The Lower Dolpo area is a long dreamed-of destination for trekking in Nepal. Yatra Himalaya has taken its cherished guests into this remote and sometimes arduous region for many years. Lower Dolpo is located in the isolated northwestern corner of the trans-Himalayan zone of Nepal. Trekking here gives tourists exposure to one of the most hidden wildernesses on earth. The vast Dolpo region, including lower and upper, is full of Buddhist monasteries and is overwhelming for adventure-loving trekkers. Dolpo is famed for its high mountain lake, Phoksundo Lake. This is located inside the Shey-Phoksundo National Park in mid-western Nepal, behind the Dhaulagiri massif, towards the Tibetan plateau.
Any visit to this vast national park (covering 1373 sq. km.), and especially to the mysterious Shey Gompa above Phoksundo Lake, is still restricted and requires special trekking permits to be obtained in Kathmandu. The Lower Dolpo trek offers opportunities to visit ancient villages, high passes, beautiful lakes, isolated Buddhist monasteries and also to experience the vast array of wildlife inhabiting the region. Trekkers might encounter Blue Sheep, Mountain Goat, Jackal, Wolf and the legendary Snow Leopard. Although remote, for centuries people of Tibetan origin have continued to live, cultivate and trade with Tibet to the north. The region is dominated by the Dhaulagiri and Churen Himal ranges and to the west is Jumla district. Trekking in Lower Dolpo offers you a remarkable and exceedingly worthwhile experience, a once-in-a-lifetime exploration.
Lower Dolpo is considered to be the most popular trek in western Nepal. The most convenient means of reaching Lower Dolpo is to fly to Juphal airstrip, but this airport is often closed by bad weather. The walk-in would take six days, so if possible we sometimes charter a helicopter from Kathmandu at additional cost. Juphal is a 4hr walk from Dunai, the district headquarters of Dolpo. We, the team of Yatra Himalaya, have developed our own route here – one that best suits trekkers and is sure to give fond memories.
