DAY 1: ARRIVE IN KATHMANDU
Upon your arrival in Kathmandu, our local team warmly welcomes you at the airport. You will then be escorted to the hotel, where you can enjoy some well-deserved relaxation. The itinerary includes a briefing about the trek's progress and presentation, followed by leisure time. If you arrive in the morning, you'll have the entire day at your disposal. This can be used for rest or for those interested, to explore the surroundings freely. It's an ideal chance to deeply experience Nepalese culture and indulge in the local culinary delights.
Transfer to hotel
Final altitude: approximately 1350 m
Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: night in the hotel
DAY 2: FLIGHT FROM KATHMANDU- NEPALGUNJ—JUPHAL—DUNAI
From Nepalgunj to Juphal Impressive flight subject to climatic hazards between Nepalgunj and Juphal. We fly over patchworks of cultures, rivers, villages on the mountain ridges. Welcome by our team of porters then we start the walk crossing Juphal, a very lively village with picturesque rural scenes (picking, among other things, lentils, peppers...) We descend towards Dunai (2,100 m) administrative capital of the Dolpo district.
NB: If the weather makes the flight impossible, we may have the possibility of going to Juphal by helicopter under certain conditions: weather and a sufficient number of participants to co-charter. For this we ask you to provide the sum of 200 euros in cash. We would cover a third of the price and our Nepalese partner a third to divide the cost in 300 $.
Transport: private vehicle and domestic flight
Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
Accommodation: night in a tent
DAY 3: TREKKING FROM DUNAI TO TARAKOT
We hike up the bank of the Thuli Bheri river to Tarakot, an old caravan village; we are entering a Buddhist country. We cross caravans of mules and cross several hamlets with their pepper gardens. Walk in a deep gorge, a turbulent river. Camp near the river; above, cresting, Tarakot.
5 hrs of walking
final Atitude: 2,350m
Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
Accommodation: night in a tent
DAY 4: TREKKING FROM TARAKOT TO LAINA (3200M)
We cross a long suspension bridge, at the confluence of the Thuli Bheri River and the Barbung, which allows us to reach Kanigaon and the valley of the Tarap River! We are in the Buddhist world as evidenced by the monastery of Kanigaon that we can visit. We climb through a forest of Himalayan cypresses which leads us to the gorges of the Tarap river, sometimes very impressive, but which widen before our arrival on Laina.
7hrs of walking
final altitude: 3200m
Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
Accommodation: night in a tent
DAY 5: TREKKING FROM LAINA TO TOLTOL (3510M)
We continue our progression through the gorges of the Tarap, with its transparent waters, by a steep cornice path, then “Nepali flats” lined with spruces and junipers.
5hrs of walking
final altitude: 3510m
Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
Accommodation: night in a tent
DAY 6: TREKKING FROM TOLTOL TO DHO — TARAP (4000M)
Long and regular stage along the Tarap river that we cross several times by bridges and even a ladder! Vegetation of junipers and daphnes. Toltol, in Nepali, means “hole, cave”; we see several of them in the mountains. A small “unnamed” pass at 3,800 m, with a labtse and prayer flags. Kaolin soil. Herds of yaks, sheep, goats. The Sisaul khola joins the Tarap on the right bank. A wild nature of sea buckthorn, barberry, barberry on marshy land. We may see herds of bharals before arriving on the immense Tibetan plateau at an altitude of 4,000 m. Discovery, with the setting sun, of the village of Dho with engraved walls of Mani, typical chortens of Dolpo.
6hrs of walking
Final altitude: 4000m
Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
Accommodation: night in a tent
DAY 7: TREKKING FROM DHO TARAP—TOKYU (4,200M)
Day of acclimatization to the altitude, but also discovery of the well-preserved Tibetan villages and monasteries of Upper Tarap, in particular the Buddhist monasteries of the Nyingma school (red caps) of Ribo Bhumpa and Doro, as well as the Bön monastery -Po of Shipchhok. We leave Dho Tarap and the Tarap river to follow the Thakchin khola river. We pass in front of magnificent chortens. We may come across herds of sheep and goats and also observe bearded vultures in flight. The students of Cristal Mountain School take us on a tour of their establishment. Arrival in Tokyu, at the foot of the river. Sometimes caravans of mules come from Saldang.
4hrs of walking
Final altitude: 4200m
Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
Accommodation: night in a tent
DAY 8: TREKKING FROM NUMA LA PHEDI — NUMA LA TO BAGA LA PHEDI (4450M)
Crossing the Numa La pass (5,230 m) from where you dominate the Himalayan chain to the south and the Tibetan plateau to the north. View of the Dhaulagiri and the Nilgiri. The landscape is made up of ochre, burnt orange and pink rocks! We are in an area frequented by snow leopards. Camp at the foot of the Baga La pass, in vast pastures, among the shepherds and caravanners who transport salt to the Nepalese valleys. We can observe the Norbung Kang glacier (6,085 m).
