Lower Dolpo Trek
Also known as Phoksundo Lake – Dho Tarap Circuit (Numa La & Baga La).
Lower Dolpo Trek is an advanced 14-18-day teahouse/camping mix trek in the Dolpo region of Nepal, reaching 5,190 m. It starts at Juphal and ends at Juphal.
Key facts
- Region
- Dolpo (Dolpa)
- Duration
- 14-18 days, 5-7 hours walking per day
- Distance
- 170 km
- Maximum altitude
- 5,190 m
- Difficulty
- Advanced — Two back-to-back passes above 5,000 m (Numa La 5,190 m, Baga La 5,070 m), a very remote setting with minimal facilities, mostly camping above Dho Tarap, and weather-dependent STOL flights in and out. Shorter and slightly less committing than Upper Dolpo, but still an expedition-style trek.
- Trek type
- Teahouse/Camping mix, loop route
- Best season
- Autumn (Sep-Oct) and late spring/early summer (May-Jun); partial rain shadow keeps mid-summer feasible north of the passes
- Guide
- Mandatory. Restricted-area rule: minimum 2 trekkers and a licensed guide via a registered agency; solo permits not issued (one 2026 blog claims the minimum was dropped in March 2026 — unverified, logged in notes).
- Restricted area
- Yes — special permit required
- Budget cost
- NPR 224,000–280,000
- Comfortable cost
- NPR 308,000–392,000
- Guided cost
- NPR 280,000–490,000
- Getting there
- Kathmandu → Nepalgunj (flight, 1h) → overnight → Juphal 2,475 m (STOL flight, 35-45 min) → trail; reverse on return. Rough seasonal road reaches Dunai for those with time (2-3 day jeep journey).
- Altitude sickness
- Rapid gain from Nawarpani (3,475 m) to Dho Tarap (4,090 m) and two 5,000 m+ passes create real AMS risk; the Dho Tarap acclimatization day is essential.
Weather
The southern (Juphal–Dunai–Tarakot) approach gets monsoon rain and flight disruption Jun-Sep, while the Tarap valley and pass zone lie in partial rain shadow. Numa La and Baga La carry snow into late May and after early November; winter closes the circuit.
Permits
- Lower Dolpo Restricted Area Permit — NPR 3,040 for foreigners. Where to get it: Department of Immigration via a registered trekking agency
- Shey Phoksundo National Park Entry Permit — NPR 3,000 for foreigners. Where to get it: DNPWC Kathmandu or park entrance (Suli Gad)
Itinerary
- Day 1: Kathmandu to Nepalgunj, 0 h, 150 m — Transfer to Terai staging town
- Day 2: Nepalgunj to Dunai, 2-3 h, 2,052 m — Morning STOL flight to Juphal (2,475 m), walk down the Thuli Bheri
- Day 3: Dunai to Tarakot, 5-6 h, 2,543 m — Thuli Bheri valley, fortress village
- Day 4: Tarakot to Laini, 6-7 h, 3,160 m — Tarap Khola gorge, ups and downs on exposed trail
- Day 5: Laini to Nawarpani, 5-6 h, 3,475 m — Narrow canyon, seasonal bridges
- Day 6: Nawarpani to Dho Tarap, 7-8 h, 4,090 m — Enter the high Tarap valley; Bon and Nyingma gompas, Tibetan-style villages
- Day 7: Dho Tarap to Dho Tarap, 2-3 h, 4,090 m — Acclimatization day; Ribo Bumpa gompa, Crystal Mountain school
- Day 8: Dho Tarap to Numa La Base Camp (Danigar), 4-5 h, 4,440 m — Upper Tarap valley, yak pastures
- Day 9: Numa La Base Camp to Pelung Tang, 6-7 h, 4,465 m — Cross Numa La 5,190 m — highest point; Dhaulagiri and Dolpo panoramas
- Day 10: Pelung Tang to Dajok Tang, 5-6 h, 4,080 m — Cross Baga La 5,070 m; Kanjirowa massif views
- Day 11: Dajok Tang to Ringmo, 3-4 h, 3,611 m — Descent through pine forest to Phoksundo Lake
- Day 12: Ringmo to Ringmo, 2-4 h, 3,611 m — Rest day at Phoksundo Lake: Tshowa gompa, waterfall viewpoint, lakeshore
- Day 13: Ringmo to Shyanta, 5-6 h, 2,520 m — Suli Gad descent, waterfall, Chhepka
- Day 14: Shyanta to Juphal, 4-5 h, 2,475 m — Exit national park, climb to airstrip village
- Day 15: Juphal to Kathmandu, 0 h, 1,400 m — Return flights
- Day 16: Kathmandu to Kathmandu, 0 h, 1,400 m — Buffer day for Juphal flight cancellations