Upper Dolpo Immersion Trek

Overview

Upper Dolpo Immersion trek sinks in to the deeper and deeper highlands of Upper Dolpo. It is mesmerizing journey towards the rugged mountain region sparsely populated, dry stoned walled village, revered mountains, sculpted gorges and sheer sided canyons, barren landscape and high passes covering with snow sometime. We are going to explore remote and forgotten hamlets of Dolpo, where people still live in harsh climatic and geographic condition with praticing Bon and Buddhism.

Upper Dolpo Immersion Trek, takes you lap of Dhaulagiri range to the east of Dolpo, foothill of Kajiruwa to the South and near Tibetan plateau to the North. It is four week long journey across the Dolpo. It is a in circulation of Dolpo, and taking in to the inner and inner high lost frontiers of Upper Dolpo which are not much exposed to the outsider as its extreme geographical setting. We follow the some parts of ancient pilgrimage path, ancient salt trading route, and some paths of complete exotic and wild tracks. We meet herder’s temporary camp made by Yak’s wool tent and barking Himalaya dogs, caravan of Yaks and horses restocking of supplies from China border.

Dolpo Immersion Trek begin with a scenic mountain flight from Nepalgunj, a Southern Terai town of Nepal which is the hub for flying out/in to the remote western Nepal. As we land at Juphal airstrip, we descend from Juphal to Kaligauda and then after following the Thuli Bheri River for few days up to Lasicap. From here we follow the Barbong Khola along Musi Khola and Kakot village, Pimri, Terang and the next is Mukot. Mukot is the last and remote village of Dolpo, lying to the east of Dolpo in the lap of Mukot Himal and Dhaulagiri Range.

Leaving the Mukot we enter to wild track through the rocky and stony gorges and crossing Mu La pass 5716m we set our camp at Mulum Sumna 4987m is the highest night camp of our entire journey. From here we follow the path of Ekai Kuwaguchi, a Japanese Jen monk track, who had travelled through this route to Tibet during 1800 AD on his way to Tibet. And the trail passes through the Chharka village crossing Mo La pass 5030m  and Upper Panzang valley conjoins to Tinje village. After the Tinje, we follow the Panzang Khola up to Shimen and from here we enter to the inner loop and crossing Muri La 5030m to the Musi village. This is a remote and isolated village of Upper Dolpo. Only the very few household with few cultivating land seems to be very hard to subsistence with no school and no medical centre.

From Musi village we descend to Panzang Khola again and connect to Nisal village to the North. Behind the Nisal village along the Tora Sumduwa we have two options (One options we further approach to the Northern last frontiers of Upper Dolpo Kuwa village and Pho village. These two villages are in extremely rugged geographical setting and were discover very lately, it takes 4 days extra) or other option we detour to entering to the beautiful and dramatic Bhijer via Karang village and Nengla Pass 5368m and we precede to Upper Dolpo’s most sacred land Shey Gompa and Crystal Mountain. At end part of trek we cross the Kang La pass 5350m and descend to turquoise Phoksundo Lake. Trekking two more days downstream along the Phoksundo Khola we terminate our trek at Juphal and fly out to Nepalganj and Kathmandu.