India. Here it is quite hot and tropical in character.

Day 4: Fly from Nepalgunj to & trek to Suligadh, 2-3 hrs

2 Upper Dolpo Trek - 25 Days Langtang Ri Trekking & Expedition

After a pleasant overnight at Nepalgunj, early morning transfer to airport for the 45 minute flight to Juphal (2,320m/7,610ft) over the Himalayan foothills, with views of Annapurna and Dhaulagiri peaks to the north. On arriving at Juphal our trekking staffs will receive you, who have walked all the way from Nepalgunj with the camping gear and food supply taking 5-6 days. Here at Juphal a short 2- 3 hrs walk from the airstrip leads to our overnight camp at Dunai village (2,850m/9,348ft). Our first day adventure begins with an hour downhill walk through the village below the airstrip, then leading through the terraced fields to the and the narrow gorge taking 2-3 hours to camp at Suligadh.

Day 5: Trek to Chhepka, 5-6 hrs

From the camp at Suligadh we trek to chhepka.

Day 6: Trek to jharna Hotel. 6-7 hr.

Trek to Jharna Hotel.

Day 7: Trek to 4-5 hrs

Journey continues along the valley floor to the confluence of the Phoksundo and Pungmo Kholas. After crossing to the western side of the Phoksundo Khola on a wooden bridge, then the path follows the west bank of the Pungmo Khola which leads all the way to Phoksundo Lake 3,500m/11,480ft near village. The path passes through a cedar forest and finally to Palam, a winter settlement used by the people of Ringmo village. The houses here are almost buried in the sandy soil. From here our route heads up to open country, at an altitude of around 3,350m/10,988ft. From the ridge one can see the distant views of Phoksundo Lake and a spectacular 300m/984ft high waterfall, one of the highest in Nepal. After a brief stop here with the great views, finally the walk descent through birch forests to the upper reaches of the Phoksundo Khola, and then to the picturesque settlement of Ringmo with its mud plastered chortens and mani walls. From here it is a short walk to the shores of Phoksundo Lake for the overnight at camp.

Day 8: Acclimatize at Phoksundo Lake

A well deserved rest day free from packing, at Phoksundo we can go for a short hike to the village of Ringmo and its Tibetan Buddhist Monastery is well worth a visit.

Day 9: Trek to Sallaghari, 7-8 hrs

Trek to Sallaghari.

Day 10: Trek to Khang la Phedi. 6 - 7 Hrs

Trek to khang la phedi

Day 11: Trek to Shey Gompa via Kang-La pass, 7-8 hrs

3 Upper Dolpo Trek - 25 Days Langtang Ri Trekking & Expedition

Morning walk leads up to a steep climb littered with slate towards the pass. The climb is quite strenuous, especially on the slate screed. From the top of Kang-la 5,360m/17,581ft, there are excellent views down upon a large valley which is bisected by a gushing river. On descending steeply to the valley floor, then the path leads a long meandering trek along the banks of the river, crossing and re-crossing it several times. There are mud caves lining the hills overlooking the river and we pass through meadows where hairy yaks, hundreds of sheep and domestic mountain goat (Chengra) can be found grazing as well near the odd nomadic hut of the herders. A red chorten heralds our arrival at Shey Gompa 4,500m/14,760ft where a quaint wooden, log bridge leads up to our destination at Shey Gompa compound for our overnight camp.

Day 12: Acclimatize at Shey Gompa the crystal monastery

Another well earned rest day for local hike around Shey meaning crystal, this monastery is also known as the Crystal Mountain (well described in Peter Matthissen classic novel Snow Leopard). The lama of Shey resides at a red hermitage known as Tsakang gompa which is north of Shey. It is rather a retreat than a monastery. Tsakang had been a meditation centre of many famous lamas from Tibet. Shey Gompa belong to the Chaiba community, followers of great saint Padmasambhava, known as Guru Ringpoche and Kagyu sects. It was the first Kagyupa monastery and its founder was the lama Tenzing Ra-Pa, built during 11th century. Shey is famous for its ancient pre-Buddhist culture the Bon Po. In Dolpo the ancient Tibetan way of life combines animism with the teaching of Buddha. Drutup Yeshe first introduced Buddhism in the Dolpo valley. Hundreds of years ago he came to Dolpo encountering a wild people whose supreme God was a ‘fierce mountain and nature spirit’. Crystal Mountain is to the east of Shey gompa it is one of the strangest mountain, as its contorted cliffs are laced with quartz and embedded with a rich variety of marine fossils. Shey Gompa stands above the confluence of Kangjunala and Yeju Nala River. Near the confluence there is a group of prayer mills turned by water wheels. Each year people from all over Dolpo region travel great distances to attend the festival at Shey and to complete the circuit of Crystal Mountain. This is an amazing trip to here that certainly makes this trek as special as only few Westerners have ever ventured up to Shey gompa.

