Upper Dolpo via Jomsom Trek

Arrival at Kathmandu airport (usually in the afternoon) already marks our entry into another world... Customs formalities, baggage collection and welcome by our local French-speaking guide. Crossing the city to the hotel already offers a first discovery of the bustling and colorful capital of Nepal. Buses, trucks, bicycles and sacred cows crisscross in a friendly chaos... Depending on the arrival time, visit the surrounding area or simply settle in and rest at the hotel before your dinner at the hotel. In case of early arrival in Kathmandu, lunch will be included in the program.

Free time
Accomodation: In Hotel 

Transfer to the airport in the afternoon then one-hour flight to Nepalgunj (280m); we take big plane of aroud 70 seats.Nepalgunj is a non-tourist town of 60,000 inhabitants near the Indian border. Hot and often humid climate.
Night at the hotel Note: on a clear day, beautiful view to the right of the plane of Manaslu, the Annapurnas and Dhaulagiri.

Night in hotel.

Flight of approximately 45 minutes to Juphal (2450m) et early morning, the small airport which allows you to approach Dolpo.
Because of bad weather, It may be postponed or even canceled. After arrival at Jhupa airport, we present our Nepali staffs, we begin our trek with a descent to the junction at an altitude of 2080m of the Thuli Bheri and Suligad rivers. The river which comes from Lake Phoksumdo which we will reach in 2 days. We continue along a path that runs along this river to arrive at the hamlet of Hanke (2500m) where we set up our camp first camp with tents.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.
Between 5h
Accommodation : in Tent
Height Difference: +420m/-370m

The second day of the hike, we continue to follow the Suligad river, whihc climb gradually path (succession of short climbs and short descents). After a few bridges used by yak caravans and therefore very solid, we set up our camp (2960m) opposite the hamlet of Regi. We pass some small villages.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.
Between 5h
Accommodation : in Tent
Height Difference:+750m/-290m

We walk through the forest, the vegetation becomes scarce. We pass by Palam, the winter village of the inhabitants of Phoksumdo then a steep climb towards our camp, at 3760m, an extraordinary view of the waterfalls of the spillway of Lake Phoksumdo. By a short and easy descent we reach Ringmo (3640m), a beautiful village with a gompa in the center. We camp at the bank of the lake with magnificent view. Swimming in the lake is prohibited (religious beliefs).

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.
Between 6h30
Accommodation : in Tent
Height Difference:+850m/-170m

This day is resting day, but normally we climb up to acclimatize. Before lunch we go to visit the Pal Shenten Thasung Tsoling gompa (Bön secte) and return back to camp to lunch. And visit and can purchases some local products at the village, which weave by Yak's wools (traditional productes).

Accommodation: in tent.

We walk at the bank of Phoksunda lake with splendid view on a path overlooking Lake Phoksundo. We enter the upper Dolpo area where a special permit is required. After several climbs by passing view point and we descents to another side of the lake. We continue our walk up the Phoksumdo Khola valley and arrive at our camp (3680m).

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.
Walking time: 6h
Accommodation : in Tent
Height Difference:+460m/-420m

We walk in the valley along the Phoksumdo Khola then, around 3750m we change valley and we crosses the rivers for several times, in this day we need sandals with us. And around at 4100m the path remains on the right bank until the camp at Ganda La Phedi (4620m).

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.
Walking time: 5h
Accommodation : in Tent
Height Difference:+940m/-120m

In this day, after a steep climb, we arrive above a large waterfall. We then reach at soily part which leads us to the Ganda La pass (5300m) . This pass marks the limit between Lower Dolpo and Upper Dolpo. The last around 500 meters of climb are a bit difficult...We descend a slope to reach Shey Gompa (4330m), where is the famous old monastrey.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.
Walking time: 5h
Accommodation : in Tent
Height Difference:+685m/-975m

It’s a day of rest and a short walk before lunch. There are things to see and visit like the famous Buddhist monastery which is located under a crystal peak like Tsakhang Gompa and Shel sumdo gomba. Shey means in local dialog. There is a big festival in July/August (Sharwan purnima). Pilgrims come to make the kora in mountain crystal. There is Crystal Mountain trail too. Visit the old regional monastery which is next to our camp in the village of Shey.

Night in tent.

We follow easy path and go up the widely valley crossing numerous nomad camps. We continue our walk until we reach the Shey le-la pass (5010m) from where, we can view magnificent view of Tibet boarder. An easy descent then a balcony path takes us to Namgung (4420m), a small hamlet of a few houses and a very old Buddhist monastery..

