Trekking in Nepal
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Under Dolpo & Shey Gompa Trek
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Duration
31 Nights/ 32 Days |
Places
Covered
Kathmandu - Nepalgunj - Jumla - Kagmara La to
Ringmo - Ringmo - Shey Gompa - Yanger Gompa - Saldang
- Dho Tarap - Juphal - Nepalgunj - Kathmandu |
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DURATION |
CATEGORY |
GRADE |
MAXIMUM
ALTITUDE |
OVERNIGHT |
32 DAYS
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TEA HOUSE |
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5249m above
sea level |
In Tents/Tea
House |
TREK OVIERVIEW: The region of western Nepal has only been
open since 1988, and has been widely acclaimed as one of Nepal's
best trekking regions. We have previously organized many different
treks in the area and in 1997 we retraced the core elements
of Peter Matthiessen's journey, made famous in his book "The
Snow Leopard".
It is one of the more challenging treks which allow you to explore
the remote and sparsely populated areas of Nepal. Dolpo is where
the movie 'Himalaya' was shot by Eric Valli.
Day 1 - Arrive at Kathmandu International Airport. 1350m above
sea level.
Your Bhutanese representative from Raven Tours and Treks will
greet you on arrival and drive you to the hotel where you will
be staying.
Later Sightseeing tour of Swayambunth & Kathmandu Durbar
Square.
Swayambunath is one of the world's most glorious Buddhist Chaitya.
It is said to be 2000 years old. Painted on the foursides of
the spdire bases are the all seeing eyes of Lord Buddha. It
is three kilometeres west of Kathmandu city and is situated
on a hillock about 77 m. above the level of the Kathmandu Valley.
Kahmandu Durbar Square is the historic seat of ty. The Durbar
Square, with its old temples and places, epitomizes the religious
and cultural life of the people. It is here that Kings of Nepal
are crowned and their coronations solemnized. Interesting things
to seek here are; Taleju Temple built by King Mahendra Malla
in 1549 A.D., Kal Bhairav, the God of destruction, Nautalle
Durbar, Coronation Nasal Chowk, the Gaddi Baithak, the statue
of King Pratap Malla, the Big Bell, Drum and the Jagannath Temple.In
the evening welcome meal with Nepali traditional dance.
Later in the evening you will be taken to the typical Nepali
restaurant (Bhojan Grihia) for dinner and will be hosting traditional
dances.
Overnight in Kathmandu.
Day 2 - In Kathmandu
After breakfast proceed for city tour of Kathmandu visiting
Pashupatinath and Boudhanath.
Pashupatinath Temple is situated 5 km east of Kathmandu,
the temple of Lord Shiva, Pathupatinath with two tierd golden
roof and silver doors is considered one of the holiest shrines
of Hindus.
The stupa of Boudhanath lies 8kms east of Kathmandu.
This ancient colossal stupa is one of the biggest in the world
and the center of Buddhism in the world. It was listed in the
UNESCO Heritage Monument in 1979.
Later proceed for city tour of Kathmandu visiting Patan Square,
complex of palaces, courtyard and temples, built between
the 12th and 18th centuries, use to be the seat of the ancient
Malla kings of Kathmandu.
Later stroll around the city of Thamel.
Overnight in Kathmandu.
Day 3 - Fly Nepalgunj
An afternoon flight takes us to Nepalgunj, the largest city
in western Nepal and a jumping-off point for many flights and
buses into western Nepal, set in the steamy Terai near the border
of India. We stay the night at an air-conditioned hotel, and
head out back in time to explore this town seemingly right out
of the 1940's.
Day 4 - Fly Jumla
Another flight, this time a morning mountain flight taking us
to Dolpo where we start out trek. We spend the night at a hotel
in Jumla; Kim and the crew will spend the afternoon supplying
for the trek, and you are free to explore the town ...
Days 5-12 - Trek over Kagmara La to Ringmo (Phoksumdo Lake)
After rounding up our team of local Dolpo horses and handlers
from Jumla, we set off towards the 5115 meter Kagmara La and
fabled Phoksumdo Lake, a challenging journey of eight days.
