Lower Dolpo

Dolpo, the area behind the Dhaulagiri range, has been shut off from the outside world for a long time. Only since 1988 it is possible for tourists to enter this area with a special permit. The landscape is desolate and fierce. Dolpo is situated in the rain shadow, mountains are bare and colourful. The mountain passes are high and the valleys are deep. The population is Buddhist and there are chortens, mani walls and gompas. Dolpo is very remoted: the nearest road is a five-day walk away from the district capital.

The trek in Dolpo is one of the most beautiful ones you can do in Nepal. Also it is a fairly challenging trek because of the long days and the many high passes. It is more easy if you can appeal to your mental and physical strength. Temperature varies from 30 degrees in the beginning of the trekking to minus 15 degrees on the high passes.

The tour will start in Darbang, that you reach by bus from Pokhara in one day. From here you walk through an inhabited hill country with agricultural terraces. After only three days you will arrive at the first pass, Jalja La which is 3400 meters high. Than you descend to the large valleys of Dhorpatan. In an empty landscape you lap the Dhaulagiri range. You will climb over another four passes from around 4000 to 4500 meters. On the way you will pass through the village of Pelma, where the maoist movement had its roots. The rest day in Tarakot, at the edge of Dolpo area, is well deserved.

From here you walk into the Tarap-valley to the village of Dho Tarap. Time seems to have stood still in here. After two high passes, which could be snowy, you reach the Lake of Phoksumdo. The water has a beautiful turquoise color, almost unbelievable...

After this lake you walk within two days to district capital Dunai, and after that to Juphal. Here is an airstrip and you will fly back to Kathmandu via Nepalgunj.

Upper Dolpo

This trek is in the upper / northern part of Dolpo, an exclusive area that is located behind the Dhaulagiri range. It has been shut off from the outside world for a long time. Only since 1988 it is possible for tourists to enter this area with a special permit. The landscape is desolate and fierce. Dolpo is situated in the rain shadow, mountains are bare and colourful. The mountain passes are high and the valleys are deep. The population is Buddhist and there are chortens, mani walls and gompas. Dolpo is very remoted: the nearest road is a five-day walk away from the district capital.

First you fly from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj and next day you fly to Juphal. Here the treks starts and you will hike to Dunai, the capital of this district. After this rather big village you will walk in a quiet environment just above the river to Tarakot, the valley is sometimes very narrow. With some luck you can see the monkeys on the opposite side of the river. Next days you'll walk in a canyon with the river below, it is dark and cold. Temperature doesn't rise above zero. You reach the village of Dho Tarap at the altitude of 4060 meters. This village in a Tibetan style is very special. Time seems to have stood still, but not according to the solar collectors and satellite receivers. It is situated in a mountain desert, where some bushes grow. In spring potatoes are grown and in autumn the grain is harvested. There are many maniwalls, several gompa's and everywhere around are prayerflags. You can see bleu sheeps on the hills, vultures soar above the valley and it can be cold and windy.

You continue the trek along some small villages in the Tarap Valley and in this desolate landscape full of Buddhist features like gompa's, chortens, maniwalls and prayerflags. You arrive at Sey Gompa, one of the highlights of this trekking. The gompa that dates from the 11th century is coloured red and the chortens and maniwalls are countless.

The trekking continues to Ringmo, it is a two days hike. You cross Kang La, a pass of 5270 meters high and descent to Poksundo Lake. The colour of this lake in unreal blue.

From here you will wll back to Juphal in two days and thereafter you will fly back to Nepalgunj and Kathmandu.