Rara Lake and Dolpo Trek

The Dolpo to Mustang traverse crosses the trans-Himalayan plateau from west to east, finishing in the Kali Gandaki valley at Jomsom. It begins like other Dolpo treks, flying to Juphal and walking up to Phoksundo Lake, then goes north over Kang La to Shey Gompa. From there, instead of looping back south, it heads east through Saldang and the high villages of Shimen and Tinje to Chharka Bhot, one of the most isolated settlements in Nepal, and crosses a chain of passes above 5,000 m via Sangda into Mustang. This is an expedition-style camping trek. For about two weeks there are no lodges: an agency supplies tents, food, a cook and pack animals, and much of the route is above 4,000 m. Several days involve long climbs, river crossings and few settlements, and the walk out over the Sangda passes is one of the hardest days. The reward is a continuous journey through a Tibetan cultural landscape that few people cross on foot: Bon and Buddhist gompas, barley fields, salt-trade trails and wide, wind-carved valleys. Road building in parts of Mustang is changing the last section, so some operators now exit over the Ghami La into Upper Mustang instead. It suits experienced trekkers who have done long camping routes at altitude and can set aside three weeks or more. Licence-verified guides you contact directly can tell you which exit they use and how they handle the permits for both regions.

📅 Duration: 18-22 Days

🏔️ Max Altitude: 5350m

📝 Permit: Restricted (≈ US$652 in permits)

The Lower Dolpo circuit is a two-week loop in Nepal's far west that links the Tarap valley with Phoksundo Lake. From the Juphal airstrip it follows the Thuli Bheri river to Dunai and Tarakot, then climbs a long gorge to Dho Tarap, a cluster of stone villages and gompas at around 4,000 m. From Tarap it crosses two high passes on consecutive days, Numa La and Baga La, before dropping through birch and juniper to the turquoise water of Phoksundo at Ringmo. It is a shorter, cheaper way into Dolpo than the Upper Dolpo trek: the restricted-area permit here is charged by the week rather than by the day, and the route stays south of Shey Gompa. What it shares with the north is the feel of the place, Bon and Buddhist monasteries, mani walls, yak caravans and very few other trekkers. The two passes are the crux. Both are above 5,000 m, the days are long, and they come after only a few nights at altitude, so an acclimatisation day in Dho Tarap matters. Lodges exist in Dunai, Ringmo and some villages, but most nights between Tarap and Phoksundo are spent camping or in very basic homestays. It suits fit trekkers with some high-altitude experience who want a remote route without committing three weeks. Licence-verified guides you contact directly can explain how they handle the camping stretch and the flights.

📅 Duration: 10-14 Days

🏔️ Max Altitude: 5190m

📝 Permit: Restricted (≈ US$57 in permits)

The Upper Dolpo Trek crosses the remote trans-Himalayan region of Dolpo in north-western Nepal, behind the Dhaulagiri and Kanjiroba ranges. From the airstrip at Juphal it follows the Thuli Bheri and Suli Gad valleys to Phoksundo Lake, then climbs over Kang La (Nagdalo La) to Shey Gompa, the Crystal Monastery, before looping east through Saldang and south over Jeng La to the Tarap valley and back to Dunai. North of Phoksundo the landscape turns high and dry: wide barley fields, stone villages, gompas of the Bon and Buddhist traditions, and long stretches with no settlement at all. Days often run above 4,000 m and cross passes over 5,000 m, and weather on the passes can hold a group up. This is largely a camping trek. Ringmo, Dunai and a few villages have basic lodges or homestays, but on the high section your team carries tents, food and fuel. Upper Dolpo is a restricted area, so it is arranged through a registered agency with a licensed guide, and the permit is charged by the day. It suits experienced trekkers who are comfortable with three weeks away from roads, long days and simple food, and who want a quiet route through a culture that has changed slowly. Licence-verified guides you contact directly can explain how they run the crossing, the camping logistics and the flight back-up plan.

📅 Duration: 20-24 Days

🏔️ Max Altitude: 5350m

📝 Permit: Restricted (≈ US$632 in permits)