Upper Dolpo Trek Guide 2027: Route, Permits, Best Season and Cost

Upper Dolpo is one of the most remote corners of Nepal. It lies behind the Dhaulagiri range, close to the Tibetan border, and is known for turquoise Phoksundo Lake, 5,000 m passes, Bon and Buddhist monasteries and high Tibetan-style villages. The area opened to visitors only in the early 1990s and few trekkers go, so on this route you meet more yaks than people. Our plan is 28 days from Kathmandu to Kathmandu, with rest days at Phoksundo Lake, Shey Gompa and Dho Tarap.

The short version

• Duration: 28 days from Kathmandu, about 21 days on the trail
• Route: fly to Juphal, Phoksundo Lake, Kang La, Shey Gompa, Saldang, Jeng La, Dho Tarap, then out through Tarakot and Dunai
• Highest point: Kang La, about 5,150 to 5,360 m (sources vary)
• Distance: roughly 250 km on foot, usually 4 to 8 hours a day
• Difficulty: strenuous, with high passes, long days and remote camping
• Best season: May to October, because the area sits in a rain shadow, plus spring and autumn windows. Winter is closed by snow
• Permits: usually an Upper Dolpo restricted-area permit, a Shey Phoksundo National Park permit and often a Lower Dolpo permit. A licensed guide and an agency are normally required. We arrange everything
• Price: from US$4,956 per person, with a 20% deposit to secure your booking

How the route works

You fly from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj and on to Juphal, then walk to Dunai and up to Phoksundo Lake, a deep turquoise lake at about 3,600 m inside Shey Phoksundo National Park. From the lake you cross the Kang La into the Shey valley and reach Shey Gompa, an ancient monastery below Crystal Mountain that is sacred in both Buddhist and Bon traditions. The route then loops through Saldang, one of the highest permanent villages in Nepal, crosses the Jeng La to the broad Tarap valley at Dho Tarap, and finishes through Tarakot and Dunai before the flight back to Kathmandu.

Most nights are in tents with a cooking crew, so you do not depend on lodges. Hotels are used in Kathmandu and Nepalgunj, plus a few simple lodges along the way.

What you will see

• Phoksundo Lake: a turquoise lake in Shey Phoksundo National Park, with a waterfall nearby and a quiet Bon village beside it
• Kang La: a high pass of about 5,100 to 5,400 m leading from the lake into the Shey valley
• Shey Gompa: an old monastery below Crystal Mountain
• Saldang and the high villages: barley fields, stone houses and yak herders
• Bon and Tibetan Buddhist culture: mani walls, chortens and monasteries, with the two traditions side by side
• Jeng La and Dho Tarap: a second high pass and a valley with a mix of Tibetan and Magar people

Weather and flights

Because of the rain shadow, summer trekking is possible here, which is rare in Nepal. The flights to Juphal depend on weather and are often delayed, so we build spare days into the end of the plan. Altitudes and pass heights differ a lot between sources, so treat them as approximate. Your guide may adjust the days for weather, snow on the passes and the group.

What is included

Airport pick-up and drop-off, the domestic flights and transfers in the itinerary (via Nepalgunj and Juphal), hotel nights in Kathmandu and Nepalgunj with breakfast, a guided Kathmandu sightseeing tour, a welcome dinner and a farewell dinner, a licensed English-speaking guide, one porter for every two trekkers (including pay and insurance for the porters), the permits the route requires, government and local taxes, and accommodation and meals on the trek as listed in the itinerary.

Not included: the Nepal visa, international flights, most meals in the cities, Kathmandu entrance fees, travel insurance that covers trekking, trip cancellation and emergency helicopter evacuation, drinks, hot showers, device charging and Wi-Fi on the trail, tips, personal expenses and extra hotel nights.

Who it suits

This is a tough, committed trek. Fitness, patience and warm gear matter more here than technical skill. Group size is small or private, usually with a minimum of two travellers. If you want a shorter hidden-valley walk first, see our Tsum Valley guide, and for fees and rules read Nepal trekking permits explained.

Plan your Upper Dolpo trek

See the full day-by-day itinerary, inclusions and answers to common questions on the Upper Dolpo Trek page. You can also message us on WhatsApp +81 70 2232 4287, LINE @336fwnyl or email wildpasstreks@gmail.com, and we will prepare a plan for your dates and group size.