Lower Dolpo Trekking

The Lower Dolpo trek is one of the best treks in Nepal.The maximum elevation will be 4,530 m. to 5,115 m. and  it is not one for the faint hearted. The region is best known for its isolated high Himalayan valleys in northern Nepal and the region is generally recognised as being one of the last remnants of traditional Tibetan culture. Legend dictates that  it is one of Nepal's "hidden valleys" created by Guru Rinpoche as a refuge for devout Buddhists in troubled times. Surrounded by high mountains including the Dhaulagiri massif to the southeast and cut off by high passes lower Dolpo is closed by snow half the year, Dolpo's easiest access is from Tibet where its people emigrated from perhaps 1000 years ago. 

Upper Dolpo shelters about 5000 people who live around Buddhism, barley, and yaks; their villages are situated at  over 4270 meters and they are among the highest settlements on earth. A large portion of Dolpo has been set aside as Shey-Phoksundo National Park, at 3555 square km Nepal's largest National Park. The park shelters blue sheep, Himalayan black bear, leopards, wolves, and the exclusive snow leopard.

We start our trek from Beni after a  long day's drive from Kathmandu we travel through some interesting villages on our way to high and remote wilderness before finally descending to Juphal where we  catch a flight back to Kathmandu. The route goes through high passes and very remote areas where there are some excellent views of the mountains as well as a taste of virgin Tibetan culture on the way. The journey is taxing at times and you need to be in good physical condition. The Numala&Bagala passes are particularly demanding with a lot of ascents and descents to negotiate in fact the region is a natural embodiment of high passes that often require a lot of ups and downs. There is a lot of rare flora and fauna to be discovered along the way, coupled with some fantastic sweeping vistas and a unique traditional Tibetan culture and heritage the memories will be with you for many years to come.  

• Trip Itinerary