Group Size
Min. 2 Pax
Trip Grade
Strenuous
Best Season
March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October & November
Accommodation
Hotel/Lodge/Tent
Max Elevation
5240m, Numa La Pass
Meals
Full Board on Trek
Transportation
Private Vehicle/Car/Jeep/Flight
Trip Route: Nepaljunga - Juphal - Dunai - Dho Tarap - Numa La - Bagala Pass - Phoksundo Lake - Suligad - Juphal - Nepaljung
Trip Overview
- Amazing cultural experience in some of the lesser explored lands of western Nepal.
- Breathtaking view of beautiful landscapes surrounding you
- Beautiful Phoksundo lake in the heart of the Himalayas
- Numa La and Baga La pass, challenging and beautiful passes that you will take on in this trek
- Challenging trail perfect for people who love intermediate trekking between the harder and easier ones.
- Gompas and monasteries reflecting pristine artforms and religious culture of these areas
- Mountain lifestyle and cuisine alongwith the vegetations and wildlife
- Exploring some of the major cities of Nepal including the heritage-rich Kathmandu valley
Lower Dolpa Trek is a trek with a complete experience of the lesser-traveled lands of western Nepal full of cultural, scenic and natural encounters throughout your journey of the Dolpo region.
The Lower Dolpa trek is a trek that takes you from the luxurious city areas deeper to the Himalayan bases of the Dolpo region. Walking in the sublime trail patched in the beautiful landscape surrounding it gives you a wonderful trekking experience. Walking by the rivers and streams from the mountain in the path will take you from a variety of flora and faunas. The altitude gain will be gradual with a smooth elevation in this Dolpo trek. Passing by the small villages and settlements, you can take a glance at the mountain lifestyle of the locals here.
The culture here in Dolpa is diverse as well. Moving further up to the trekking route, you will find the Tibetan influence in the culture and traditions of these places. Passing through Shrines, Gompas, Chortens and Mani walls, you will reach your next destination every day. The people are always welcoming and friendly with an evergreen smile over their traditional dresses. Walking over the challenging Passes enjoying the pristine view from the top, each minute of your epic adventure will be worth it in Dolpa. So, take your trekking adventure to the next stage by visiting the Lower Dolpa of Nepal.
With the aid and professional guides from Himalayan Pic Du Midi, you can make the trek to the lower Dolpa with ease and safety. Travelers both solo and in groups can take on the circuit with guidance and instructions. We also have prepared the alternate route in case of unforeseen lousy weather or landslides, so with us, safety is assured to you. You can exclude the period of the monsoon and extreme regions for the Lower Dolpa Trek. Mid-September to November and March to May are the perfect timing to visit these regions.
Outline Itinerary
Day 01: Arrival at TIA Kathmandu & Transfer to Hotel
Day 02: Heritage Tour of Kathmandu and Prepration for the Trek
Day 03: Fly from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj
Day 04: Fly to Jhupal (2475m), Trek to Dunai (2140m)
Day 05: Dunai to Tarakot (2540m)
Day 06: Tarakot to Laini (3370m)
Day 07: Laini to Toltol (3525m)
Day 08: Nawarpani to Do Tarap (3945m)
Day 09: Rest day at Do Tarap (3945m)
Day 10: Dho Tarap to Numa La Base Camp (4440m)
Day 11: Numa La Pass (5240m) to Danigar (4515m)
Day 12: Baga La Pass to Yak Kahrka (3860m)
Day 13: Dajok Tang to Ringmo (3640m)
Day 14: Exploration of Phoksundo in Ringmo (3640m)
Day 15: Phoksundo to Shyanta (2520m)
Day 16: Shyanta to Jhupal (2475)
Day 17: Fly to Nepalgunj and Kathmandu
Day 18: Bhaktapur Cultural Tour
Day 19: Departure
Day to Day Itinerary
After your arrival at Kathmandu, our representative will approach you at the arrival section with a placard. You will then drive to the hotel in Thamel with him/her in a cab. Visit us in our office for a short orientation session of Lower Dolpa trek and stroll around your hotel in the evening. Overnight at a hotel in Kathmandu.
Today will be a Trek preparation day for you as you will spend your spare time visiting the UNESCO heritage sites of Kathmandu. Start your day visiting the Bashantpur (Kathmandu Durbar Square) near to your hotel. Visit the ancient monuments in the square. You can also try some snacks here. The second destination for today lies about 5 km west of Kathmandu, the Swyambhunath Stupa. Visited by both Hindu and Buddhist devotees, Swyambunath is also called "The Monkey Temple." You can have an amazing view of whole Kathmandu Valley from here. In the late afternoon, we'll head towards the major Hindu Shrine of Pashupatinath. Spend the evening in the Stupa of Boudhanath and experience the delights of Tibetan Buddhism from one of the rooftop restaurants here. Return and rest in your hotel. Overnight at Thamel, Kathmandu.
