Day 01 · Travel · 150 m
Fly to Nepalgunj
Fly to the Terai and prepare for the mountains.
- O₂ 98% of sea level
- Day 1 of 15
Lower Dolpo, Shey Phoksundo · 29.22° N · 83.05° E
Lower Dolpo
The compact Dolpo expedition - two weeks across the Numa La and Baga La to the mythic Tarap valley and the shores of Phoksundo, in the rain-shadow behind Dhaulagiri where monsoon never arrives.
remoterestrictedlakes15 days5,190 mChallenging
Begin the ascentDay 02 · Travel · 2,140 m
Fly to Juphal, trek to Dunai
The spectacular short flight to Juphal, then down to the Thuli Bheri river.
- +1,990 m gained today
- O₂ 77% of sea level
- Day 2 of 15
Day 03 · Trek · 2,537 m
Dunai to Tarakot
Walk upstream to the medieval fortress village of Tarakot.
- +397 m gained today
- O₂ 73% of sea level
- Day 3 of 15
Day 04 · Trek · 3,160 m
Tarakot to Laini
Enter the Tarap gorge, camping by the river beneath towering cliffs.
- +623 m gained today
- O₂ 68% of sea level
- Day 4 of 15
Day 05 · Trek · 3,545 m
Laini to Nawarpani
A tougher day of ascents on trails cut into the rock.
- +385 m gained today
- O₂ 65% of sea level
- Day 5 of 15
Day 06 · Trek · 4,080 m
Nawarpani to Dho Tarap
The gorge opens suddenly into the wide, golden Tarap valley.
- +535 m gained today
- O₂ 60% of sea level
- Day 6 of 15
Day 07 · Acclimatization · 4,080 m
Acclimatization in Dho Tarap
Rest among the monasteries and mani walls; visit Bon and Buddhist gompas.
- O₂ 60% of sea level
- Day 7 of 15
Day 08 · Trek · 4,440 m
Dho Tarap to Numa La base camp
A short climb to the meadow camp beneath tomorrow's pass.
- +360 m gained today
- O₂ 57% of sea level
- Day 8 of 15
Day 09 · High point · 4,465 m
Cross the Numa La to Pelung Tang
Over the Numa La (5,190m) - Dhaulagiri's white wall fills the southern sky.
- +25 m gained today
- O₂ 57% of sea level
- Day 9 of 15
Day 10 · High point · 4,080 m
Cross the Baga La to Dajok Tang
A second 5,000m pass (5,070m) with views into the Phoksundo basin.
- O₂ 60% of sea level
- Day 10 of 15
Day 11 · Trek · 3,611 m
Dajok Tang to Phoksundo Lake
Descend through pine forest to the turquoise shore and Ringmo village.
- O₂ 64% of sea level
- Day 11 of 15
Day 12 · Acclimatization · 3,611 m
Rest at Phoksundo
A day beside the lake - walk the shoreline, visit the gompa, breathe.
- O₂ 64% of sea level
- Day 12 of 15
Day 13 · Trek · 2,687 m
Phoksundo to Chhepka
Down past the great waterfall into the forests of the Suli Gad.
- O₂ 72% of sea level
- Day 13 of 15
Day 14 · Trek · 2,475 m
Chhepka to Juphal
Final walk to the airstrip and celebration with the crew.
- O₂ 74% of sea level
- Day 14 of 15
Day 15 · Travel · 1,400 m
Fly to Kathmandu via Nepalgunj
Return to the capital.
- O₂ 84% of sea level
- Day 15 of 15
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors · CC BY-SA
Elevation
How the days climb.
Hover the profile to see each day - conservative ascent, acclimatization built in.
The ledger
The climb, in numbers.
Everything about this route, derived from the itinerary - from the metres you gain to the oxygen you'll be breathing at the top.
15Days on the trail
4,465 mHigh point
4,315 mTotal climb
ChallengingDifficulty
2–8Group size
May–OctBest season
57%Oxygen at the top
Day 9High-point day
Thinner air, day by day.
Oxygen falls with altitude. You start at 98% of sea level and finish at 57% at the high point - which is why every ascent profile here is conservative, with rest days built in.
- Best trekked May–Oct
TrekAcclimatizationTravelHigh point
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Lower Dolpo, 15 days - shaped around you.
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