The Upper Dolpo Trek is one of Nepal’s most remote and awe-inspiring journeys, offering trekkers a rare glimpse into a region where Tibetan Buddhist culture thrives amidst pristine Himalayan landscapes. Situated in the far-western part of Nepal, Upper Dolpo remains largely untouched by modern development, making it an ideal destination for those seeking solitude and authenticity.
At the heart of Shey Phoksundo National Park lies Shey Phoksundo Lake, a sacred turquoise lake revered by both Buddhists and followers of the Bon religion. Its crystal-clear waters and surrounding snow-capped peaks offer breathtaking views and a profound sense of tranquility. The lake's unique ecosystem supports diverse flora and fauna, making it a haven for nature enthusiasts.
Nestled beneath the revered Crystal Mountain, Shey Gompa is an ancient monastery attracting pilgrims seeking spiritual enlightenment. This 800-year-old monastery is a significant center for the Bon religion and Tibetan Buddhism, offering insights into the region's rich spiritual heritage.
The trek challenges adventurers with high mountain passes such as Kang La (5,360m) and Saldang La (5,060m). These passes provide panoramic views of the surrounding peaks and valleys, rewarding trekkers with unparalleled vistas and a sense of accomplishment.
Upper Dolpo is home to remote villages like Saldang and Dho Tarap, where traditional lifestyles have been preserved for centuries. These villages offer a glimpse into the daily lives of the Dolpo-pa people, who maintain their Tibetan culture and customs in this isolated region.
Wildlife Encounters
The region's diverse habitats support elusive species such as the snow leopard, blue sheep, Himalayan musk deer, and various bird species. Trekkers may have the rare opportunity to witness these animals in their natural environment, adding an element of excitement to the journey.
The Upper Dolpo Trek is considered strenuous due to its high altitude, remote location, and challenging terrain. Trekkers should be prepared for:
Long Durations: Daily walks of 5-8 hours over rugged trails.
High Altitudes: Spending extended periods above 4,000 meters, with passes exceeding 5,000 meters.
Limited Facilities: Minimal infrastructure requires self-sufficiency and camping.
This trek is suitable for experienced trekkers with good physical fitness and prior high-altitude trekking experience. Novices are advised to undertake less demanding treks before attempting Upper Dolpo.
Spring breathes life into the Upper Dolpo landscape with blooming rhododendrons, alpine flowers, and increased wildlife activity. Trekkers enjoy moderate daytime temperatures and relatively stable weather. The trails are becoming more accessible as the snow melts, though some high passes might still be challenging to cross early in the season. This is a great time for nature lovers and photographers to experience the vibrant beauty of Dolpo. Mid to late spring is ideal for those seeking a balance between adventure and comfort.
Recommended: Yes – especially from mid-April to June for mild weather and natural beauty.
While much of Nepal is affected by heavy rains during the monsoon, Upper Dolpo benefits from its position in the rain shadow of the Himalayas. This means significantly less rainfall and continued access to the trekking routes. The region turns lush and green, offering a unique experience for trekkers. However, the downside includes potential flight cancellations or delays to Nepalgunj or Juphal due to weather issues elsewhere. Also, leeches can be found in lower elevations during this time.
Recommended: With caution – only for experienced trekkers who can handle flexible schedules and are well-prepared for minor weather-related challenges.
Autumn is the most popular and highly recommended season for the Upper Dolpo Trek. After the monsoon, the weather stabilizes, and the skies clear, offering the best visibility for mountain views and safe passage through high-altitude passes. Temperatures are comfortable, and the dry trails are perfect for long trekking days. This season also provides rich cultural experiences with local festivals. Early autumn is especially favorable, though late November can bring early snowfall.
Recommended: Absolutely – this is the peak trekking season due to perfect weather, clear views, and cultural vibrancy.
Winter transforms Upper Dolpo into a stark, snow-covered wilderness. While the scenery is undeniably beautiful, the extreme cold, heavy snowfall, and closed mountain passes make trekking extremely difficult and dangerous. Infrastructure is limited, and most villages reduce services or close entirely. Only expert trekkers with proper winter gear and expedition-level preparation should consider attempting this trek during these months.
Recommended: No – unless you're an experienced high-altitude winter trekker with full logistical support.
Clothing: Layered clothing suitable for temperatures ranging from -10°C to 20°C.
Footwear: Sturdy, waterproof trekking boots with good ankle support.
Sleeping Gear: Four-season sleeping bag and insulated sleeping pad.
