Dolpo is also called “Ba Yul”
or the Hidden valley is a land of mystery,
scenery and peace. Surrounded by Dhaulagiri
and Tibet from south and north, The Dolpo
region is the natural embodiment of high
passes, rare flora and fauna and sweeping
vistas. The medicinal plant, Yarchagumba
(Coerdiopsis sinensis) a type of wild mushroom
is found in abundance in this region. Extracts
from Yarchagumba is believed to significantly
improve health and fitness. This trekking
is for combination of natural and cultural
phenomena which is enriched by the traditional
Tibetan cultural heritage. It is a rain
shadow area and was opened in 1991 for trekking.
The whole trekking areas in this region
stretches through and around Arun River
whose origin dates back to prehistoric period.
The Arun valley is one of the most beautiful
regions to trek in Nepal.
Dolpo is protected by Shey-Phoksundo National
Park. It lies to the north of the Dhaulagiri
Range bordering the Tibetan Plateau. Here
one can find a well-preserved eco-system
of plants and wildlife, including the blue
sheep and the elusive snow leopard. The
view of Kanjiroba peak, Phoksumdo Lake,
and the Dhauligiri massif is one of the
most rewarding moments of this trek. A visit
to the Phoksumdo Gompa – dedicated
to the ancient Bonpo religion, local to
Dolpo and Tibet, is a memorable experience.
The Upper Dolpo region is another remote
hidden destination in far west where Nepal's
most tranquil and natural beauty is still
unexplored. The home of herbal land, unspoiled
trans-Himalayan culture, Buddhist monuments,
and unique human civilization at high altitude
is worth a visit. Trekking around the Dolpo
region is an unforgettable journey in every
visitor's life. Observing different rain
shadow landscapes with stunning mountain
views, wild flowers, Himalayan blue sheep,
snow leopards, and huge birds Himalayan
griffon. The Upper Dolpo is the home of
the Bhotiya and Sherpa people. It's difficult
to grow crops there, which makes life difficult
for the local people. They depend on barley
as sole crop. The stalwart yak is a vital
source of food, transport and dung fuel.
They also trade salt for grain with those
from far away Hurikot and Jumla to compensate
their dwindling winter supply of food.
Outline
Itinerary
Day
1
Fly
from Kathmandu to Nepalganj.
You fly from Kathmandu to Nepalganj
in the southwest part of the
Terai, right on the border to
India. After checking into your
hotel you might go and have
a look at the Bageshwari Mandir,
a temple to honour Kali. But
what Nepalganj is all about
is just wandering around in
the bazaar, which has everything
on sale that one could imagine.
You will see people here from
every part of Nepal, people
from Tibet and India; they all
come here to trade.
Day
2
Fly
from Nepalgunj to Juphal and
trek from Juphal to Dunai. You
go to the airport very early
in order to get on the flight
to Juphal. Dolpo flights are
always early in the morning.
This is because high winds in
the Thulo Bheri Valley begin
around 10 am, making later flights
impossible. Once you have gotten
all your equipment of the Twin
otter in Juphal (2500m), you
start out on the short walk
from Juphal to Dunai. You walk
downhill through meadows and
past a few houses to the small
hotels at Kala Gaura (2090m).
From here you follow the river
trail upstream to Dunai. You
camp near Dunai and explore
this bustling little hill town
for the rest of the afternoon.
Day
3
Trek
from Dunai to Chepka which takes
about seven hours. You start
trekking from Dunai, cross the
big steel suspension bridge
and turn west, following the
trail past the hospital, and
then it's a level walk along
the bank of the Thulo Bheri
to its confluence with the Suli
Gaad at 2070m. You follow the
new trail north up the east
bank of the Suli Gaad to a collection
of teashops run by the wives
of army personnel in Dunai.
Another hour of walking takes
us to Kal Rupi and then on to
Raktang (2260m). You cross to
the west bank and trek past
numerous goths and horses pastures
over a ridge to the rough stone
houses of Jyalhasa, a wintering
spot for the people of Ringmo.
You keep walking upstream to
another bridge, cross it to
the east bank, and make your
way past some crude teashops
and a bridge over a side stream,
the Ankhe Khola, at 2460m. The
trail makes some ups and downs
through grass and ferns to a
trail junction. The fork is
the old trail leading to the
army and national park post
at Ankhe, and on to the old
trail that passes the villages
of Rahagoan and Parela, high
on the ridge above.
These three villages a strange
name connection: Parela (parela
means eye-lashes), Rahagoan
(raha means eyebrow) and Ankhe
(ankha is eye).
The trail Phoksumdo Lake climbs
over a ridge at 2710m then descends
on a rocky path to Chepka (2670m),
which is inhabited by three
brothers and consists of collection
of interconnected shops, rakshi
stalls and lodges. You camp
here or at another good spot
beside a huge rock in walnut
grove about 20 minutes beyond
Chepka.