Day 13: Trek to Namgun via Sela ( gela ) La Pass. 6-7 Hrs

Trek to Namgun via sela / gela pass.

Day 14: Trek to , 4-5 hours

On leaving the Namduna Gaun our route leads to a climb up a scree slope. Further on it begins a long traverse along some dusty barren mountains. After 3-4 hours of hard climb, Saldang 3,620m/ 11,874ft appears below on a plateau high above the Nam Khongmala. It has a picturesque appearance. Saldang is the largest village of the inner Dolpo area. Though the village lies at about the same altitude as Ringmo it is totally different then Ringmo, a Himalayan village is situated below the tree line while Saldang belongs to the arid zone of the Trans-Himalayan Tibetan plateau. The village stretches for nearly two kilometers on an open slope. Saldang consists of five villages having about eighty well built houses with nearly six hundred people. Saldang is a prosperous village not only agriculturally but also for its strategic location on a trade route to Tibet. After the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1959, trade with Tibet was virtually stopped. It has been restored to some extent through the barter system by which Tibetan salt reaches mid-Nepal. The Drokpa people from the western plains of Tibet collect salt from the dried lakes north of Tsangpo.

Day 15: Trek from saldang to Rakyo. 6-7hr.

Trek from Saldang to Rakyo.

Day 16: Trek from Rakyo to Jyanta La phedi. 7hr

4 Upper Dolpo Trek - 25 Days Langtang Ri Trekking & Expedition

Trek from Rakyo to Jyanta La Phedi.

Day 17: Trek to -Tarap( via Jyanta La 5220m). 7-8 hr.

Trek to Dho Tarap via Jyanta La.

Day 18: Trek to Nawarpani . 6-7hr.

After breakfast we continue walking up to the gorge of the Tarap River, rising high above on a trail built out from steep slopes. The walk is quite exciting as the valley becomes narrow gorge that in some places you can jump from one side to another. Descend to Chyugur Khola. Sometimes the path vanishes for a while, making our own path across stone slabs fitted on logs in between the walls which act as a bridge.

Day 19: Trek to Laisi Camp. 7-8 Hrs

Trek to Laisi Camp.

Day 20: Trek to Tarakot. 5-6 Hrs

Trek to Tarakot.

Day 21: Trek to Dunai. 5-6 Hrs

Trek to Dunai.

Day 22: Trek to Juphal. 4 Hrs

Trek to Juphal.

Day 23: Flight (Juphal - Nepalgunj - Kathmandu)

Morning Flight Juphal - Nepalgunj - Kathmandu.

Day 24: Extra Day in Kathmandu

Extra Day in kathmandu.

Day 25: International Departure

International Departure.

Cost Include:

Airport pick-up & drop-off transportation by private vehicle Twin sharing accommodation at Kathmandu and Nepalgunj in 2 to 3star hotels with breakfast Sightseeing in Kathmandu. Escorted with English speaking guide. Private transportation. Entrance fees Kathmandu / Nepalgunj / kathmandu flight for member ,guide & cook Nepalgunj / Jumla / Nepalgunj flight fare for member, guide & cook & cargo Accommodation in tent during trek Tents, mattress, cooking utensils .sleeping bag and camping equipments Meals - Breakfast, lunch, dinner - during trek Meals - Breakfast, lunch, dinner - during trek

5 Upper Dolpo Trek - 25 Days Langtang Ri Trekking & Expedition

Trekking map for group National park fee and Dolpo specail permit A First Aid and Eco trained & government licensed English speaking guide Experienced cook, sherpas , kitchen crew & required porters Accommodation, meals, salary, equipment, transportation & Insurance of trekking staff First Aid Kit Travel & rescue arrangement All government taxes Farewell dinner

Cost exclude:

International airfare Nepal Entry Visa fee (US$ 40 per person for 30 days) Excess baggage charges Lunch/Dinner in Kathmandu & Nepalgunj Medical evacuation in case of emergency Personal gear & clothing - these may be available for hire Tips, any expenses of personal nature, client's insurance Hard drinks Expenses incurred due to mishaps, landslide, strikes, political unrest etc. In such case extra will be charged as per actual Anything not specified in the Cost Include section

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