Upper Dolpo Trek — 22 Days

Arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport, transfer to your hotel in Thamel. Trek briefing, permit paperwork and equipment check with your guide in the evening.

Guided tour of UNESCO World Heritage sites — Boudhanath stupa and Pashupatinath. Final shopping for personal trekking gear and packing for a remote camping expedition.

Scenic flight to Nepalgunj in the hot western Terai near the Indian border. Overnight here to connect with the early morning mountain flight to Juphal.

Spectacular short flight to the Juphal airstrip in Dolpa. Meet the camping crew and trek down the Bheri River to Dunai, the district headquarters, where we make our first camp.

Cross the suspension bridge and follow the Phoksundo Khola, entering Shey Phoksundo National Park. The trail winds through pine and walnut forest to camp at Chhepka.

Continue up the river valley through forest and small farms, passing the Tibetan amchi (herbal medicine) hospital. Steady climb to our camp at Chunuwar.

A steep climb past Nepal's highest waterfall brings us to the Tibetan village of Ringmo and the stunning turquoise Phoksundo Lake — one of the most photographed scenes in the Himalaya.

Rest and acclimatisation day. Visit Ringmo village and the ancient Bon Tshowa Gompa above the lake, and take a short acclimatisation hike along the shoreline.

Traverse the famous narrow ledge path along the western shore of the lake, then descend to the river and follow the glacial valley to a forest camp at Sallaghari.

Leave the treeline behind and climb steadily up the alpine valley to a high camp at the foot of the Kang La pass, ready for an early start the next morning.

The first big pass. A demanding climb to the prayer-flag-strewn Kang La at 5,360 m offers sweeping views of the Dolpo plateau, then a long descent to Shey Gompa, the Crystal Monastery beneath sacred Crystal Mountain.

A full day to explore the 11th-century Shey Gompa, the spiritual heart of Dolpo, and the kora pilgrimage trail around Crystal Mountain. A vital acclimatisation day before the next pass.

Climb across the barren Saldang La pass into true trans-Himalayan desert, then descend to Namduna Gaon and the red-walled Namgung Gompa set into the cliffs.

Trek to Saldang, the largest village in Upper Dolpo — terraced barley fields, chortens and a string of houses on an old salt-trading route between Tibet and Nepal.

Follow the Namga Khola up the valley to the remote Yangze Gompa, an important ancient Bon monastery, passing scattered herders' settlements along the way.

Retrace down to Saldang and continue south along the Nam Khong Khola, passing chortens, mani walls and caravans of yaks and goats, to camp at Sibu.

Follow the river then climb steeply alongside grazing herds to a high camp below the Jeng La pass, with views opening towards the Dhaulagiri massif to the east.

Cross the Jeng La for dramatic dawn views of Dhaulagiri, then descend into the green Tarap valley to Tokyu Gaon and its old Buddhist monastery.

A short, easy walk down the broad Tarap valley to Dho Tarap, one of the highest permanent settlements on earth, where Bon and Buddhist communities live side by side.

Begin the long descent off the plateau, following the Tarap Khola down through a dramatic gorge with junipers and the first trees in many days.

Continue down the narrowing gorge and along the Bheri River to lower, greener country, camping near the village of Tarakot.

Final trek down to Dunai and up to the Juphal airstrip, then fly via Nepalgunj back to Kathmandu (schedule permitting) where the expedition concludes.