Day
4
Trek
from Chepka to Renje and it
takes about six hours. You continue
on the new trail, which stays
near the river, climbing over
a small ridge ,then crossing
to the west side to avoid a
large ridge and returning to
the east side an hour later
near a national park camping
ground. Alongside the river
at 2900m, the trail becomes
a collection of rocks and sticks
forming a dyke along the river
bank. The trail makes several
more ups and downs through forests
of firs and larches as it continues
upstream to a bridge that leads
to nine houses comprising the
village of Renje on the opposite
side of the river at 3010m.
You camp at a good camp site
here or another about five minutes
further on.
Day
5
Trek
from Renje to Ringmo which takes
about seven hours. You follow
the Suli Gaad valley, which
turns eastward and becomes even
steeper and narrower. You then
climb over a ridge and descends
to a wooden bridge then continue
along the ups and downs along
the valley floor to the confluence
of the Suli Gaad with the Pungmo
Khola. From here the trail to
Phoiksumdo Lake and Shey gompa
follows the west bank of the
river. You climb through a forest
of big cedar to a good camp
site and then on to Palam (3710m),
a winter settlement used by
the people of Ringmo village.
The houses are almost burried
in the sandy soil. The entrance
station for Shey Phoksumdo National
Park is at the south end of
the village. After your park
entrance ticket is examined,
you may be subjected to a baggage
inspection-ostensibly for drugs
and stolen art objects. It's
very peculiar formality in this
remote locale.
You continue on the route, which
switchbacks steeply on a sandy
trail through open country to
an elevation of 3300m, then
you start up another steep set
of dusty switchbacks to a ridge
at 3780m. From the ridge there
are distant views of a spectacular
200m -high waterfall, the highest
in Nepal. The trail makes a
steep descent in birch forests
to the upper reaches of the
brilliantly clear,rushing waters
of the Phoksumdo Khola, then
you climb gently to Ringmo village,
a picturesque settlement of
flat-roofed stone houses with
lots of mud -plastered chortens
and maniwalls. Just below Ringmo,
you cross a bridge and follow
a trail north to the ranger
station at Phoksumdo Lake (3730).
You continue to the shores of
the lake near the point where
the Phoksumdo Khola flows out
of the lake. There are national
park camping grounds on both
sides of the river on the south-east
shore of the lake. Park rules
prohibit us from camping in
other places
Day
6
Rest
and exploration. A trail leads
from the lakeside through juniper
trees to the white Pal Sentan
Thasoon Chholing gompa, a ramshackle
Bon-po gompa overlooking the
lake that is said have been
built 60 generations ago. There
are five other private gompas
in various houses of small monastic
community near the lake. The
insides of the temples contain
dusty Buddhist paintings and
statues, but the trappings also
reflect the animistic elements
of the Bon-po religion, so some
of the chapels are reminiscent
of an ancient witch's cavern.
A donation to the ragtag collection
of dirty monks will gain us
entrance to the gompas; your
sherpas will be equally fascinated
by the strange iconography and
practice of the Bon-po religion.
Day
7
Trek
from Ringmo to Chunemba it takes
approximately six hours. From
your camp site near Ringmo on
the southern end of Phoksumdo
Lake, the trail contours on
a rocky ledge as it skirts the
western lip of the lake. In
places it's precariously suspended
on a gangway of wood supported
on pegs driven into crevices
in the rocks. As you cross a
stream, look up at the glacier
descending from the upper slopes
of Kanjeralwa (6612m). You then
climb to a crest at 4060m for
a spectacular view of the lake
with the snowy peaks of Sonam
Kang in the background. The
trail makes a step and dusty
descent through birches and
blue pines to the westernmost
edge of the lake at 3630m where
the Phoksumdo Khola enters.
The route now heads west up
a long a wide valley. You follow
an indistinct trail through
thorn bushes and scrub trees,
crisscrossing boggy marshes
and tributaries of Phoksumdo
Khola. You camp in a forest
of blue pines at Chunemba, an
undeveloped national park camping
ground at 3630m.
Day
8
Trek
from Chunembe to Lar Tsa which
takes almost five and half hours.
You begin the day along the
level path that now heads north
through a glacial valley. You
then cross to the east bank
of Phoksumdo Khola. You follow
the main valley for another
hour to kang Gompa. You climb
steeply from Kang Gompa and
stay on the grassy ridge. It's
a long climb up the ridge past
a few groves of birch trees.
There are spectacular mountain
views with Shey Shikar (6139m)
and Kang Chunne (6443m) dominating
the skyline to the west. You
continue on a crest at 4200m
then the route descends gently
on a rocky trail to Lar Tsa,
a camp site besides the river
at 4120m.
It's possible to continue walking,
but you have now ascended more
than 500m in a day and should
spend the night at Lar tsa for
acclimatisation.
Day
9
Trek
from Lar Tsa to Mendok Din and
it takes about three hours.
