Opened to foreign tourists in 1996, Upper Dolpo is still one of the least explored places in Nepal. Lying in the remote western part of Nepal, close to Tibet, the landscape, religion and cultural heritage of Upper Dolpo is more Tibetan. In some parts of Dolpo people still follow the ancient Bon Po religion, an ancient religion predating Buddhism. Stunning mountain scenery, villages untouched by modern civilization and people still following the old way of life, a trek to Upper Dolpo is one of the most challenging but exotic treks in Nepal.
Lake Phoksumdo, Upper Dolpo
One of our clients Piotr Zycki from Poland trekked to Upper Dolpo during April-May. He visited the beautiful Phoksumdo Lake, crossed the high Himalayan pass of Kang La (5360m/17585ft) to Shey Gompa and traversed all the way to Jomsom. After his return, he kindly consented to answer some questions we forwarded to him via email.
Devil's Trail above Lake Phoksumdo
EH: How was your trek?
Piotr Zycki: It was a great trek, very well organized.
EH: Any special reason for choosing this particular trek?
PZ : It is a very interesting trek because of the geographical and cultural characteristics of Upper Dolpo. It is also quite challenging because of its length and remoteness. Having done a number of other treks in Nepal and elsewhere I decided to take up the challenge.
Saldang Gompa
EH: Do you have any special memories that you want to share?
PZ: Certainly, crossing Kang La was non-trivial because of the snow.
High Himalayan Mountain Pass of Kang La (5360m)
EH: How was the service of the support staff?
PZ: Faultless. They were very strong, experienced, helpful and know the area very well.
Porters & support staff
EH: Which was the most difficult part of the trek?
PZ: Crossing Kang La in snowy conditions. Without the snow there are no technical problems on this trek, but it is long with a lot of going up and down.
EH: What would be your comment or advice to those who would like to do this trek?
PZ: It is not easy to choose the right time of the year to do this trek. In spring (May) the conditions can be expected to be good weather-wise (not too much snow on the high passes), although actually this year there was a lot of snow on Kang La. On the other hand, there is not much greenery, so the colors in the landscape are somewhat muted. Autumn (September-October) brings nicer colors but some of the passes may be already closed by snow. It would be a good trek to do during the monsoon, except for the problems with getting to its starting point of Juphal or returning from Jomsom.
Dust storm at Tinje
Yanger Gompa
Sangda La
(Pics Courtesy: Piotr Zycki)
Upper Dolpo Trek
Apr 2023 I had an incredible experience trekking to Everest Base Camp with Explore Himalaya. Our guides were absolutely amazing. They provided us with exceptional support and guidance throughout the journey. The porters deserve special recognition too for their hard work and dedication. The entire journey was filled with breathtaking views and unforgettable experiences. From the start until the conclusion , every moment was filled with awe and wonder. I highly recommend Explore Himalaya for anyone seeking an unforgettable trekking experience in the Himalayas. Thank you to all the the staff, for making our journey truly exceptional!
13 Day Manaslu Circuit Trek Nov 2018 We have just returned to Kathmandu after a wonderful trek around the Manaslu circuit, starting in Soti Khola and finishing in Jaget. The trek and transport out and back to Kathmandu were very well organized. Our guide, Bharet Rana was excellent, arranging our tea-house accomodation and meals each day, without hitch. He was always good humoured and provided an interesting commentary on sights along the way.
Our Everest Base Camp trek was a wonderful and memorable one. Everything was very well organised. Thank you Explore Himalaya and the staffs for such an excellent service. We were taken care of from the moment we landed in Ktm till the day we left. The Guides and the Porters team of Explore Himalaya are very friendly and helpful. They took care of every little things during our trek. Some walked faster, some slowly and few could not but No one was left behind. They walk with your pace and motivates you until you get up. Anuj Pandey, MD of Explore Himalaya was available 24 hours a day when anybody was in need, he even flew to Namche to check if everything was going well and if everybody was doing good. The Guides Bibek Pandey, Bhuwan Tamang and Ram Rajbhandari along with their 5 Porters were the main pillars who made our mission accomplished. I'd highly recommend anybody who wants to travel to Nepal to contact Explore Himalaya and get themselves spoilt and entertained with their excellent service.
Helicopter flight to Everest basecamp Mar 2023 Organized for us a life time experience by helicopter to the base camp. Very well organized and all what has been promised was delivered. Would highly recommend this service.
Apr 2023 I had an incredible experience trekking to Everest Base Camp with Explore Himalaya. Our guides were absolutely amazing. They provided us with exceptional support and guidance throughout the journey. The porters deserve special recognition too for their hard work and dedication. The entire journey was filled with breathtaking views and unforgettable experiences. From the start until the conclusion , every moment was filled with awe and wonder. I highly recommend Explore Himalaya for anyone seeking an unforgettable trekking experience in the Himalayas. Thank you to all the the staff, for making our journey truly exceptional!
13 Day Manaslu Circuit Trek Nov 2018 We have just returned to Kathmandu after a wonderful trek around the Manaslu circuit, starting in Soti Khola and finishing in Jaget. The trek and transport out and back to Kathmandu were very well organized. Our guide, Bharet Rana was excellent, arranging our tea-house accomodation and meals each day, without hitch. He was always good humoured and provided an interesting commentary on sights along the way.
Our Everest Base Camp trek was a wonderful and memorable one. Everything was very well organised. Thank you Explore Himalaya and the staffs for such an excellent service. We were taken care of from the moment we landed in Ktm till the day we left. The Guides and the Porters team of Explore Himalaya are very friendly and helpful. They took care of every little things during our trek. Some walked faster, some slowly and few could not but No one was left behind. They walk with your pace and motivates you until you get up. Anuj Pandey, MD of Explore Himalaya was available 24 hours a day when anybody was in need, he even flew to Namche to check if everything was going well and if everybody was doing good. The Guides Bibek Pandey, Bhuwan Tamang and Ram Rajbhandari along with their 5 Porters were the main pillars who made our mission accomplished. I'd highly recommend anybody who wants to travel to Nepal to contact Explore Himalaya and get themselves spoilt and entertained with their excellent service.
Helicopter flight to Everest basecamp Mar 2023 Organized for us a life time experience by helicopter to the base camp. Very well organized and all what has been promised was delivered. Would highly recommend this service.
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