We follow the ancient trade routes of the Dolpo-pa, camping
in local seasonal settlements en route, and eventually reach
the medieval village and Bon gompa at Hurikot, near where we
enter the Shey Phoksumdo National Park. From here, the going
gets a bit tougher, with many steep climbs and descents, the
largest the Kagmara La where we get spectacular views of the
Kagmara Himal, Daulagiri, the Annapurnas, La Shamma and other
snow-peaks, a fitting reward for our climb. This barrier marks
the entrance into a purely Tibetan region, and the real boundary
of Dolpo. Eight days later, we have finally reach the village
of Ringmo on the turquoise Phoksumdo Lake. This is wild country,
a region of alpine meadows, flowered pastures, rivers, natural
springs, soaring mountain views; Steve Razzetti, who wrote 'Trekking
and Climbing in Nepal', says about this region of Lower Dolpo,
'.. your heart will sing. This is trekking country to live for'.
Enough said! We camp for the night in Ringmo, at the south end
of the lake.
Day 13 - Ringmo
A rest and exploration day, finally, in this picturesque village
of flat-roofed stone houses, mud-brick, mani walls and chortens.
Even a bit of expensive shopping at a few local shops! There
is an ancient, white-washed Bon gompa in Ringmo to visit, and
of course Phoksumdo Lake, the lake seen in 'Himalaya' as Thinley's
yak caravan attempted the 'Devil's Trail'. Yak caravans will
be heading in and out of Ringmo on their way north towards the
border of Tibet, and our most northerly destinations, Saldang
and Yanger Gompa. Above Ringmo, a restricted area permit is
required, which we will be one of the few groups to have, if
there are any others around.
Days 14-16 - Trek to Shey Gompa
Now begins our trek to the fabled Shey Gompa and the nearby
'Crystal Mountain', the most sacred peak in Dolpo which Dolpo
pilgrims circumambulate each summer before the yearly grain
harvest. We are now entering the real Dolpo, and to enter into
this mystical land we have to cross the Kang La (pass) and trek
three, hard days. We take the only trail possible, first trekking
along the precipitous and narrow trail to the western side of
the lake, otherwise known as the 'Devil's Trail'. Cresting a
4000 meter ridge, we are treated to views of Sonam Kang. We
camp the first night at Chabluk Phu, a local grazing area, before
attempting the Kang La (5375m). It's a difficult pass, so we'll
be up early the next morning; we are entering George Schaller's
blue sheep country, so keep the binoculars ready as you pack
your backpack the night before. We have views of the peaks Shey
Shikkar and Kang Chunne, both just over 6000 meters, before
descending steeply down to the valley floor and along the river.
A red chorten marks the entrance to Shey, where we camp for
the next two nights.
Day 17 - Shey Gompa
A free day, and there is plenty to explore in this spiritual
heart of Dolpo. Shey Gompa is said to be about 800 years old,
with newer murals inside and an ancient scroll describing the
mythology behind the Crystal Mountain, locally called Riu Dhukta,
and the gompa. Peter Mattheissen wrote quite a lot about his
stay in Shey in 'The Snow Leopard', and it was shown in 'Himalaya'
as Thinley's son's gompa, where Thinley entered during a puja
and was shown to a back room where his son, the artist, was
working on a huge mural including a tree, which he had never
seen in the harsh, treeless environments of Dolpo.
Days 18-20 - Trek to Yanger Gompa
Our quest for 'the' best trek in Dolpo takes us to remote Yanger
Gompa, on the old trade route to Tibet. These few days cover
some of the most culturally interesting regions of the trek,
and of course the scenery is equally spectacular. After crossing
the Ge La (Se La) Pass west of Shey, where we are treated to
magnificent views of Mustang to the East, Tibet to the North
and Kanjiroba, Kagmara and Riu Dhukta, or the Crystal Mountain,
to the West. We spend our first night at Namgung, again at a
local nomadic herding settlement. We follow the Namga Khola
past more summer herding spots, to the large village of Saldang.
