Upper Dolpo Trek from Mustang

Extreme upper Dolpo trek from Mustang is one of the most difficult treks of Nepal. The trek starts from Jomsom of Mustang and ends at Juphal of Dopa district of Nepal. During your extreme upper Dolpo nine passes trek you will cross some of the high passes that lie inside the Dolpo region of Nepal. The trekking trails of our extreme upper Dolpo nine passes trek from Mustang is one of the untouched and the unexplored trekking trails of Nepal.

Extreme upper Dolpo nine passes trek to mustang is not for the beginners with no hiking experience. The nine high passes during the trek are the main reason that makes it a difficult one. Upper Dolpo is a restricted area of Nepal. Because of that a restricted trekking permit is mandatory for extreme upper Dolpo nine passes trek. You will get to explore the upper and lower Dolpo region. Similarly, you will also explore some parts of the Mustang region of Nepal.

Our extreme upper Dolpo nine passes trek from Mustang is a camping trek. However, we will also stay a few nights at a local teahouse and lodges. Similarly, you will also get to taste the local cuisines. We will try to use the local resources and stay at the local teahouse and lodges as much as possible. Using the local resources will benefit the local and help them to gain some extra income.

Upper Dolpo trek from Mustang is another challenging trek in the Dolpo region. Trek itinerary starts from Jomsom of Mustang and ends at Juphal of Dolpo district. An average 6 to 8 hours of walk is required during a normal trek day, but during the pass crossing day trekkers need to walk upto 10 hours.

Facts of Extreme Upper Dolpo Trek From Mustang

Passes of Extreme Upper Dolpo Trek From Mustang

There are various high trekking passes during  the extended upper Dolpo trek from Mustang. These passes are the main reason that makes the trek difficult. In total there are about 9 passes that you will cross during the upper dolpo circuit trek. Among them Jungben La Pass is the highest pass situated at an elevation of 5,550 meters above sea level. Similarly, Nang La Pass is the lowest pass with an altitude of 4,375 meters above sea level.

Bhima Lojun La

Bhima lojun la pass is the first pass of the extreme upper Dolpo nine passes trek. It lies at an elevation of 4,460 meters above sea level. Although being the lowest pass, there is still a high chance of getting the Acute Mountain Sickness. Our skilled guide will make sure of your safety and security throughout the trek.

Jungben La

Jungben la pass is the highest pass of the extreme upper Dolpo nine passes trek. It lies at an elevation of 5,550 meters above sea level. Astonishing views of the himalayas, glaciers and the valleys can be seen from the top of the Jungben la pass.

Niwas La Pass

Niwas la pass is yet another challenging pass that you will cross during the trek. Situated at an elevation of 5,120 meters above sea level, it is also one of the high passes around the upper Dolpo region. You will reach the kharka village camp after crossing the Niwas la pass.

Neng La Pass

Neng la pass lies on the way to Saldang from Bhijier. It is also one of the toughest passes of the extreme upper Dolpo nine passes trek. Situated at an elevation of 5,368 meters above sea level, marvellous views of the mountain ranges and the valley can be seen from the top. Besides that, astonishing views of the Saldang village can also be seen while crossing the pass.

Nang La Pass

Nang la pass lies at an elevation of 4,375 meters above sea level. It is among the lowest passes among all the passes of the extreme upper Dolpo nine passes trek. You will cross this pass to reach Khamgaon from Simi gaon.

Mola Pass

Mola pass is situated at an elevation of 5,027 meters above sea level. It is one of the difficult passes of the upper Dolpo region of Nepal. You will reach Kharka village after crossing the pass from the Chharka Bhot. Situated at a high altitude the path to the top is rocky. Besides that the slippery path during the snowfall makes it impossible to cross in the winter. Because of that Mola pass is open from March to November only.

Numa La Pass

Numa la pass is the last pass that you will be crossing  during the extreme upper Dolpo nine passes trek. You will cross the pass after staying overnight at Danigar. Similarly, you will reach Numa la base camp and then to Tokyu after crossing the pass. The elevation of the Numa la pass is 5,309 meters above sea level.

Baga La Pass

Baga la pass lies at an elevation of 5,169 meters above sea level. This pass is open to cross during the months of April to November only. It is almost impossible to cross this pass in other months of the year. You will reach Danigar after crossing the Baga la pass. Similarly, we will stay overnight at Baga la phedi to cross the pass on time.

Kang La Pass

Kang la pass lies at an elevation of 5,350 meters above sea level. Also known by the name Nagdalo la pass, you will reach High camp after crossing this pass. Similarly, descending  through the bank of the Tuk kyaksa khola you will reach Sallaghari or the Low camp. Marvellous views of the mountain ranges as well as the beautiful villages can be seen from the top.

Phoksundo Lake

Phoksundo lake is one of the most popular aquamarine blue colour lakes of Nepal. It sits at an altitude of 3,589 meters above sea level. The icy cold water of the Phoksundo khola and other different glaciers are collected in the Phoksundo lake. Because of that the water is always freezing cold. Besides that the 1,91 square miles in size and the maximum depth is 145 meters. Making it one of the deepest high altitude lakes around the globe.

