Upper 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)

This route joins two of far-west Nepal's lakes. It starts in Dolpo at the Juphal airstrip, climbs the Suli Gad valley to Phoksundo Lake, then turns west over Kagmara La, a 5,115 m pass on the edge of Shey-Phoksundo National Park, and descends into the Jumla district. From the old trading town of Jumla it continues north over forested ridges to Rara, Nepal's largest lake, inside Rara National Park, and flies out from the small Talcha airstrip. The two halves feel very different. The Dolpo side is high and sparse, with Tibetan-influenced villages and the deep blue of Phoksundo. Kagmara La is the single big climb. West of it the trail runs through pine and rhododendron forest, terraced Hindu villages and wide meadows, ending at a lake ringed by blue pine with very few visitors. This is a camping trek for most of its length. Apart from Dunai, Ringmo, Jumla and the park area at Rara, accommodation is in tents, and supplies are carried. Distances between villages can be long, and both airstrips depend on the weather. It suits trekkers who want a long, quiet route across a part of Nepal that sees few foreigners and who are comfortable with one high pass and many days in tents. Licence-verified guides you contact directly can explain how they run the crossing and the logistics between the two airstrips.

📅 Duration: 18-24 Days

🏔️ Max Altitude: 5115m

📝 Permit: Restricted (≈ US$77 in permits)