Accessories: Trekking poles, headlamp, sunglasses, and a wide-brimmed hat.
Spring/Autumn: Lightweight gloves and hats for cooler mornings and evenings.
Monsoon: Rain gear, quick-drying clothes, and leech repellent.
Winter: Heavy-duty down jacket, thermal base layers, and snow gaiters.
Upper Dolpo Restricted Area Permit: USD 500 per person for the first 10 days; USD 50 for each additional day.
Shey Phoksundo National Park Entry Fee: USD 30 per person.
Lower Dolpo Permit: USD 20 per person per week.
Note: A minimum group size of two trekkers accompanied by a licensed guide is mandatory.
On the Upper Dolpo Trek with Peace Nepal Treks, your culinary experience is thoughtfully crafted to provide both nutrition and comfort throughout the challenging journey. Given the remote nature of the trail and the lack of established lodges, meals are prepared fresh daily by our experienced trekking chefs.
Breakfast: A warm and energizing start to your day typically includes porridge or muesli, pancakes, eggs (boiled, scrambled, or omelets), chapati, toast with jam or honey, and hot beverages like coffee, tea, or hot chocolate.
Lunch: Served midway through the trekking day, lunch features a nutritious mix of rice or pasta, lentils, mixed vegetables, cheese, and fruits. On certain days, Tibetan bread or momos (dumplings) may be served for a regional touch.
Dinner: After a long day of trekking, a hearty dinner awaits. Meals generally include dal bhat (a Nepali staple of rice and lentil soup), curries, noodles, soups, and occasionally a dessert such as fruit salad or rice pudding.
Snacks: Energy bars, nuts, and biscuits are provided as between-meal refreshments to keep you fueled.
We cater to vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and other dietary preferences with advance notice.
As Upper Dolpo lacks the extensive tea house infrastructure found in popular trekking routes like Everest or Annapurna, we provide high-quality camping accommodation throughout the trek. Peace Nepal Treks ensures a secure, warm, and restful stay each night in some of the most remote locations.
Four-Season Expedition Tents: Durable, weatherproof tents with ample space for two trekkers, ensuring warmth and comfort even at high altitudes.
Foam Mattresses and Insulated Ground Sheets: For added insulation and sleep comfort.
Dining Tent: A separate, spacious tent with table and chairs where all meals are served in a communal, wind-sheltered environment.
Toilet Tent: Hygienic and private toilet arrangements with eco-friendly waste disposal.
Our support crew handles all campsite logistics, including setup and takedown, so you can focus entirely on the adventure.
Clean and safe drinking water is a priority. In Upper Dolpo, natural water sources such as streams and rivers are common, but untreated water is unsafe for consumption. Peace Nepal Treks provides safe drinking water through:
Boiled Water: Fresh water is boiled each evening and morning to fill your bottles or hydration packs.
Water Purification Tablets: Carried as a backup and used when boiling isn’t feasible during the day.
Filter Bottles: Available upon request, these bottles use advanced filtration systems to purify water from any source instantly.
We recommend bringing two reusable water bottles (1-liter each) or a hydration bladder to ensure you stay hydrated throughout the day.
Due to the remoteness of the Upper Dolpo region, mobile network coverage is minimal or non-existent. To ensure safety and maintain essential communication, Peace Nepal Treks equips the trekking team with:
Satellite Phone: For emergency use and necessary contact with our Kathmandu office or rescue services.
VHF Radios: Used between guide and support staff to coordinate daily movements and safety procedures.
In each or GPS Trackers: On request, we can provide GPS tracking devices that allow your location to be monitored and messages to be sent via satellite.
This ensures peace of mind for trekkers and their families, knowing that even in the most remote corners of Nepal, communication is always accessible when needed.
A typical Upper Dolpo Trek itinerary spans 24-28 days and includes:
The cost of the Upper Dolpo Trek varies based on group size, services, and duration. On average, trekkers can expect to spend:
Total Estimated Cost: USD 4,500 - 5,500 per person.
Embarking on the Upper Dolpo Trek is a transformative experience, offering unparalleled natural beauty and cultural richness. With proper preparation and the right guidance, this journey promises memories that will last a lifetime.
After your arrival in Kathmandu, our representatives at the airport will help you transfer to your hotel check-in.
As the trek takes around 24 days, more or less, a whole day might not be enough for preparation. To make sure that you have all the essential requirements including clothes, gadgets, food, etc, this day is all about trek preparation.