You cross a new bridge and climb
to the top of a scree slope
at 4490m, then make your way
up a grassy ridge to a crest
at 4640m. You contour and then
drop gently into Mendok Ding
(flower valley). You again climb
alongside a stream to a campsite
at 4610m. You are almost certain
to spot herds of blue sheep
on the slopes above the camp.
Day
10
Trek
from Mendok Din to Shey Gompa
which takes approximately eight
and half hours. You continue
on the route that follows the
upper reaches of the Phoksumdo
Khola, and then you turn north
towards the peak of Riwo Drugdra
(Crystal Mountain). There is
a choice of trails here; you
follow the more scenic pilgrim
route across the Sehu La to
the west of Crystal Mountain,
making a kora (circumambullation)
of this sacred peak. The Dolma
trail turns north soon after
camp while the pilgrim trail
starts up a steep scree slope
on the opposite side of a stream
that flows from the north.
After a long pull to Sehu La
(also known as Mendok Ding La)
at 5160m the trail descends
a scree slope to a grassy meadow
besides a stream valley and
begins a series of long ascents
and descends across ridges in
and out of side valleys as it
traverses around Crystal Mountain.
After a steep, rough climb to
a crest at 5010m and another
at 4860m, you begin the descent
to the Tar valley. Soon after
the route reaches grassy slopes
a side trail leads to Tsakang,
a gompa said to be 800years
that is perched dramatically
on the side of a cliff. The
final descent is on a wide trail
to a campsite in a large meadow
near a few nomads huts at 4310,
just below Shey gompa.
Day
11
Rest
and Exploration day. Cross the
river on a log bridge and climb
past a big chorten and a huge
field of manistones to the Shey
gompa compound at 4390m. The
gompa itself is not large, and
there are no artifacts or paintings
of note inside. Although the
building is said to be 800years
old, the wall paintings are
relatively recent, probably
done in 1970s. The statues on
the altar are of Guru Rimpoche,
Sakyamuni and Milarepa. The
gompa also houses an ancient
Tibetan scroll that describes
the myth of Crystal Mountain
and Shey gompa. According to
the inscription, there is a
holy lake in a crater among
the mountains that surrounds
Shey. When a pilgrim makes nine
circumambulations of this lake
the water turns milk. A sip
of this milk and the pilgrim
can se Mt Kailash in the distance.
Day
12
Trek
from Shey Gompa to Namgung which
takes almost seven and half
hours. You trek east from Shey
gompa and across the 5010m Shey
La. Here you turn north and
descend before climbing again
to Namgung (4430m).
Day
13
Trek
from Namgung to Karang which
takes almost six hours. You
traverse high above the Namgung
Kola to Karang (4050m). It's
also possible to descend to
Saldang on the banks of the
river, but this village holds
little of interest.
Day
14
Trek
from Karang to Mugaon and it
takes approximately seven and
half hours. You descend to Torak
Sumdo (3670m), the confluence
of the Namgung and Polang kholas,
and cross to the northern bank.
You then climb to Yanger gompa
at 3750m and trek along the
river side valley. You camp
at one of the camp sites alongside
the stream at about 4100m before
Mugaon.
Day
15
Trek
from Mugaon to Shimen which
takes almost eight and half
hours.
You continue up the valley to
Mugaon and climb towards the
Mushi La at 5030m. Then you
descend towards Shimen village,
you end the day at a good camp
site in pastures above the village
at 4010m.
Day
16
Trek
from Shiment to Tinje and it
takes about eight hours. You
drop down to Shimen village
at 3870m and make a long trek
upriver through Pha (4090m)
to Tinje (4150m).
Day
17
Trek
from Tinje to Rakpa which takes
approximately eight hours. You
trek past the runway of mysterious
Tinje airport to a trail junction
at 4130m, where a high route
leads to Tarap. You continue
southward to a camp site on
the banks of the river at Rakpa
(4530m).
Day
18
Trek
from Rakpa to Chharka and it
takes almost eight hours. You
begin your day with a long climb
to the Chharka La (4920m). You
continue on the trail descending
along the side of the valley,
then make a big drop into a
side valley at 4290m. You then
make a long traverse down to
the picturesque village of Chharka
on the banks of Barbung Kola
at 4120m.
Day
19
Trek
from Chharka to Norbulung and
it takes about seven hours.
You descend again to a river.
You follow the right fork southward,
climbing in and out of side
valleys on a rough trail. The
valley narrows, you then emerge
into a big meadow and climb
to your campsite at Norbulung
(4750m).
Day
20
Trek
from Norbulung to Sangda Phedi
and it takes approximately eight
hours. You begin the day climbing
to a yak pasture at Molum Sumna
(4860m) and on to a crest at
5130m. You then make a long
traverse across meadows to the
foot of the Sangda La, then
a long, steep final climb to
the pass at 5460m.