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.
Walking time: 5h30
Accommodation : in Tent
Height Difference:+780m/-690m

We climb up the path which allows us to exit the gorge. The way is easy and possilbe to see different kinds of wild animals, like blue sheep, vultures, himalayan cock etc. We pass the Salang la pass (4400m) and descent slowly to the big village Saldang. We visit the village which is a large village in upper Dolpo with around 1000 inhabitants. There is Sakya-pa monastery school. It is a village known from Haut Dolpo. You can see the typical Tibetan houses.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.
Walking time: 4h to 5h
Accommodation : in Tent
Height Difference:+580m/-970m

We cross the river and go up to the Khoma-la pass which takes about 2 and a half hours. We see the great view of Saldang village on the way up. We begin to descend to enter the village of Khoma gaon where we camp our tents. Khoma gaun also a beautiful village smaller than Saldang village.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.
Walking time: 6h
Accommodation : in Tent
Height Difference:+795m/-550m

We go up to attack the Shimen la pass which will take around 3 hours and start to descend long way to arrive at Shimen gaon for lunch. We left the Shimen gaon and camped a little after an hour and a half of walking in the mountain pasture. We see the valley of Tibet in this day. This day we can see the one of the longest Buddhist monuments mani. Shimen village is very beautiful. We can see lots of fields.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.
Walking time: 6h
Accommodation : in Tent
Height Difference:+600m/-400m

The path is easy which takes Tinjegaon after 3/4 hours of walking. We visit Gompa which is very silent and on the way. We lunch at Tinjegaon and we camp at the village. We can see the people working on the fields. Tinje gaon is very beautiful village. We can visit the village after lunch break. There are lots of Buddhist monuments like mani, big stupas and small one as well. There is police for the control as the Tibet boarder is not so far.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.
Walking time: 6h
Accommodation : in Tent
Height Difference:+650m/-250m

The morning view of Tinje gaon is extraordinaire. We can see the mountains hills which surrounds this village. We cross the fields with lots of Buddhist monuments. We cross the river and walk in the plain land. The way is long to arrive the camp site. The camp is pasture which is very silent near the bank of the river.

Breakfast, Packed lunch and dinner are included.
Walking time: 6h
Accommodation : in Tent
Height Difference:+650m/-250m

We start to walk on the easypath. After 1 hour of walk, we start to climb up of the summit (pass). The views are beautiful with some mountains. We descends after the pass. The Path continues eastwards and after a short time we cross the Bharbung Khola with a small bridge and walk northwards along the Chhar-ka Tulsi Khola. After an hour, we will arrive at small beautiful village Chharka which is use to say the world highest human habitation.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.
Walking time: 6
Accommodation : in Tent
Height Difference:+600m/-940m

We cross a small bridge and gradually climb along the river bank to our camp at Yak kharka. Possible to cross the river. After crossing the suspension bridge we climb up and down to join the river. It's a beautiful and long day of walk. We walk at the bank of the river. Possible to see the blue sheep.

Breakfast, Packed lunch and dinner are included.
Walking time: 6h
Accommodation : in Tent
Height Difference:+1050m/-250m

After the camp at Yak kharka, we pass through the high Yak pastures of Molum Sumdo and continue to a pass at 5120 altitude which takes about 4 hours to reach the pass. We go down a pebble path to Sangda-phedi which will take 3 hours.

Breakfast, Packed lunch and dinner are included.
Walking time: 7h
Accommodation : in Tent
Height Difference:+450m/-1250m

Passage from the pass leading to Charka We cross another pass with a descent on loose shale and reach the village of Sangda. It is in the village the intersection of Bheri Khola and Kyalunpa khola. There are a few hours left to reach our camp in Sangda.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.
Walking time: 5h
Accommodation : in Tent
Height Difference:+240m/-650m

From sangda we take the jeep up to Jomsom.We can enjoy a magnificent view of Thorang-la, Nilgiri Himal, Dhaulagiri and the villages of Kali Gandaki valley.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.
1h/1h30 of jeep to Jomsom 
Accommodation : in lodge
Height Difference:+150m/-650m

The flight to Pokhara is early in the morning from Jomsom and then the same day to Kathmandu in the afternoon from Pokhara.

Accommodation: in lodge.

The flight to Kathmandu after breakfast around 10 am.

Accommodation: in lodge.

Flight return back to the own country.

Breakfast included. 

Arrival at the destination

(End of the trip)