After your breakfast, you can visit some of the nearby temples in your spare time. We will drive you to TIA and board a domestic flight to Nepalgunj. Nepalgunj is an important commercial center in the mid-western Terai of Nepal. You will head straight to your hotel and rest for a while after arrival. Here, you can experience a different blend of culture and lifestyle here with a bit rise in the temperature. You can go for a rickshaw/cab ride here and visit the local markets of Nepalgunj. Overnight at a hotel in Nepalgunj.
You will take a scenic flight early today to the Juphal Airport of the Dolpa district in Nepal. The flight gives you an amazing view of the landscape and the snow-capped Himalayas. After landing rest for a while and we will start our Lower Dolpa Trek with a walk from Juphal to Dunai. We will be walking beside the Bheri River and through terraced farmlands to reach Dunai; the administrative headquarter of Dolpo Region. Overnight at a Lodge in Dunai.
We will start our day walking in the southern banks of the Bheri River. Ascending a little, our trail eases up providing us the best views of a hilly landscape. We will walk through several suspension and hanging bridges of the trail and pass the gorge to continue our trek. Our path leads us to the terraced fields surrounding the small village of Tarakot. Overnight at Tarakot.
Tarakot is a small village in a picturesque setting beside the river and hills. After having your breakfast here, we will start our trek of today to Laini. We will begin walking in the trail beside Tarap Chu River and cross it multiple times today to reach Sandul Gompa. Lying in the Junction of the Tarap Chu and Barbung rivers, this Gompa is a beautiful place to take a break. We will continue our trek and pass through many rural hill villages and reach Laini. Overnight at Laini.
We will have a steep climb beside the Tarap River for the first part of our day leading to a narrow gorge. Our trail is gifted with amazing landscape view and occasional spotting of wild animals and birds. There are few small settlements in the trail from where we can take a brief break and rest for a while. We will take the trail going from the banks of Chyugur Khola and reach Nawarpani - Toltol. Overnight at Toltol.
We will reach one of the major destinations of the Lower Dolpa trek, Do Tarap today. In the first part, we will ascend slowly to Kamattarka. This settlement lies in the junction of the Tarap Cu and Lang Khola. Our trail from here is a gradual climb and is surrounded by wildflowers and juniper trees. We will cross a typical Himalayan barren desert stretch and reach the village of Do Tarap today. Do Tarap is a Zion for travelers seeing to experience the Himalayan lifestyle in the Dolpo region of Nepal. The Tibetan and Magar settlers here have their unique culture and lifestyle. Overnight at Do Tarap.
We have an acclimatization day today at an altitude of 4,090 meters before doing the Numa La pass. We can visit the nearby monasteries today and do some short hiking around the village. We will have an opportunity to explore the local culture at Do Tarap and Dolpo today. The clothing, culture, architecture of houses, Tibetan inspired monasteries, Mani walls, and many other components of today will remain in your memory forever. We can learn about the Bon Po and Nyingmapa Buddhist sect in our short tour of today. You can hike to the nearby hill to view the sunset and return to the village. Overnight at Do Tarap.
Our trek of today starts from the village to upper Tarap valley. With lush grasslands and flowers surrounding the trail the feeling of walking in it is pristine. Alongside the Tarap Chu River, we will continue our walk to Tokyu. There is an important Buddhist monastery of the Chiba sect here. We will take a short break here and explore the monastery. Our trail rises slightly from here and turns a bit rough and steep as we get closer to Numa La Base camp. We'll rest for the day after reaching there. Overnight at Numa La Base Camp.
Our trek of today passes the highest point of our lower Dolpa expedition, Numa La Pass at 5190 m. We have a steep climb from the base camp to start our day here. The pass is mostly snow covered in the top sections, and from here we can have a breathtaking view of the Landscape, Dhaulagiri Mountains, and the Dolpo region as a whole. After spending some time here, we will start our descent to Pelung tang and Danigar. This segment of the trek is mostly downhill with some steep and challenging sections. Rest for the day at Danigar and prepare for the Baga La pass of the next day. Overnight at Danigar.
After Breakfast and some warmups, we will start our climb to the Baga La pass (4980 m). The trail is comparatively less challenging and gives you a great view of inner Dolpa during the descent. The views of Mt.Dhaulagiri and Kanjirowa are also beautiful from the pass. After some time of sightseeing and taking pictures, we will start our downhill trek to Yak Kharka. Overnight at Yak Kharka.
Our trek of today is to the lakeside village of Ringmo. After a beautiful sunrise view and breakfast, we will walk in the trail through pine forests. We will pass several small streams and small pasture and reach Ringmo. The path is rocky, and we will get glimpses of the Phoksundo Lake nearing the village. The village is traditional Tibetan styled with few houses built near to each other. Overnight at Ringmo.