Flight from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj (165m) 1 hour, Overnight stay in Nepalgunj Hotel accommodation.
The second day of the trek starts with a flight to Nepalgunj for about an hour from Kathmandu. Nepalgunj lies at the west of Nepal and closer to the Indian border with a warmer temperature than Kathmandu.
The third day starts with a morning flight towards Juphal which takes around 45 minutes of an amazing flight to the foothill of Himalayan. During the flight, you can experience the breathtaking morning view of mount Annapurna and the Dhaulagiri mastiff.
Similarly, after reaching Juphal airport, the trekking begins towards Dunai.
The fifth day is pretty tough as the trek goes uphill for the first three hours in a dry and desert landscape. However, this is the day to reach the unbelievable natural lake, Phoksundo Lake.
This is the day to admire the beauty and acclimatize yourself nearby Phoksundo Lake and explore the villages of Ringo and Tibetan monasteries.
Ringmo village separates the boundary for lower and upper Dolpo. So, it is the day to finally begin the trek for Upper Dolpo entering the restricted area. This trail was an ancient salt trade route between Nepal and Tibet.
The trek ends with beautiful camping at an elevation of 6612 meters with a spectacular view of Kanjirowa Himal.
We trek through a unique trail crossing a high rock wall on both sides. The trail is uphill with the stony ground and thorny juniper bushes throughout the trek to reach the Base Camp.
Another difficult day to trek as the trail goes inclined for two and half hours to reach Nangdalo La pass at the elevation of 5350 meters. After reaching the highest pass of the trek, the downhill starts for four hours to reach Shey Gompa.
We explore the Shey Gompa village and monastery throughout the day recharging the body for the next day’s trek. Throughout the day, we explore Tsakang Gompa monastery a meditation center of great lamas from Tibet.
The trek today is quite hard as it leads along with the steep climbing and downhill to the picturesque village.
Saldang is one of the largest villages in the region.
The trek continues across the terraced fields, stupas, monasteries, Chhortens, mani wall, villages, etc. Similarly, the trek also passes along the green field of local barley.
Jeng-La Base Camp is the last pass of the Upper Dolpo Trek and the hardest trek of the journey. We need to cross the river twice and walk on barren hills, steep roads, and silent valleys.
We cross the last pass of the journey walking uphill for hours. Reaching Jyanta-La Pass, you can see the majestic view of mount Dhaulagiri and the barren lands of Inner Dolpo. Similarly, the day ends after reaching down towards Dho-Tarap.
We walk downhill along the river Tarap to reach Serkam village where the movement of people and animals increases.
Same as the day before, walking alongside the river and the dense forest. Several ups and downs appear throughout the day including stony and slippery roads.
The trek today is quite simple than the day before to reach Dunai. The trek includes climbing the hill and walking aside the river.
Back to the starting point of the trek walking along the motorable roads and through the cultivated rice fields.
The final day starts with a flight from Juphal to Nepalgunj and another flight from Nepalgunj to Kathmandu.
After getting back to Kathmandu you can also explore Kathmandu city visiting several heritage sites.
Note: Above holiday itinerary can be customized as our guest specific requirements and can make shorter and longer. We design your holidays accordingly.
Medical support in Upper Dolpo Trekking: Emergency first aid kit carried by the support staff
Camping equipment for trekking: We always provide every guest on a holiday trek with high qualities equipment: good qualities tent, a Gas stove for food preparation, a toilets tent and papers, a kitchen tent with necessary utensils, a Dining tent (for eating), table and chairs as a group, hand clean up towel and soap with tap water, Ice ax, and sable.
Accommodation and meals Upper Dolpo Trekking: During camping treks, an expert cook accompanies us and serves the best local dishes with different items on our plates. Both food and accommodation during camping treks are our responsibilities. We serve three meals on camping treks.
Breakfast Verities: Tea, coffee, hot chocolate, milk, boil water/different kinds of Tibetan bread, toast, omelet fried or scrambled, boil egg, porridge, muesli, cornflake, chapatti, jam, honey, pinner butter, rice pudding, pancake, butter, salami, sinoman role.
Lunch: Juice, tea (black/lemon/coffee), boil water/ sandwich, potato cheaps, different items of bread, vegetable, macaroni, chaumin, fried/boil potatoes, plan chapatti, black beans.
Dinner: Different items Soup, popcorn, prawn, cookies, papad/ local Nepali verities food (Daal/rice/vegetables/meat/pickle), pizza (vegetable/mushroom/chicken), burger, pasta, chicken meat, can meat, veg/non-veg momo, spagity, noodles, tuna fish, sasit, spring role.
Desert: tea, coffee, milk, chocolate, boil water, cake, pie, seasonal fruits, tin fruit, mango, apple, and banana.
Water: we serve with boil water drinks along the trek either you can make tea or coffee for a day trip. It should be better to bring a good quality water bottle for the trek.
Upper Dolpo Trek is a remote and challenging trekking route in western Nepal, offering stunning landscapes, sacred monasteries, high mountain passes, and an immersion into ancient Tibetan Buddhist culture. It lies within Shey Phoksundo National Park and is considered one of Nepal's last frontiers.
The trek typically takes 24 to 28 days, depending on the specific route and acclimatization days. The journey includes internal flights, acclimatization stops, and multiple high-pass crossings.
The highest point on the trek is usually Kang La Pass at 5,360 meters (17,585 ft), though some variants may reach passes over 5,500 meters.
Yes, Upper Dolpo is a restricted area, and trekking without a licensed guide is not allowed. You also need to be in a minimum group of two trekkers to obtain the special permits.
You need the following:
This is a strenuous trek, suitable for those with prior multi-day high-altitude trekking experience. Good cardiovascular fitness and strength endurance are essential due to long hiking days and altitude.
Accommodation is mainly camping-based, as there are very few tea houses. Peace Nepal Treks provides high-quality tents, sleeping arrangements, and a full support crew.
Solo travelers can join group departures, but individual permits are not issued. You must trek with at least one other person and a licensed guide.
Autumn (Sept–Nov) is ideal for clear skies and stable weather.
Spring (April–June) offers blooming wildflowers and moderate temperatures.
Monsoon (July–Aug) is feasible due to the region’s location in a rain shadow.
Winter (Dec–Feb) is not recommended due to heavy snow and freezing temperatures.
Yes, due to elevations over 5,000 meters, there is a risk of AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness). The itinerary includes acclimatization days, but it’s important to ascend gradually, hydrate well, and inform guides of any symptoms.
Peace Nepal Treks provides boiled and purified water daily. Trekkers should bring water bottles or hydration packs, and may also carry personal water purification tablets or filters.
Meals are freshly cooked by camp chefs and include Nepali, Tibetan, and international dishes like dal bhat, pasta, soups, and bread. Dietary preferences are accommodated with advance notice.
Mobile signal is mostly non-existent during the trek. Peace Nepal Treks provides satellite phones for emergency communication and updates.
Costs vary based on group size and services but typically range from USD 2,500 to 4,000 per person, including permits, flights, guides, porters, meals, and camping equipment.
Yes, travel insurance that covers high-altitude trekking and emergency evacuation is mandatory. Ensure your policy includes airlift/rescue operations and medical care.
The Upper Dolpo region, one of Nepal’s most remote and culturally rich areas, lies in the rain shadow of the Dhaulagiri and Annapurna ranges. This unique geographic position makes the weather patterns here distinct from the rest of Nepal, influencing the ideal trekking seasons. Choosing the right time to trek in Upper Dolpo can make all the difference in your experience, from safety and scenery to cultural interaction.
Autumn is widely regarded as the best season for the Upper Dolpo Trek. Following the monsoon, the air is clean, the skies are crystal clear, and the landscape is at its most vibrant.
Spring is the second-best time to visit Upper Dolpo, offering blooming landscapes and increasing daylight hours.
✅ Why Spring is Great
Interestingly, Upper Dolpo is one of the few regions in Nepal suitable for trekking during monsoon, due to its location in the rain shadow.
✅ Monsoon Season
Winter trekking in Upper Dolpo is not recommended for most trekkers due to extreme cold and high snow levels.
If you're seeking the best weather, unmatched views, and rich cultural experiences, plan your trek to Upper Dolpo in the Autumn (September to November). For a slightly warmer and more floral alternative, Spring (April to June) is also a great choice.
Avoid winter unless you're a highly experienced mountaineer with a winter-trekking support team. Monsoon, while not a complete no-go, is only recommended for those with flexible schedules and a tolerance for unpredictability.
Given the remote and high-altitude nature of Upper Dolpo, it’s essential that trekkers come fully prepared. This list covers gear for all seasons, especially Autumn and Spring, the best times to trek.
Upper Dolpo is extremely remote with no vehicle access or extensive medical facilities. In case of altitude sickness, injury, or evacuation needs, travel insurance is not just advisable—it’s mandatory.
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