Lower Dolpo circuit to Phoksundo Lake

Kathmandu to Nepalgunj

We fly west across the length of Nepal to Nepalgunj, a hot, flat border town in the Terai a few kilometres from India. It is the hub for flights into Karnali. Your guide and crew meet you here, check permits and kit, and brief you on the trek. Expect temperatures above 30 °C in May and September. Early dinner and a short night, because the Juphal flight leaves at dawn when the air in the hills is calmest.

Fly to Juphal, walk to Dunai

A small plane climbs over the Mahabharat and Siwalik hills and lands on the short airstrip at Juphal, about 2,475 m. After tea, we walk down through terraced fields and walnut trees to the Thuli Bheri river and along it to Dunai, the headquarters of Dolpa district, a long bazaar with government offices and a police post where permits are checked. A short day to start, and a hot meal in a simple lodge.

Dunai to Tarakot

We follow the Thuli Bheri upstream on a broad trail through villages of Magar and Thakuri farmers, fields of millet and maize, and stands of pine. Tarakot sits on a ridge above the river among terraced fields, close to where the Tarap Khola joins the Thuli Bheri. Camp or lodge near the village, depending on availability. The evening is warm compared with what lies ahead, so enjoy it with a long dinner.

Into the Tarap gorge to Laini

Today we turn north into the Tarap Khola gorge. The trail climbs and drops along the cliffs, crossing the river several times on wooden bridges. Pine and juniper give way to birch. In places the path is built from stone slabs laid across ledges above the water, a feat of local engineering maintained by villagers each year. We camp at Laini, a small clearing beside the river. Laini is quiet, with only the sound of the river, and the crew will have tea ready when you arrive.

Laini to Nawarpani

The gorge deepens. We pass caves used as shelters by herders and traders, and watch for blue sheep, known locally as naur, on the cliffs above. The trail climbs steadily, and the forest thins to scrub. Nawarpani is a camping place in a widening of the valley. Altitude starts to matter from today, so drink well and take the climbs slowly. Dinner is in the mess tent, with hot soup, dal bhat or pasta from the crew's kitchen, and an early night in a warm sleeping bag.

Nawarpani to Dho Tarap

The valley opens out above Nawarpani, and by afternoon we reach Dho Tarap, a village of stone houses in a wide, treeless valley ringed with brown hills. The Tarap valley is home to both Bon and Buddhist communities, each with its own monasteries and chortens, and to herds of yak and goats. We settle into a lodge or camp at the edge of the fields and watch the evening light on the hills.

The story of Dho Tarap →

Rest and explore Dho Tarap

An acclimatisation day before the passes. We walk up the valley to visit a Buddhist gompa and a Bon monastery, noting the difference in direction as people walk around chortens: clockwise for Buddhists, anticlockwise for Bon followers. Children from the village school may follow you. In the afternoon, rest, wash and check gear for the high days ahead. Your guide will check oxygen levels and decide with you if you are ready to cross.

The story of Dho Tarap →

Dho Tarap to Numa La base

We leave the village and climb west up a side valley toward the pass. The trail passes summer grazing grounds, where herders' tents and stone shelters may be occupied in season. Camp is at the foot of the pass. It is cold here at night, often below −5 °C in autumn, so your crew will serve hot drinks early and you will be in your sleeping bag soon after dinner.

Over Numa La to Pelung Tang

An early start for the steep climb to Numa La at 5,190 m, the highest point of the trek. From the top, prayer flags frame a view across Dolpo's ranges, with Dhaulagiri to the south-east on clear days. The descent is long and steep on loose ground, down to a camp in the meadows at Pelung Tang. Expect to be tired and happy tonight. Hot soup and an early dinner in the mess tent, then a long sleep; tomorrow brings the second pass.

Over Baga La to Dajok Tang

Our second high pass, Baga La at 5,070 m, is a steady climb from Pelung Tang. The top gives wide views over the ranges of Dolpo. The descent drops through grassland into the upper valley of the Phoksundo Khola, where birch and juniper begin again. Dajok Tang is a pleasant camp among trees, and the air feels thick after two days above 4,400 m. The crew lights a fire if wood is available, and the evening is spent warming up after the high days.

Dajok Tang to Phoksundo Lake

A short, beautiful day through forest to Ringmo, a village of stone houses and chortens at the southern end of Phoksundo Lake. The first view of the lake, deep turquoise against grey cliffs, is the moment many trekkers remember most. In the afternoon we walk to the Bon monastery on the lakeshore, and if the light is good, along the shore path. Local people regard the lake as sacred, so we do not swim or fish in it.

The story of Shey Phoksundo →

Ringmo to Chhepka

We drop south from the lake, past a tall waterfall where the Phoksundo Khola pours out of the lake basin, and follow the river down through forest of pine, birch and bamboo. Look out for langur monkeys and, if lucky, musk deer. The descent is long. We reach Chhepka, a small village with a lodge and camping ground beside the river. Chhepka is lower and warmer, and after the cold nights above 4,000 m, the thick air and green trees feel very welcome.

Chhepka to Juphal

A final long day down the Phoksundo Khola to Sulighat and the Thuli Bheri, then up through terraced fields to Juphal. The airstrip village has a few simple lodges. This is the last evening with the crew, so we share a meal together and settle tips. Your guide confirms the morning flight, which, as everywhere in the mountains, depends on the weather. If the weather is clear, look back north for a last view of the hills you crossed, and thank the muleteers who carried the loads.

Fly to Nepalgunj and Kathmandu

An early flight takes us from Juphal down to Nepalgunj, where we connect to Kathmandu. The trek ends on arrival. Juphal flights are often delayed by cloud or wind, sometimes for a day or more, so do not book an international flight within two days of this date. We can add nights in Kathmandu to give you a buffer. Nepalgunj is hot after the hills, and the connection to Kathmandu usually leaves the same afternoon.

The story of Kathmandu →