Ba-Yul, the hidden land of Dolpo, was first settled by Rokpa farmers and Drokpa nomads from Tibet in the 10th century. It is one of the highest inhabited places on earth, with scattered fortress-like villages and monasteries nestling amongst mountains of stark, ascetic beauty. Though part of Nepal today, Dolpo remains culturally and economically firmly tied to Tibet, where the people of this desolate area are cut off from their southern neighbors by snow-covered passes for much of the year. This is one of the most fascinating and difficult country to travel in.
Most of Dolpo is protected by Shey Phoksundo National Park. It is bounded in the east and south by Dhaulagiri and Churen Himal ranges and in the west by the Jumla district. Dolpo has been bypassed by development and until recently by tourism. Although a few Anthropologists and geographers had explored the region, the entire district was closed to foreigners until 1989, when the southern parts of Dolpo were opened to organized trekking groups.
Peter Matthiessen's ‘The snow leopard’ and David Snellgrove's ‘Himalayan Pilgrimage’ have contributed to the mystique and attraction of Dolpo. Both writers visited the Shey Gompa, to the north of the Phoksundo Lake, in inner Dolpo. This is the goal of most trekkers but this Dolpo trek will take you even further into this mysterious land…
Dolpo is a Bon-pro country, where people practice a shamanistic religion predating Tibetan Buddhism.
Much of Bon-po symbolism is the opposite of Buddhist practice. You should walk to the right of ancient mud chortens, which are inscribed with swastikas with their arms pointing in the opposite direction to the Buddhist chant of "om mani padme hum", the Bon-pos chant 'om ma tri mu ye sa le du", in Tibetan this translates as "in clarity unite'.
Phoksundo Lake:
The lake is spectacular as it is 4.8km long, 1.8km wide and said to be 650m deep. It is known for its aquamarine color; a greenish blue similar to a special Tibetan turquoise .There is no aquatic life in the lake, which helps to make the waters brilliantly clear. If you toss a rock in, you can watch it for a long time as it sinks to the bottom. According to legend, Phoksumno Lake was formed by a spiteful female demon.
In the Buddhist Himalaya, David Snellgrove recounts how the demon was fleeing from the saint Padmasambhava and gave the village people a turquoise after they promised not to say that she had passed by. Padmasambhava turned the turquoise into a lump of dung, which upset the local people so much they revealed the demon's whereabouts. She, with revenge, caused a flood. It is also said you can see the remains of a village below the lake's surface.
| Trip Duration: |
28 Days |
| Best Time : |
Oct /Nov/March-May (Weather in Nepal) |
| Grade: |
strenuous |
| Highest access of the trek: |
Kagmara La (5115 m), Baga La (5070 m) Numa La (5190 m) |
| Culture: |
Mixed with typical western Nepalese and Tibetans. |
| Mode of trekking tour: |
Camping Equipment and clothing Checklist |
| Himalayan sights: |
Sisne, Kanjiroba Himal Range and remoteness hilly ranges. |
| Most Attraction of the trek: |
Most challenging trek in remote western Nepal.Cost includes / excludes |
- Insurance: You must be insured to join one of our trip.
- Single Supplement: Only applies if you specifically request single accommodation.
Outline Itinerary
| Day 01: |
Arrival in Kathmandu |
| Day 02: |
Kathmandu Half day Sightseeing afternoon free. |
| Day 03: |
Fly Nepalgunj Transfer to the Hotel. |
| Day 04: |
Fly to Juphal [2500m], Trek to Dunai [2100m] |
| Day 05: |
Trek to Chepka [2670m] |
| Day 06: |
Trek to Renje [3010m] |
| Day 07: |
Trek to Ringmo [2650m] |
| Day 08: |
Rest and exploration |
| Day 09: |
Trek to Chunemba [3630m] |
| Day 10: |
Trek to Lar Tsa [4120m] |
| Day 11: |
Trek to Mendok Din [4610m] |
| Day 12: |
Trek to Shey Gompa [4390m] |
| Day 13: |
Trek to Namgung [4430m] |
| Day 14: |
Trek to Karang [4050m] |
| Day 15: |
Trek to Mugaon [4100m] |
| Day 16: |
Trek to Shimen [4010m] |
| Day 17: |
Trek to Tinje [4150m] |
| Day 18: |
Trek to Rakpa [4530m] |
| Day 19: |
Trek to Chharka [4120m] |
| Day 20: |
Trek to Norbulung [4750m] |
| Day 21: |
Sangda Phedi [5460m] |
| Day 22: |
Trek to Sangda [3700m] |
| Day 23: |
Trek to Dhagarjun [3290m] |
| Day 24: |
Trek to Jomson [2670m], |
| Day 25: |
Fly to Pokhara. |
| Day 26: |
Fly to Kathmandu. |
| Day 27: |
In Kathmandu. |
| Day 28: |
Trip ends ! fly back home, taking with you the memory of a life time. |