Thinley and his son are from Saldang, so we'll get a chance
to visit some local houses, drink some salt butter tea or chang
(Tibetan barley beer) and sample the local fare. The next day
heading north along the Nagon Khola, we finally reach Yanger
Gompa, where we set up camp for the night. One of our re-supplies
should be here when we arrive, if not in Saldang.
Day 21 - Trek to Saldang
We back-track back to Saldang, where we set up camp in the same
spot and visit our old friends!
Days 22-23 - Trek to Dho Tarap
Another couple of great, exploratory trekking days, heading
south along the Nagon Khola past many small settlements, and
Dechen Lapran Gompa, and then along the Dachun Khola. We spend
one night en route at the herding settlement of Jangla; these
will be long days, so if we need to, we'll break them up and
arrive at Dho Tarap a day later, camping at Tokyu or Chamba
Gompa for a night. After Tokyu, there is a string of gompas;
Ripuche Gompa, Chamba Gompa, Kakar and the gompa at Dho Tarap
called Ribo Bhumpa, rebuilt in 1955. Interestingly, there is
a Bon chorten next to the Buddhist gompa, which is said to contain
the relics of a demon killed by Guru Rimpoche. Above this gompa
is another older Buddhist gompa, Mekyem Gompa. Dho actually
is the name of the village at the south of the region of Tarap,
but it is usually referred to now as Dho Tarap.
Day 24 - Dho Tarap
We've scheduled a free day in this interesting, very 'Tibetan'
region of Dho Tarap, a maze of mud-brick Tibetan houses which
was also featured in 'Himalaya', the village where Karma and
his band of young Dolpo-pa, and Thinley and his older group
of Dolpo-pa, set off with their salt to trade for barley over
the high passes. The movie gives a wonderful picture of daily
life in the village; the house, the particular dress and jewelry
of the Dho inhabitants, the yaks and animals, weaving, dying
cloth, making bread and chang, working in the fields, archery,
astrology, Buddhist customs, relationships and the vigor of
life in a high, remote and arid Himalayan village. (The pass
in the movie is directly to the east of Dho; we're not headed
that way).
Days 25-30 - Trek to Juphal
We're heading east along the Thakchui Khola through some wild
country, past Crystal Mountain School (a private school funded
by a NGO in Dunai), Modo Gompa, Thaksi and Khanger to Numa La
Base Camp, where we spend our first night. This is wild, remote
country, and the trekking is quite strenuous. We will rise early
to start over the Numa La (5320m), where Daulagiri amongst other
giants is visible. We descend along a rocky trail towards Danigar,
through blue sheep and snow leopard country, with the Baga La
looming in front of us. The next morning we head back up to
the chorten-topped Baga La (5200m), and then down into a valley
and lovely meadows with a glacial moraine, following a beautiful
route topped by snow-peaks. We stop for the night at Rilke,
to the south of Phoksumdo Lake. The next two days, we continue
south along the Phoksumdo Khola, passing the trail junction
to the Jumla trail to the east, and then the nine-house village
of Renje, stopping at Chhepka, peopled by three brothers, for
the night. The next day we trek along the steep and narrow valley
of Suli Khola, passing several small settlements, goths and
horse pastures before reaching the large town of Dunai, and
finally the airport at Juphal the next day.
Day 31 - Fly to Nepalgunj & Kathmandu
Sadly, our trek through the spectacular and mystical Dolpo is
finished, and we board our flight for Nepalgunj, and then on
Kathmandu. Back at the Kathmandu Guest House, a warm shower
will never have seemed so wonderful, or necessary! Later, we'll
head out to dinner to celebrate our adventures in Dolpo. Not
many other trekkers in Kathmandu will be talking about
Day 32 - Depart from Kathmandu International Airport.
Early breakfast at the hotel and then drive to the airport to
board the flight. Your escort from Raven Tours and Treks will
assist you with exit formalities and bid you farewell.
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Time in Nepal:
