Upper Dolpo trek is one of the remote treks which offers the most spectacular view of the trans-Himalayan regions of Nepal which is behind the Dhaulagiri Himalayan ranges. The trans-Himalayan regions upper Dolpo gives the most colourful and diversified landscape with the stunning view of the west Himalayan ranges of Nepal. The beautiness of the Upper Dolpo trek simply can not describe in the word, it can be felt through the exploration. The valley which is behind the Dhaulagiri mountain regions has the most unique things that tourists seek for and they can achieve something new rather than they find anywhere in Nepal. The trekkers can feel real spiritual once they are here because of the countless Chorten and the monasteries around the route. The mani walls and prayer flags and small chaityas make the trek routes more special and very attractive. While trekking to the upper Dolpo we might be able to see the rare snow leopards and blue ships as well. The high passes, countless yak pastures, waterfalls and the incredible mountain scenery are the things that you will regularly feel while you do the upper Dolpo trek. 
Table of contents
Upper dolpo trek highlights
Upper dolpo trek highlights are listed down below
- Diversified and picturesque landscape of the Trans Upper Himalayas of Nepal, which is behind the Dhaulagiri mountain range.
- Excellent view of the Himalayas from the flight (Nepalgunj to Juphal).
- Close view and chance to see the Unique Pristine Tibetan Buddhist culture and Bon Religions.
- Upper Dolpo is the place where the Oscar-Nominated Movie Caravan was shooted and all the actors were locals.
- One of the most beautiful and one of the deepest lakes of Nepal Phoksundo lake which is around 145 Meter.
- Trekkers have to cross Nagdala La (5353 m ), Cang Mara La pass (5115 m), Tyonta (5220m ) and many other small passes.
- Spectacular view of the colorful landscape and abundant flora and fauna which are found in these regions.
- Adventurous camping trek experience in far western Nepal’s Himalayas.
- Excellent views of Kanjirowa Himal and much other snow-capped peaks.
- A best chance to look at the ancient monasteries and countless chorten of Dolpo district.
- Walking through the very empty land where there are not so many populations and tourists as well, you will completely feel that you are in a wild place.
Upper Dolpo trek best time/season
Upper Dolpo trek best time/season and weather are the things that you need to study before you plan to do upper Dolpo trekking. There are 4 seasons of Nepal. Among them, Winter is quite harder to do the upper Dolpo trek, rest of the year you can do upper Dolpo trek. Here we have explained what it looks like in each season.
Spring season (March, April and May)
The spring season in Nepal is a good season to explore Nepal. For your information it is the second-best season to do trekking and mountaineering activities in Nepal. Mountains like Everest and other 8000 Meter peaks are climbed this season. The sky is clear and the weather remains sunny. There is no chance of rain but yet sometimes it might rain that is an exceptional case. Mostly the trek experience is very good, you can do all the trek in Nepal at this time. That is the reason we can recommend you to do the upper Dolpo trek in the spring season as well. The mountains are very clear and you can see the colourful landscape. You can get the best experience in the forest due to the rhododendron forest where there are different varieties of rhododendron blooms.
Autumn season (September, October and November)
This is Nepal’s best season for trek and climbing as well as other tourism activities. It is also Nepal’s peak season. A lot of tourists come to Nepa with different purposes, but most of them come for mountaineering activities where trekking is travellers’ main choice. The weather at this time is very perfect. There is no chance of rain. The visibility is very clear and all day you can see the mountains. The flights to the trekking starting destinations are regular and due to the fit and perfect weather, your trekking experience is the best of the best. You will get an amazing experience of the trek and in Nepal, this time people celebrate Nepal’s two biggest festivals so you can also take part in it. overall, this is the best season for trekking experience in Nepal. Upper Dolpo trekking at this time is very good to do, you can get the best experience.
Monsoon season (June , July and August)
The monsoon season lasts for three months, this time in Nepal it rains a lot. The rainy season is not good to trek because most of the time it is cloudy and it rains a lot. Floods and landslides are very normal and the biggest problem is leeches while walking in the forests. Other trekking is not good to do at this time but upper Dolpo trekking is very good to do. This is trans-Himalayan regions so it does not rain a lot and the mountains are also visible.
Winter season (December, January and February)
Due to the winter season the temperature is very cold everywhere in Nepal. The weather is very cloudy most of the time. The snowfall is very common and the weather is very unpredictable. Due to the very cold weather, it is not good to do the mountaineering activities in Nepal. The adventure trekking is very risky and there might be avalanches and snowstorms. We do not recommend any trek at this time but you can still do the easy trek like Poon hill trek, Mardi Himal trek, Nepal tour and other tours in Nepal.
Upper Dolpo trek permits cost
Upper Dolpo trek is a control region trek of Nepal and controlled by the government. Upper Dolpo trek permits cost is set by the government of Nepal and the permits are issued from Nepal Immigrations office Kathmandu. You will be able to get the permits with the arrangements from the government registered trekking agency. Due to the special provisions and high trekking cost, only a few people go here to trek so you will not see that many tourists on this trekking route.
| S.N | Descriptions |
|---|---|
| 1 | Upper dolo trek is done inside the Shey Phoksundo National Park so you need to have the national park permits to trek here in this area. The cost o the National park permit fees is about 30$ |
| 2 | The special control region area permits are issued from the Nepal immigration Kathmandu. To make the upper Dolpo trekking permits we need your original passport with the valid Nepal visa. That is the reason we put one-day sightseeing in Kathmandu for arranging the permits. We need to take the minimum 10 days upper Dolpo trek permits which cost is 500$ per person. If you want to extend your time inside the control region then you have to pay 50$ per day for the extended days. |
So you need two types of permits for upper Dolpo trekking, You don’t need to be worried about the permits we will manage every permit and arrangements for you.
Upper Dolpo trek difficulty
Upper Dolpo trek difficulty is quite hard but not that difficult. Due to the high elevation walking it might be harder but the slow adjustment of the elevations makes you easier each day you do the trek. Trekkers are required to walk about 6-7 hours each day, the trekking trail is not that good because it is the less touristy destination. There are several passes you have to pass Nagdala La (5353 m ), Cang Mara La pass (5115 m), Tyonta (5220m ) are the major high passes which are quite difficult but all of you can make it. The trails are sometimes very steep and sometimes flat so it is very uneven trails. Due to the unavailability of the hotels, it is quite harder because you have to sleep in the tent and east in the tent as well.
Upper Dolpo trek cost
Upper Dolpo trek costs are quite expensive as you compare with other trekking routes because of the flights from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj and Nepaljung to Juphal and back from the respective destinations. Since it is quite a long trek it is also the reason why it is expensive and this trek is fully camping. You will have an excellent meal as well as facilities but you might feel sleep is not pleasurable for you due to the tent sleeping. We will arrange everything for you on the itinerary we mentioned below and it can be customized as well.
| Date | Spring season(Must be a 2 person) | Autum season(Must be a 2 person) |
|---|---|---|
| October 13, 2020 | 4100 USD | 4100 USD |
| October 30, 2020 | 4100 USD | 4100 USD |
| November 12, 2020 | 4100 USD | 4100 USD |
Upper Dolpo trek itinerary
Nepal Trek hub has managed here Upper Dolpo trek itinerary 23 days. The itinerary is carefully designed and placed as per our past experience. With this itinerary trekkers can enjoy their trek a lot and there will not be any rush while trekking to the spectacular north far-western Nepal.
- Day 01: Arrive at Kathmandu valley and transfer to the hotel
Arrival to Kathmandu valley, upon arrival in Kathmandu international airport we will pick up you and transfer you to the hotel. We will do the briefing about the trek and take your passport for the permits arrangements. We will also check the trekking gear and suggest you buy or rent the additional gears if it is necessary. - Day 02: Kathmandu sightseeing and permits arrangements
You will be taken to the world heritage sites of Kathmandu by our tour guides while Nepal trek hub makes your permits for the upper Dolpo trek. Kathmandu durbar square, Pasupatinath temple, Swayambhunath temple, and Boudhanath temple are the places where you will do the sightseeing, you will be able to learn the Nepal Religions and cultures more or less. - Day 03: Flight Nepalgunj from Kathmandu city
As per your preferable time, you will fly to Nepalgunj which takes about an hour from Kathmandu. The Nepalgunj city is located in the southwest part of Nepal, after you arrive in Nepalgunj you will transfer to the hotel. In the evening you can do small sightseeing in the city. This is the gateway to the far-western Himalayas district of Nepal. - Day 04: Fly to Jhupal (2,320m/7,610 feet) from Nepalgunj, 45 minutes of flight then meet the trekking crew in Juphal then trek to Dunai.