Located in the mid western region of Nepal, Phoksundo lake lies inside the Shey Phoksundo national park of Dolpo. No aquatic creatures have been recorded in this lake. This small piece of heaven is often considered as the most beautiful palace in the world. Surrounded by 20 monasteries on all sides, the water of the lake forms Nepal’s highest waterfall with a height of 167 meters.

Shey Phoksundo National Park

Shey Phoksundo national park is the biggest trans himalayan national park of Nepal. Located in the mid western part of Nepal, Shey Phosundo national park lies in the Dolpa and Mugu district. Established in 1984, it has been open for tourists since 1989. With an area of 3,555 square kilometers, the elevation ranges from 2,130 to 6,885 meters above sea level.

Some of the endangered animals that can be seen inside the Shey Phoksundo national parks include Snow leopard, musk deer, blue sheep, himalayan tahr, himalayan black bear, jackal etc. Similarly, Pachaunle, Jatamasi and Yarshagumba are some of the medical herbs found here. Snowfall occurs in the Shey Phoksundo national park almost every year  above 2,500 meters. Meanwhile, the headquarter of the national park is in Palam, Dolpa.

Annapurna Conservation Area Project

Although most parts of our Extreme upper Dolpo nine passes trek from Mustang is inside the Shey Phoksundo national park. We will trek in the Annapurna region of Nepal for the first few days. Jomsom and Kagbeni both of these extraordinary places lie in the Annapurna region of Nepal. We will start the trek from Jomsom and reach Kagbeni for the overnight stay.

Established in 1992 it is the largest conservation area of Nepal. Spread in 7629 square kilometers, it encompasses the Annapurna himalaya ranges. Meanwhile, it is extended in 5 districts and 15 rural municipalities. Similarly, Annapurna region also consists of the world’s deepest valley, Kaligandaki Valley which is 3 miles long and 1.5 miles wide. 1226 species of flowering plants, 105 mammals, 518 birds, 40 reptiles and 23 amphibians are recorded inside this conservation area.

Dho Tarap

Dolpo Dho Tarap lies at an altitude of 4,080 meters above sea level. It is one of the world’s highest human settlement valleys. Most of the locals follow traditional buddhist culture here. Meanwhile, the houses around here are specially designed as in the ancient days. The traditional architecture is used in every house of Dho Tarap.

Dho Tarap is one of the commercially developed villages of the upper Dolpo region. Similarly it is also the headquarters of the Dolpo Buddha Rural Municipality. Although being one of the most developed villages, carriers like horses, yaks and mules are abundant in this region. Almost all the houses have larger living space underground with a small portion peeking above the ground surface.

Shey Gompa

Shey Gompa is one of the popular villages of the upper Dolpo region of Nepal. It sits at an elevation of 4,343 meter above sea level. The main attraction of the Shey village is the Shey Gompa. Also known by the name Crystal Clear Mountain, it positions itself at the base of revered Crystal Mountain. This red and white painted ancient monastery is believed to be built in the 11th century by the great lama Tenzing Rapa.

Shey festival is one of the most popular festivals around here. Hundreds of people from different parts of the region gather together during this festival at Shey Gompa. Similarly, Shey Gompa also offers the opportunity to observe the Ancient Nonpoo Tradition.

Best time for extreme upper Dolpo trek from Mustang

Upper Dolpo is one of the isolated villages of Nepal. Because of that there are very few teahouses and lodges for the overnight stay. Similarly, the extreme weather conditions around the area and the high passes makes it even more difficult to explore throughout the year. During the time of snowfall and the monsoon season of the year it is almost impossible for extreme upper Dolpo nine passes trek.

The best time for extreme upper Dolpo nine passes trek is during the months of April and May. The weather is clear and astonishing views of the valleys, lakes, waterfalls as well as the valleys can be seen during these months of the year. Besides that, the blooming rhododendron flowers in the lower region makes the trekking trail even more interesting.

Another best time for extreme upper Dolpo nine passes trek is during the months of September and October. It is also called the pre-winter season in Nepal. During these months of the year the chances of snowfall is very low. Besides that the weather is clear and makes one of the ideal choices for trekking in Nepal.

Travel Insurance

Travel Insurance is one of the most important things you must do before any travel or the trek. Most of the trekkers ignore this important part of the trek and face many difficulties. Travel insurance ensures that the travel is fruitful and safe. It not only acts as a safety net against the risk of incurring unforeseen medical expenses but also safeguards against other travel related emergencies that could spoil your trip.

Travel Insurance is mandatory to visit Nepal and there are various ways to get travel insurance for Nepal. Anyone travelling inside the nation or taking international vacations or trips can get travel insurance. Meanwhile, some of the documents required to claim travel insurance includes

Travel cost of travel insurance for trekking in Nepal varies from company to company. But provides almost the same facilities. Some of the benefits provided by travel insurance includes

• Personal accident
• Medical and emergency expenses
• Hospital benefits
• Loss and delayed of checked baggages
• Loss of passport
• Personal liability
• Travel delay
• Hijack