Lower Dolpo Trekking has only been permitted since mid-1989. Lying to the west of the Kali Gandaki Valley, Dolpo is located inside the Shey-Phoksundo National Park in mid-western Nepal, behind the Dhaulagiri massif and towards the Tibetan plateau. The region offers opportunities to visit ancient villages, high passes, beautiful lakes, isolated Buddhist monasteries. In addition, you get to experience the vast array of wildlife inhabiting the region, including Blue sheep, Mountain Goat, Jackal, Wolf and the legendary Snow Leopard. The Lower Dolpo area is isolated due to the difficult topography, Therefore, it is one of the remotest and least exposed areas of Nepal. Hence, the Lower Dolpo trek offers opportunity to meet the people and their lifestyle almost untouched and unexplored. Visit the Shey-Phoksundo National Park and the “Tarp Valley”, which are the most interesting and lively places in western Nepal. You’ll surely feel overwhelmed by this place and its people, completely uninfluenced by modernization. The landscape, flora and fauna, picturesque mountain views, rivers and springs, flat roofed houses, chortens, monasteries and beautiful lakes are unique to this area. This remains a truly isolated corner of Nepal and time has stood still here for centuries. Tribes from Tibet continue to live, cultivate and trade here the way they have done for hundreds of years. Most treks into Dolpo take from 14 to 30 days. The best time to trek here is towards the end of the monsoon season Sept to November. Shorter Dolpo treks are possible by flying into the air strip at Jumla.

How hard is the Lower Dolpo Trekking?

The Lower Dolpo trek is not a easy trek, however, not too difficult as well. If you have no previous trekking experience this trek will be quite challenging due to many up and down hills, as well as the high elevation. The trekking trail passes along narrow slippery gorges road, where you have to walk carefully. Nature Trail guides will provide support if there is a difficult or slippery patch ahead. Walking slow and comfortably helps to build your confidence on the trail. Due to landslides in recent years we need to make some changes to the traditional caravan routes. Since we do this trek every year, your guide knows the way and will make sure to use a safe trail. Another important thing that needs to be considered is the high altitude. To prevent high-altitude sickness, you need to walk slowly and steadily with many breaks on the way to acclimatize appropriately. We planned our trekking route based on this principle.

Meals:

Breakfast (only) will be available in Kathmandu whereas all meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) will be available during the trek. We can enjoy freshly-cooked, hygienic and nutritious meals on full-board basis prepared by our trained and experienced cook during the trek. Authentic Nepalese, Tibetan dishes as well as the more common international cuisine (Tibetan, Continental, Italian, Indian, etc.) will be available.

Physical Condition & Experience Requirements:

Lower Dolpo Trek is categorized as a difficult trek. In such trek, you are likely to walk for 6-7 hours, cross steep, hilly terrain and occasional high passes of up to 5500m. You are likely to be in a remote environment with extreme weather on some days. You will also be facing high-altitude air with low levels of oxygen. Therefore, previous trekking experience, physical fitness and a positive attitude are essential. Exercising and jogging regularly for some weeks prior to the trip is a good idea to enhance our strength and stability. Past hiking experience is fundamental but no technical skill is required for this trip. It is vital for participants with pre-existing medical conditions such as heart, lung, and blood diseases to consult their doctor before taking the trip. It is also advised that you inform Nature Trail about your medical condition before booking the trek.

Best Time to Travel:

Spring (March to May) and Autumn (September to October) are the best months for this trip. Since the Dolpo region lies in the rain shadow area formed by Dhaulagiri and Annapurna ranges, you can also take this trip during the Monsoon season (June to August).