Wake up early today and hike for a while to the nearby ridges to view the sunrise over the Phoksundo Lake and surrounding mountains. We have a day to explore the beauty of Phoksundo today. Fed by glaciers the water of this big and beautiful lake is bright blue. We will hike around the lake and view all the corners through many angles. The best view of the Phoksundo is from a viewpoint about 1.5 hours of a hike from Ringmo. Yak herds from Tibet and back will pass you multiple times today. You can take a peaceful walk in the shore of the lake and take a short hike to the other side visiting a Gompa there. Overnight at Ringmo.
After breakfast, we will walk down to the village of Chhepka. Our trail follows a pasture and is one of the best sections to encounter wildflowers and Himalayan birds. Your guides will also describe you some of the medicinal herbs in the trail. Our route passes through small settlements before rising to the village of Chhepka. Overnight at Chhepka.
We will walk to Sulighat village first thing today. The path is surrounded by birch trees and passes through the terraced farmlands. From the top of a ridge in the trail, we can view the Jhupal village and the airport there. There are some steep sections in the mid-day part where you have to be cautious and follow the guide. You will reach Jhupal in the late afternoon and rest for the day. Overnight at Jhupal.
We will take a flight to Nepalgunj. We will reach Nepalgunj. we will fly back to Kathmandu. After landing in Kathmandu, we will drive you to your hotel. In your spare time today you can do some souvenir shopping in Thamel. Enjoy the partying nightlife of Kathmandu and freshen up your memories of the trek. Overnight at a hotel in Kathmandu.
After your breakfast today, we will drive to the city of Bhaktapur. Bhaktapur is only about 45 minutes’ drive from your hotel. The first site of today will be the Historical Bhaktapur Durbar (palace) Square. The Palace was the ruling palace of Malla Kings before Kathmandu city. The golden gate temple, Palace of Fifty-five windows, and the Nyatapola temple square are some of the major attractions in and around the Palace. You can visit the painting schools here, view the Thangkas, and artforms around this fantastic city. You can taste the local Newari cuisine and the famous king curd (Juju Dhau) in Bhaktapur. Return to your hotel and stroll around Thamel in your evening today. Overnight at Kathmandu.
You will depart from the TIA to your home or next destination. We will have a farewell breakfast together and drive to the airport a couple of hours before the flight. Return with lifelong memories and thrilling adventure from the Lower Dolpa trek.
What's Included/Excluded
Accommodation
- Four-night Hotel in Kathmandu and One Night Hotel in Nepaljung with B/B basis
- Teahouse Accommodation while on the trek
Meals
- Welcome and farewell dinner at Nepali Kitchen
- All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner and tea/coffee) while on the trek
Transportation
- Airport pick-ups and drops in a private vehicle
- All ground transportation on a comfortable private vehicle as per the itinerary
- Kathmandu – Nepaljung - Juphal – Nepaljung – Kathmandu by Domestic Flight Tickets.
Extras
- Full day sightseeing in Kathmandu/Entrance fee
- All necessary paperwork and Special Lower Dolpa Restricted Area, Shey Phoksundo National Park Fee/TIMS
- Professional & government licensed holder English Speaking Trekking Guide, Trekking Cook, Acc. Guide, Kitchen staff
- Camping Equipment’s Guest Tents, Dining tent, Kitchen Tent, Toilet Tent, Chairs and Table, Mattresses during the camping Trek
- Porter service (2 trekkers: 1 porter)
- Staff costs including their salary, insurance, equipment, food, Transportation and accommodation
- Warm clothing and other required trekking gear for staff including porters woolen hat, gloves, shocks, shoes & sunglasses etc…
- Baggage/Equipment’s/Cargo (Nepalgung – Juphal – Nepalgung)
- Entrance fee of all Monastery & Museums in Lower Dolpa Region
- Hot Shower
- Trekking Map
- Medicine Box for Guide/Porters
- All government and local taxes
Not Included
- International Airfare and Nepal Visa fee
- Travel & Health Insurance
- Emergency Helicopter Rescue Insurance
- Lunch & Dinner in Kathmandu
- Any Alcoholic Drinks, Mineral water and deserts in Trek
- Battery Charges, International call, WIFI & Internet on Trek
- Unforeseen Cost such as Flight Cancellation
- Tips for guides and porters
Notes
* Your big Luggage should be 12 kg each without your Carry bag (small bag). You have to carry 4/5 kg with small bag during you walking on the Trekking. Your small bag should be over 30 to 40L.
* You have to bring personal medicine box for the mountain. You have to good physical condition is necessary to travel in Nepal. It is recommended to go to doctor for a checkup before coming to Nepal.
* The flights in the Himalayas might sometimes get delayed or canceled due to bad weather conditions. We will book the flights succeeding it immediately so keep your patience and utilize your time visiting nearby attractions.
* You are free to choose a substitute of treks in other regions if the flight cancellation hampers your Simikot Limi Valley trek significantly.