6hrs of walking
Final altitude:4450m
Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
Accommodation: night in a lodge or in a tent
DAY 9: TREKKING FROM BAGA LA PHEDI — BAGA LA — YAK KARKA (3760M)
Very gradual ridge line climb to cross the Baga La (5,090 m), the last pass of the trek. The Kanjirowa Himal (6,612 m) is in sight. Very long descent along the Ghuchun khola, with its stalactites of ice, towards a Yak Karka at 3,760 m, near the Maduwa khola. Beautiful camp site, with, below, on the other side of the river, the village of Maduwa and its terraced crops. A family is still present in one of the large stone buildings.
6hrs of walking
Final Altitude: 3760
Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
Accommodation: night in a tent
DAY 10: TREKKING YAK KHARKA – LAKE PHOKSUNDO AND RINGMO (3,590M)
One of the most impressive days of our trek. We go up and down on a narrow path, eroded into a balcony of cliffs which dominate the confluence of the Phoksumdo river with the Maduwa khola, its grandiose waterfall and the translucent blue Phoksumdo lake. The arrival on this huge lake, set in orange cliffs with on its edges, the prosperous and remote village of Ringmo is a highlight. Around us, a pine forest with very resinous apples, junipers laden with berries and large expanses of pasture grazed by yaks as well as alignments of chortens, weavers and lodges under construction. The intense life around the river (toilet, laundry). In the afternoon we can walk along the lake under a pine forest and visit the Bön monastery in the presence of a monk. Dolpo is one of the rare regions of the Tibetan cultural area to practice this pre-Buddhist religion, which is nevertheless very close to Buddhism. Many activities in the village in the evening: herds of yaks return from the pastures, women sift seeds on the roofs, others fetch pots of water, children play in the courtyards and alleys with objects very rudimentary. Ringmo is a village inhabited by Bhotias of Tibetan origin and Magars. the children play in the inner courtyards and alleys with very rudimentary objects. Ringmo is a village inhabited by Bhotias of Tibetan origin and Magars. the children play in the inner courtyards and alleys with very rudimentary objects. Ringmo is a village inhabited by Bhotias of Tibetan origin and Magars.
3hrs of walking
Final Altitude: 3590m
Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
Accommodation: night in a tent
DAY 11: TREKKING FROM RINGMO TO SANDUWA (3050M)
If the authorities allow it, stroll on the steep path and on a balcony above the lake. We find the landscape of the famous scene of the yak falling into the lake from the film “Himalaya, the childhood of a Chef” by Éric Valli. After several days of walking in a mineral universe, it is good to find trees. In the afternoon, we reach Sanduwa after a nice climb above the Phoksumdo waterfall. A small watchtower allows you to observe the highest waterfall in Nepal, the waters of which come directly from the lake. We pass the winter village of Palam. Vegetation of Himalayan pines, spruces, birches. It is not uncommon to meet riders who come from Shey and go to Dunai for administrative appointments.
6hrs of walking
Final altitude:3,050m
Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
Accommodation: night in a tent
DAY 12: TREKKING FROM SANDUWA TO CHEPKA (2690M)
We go up the valley to a high point at 3,700 m. A small watchtower allows us to observe the highest waterfall in Nepal whose waters come straight from the lake. We pass by the winter village of Palam and then the center of the national park of Phoksumdo. We find denser vegetation. We follow the Suligad to the Chepka camp.
6hrs of walking
about 2,690m
Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
Accommodation: night in a tent
DAY 13: TREKKING FROM CHEPKA TO DUNAI (2100M)
We follow the Phoksumdo khola then the Suligad, first in gorges then in the forest. The torrent is becoming more and more tumultuous. We descend to the village of Suligad (2,080 m), the valley becomes pleasant with its fields of barley and mustard. The vegetation consists of physallis, daturas, sagebrush, hemp and medicinal herbs. The last "ups and downs" to reach Dunai, capital of the district with its main street and all the fabric, telephone, pharmacy, hardware and grocery stores.
5 hrs of walking
Final altitude:2,100m
Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
Accommodation: night in a tent or in a lodge
DAY 14: TREKKING FROM DUNAI TO JUPHAL (2400M)
Last day of the trek. We follow the Bheri khola. Ascent to the altiport which serves the valley. Lots of activities in this very populated village. The women shell the corn on the roofs of the houses, thresh the amaranths with a flail or harvest vegetables in the gardens of the interior courtyards.
4 hours of walking
Final altitude; 2,450m
Meals: breakfast – lunch – dinner
Accommodation: night in a tent or in a lodge
DAY 15: FLIGHTS FROM NEPALGUNJ TO KATHMANDU
We reach Nepalgunj then Kathmandu by plane—free time in the capital.
NB: If the weather makes the flight to Nepalgunj impossible, we may have the possibility of going to Pokhara by helicopter under certain conditions: weather and a sufficient number of participants to co-charter. For this we ask you to provide the sum of 200 euros in cash. We would cover a third of the price and our Nepalese partner a third in order to divide the cost in 3.
by private vehicle and domestic flights
about 2 hours
about 1 hour 20 minutes
DAY 16: KATHMANDU
Safety day which can be used during the trekking or as a free day in Kathmandu.
Meals: breakfast – free lunch (not included) – free dinner (not included)
Accommodation: overnight at the hotel