Dolpo to Jomsom trek 26 Days │ Great Himalaya Trail

Intro:
Dolpo to Jomsom trek takes you through a remote and spectacular region of western Nepal. This section of the Great Himalaya Trail goes through a rugged landscape on the Tibetan plateau which is shaped by the dry wind. The tough and adventurous trail follows along rushing mountain rivers, through impressive gorges and over high passes. Due to the fact, Dolpo has been isolated from the rest of the world for centuries, the local culture you encounter has hardly changed. You will visit authentic monasteries, the nomad camp of Dho Tarap and the fortified medieval village of Chharka Bhot.
This Dolpo to Jomsom trek crosses five times 5000+ meter passes, making it one of the toughest Upper Dolpo treks. You have to be physically at your best and have no fear to follow small mountain trails. We also have a Lower Dolpo to Jomsom trek available. This is still tough and goes through remote areas, but it is a lighter version with more accessible trails.

Overview:
An early morning flight will take you to Nepalgunj in western Nepal. The next day a spectacular flight with superb views of the Annapurna mountain range will take you to Juphal. From here on your adventurous Dolpo to Jomsom trek begins. It is only a 3-hour trek to Dunai which is the trading centre of Dolpo. Up north, you hike alongside the Suli Khola river and through a pine and fir forest towards the beautiful Shey Phoksundo Lake. This lake is a great place to stay for rest for acclimatization. The classic Upper Dolpo trek is following the banks of the lake, however, you are leaving the traditional trails and your Dolpo to Jomsom adventure is going east towards Bagala Phedi. During this part of the trail, you can see clearly mountain Norbung Kang which is dominantly present in the mountain view.

From Bagala Phedi you ascend, on an old yak trail, towards your first 5000+ pass of this trek. The view from the Bagala pass, with an altitude of 5169 meters, is stunning with old chortens, the Norbung Kang and other snowcapped mountains in the distance. The picturesque campsite of Danigar is a pleasant reward after the high pass. A second high pass follows the next day with hiking alongside the Ghyambo Khola river towards Numala pass (5309 meters). Again the views are stunning with mount Dhaulagiri the most famous peak in this view. After you have crossed the pass, the trail is relatively easy towards Numala base camp and Dho Tarap. Soon after easy descending from Numala base camp, you join shortly the Upper Dolpo trek to the trading village of Dho Tarap. Chortens and Gompas (monasteries) are scattered alongside the trail. During your resting day at the tented Dho Tarap, it is possible to do a day hike to the 500-year-old Ribum Gompa nunnery. The Gompa is a typical monastery of the Bon religion which is an ancient Tibetan Buddhist religion in the Dolpo region.

Soon after you have passed by the village of Maran, you have to cross the Tarpu Khola river several times. Eventually, you ascend to the Chan La pass (5378 m). The panoramic views from the pass are stunning and breathtaking. After a short break, an easy descent and a few crossings over a watercourse will take you to the small lake of Chap Chu. The adventurous trail continues with river crossings, some climbing and descending and finally a junction at an old chorten nearby Chharka Bhot. Chharka Bhot is a medieval fortified village with a Bon-Gompa. The trail towards Nulungsunda is relatively easy with a slow climb. Nulungsunda Kharka is a picturesque campsite located at the confluence of the Malun Khola river and the Thasan Khola river. A perfect spot for a resting day. From Nulungsunda Kharka the toughest trekking day, with crossing two 5000+ passes, starts with a short climb to the Niwas La pass (5120 m) which lies on a plateau. An easy climb will bring you to the Jungben La pass (5550 m). From the pass, you look into the Hidden Valley and mount Dhaulagiri. Hidden Valley is a valley trekkers pass through doing the Dhaulagiri round trek. Other mountain ranges can be seen as well with the Annapurna’s and the Kanjiroba being the most dominant ones. After having crossed the high passes the trek continues through a gully followed by a mountain ridge with juniper trees and scrub towards Ghok. Another passing through gully’s and river crossings will take you to the village of Sangda.

Once you have arrived at Phalyak you are walking out of the Dolpo plateau and have arrived in the Mustang region. In Phalyak you feel like being back in the inhabited western world with shops that sell beer and soft drinks. Also, a well-deserved shower is finally possible again. The easy hike to Jomsom feels more like a short walk to stretch your legs. After a short flight, you arrive in Pokhara where you will enjoy a rest day. This memorable trip ends in Kathmandu where you can do some souvenir shopping, or visit one of the cultural sites in the Kathmandu valley.