The best known of the many isolated high Himalayan valleys across northern Nepal, Dolpo preserves one of the last remnants of traditional Tibetan culture. Legend says it's a one of the "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 south-east and cut off by high passes closed by snow half the year, Dolpo's easiest access is from Tibet, where its people emigrated from perhaps 1. 000 years ago.
Upper Dolpo shelters about 5.000 people, whose lives revolve around Buddhism, barley, and yaks; their villages (over 4.260 meters) are among the highest settlements on earth. A large portion of Dolpo has been set aside as Shey - Phoksumdo National Park, at 3.555 square km Nepal's largest. Meant to preserve a complete example of the trans-Himalayan ecosystem, the park shelters blue sheep, Himalayan black bear, leopards, wolves, and the exclusive snow leopard.
Dolpo is the best-known of Nepal's forbidden northern border regions. The 1989 announcement that the government was opening the region to group treks caused a flurry of excitement.To reach here, you must trek through a registered company, which will obtain permits. Groups generally fly from Nepalgunj to the Juphal airstrip, then walk few hours to the district headquarters of Dunai (2,100 meters). The trail follows the Suli Gad River, passing through thick conifer forests and a few Thakuri Hindu villages. The National Park check-post is one day from Dunai; two steep days later, you reach Phoksumdo Lake.Flying in and out, the trek takes less than two weeks. Phoksumdo Lake (3,627 meters) is the highlight of the whole trek, a basin of unearthly turquoise blue ringed by rocky crags and forest, framed by snow-capped peaks.
Legend says a demons fled here during Gum Rinpoche's conversion of Tibet's resident spirits, offering local people a gigantic turquoise to keep her passage a secret. Guru Rinpoche transformed the turquoise into a lump of dung, and the disgruntled people revealed the demons hiding place. In revenge she culled down a flood upon their village, submerging it beneath the lake. The legend is a concise mythic summary of the ancient struggle between Bönpo and Buddhists; the latter won, but the former remain, even here at Phoksumdo.At the lake's eastern end is the village of Ringmo, also called Tso. The town's entrance chorten has nine complex Buddhist and Bönpo mandalas painted on its wooden ceiling.
The people are Bhotia and only very distantly related to Tibetans. They are gradually becoming Hinduized, adding Chhetri surnames to their Tibetan names.The Bönpo monastery, Tso Gompa, is two km from the village, set above the lake on forested cliffs with views across to Kanjiroba. Below the village, a gigantic waterfall cascades over a series of rock steps, draining into the Suli Gad fur below. A visit to the Bönpo Gompa at Pungmo, two hours up aside valley to the west, is a worthwhile expedition.The best part of Dolpo lies beyond the lake, along a difficult trail that crosses a high pass into the real Dolpo. Shey Gompa, named after nearby Crystal Mountain, is several days' walk north of the lake.Another trail to reach Shey Gompa leads trough the Tarap valley over several high passes and magnificent villages like Tarap-Dho, Saldang and Pijorgaon.
|
Itinerary :-- |
Day 01 |
Kathmandu to Baglung:
Drive to Baglung or fly to Pokhara |
Day 02 |
Baglung to Tatopani:
Follow the Magdi khola and arrive at the small town of Beni. Continue along the river valley that starts from the Dhaulagiri glaciers. After two hrs walk by the river side you will reach Tatopani. |
Day 03 |
Tatopani to Babichaur:
It is not a long way to reach Durbang. This area is good for learning about Thakali culture. Originally they come from the Thakkhola in the Jomsom area and are Buddhist by religion. |
Day 04 |
Babichaur to Takum:
Climb high up the cliff and descend for about 45m into Durbang again. After 15 minutes through the land slide you reach Phedi. From there walk 2 and half hours until you reach the village of Daharapani with its fields and houses spread all over a large valley facing the Dhaulagiri Himal. The path is flat through the village. |
Day 05 |
Takum to Lulang:
This part is very nice walking through ethnic villages and a little ridge with spectacular views of Dhaulagiri massif. |
Day 06 |
Lulang to Jaljala La:
