Explore the far western part of Nepal and immerse yourself in ancient Tibetan cultural heritage for 17 days in the Lower Dolpo Trek Itinerary. See landscapes unlike any other trekking route and behold the beauty of Shey Phoksundo Lake.
Lower Dolpo Trek in Nepal was opened in 1982 for foreign travellers. The Dolpo region hosts two adventurous trekking routes: Upper Dolpo and Lower Dolpo. Lower Dolpo Trek is not a popular trekking trail like the Annapurna Base Camp Trek and Everest Base Camp Trek. It explores the lower parts of the Dolpo region, which are very beautiful and have off-beat trails.
Lower Dolpo Circuit Trek has remote and isolated trails. The trail has tea houses that barely offer anything. There are not many trekkers in this region because of the unavailability of essential services, which makes the journey strenuous. The surrounding area is dry and barren, with numerous pastures. Even though the trek says Lower Dolpo, the elevation rises to 5,190 meters.
You will trek in Shey Phoksundo National Park, the largest trans-Himalayan national park. The national park is home to diverse species of exotic flora and fauna, including the Tibetan wolf, musk deer, snow leopard, Himalayan blue sheep, and Himalayan black bear. The Dolpo region has close ties with Tibet; the locals and their cultural heritage resemble Tibet. The locals either follow Tibetan Buddhism or practice the ancient Bonpo religion.
Shey Phoksundo Lake is the gem of the Dolpo region. Dry hills, alpine trees, and snow-capped mountains surround its crystal-clear blue water. The scenery is heavenly.
Lower Dolpo is a less-crowded trekking route with diverse scenery and an immersive cultural experience. The diverse landscapes with the high Himalayas are features of trekking in Lower Dolpo. The trek offers views of Mt. Dhaulagiri, the Churen Himal range, Putha Hiunchuli, Norbung Kang, and the Tibetan ranges.
Lower Dolpo Trekking is considered a moderate difficulty level. The trek explores the untouched areas of the Dolpo region. The terrain is steep, rugged, and uneven. You cross two high passes: Num La pass (5,310 m) and Baga La pass (5,170 m). Even though the experts have marked the Lower Dolpo Circuit Trek itinerary as moderate, the journey can be daunting for beginner trekkers.
If you have trekked a few other routes in the Himalayas and can bear long walking hours, then you can conquer the Lower Dolpo Circuit Trek. You spend around 15 days on the trail without modern comforts, so physical capability and mental fitness are needed.
We offer an excellent itinerary with the best package and cost for 2024 for the Lower Dolpo Trek. Our Trek to Lower Dolpo Package 2024 includes accommodations, transportation, flights, necessary permits, guides, porters, and three meals. We have a very reliable and friendly guide and support team. Our guides are very professional and knowledgeable about the Lower Dolpo region. We have native guides from the Dolpo region who accompany you during the trek, making the journey very informative and compelling. Likewise, we offer competitive costs for trekking to Lower Dolpo with excellent service and our decade-long expertise.
This is our standard and recommended Lower Dolpo Trek Itinerary.
We welcome you at the Kathmandu airport upon your arrival and then take you to the hotel. You have a meeting with our manager in the evening who briefs the program in detail and addresses your needs.
Today you have a free day. You can explore Kathmandu City by yourself. We make a special permit for Lower Dolpo Trekking.
The first flight is from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj. It's a short 35-minute flight. Then we take another 35-minute flight to Jhupal. From here onwards, we drive to Dunai, passing by local villages and terraced fields.
The trail follows an upstream path along the banks of the Bheri River. We enjoy stunning landscapes along the way to Tarakot. The trail crosses deep gorges, hanging bridges, and remote villages. We also come across dry stones, terraced fields, and an old fortress while trekking.
The trek continues along the southern bank of the Bheri River and heads east alongside the Bharbung Khola. We reach Laisicap and cross a river. From here onwards, we walk following the Tara Khola and reach Khani Gaon. Enjoying the views of the Putha Hiunchuli and Chure Himal range, we ascend to Laini Odar.
The trail offers impressive scenery today. From Laini Odar, we pass by gorges with scary cliffs above them. After walking for a couple of hours, the trail opens up, and we walk on a path paved with wooden planks & flat stones that lead to Chhyugar (3,440 m). We then cross a stream to Nawarpani.
Two hours walk, and we reach Toltol (3,530 m). From here, we walk along the bank of Tarap Khol to Ghyamghar. Crossing a river, we continue trekking along the eastern bank to Sisaul. Here, we cross the western bank of the river and walk by an isolated valley. We reach Langa and ascend to a small arid hill. Further, we trek and reach Dho Tarap to spend the night.
We spend time acclimatizing in Dho Tarap. We visit old monasteries and explore the village. It's a good opportunity to see the unique lifestyle and culture of the locals. Most of the people in this village have the Bonn-Po and Nyingmapa religions.
We continue the day walking alongside the Tarap Chu River and ascend to Tokyu. It is a traditional village. From here, cross a bridge to Khanger and trek in the northwest. The trail gets rugged as we approach Num La base camp.
We begin trekking early in the morning. It's a difficult walk today. From the base camp, we walk on a steep, rugged uphill trail to reach the top of Num La Pass. The to rewards our hard walk with a stupendous panorama of Mt. Dhaulagiri, Churen Himal range, and Norbung Kang. After enjoying the views, we descend alongside Gyambo Khola and pass by a meadow to Danighar.
Another adventurous day, another high pass. Again, the day begins early, and we make our way to the top of Baga La Pass. The trail of course is steep and rocky. The top presents beautiful mountain scenery as a reward. Further, we descend into a deep ravine and cross a frozen stream to reach Temche and walk towards Yak Kharka.
The trail route ascends to Ringmo village, passing by the forested path of pines, junipers, oaks, and cypress. We come across a stunning waterfall on the way and see superb views of the peaks of Rigmo village. From Ringmo, a short walk leads to Phoksundo.
We take a rest day today. The day is spent well by visiting the gem of the Himalayas, Phoksundo Lake. The gorgeous turquoise colour of the lake and the serenity surrounding the area will mesmerize you. Later, we explore the nearby villages and visit the Tshowa monastery, built almost 900 years ago.
The day begins with a gradual walk along a riverside. We then ascend steeply to a hill that offers the last aerial views of Phoksundo Lake. From here, we drop down to Chunuwar and walk through the lush forest to Rechi. After a few ups & downs, we reach Chepka village.
From Chepka, we walk by Shyanta and Kageni village. The trail has forests and crosses a suspension bridge over Dhim Khola. We also walk by a narrow path and barely fields before reaching Jhupal.
Another two flights, and we reach Kathmandu. Enjoy the day relaxing and strolling around Thamel. You can visit the club and spa, and shopping.
Our adventurous trip has ended. It's time to fly back to your home. Our team members will drop you at the airport.
Namaste and best return greetings from Wayne in Tasmania.
We agreed that the service you and your team provided during our long-range remote area trek...