Early morning, you will have a flight to Juphal from Nepalgunj. You will be able to see the amazing landscapes of Dhaulagiri and Annapurna ranges and many other mountains from the flight. After you arrive at Juphal, you will meet the entire trekking group and together you start your trek to Dunai. The trek to Dunai is quite easier as the trail isn’t that steep and sometimes you will have to walk through the road as well. You will descend down to the Kalagauda then walk through the bank of the Thuli Bheri River. After walking 2-3 hours you will reach the district headquarter of Dolpa, Dunai which is elevated at the altitude of the 2150 Meter. In the evening you can do sightseeing in Dunai. - Day 05: Trek to Chhepka (2838m/9,280 feet) from Dunai, 6 hrs Walk
The trek starts through the different fields which ultimately reach to the Thuli Bheri River, You need to cross the long suspension bridge which lets you to the entry place of the Shey Phoksundo National Park. This Is the largest national park of Nepal which is expanded to the area of 3,555 KM/SQ. Now your trail goes through the Suli River, while trekking you can see the Dhaulagiri Mountains. The trail crosses the alpine forests which are filled by the pine trees, juniper, fir and bamboo forest which is a real reward to cross. after some hours of the walk, you can reach to Cheekpa, we will fix the tent here and stay overnight. - Day 06: Trekking to Chunuwar / Amchi Hospital (3000 m)/ 6hrs from Chhepka
Your trek to palam starts through the walk of the beautiful forest which follows the river. The trails fluctuate more that means it goes up and down often. During the trekking today, you can see the different tribes of locals and their traditions, lifestyles. The people here use Yak and Mules to transport the stuff for trading. You will cross the phoksundo river twice and approach the Reechi Village which takes around the 4 hours. From Reechi village it takes 2 further hours to get to the Amchi Hospital. The Hospital is for the local as per the Tibetan medicine system they provide the medicine to the patients. - Day 07: Trek to Phoksundo Lake (3,620m/11,837 feet), 4 hrs Walking
Our destination today is to reach one of the deepest and pristine lakes, Phoksundo lake. At the first stage of our trek early in the morning, we need to climb the ascent via the beautiful forest of Palam. Palam is the winter settlement of the local people of the Ringmo village. On the way to Phoksundo lake, you will see one of the highest falls of Nepal. Now crossing the bridge you will follow the trail to phoksundo lake. The lake is the most beautiful Y shape lake and some parts there is alpine forest whereas on the other side of the lake there are dry and tall mountains. - Day 08: Exploring day to discover around phoksundo lake
This is actually a rest day after we walked for 3 days, but you will explore around here in Phoksundo Lake. Around the lake, there are some villages where you can see the Bon and Buddhism religion people. Walking around the lake and the beauty of the lake is just beyond the imaginations. - Day 09: Trek to Salla Ghari (3,640m/11,903 feet), from Phoksundo Lake 6 hrs Walking
Today must be one of the best days of our entire Dolpo trek because of the stunning view of lake mountains and landscape. The trail climbs the narrow trail above the phoksundo lake. This is also the trail where the Movie caravan was shooted. This trail connects the people of Dolpo to the Tibet so the people do trade in between. The narrow trails lead you to the top viewpoint from where you can see the stunning view of Lane Ringmo, Snowy mountains peak and the beautiful pine forests. Moving more forward after the descent down and ascending up through the valley you can see the stunning peaks Kanjirowa 6612 meter. Walking furthermore on the alpine forest we reach the Salla Ghari. - Day 10: Trek Sallaghari to Nangdala High Camp (4717m/ 5 hrs)
Today is a comparatively short day trek for you, as is your plan to go to Nagdala High Camp. The trail goes ahead climbing the narrow trail of the Tuk Kyaksa River. You need to cross the river several times and after a few hours climbing, you will get to the Nangdala High Camp. - Day 11: Trek Nangdala H.C. to Shey Gompa (4343m) via Nangda LA pass (5350m/ 5-6hrs).
