Dolpo is the largest territorial district in Nepal. It is certainly a beautiful and splendid place.
The exotic sites and natural scenery lure people all over the world , thus making it a must visit destination. Dolpo has been captured beautifully on film by the renowned director Eric Valli in his movie “Caravan”. Dolpo’s Phoksundo Lake is regarded as one of the most scenic and beautiful natural tourist destinations in Nepal. Mirroring the snowy Kanjiroba massif , the turquoise lake waters look heavenly. No wonder this lake is regarded sacred by Buddhists and followers of Bon-po religion. This trek is fairly easy as no high passes are involved. The trek starts from Juphal, where the only airstrip in Dolpo is located. The trail passes through wonderful Himalayan forests and picturesque traditional villages. The rivers and waterfalls on the trail are some of Nepal’s most magnificent. In addition to natural beauty, the trekking area also is rich in wildlife. One may get to see some endangered species like the snow leopard, musk deer, blue sheep, great Tibetan sheep, Himalayan tahr etc. Within the Shey Phoksundo National Park lies our destination Phoksundo Lake.
Duration: 7 Day Trek
Access: 1 hour flight. Next day 35 minute flight.
Starting Altitude: 2,370 m or 7,775 feet
Peak Altitude: 3370m or 11,120 feet
Itinerary in detail
See the Overall Tour Summary for details on itinerary for before and after your selected trek.
Day 1 Fly Nepalgunj- Juphal / Trek Juphal- Dunai (2150m)
Today we take a 35 minutes flight to Juphal .Our trekking starts from Juphal .The trail descends and winds through local villages. We trek by the riverside and pass Roop Ghar with the water mill and finally reach the village of Dunai(2150m).Dunai has a village school, police check post and some government offices. It is also the administrative capital of Dolpo.
Day 2 Dunai- Chhepka (2670m)
From Dunai we trek to Chhepka , which has few houses and a lodge.
Day 3 Chhepka – Jharana Hotel
We rise early in the morning and after breakfast make our way towards Jharana hotel. The trail climbs through a forest of big cedars and on a winter settlement used by the people of Ringmo village. The route climbs steadily through open country to an elevation of 3370m. We get a close view of a spectacular 330-metre –high waterfall, the highest in Nepal and a faraway view of Phoksundo lake.
Day 4 Jharana Hotel – Phoksundo Lake
Today as we make our way to Phoksundo Lake, we make a steep descend through birch forests to the upper reaches of the Phoksundo Khola. We cross a bridge and follow a trail north to the ranger station at Phoksundo Lake. We continue to the shores of the lake near the point where the Phoksundo Khola(river) flows out of the lake. Phoksundo Lake is 4.8 km long, 1.8 km wide and is said to be 650 metres deep.
Day 5 Phoksundo- Rest day
Today we explore the area around the magnificent Phoksundo Lake. The lake is famous for its magnificent turquoise color and spectacular scenery. Ringmo village, which is a typical Tibetan village, is scenically nestled in the area. Many beautiful glaciers can be found near and above the lake area. There are many monasteries (Gompas )and Bon-po religious sites at the park and we spend our time visiting some of them. The most famous, Shey Gompa was established in the 11th Century. Thashung Gompa located near Phoksundo Lake was built about 900 years ago. We also explore the wonderful natural sites and enjoy our nature tour.
Day 6 Phoksundo – Sangta
After an enjoyable and insightful visit we trek to Sangta.
Day 7 Sangta – Juphal
We trek through Sangta to Juphal. Overnight at a hotel or lodge.
