Dolpo & The Crystal Mountain

DAY 1

Arrive Kathmandu

Arriving at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, you'll be met and receive a private transfer for the short distance into central Kathmandu and to the "KGH" Hotel in the heart of the Thamel district. You'll be given a briefing on your forthcoming adventure, and in the evening, you can take dinner at your leisure in one of the many choices of cafes and restaurants in Kathmandu, although the open-air courtyard cafe of the KGH Hotel is as good as anywhere.

Please note that A special permit is required for this trek. In order for us to obtain permits for you, we have to present hard copies of your passport (scans are not accepted) by 1000 hrs. to the permit issuing office. The permit office is open Sunday-Thursday, Friday Mornings, and all day Saturday. The permit office is also closed on Nepali Public holidays. Please anticipate that you may require extra days in Kathmandu as a result so that we can obtain your permit.

Accommodation: KGH Hotel, Kathmandu
Included Meals: None

DAY 2

Fly to Nepalgunj

A private transfer back to the airport for the short flight to Nepalgunj This rather uninteresting place is down in the Terai region, not too far from the Indian border. It's not a place foreign tourists visit other than to take other internal flights the following day to Simikot or Juphal to go trekking in the remote Dolpo region. It's an unavoidable consequence to spend a night in Nepalgunj, and as this is not a touristy place, the accommodation is rather basic. However, it's likely to be warm in the Terai, so at least you can enjoy some warmth, as there won't be much of that as you get into the journey proper.

Accommodation: Basic Hotel, Nepalgunj
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 3

Fly to Juphal & trek to Sulighat

It's usually a very early morning flight into the mountains. The flight is only 35 minutes or so, but very dramatic. Your support crew will be here, and once everything is sorted with porters, etc., it's a mostly (but not all) downhill walk of around 3 hours to reach camp at Sulighat (2045m). Just under 7km to walk today, with around 425 m of ascent and 800 m of descent.

Accommodation: Camp, Sulighat
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Find out more about Full Support Camping

DAY 4

Hike up to Chepka

A full day of tough trekking as you follow the course of the Suli Gaad Khola that begins its journey from Phoksundo Lake. There's a fair bit of up and down, as although you are gaining height, the trail often rises above the river and sometimes alongside it. It was a longish day of about 8 hours of walking today, covering just over 15km and a testing 1590m ascent and 1030m descent. Camp is at around 2800m.

Accommodation: Camp, Chepka
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 5

Walk to Samduwa

At times the valley narrows, and rather like yesterday, the walking is up and down, but more up than down. Wet feet are a distinct possibility today, as at times the trail is the river itself and stepping stones require negotiation. The distance today is around 12 km, with another challenging 1140m ascent and about 790m descent. A walking day of at least 7 hours. Camp tonight is by the village of Samduwa (3090m)

Accommodation: Camp, Samduwa
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 6

Trek to Phoksundo Lake

A further day of 'up and down', but invariably gaining further height as you head up into the Phoksundo National Park. It's a fair old slog to reach Ringmo via a ridge. Nepal's highest waterfall is visible on what is now the Phoksundo Khola below you, and descending through forests, you may get your first sight of the glittering waters of Phoksundo Lake. Just beyond Ringmo with its Buddhist monuments, camp is by the lake at around 3590m. Walking distance today is around 13 km, with a challenging 1650m of ascent and 1020m descent

Accommodation: Camp, Phoksundo Lake
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 7

Acclimatisation Day at Phoksundo Lake

There are few more scenic and picturesque locations to spend a day acclimatising than here by the mountain lake and the fascinating Dolpo village of Ringmo.

Accommodation: Camp, Phoksundo Lake
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 8

The Demons Trail into Inner Dolpo

If you haven't seen Eric Valli's film 'Himalaya', then before commencing your journey, you really should. It's a wonderful movie and was filmed on location in Dolpo. The improbable 'Demons Trail' that you'll need to negotiate today certainly makes a lasting impression in the film. This trail above the lake is narrow and precipitous, and it was literally hewn out of the precarious and steep rock walls that plummet into the lake below. A good head for heights is a necessity. Following your concentrated walk above the lake, you head up to a ridge to then descend into Inner Dolpo and camp in an area known as Slagari (3700m). Walking distance today is around 14km with 930 m of ascent and 890 m of descent, and it takes around 8 hours.

Accommodation: Camp, Slagari
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 9

Trek to Snowfields

Most likely wet feet again as there will be some small rivers to wade through. There's quite a long climb today up through a narrow valley, and at times the trail is indistinct. Afficionados of Peter Matthiesson's iconic book 'The Snow Leopard' (and quite possibly one of the reasons you are here) will no doubt be aware that camp tonight is in an area he called in the book 'Snowfields Camp' (4650m). It was almost all uphill today, with around 1230 m of ascent and 270 m of descent. It takes around 6-7 hours of tough walking to cover the 8km distance to 'Snowfields'.

Accommodation: Camp, 'Snowfields'
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 10

The Kang La to Shey Gompa

A good 3 hours of ascent walking over loose scree is required to reach the Kang La (5350m), the 'gateway' into Inner Dolpo. From the pass an hour of steep descent brings you to the head of the valley, and following the river downstream, another 3hrs of walking brings you to Shey Gompa (4370m).