The trek to Shey Gompa begins accenting to the Kang La/Nangdala Pass along the moraine trail. It takes about 3-4 hours to reach the top of 5350 meters. The trail is quite hard but offers an amazing view. From the top, you can see the excellent view of the mountains and valley and some parts of Tibetan territory. You will see the eye-catching view of Kang Chunne and Shey Shikhar peak. Now you have to go steep descents down to the valley. The Red Chorten welcomes you in Shey Gompa village. In shey Gompa Every 12 years interval there they perform the grand festival. From Shey Gompa, you can see Crystal mountain known as a sacred peak in Dolpo. The Dolpo people perform ritual work on this mountain before they harvest. - Day 12: Trek to Namgung (4,430m/14,486 feet), 6 hrs walking
You will explore the Shey Gompa early morning, the locals believe that the Gompa is about 800 Years old in local language they called it Shelri Sumdho Gompa where the different types of the festival are hosted. After finishing the exploration of Shey Gompa your trek begins in Namgung, it follows the trail through Sephu Khola for a couple of hours. The landscape is quite colourful and enchanting. Walking a couple of hours you need to pass the Shey La pass which offers the magnificent view of Mustang side, Tibet side and also offers the view of Kanjiroba, Kagmara, crystal mountain and other peaks. Now you need to go downhill for 2 hours. You will reach the village called Namgung where you will camp tonight. - Day 13: Fly to Pokhara and sightseeing in Pokhara
walking around the lakeside, and some sightseeing stay in the hotel - Day 14: Drive to kathmandu
- Day 15: Departure
Upper Mustang trek cost includes
- Kathmandu international airport transfer by private vehicles.
- Meals on full board: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner each day during the trekking days – Tea House Trek
- English speaking licence holder guide, Required sherpa and porter for the entire trekking as per the group size
- Tourist bus to Pokahara, Pokhara to Kathmandu
- Flight ticket to Pokhara to Jomsom and Jomsom to pokhara
- Fully escorted trek with fluent English speaking license holder local guide and each 2 guest 1 Porter basis
- Annapurna conservation Area project permits
- Special trekking permits, Musatng Control regions permits
- Seasonal Fruits if possible
- Tourist Standard Hotel Accmmodiation in Kathmandu and Pokhara in B/B Basis.
- All expenses of the Nepal Trek Hub staffs (Guides/Porters/sherpa) that includes their Food, Accommodation, Salary, Insurance, Equipment during your trek.
- First Aid Box
- TIMS Permit
- All land transportation as per written on above itinerary
- Food and accommodation and salary of Nepali trekking staffs
Cost excludes
- Nepal entry visa fee cost US$ 40.
- Lunch and Dinner during the staying in Kathmandu and Pokhara city.
- Any kinds of battery charges, laundry service, phone calls and hot shower during the trekking.
- Personal trekking equipment and Clothing.
- Personal nature expenses, any drinks and bar bills.
- Your travel insurance (it is mandatory in case of emergency).
- Any donation and monuments entrance fees.
- Tips for the crew (Note : TIPS is not compulsory but highly expected)
- Any other things which are not mentioned above
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Upper Mustang Trek Facts
- Difficulty:moderate
- Duration:15 Days
- Accommodation: Tea House trek
- RegionAnnapurna
- MealsFull Board on trek
- altitude4100 Meter
- Group-Size1-18 Person
- Transport:Private Vehicle, flight
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Trek Information
Why with us
We Emphasis on the personal and customize itinerary, You can design your own personal tailored made holiday
We are a local Small agency, customer-focused, grassroots foundation with in-depth knowledge of Nepal.
We pay a fair salary to our team of reliable and experienced people
We give guarantee of best value for money, best price and no hidden costs are implicit
We care for each of you individually, providing uncompromising service just for you.
We also care about environment, we encourage our client’s to avoid mineral water, instead of this drink the own purified water and use chlorine tablet
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Why Upper Mustang Trek?
Splendid view of Dhaulagiri mountains, Dhaulagiri II, Dhaulagiri III, Dhaulagiri IV, Gurja Peak, Tukuche peak, Dhampus peak from the flight to jomsom
Super view of Nilgiri and Dhaulagir mountain during the entire trip, you can also see the Tilicho peak and some peaks in Annapurna Ranges.
Get know about the tibetan Buddhism, people and their unique cultures.
Trekking through the very open and colorful desertland of Mustang
Exploration of the hidden trasure of the upper mustang such as their unique cultures, festival and traditions.
Get know about the Chinese and Khamps war and how they were hiding in Nepal upper Mustang caves. You can see the countless cave in upper mustang trek