Walk through small villages and Jungle and cross some suspension bridges to reach Morani. From there it takes 4 hrs to reach Jaljala La. It is worth spending a night here for beautiful views and acclimatization. |
Day 07 |
Jaljala La to Dhorpatan:
Walk through the jungle and some villages. It takes about 6 and half hrs to arrive at Dharapani valley. The Dhorpatan is the kingdom of the Tiger Leopard, Black Himalayan bear and deer. |
Day 08 |
Dhorpatan to Tankor:
From Dhorpatan start the long ascend to the Phagune Lekh (4050m). From the Phagune summit you will have a glimpse of beautiful Dhaulagiri, Dhuren and Puta Hiun Chuli. |
Day 09 |
Tankor to Pelma:
Descend to a grassy meadow for about an hour. Cross the small river after approximately 2hrs that passes through the meadow and enters the middle of a fantastic Jungle. After crossing the river ascend through some small peaks with a beautiful view of Gustang khola and arrive at Pelma village. |
Day 10 |
Pelma to Dhule:
Descend the Pelma khola then cross the bridge on the Pelma khola (2400m) and climb up to the small summer Magar village of Ymarkhar 2550m. From here you walk mostly uphill to Dhule 3300m. |
Day 11 |
Dhule to Sengkhola:
Climb up a small passage for approximately 1hr before the paths become flat. After 2 hrs climbing you arrive at another pass, Nautale La (3970m), and descend 2 hrs to the bed of Sengkhola at 3600m. |
Day 12 |
Sengkhola to Purbang (Jangala La Base Camp):
Climbing for two hrs from Seng khola you reach a pass at 4300m. Then start to walk a flat path until you reach another pass at 4470m. Then you descend about one hr before camping. |
Day 13 |
Purbang to Tarakot:
Climb to Jungala La (4530m) then descend about 2 hrs to the old Kingdom of Tichurong the 'valley of water'. Continue to walk until arriving at Tarakot. |
Day 14 |
Tarakot to Dunai:
From Tarakot trek to Hautaghar until you reach Dunai, whicht is the headquarters of the Dolpo district. |
Day 15 |
Dunai to Hanke:
Climb to the North West on a grassy slope. After three hrs climb you can see the mountain in front of you and a group of abandoned houses. After 2 hrs walking you reach the beautiful Roha village with small Gompa. Stay at the military post of Hanke. |
Day 16 |
Hanke to Reggi:
Follow the Suligad River for about 3 hrs to reach Sepka. Then continue to Regi through difficult passages on slippery rocks and follow the river bank about 3hrs to arrive at the beautiful Reggi village. |
Day 17 |
Reggi to Phuksundo Lake:
Here the mountains look red and yellow with less vegetation. Walk through the forest and meadows with different wild flowers and climb to Ringmo. After an hr you reach Mondro towards the winter village of Ringmo. Continue walking 2hrs to Ringmo. The area is famous for its Tibetan people, monastery, chorten, Himalayan blue sheep, 'Naur' snow leopard and spectacular mountain views and beautiful Phoksundo Lake. |
Day 18 |
Phuksundo Lake:
Rest at Phuksundo Lake. Walk around and visit the nearby village inhabited by Bon and Buddhist settlers. |
Day 19 |
Phuksundo Lake to Bagala Pass (5090m):
Trek through the dense forest until you come to a clearing with a village. Proceed north east until you come to a narrow valley and make your camp here. |
Day 20 |
Bagala Pass to Numla Pass Base Camp (5190m):
The narrow valleys become wider and surrounded by big glaciers and blade shaped rock cliffs. There are incredible views of Kanjiroba massif to the west. Descend to the Poyon khola (4450m) and proceed to the next pass, which we cross the next day. This is blue sheep country. |
Day 21 |
Numla Pass Base Camp to Dho Tarap:
Ascend to the Numla pass which opens to the beautiful valley of upper Tarap. Proceed on to the village of Dho Tarap and camp near the river. |
Day 22 |
Dho Tarap to Lahani:
It is only a short walk to Lahini but a very difficult part of the trek, descending a canyon where the trail is normally washed out. |
Day 23 |
Lahani to Tarakot:
Walking on you come to a wide valley. This is musk deer country. Laskap khola joins the Tarap khola here. Climb up to Kami Gaon, the residence of the Tarap people. Proceed on to Tarakot at the convergence of the Tarap and Baglung khola. |
Day 24 |
Tarakot to Dunai: |
Day 25 |
Dunai to Jhuphal: |
Day 26 |
Return to Kathmandu via Nepalgunj by flight. |
|
|
Best Trekking in nepal 