Accommodation: Camp, Shey Gompa
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 11

At Shey Gompa

The Gompa isn't the most striking of buildings compared to other Himalayan monasteries, but the location certainly is. The 'Crystal Mountain, known locally as 'Shey'', also has the ominous name of She-Re Drug da, which roughly translates as "Dolpo Crystal Mountain of The Dragon's Roar" and is considered sacred by both Buddhists and Bon Po followers. As with Kailas in Tibet, pilgrims come here to make the Kora around the Crystal Mountain. The walk to the even more remote and dramatically located Tsa Kang Monastery follows part of the Kora Trail and makes for a good round-trip walking excursion today.

Accommodation: Camp, Shey Gompa
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 12

Over the Shey La

Up through a narrow gorge you then climb further up to the Shey La (5100 m), where the mountainscape opens out to reveal massive, extensive views towards Tibet and across to Mustang. A long descent from the pass to the tiny settlement of Namgung (4420m). Around 8hrs walking with 730m descent and 840m descent.

Accommodation: Camp, Namgung
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 13

Walk to Saldang

Dramatic trekking from the outset as you contour high above the Namgung River is followed by a descent to Saldang (4080m), which lies on one of the salt trade routes into Tibet.  A shorter walking day of around 3 hours with a somewhat easier 280m ascent and 595m descent.

Accommodation: Camp, Saldang
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 14

Hike to Sibu

A longer day of around 14km through typical Dolpopa fields leads to Namdo. Walking further along the Nagaoan Khola to make camp by the river near the tiny village of Sibu (4155m).  Around 7 hours of walking with a 945m ascent and 215m descent.

Accommodation: Camp, Sibu
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 15

Trek to Jeng La Phedi

With another 5000m pass to cross the next day, today starts off straight forward enough as the trail heads up by a stream rising moderately alongside the river. Things then get harder as you have to climb steeply up to a Yak Kharka and the camping ground beneath the Jeng La (5115m). Altitude at camp is around 4860 m, and a mostly uphill day of about 945 m of ascent and 220 m of descent takes around 8 hours of walking.

Accommodation: Camp, Jeng La Phedi
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 16

Over the Jeng La

Around 2 hours of steep ascent bring you to the pass from which distant Dhaulagiri may be seen. It's then a long descent into the Tarap Valley to reach camp at the village of Tokyu (4165m). There's around 390 m of ascent and a knee-testing 1040 m of descent on today's 7hr walk.

Accommodation: Camp, Tokyu
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 17

Trek to Dho Tarap

Today's walk will be made a little harder by the strong winds that are usually a guaranteed afternoon feature blowing up the Tarap Valley. The trails are far more obvious and 'proper' than on previous days of trekking, and todays walk is very much into a more inhabited landscape passing several small monasteries and villages of the Dho Tarap area. Camp is beyond Dho Tarap village (4025m) at a grazing area that affords some shelter from the daily winds. Although todays walking takes around 8hrs, it's a less punishing 170m ascent and 475m descent.

Accommodation: Camp, Dho Tarap
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 18

Trek to Shim Ora

As you descend down the river valley today, you may just see the elusive Himalayan Blue Sheep (Bharal), a favoured prey of the even more elusive snow leopard. A fair few river crossings today (by bridge, thankfully) as at last you drop below 4000m for the first time in several days & head down to Shim Ora (3650m). Around 7hrs walking today with 810m ascent and 1100-metre descent.

Accommodation: Camp, Shim Ora
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 19

To Kanigaon

Continuing your journey down the Tarap Valley, the trail linking the villages of the Tarap Chu has now become rather easy underfoot and at times stone-stepped. Height is often lost rapidly, but it's not all downhill. Still, you drop below 3000m and reach Kanigaon (2625m) after around 7 hours of walking, which is around 2330m of descent but still a good 1300m of ascent. It might even be t-shirt time again today.

Accommodation: Camp, Kanigaon
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 20

Hike to Tarakot

A suspension bridge takes you across the Barbung Khola, which has now joined the Tarap Chu. A fair bit of 'up and down' before making the last, continuous descent to Tarakot. An easier and shorter day of around 3–4 hours of walking with a 425m ascent and 615m descent Camp is around the 2100m mark, and by now you should have defrosted from the chillier climes of Upper Dolpo.

Accommodation: Camp, Tarakot
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

DAY 21

Walk to Dunal

It's not all over just yet, and a 6hr walk of around 650m descent and 300m ascent leads to Dunal.

Accommodation: Camp, Dunal
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 22

Trek to Jhupal

The final day of this trek is straightforward enough, although the last bit is an ascent to reach Jhupal. Walking time is a 4 hour affair with 650m descent and 300m descent.

Accommodation: Camp, Jhupal
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY 23

Fly to Kathmandu via Nepalgunj

The weather dependent flight from Jhupal to Nepalgunj is always in the morning (to avoid those anabatic winds), and so it is usually possible to connect with the Nepalgunj to Kathmandu flight. A private transfer will take you from the airport back to the KGH Hotel. However, you may wish to seriously consider some additional contingency for this trek, whether it be for any delays/cancellations that can and do occur for flights both to and from Jhupal and Nepalgunj, or any difficulties that may arise on the trek. Rarely does this particular adventure go like clockwork!

Accommodation: KGH Hotel, Kathmandu
Included Meals: Breakfast

DAY 24

Depart Nepal

A private transfer will take you to the airport for your return international flight.

Included Meals: Breakfast

Of course, there's no reason to depart today; your Nepal holiday can be readily tailor-made