Upper Dolpo to Jomsom
Day 1
Arrival KTM
Day 2 KTM:
Preparations, permits etc.
Day 3
Fly to Nepalgunj, the largest city in western Nepal, the heart of the Terai, near the Indian border. Overnight in guest house.
Day 4
Fly to Nepalgunj, the largest city in western Nepal, the heart of the Terai, near the Indian border. Overnight in guest house.
Day 5 Dunaï - Sekpa (2700 m) .
Rise in the valley of the Suli Gad, who was born in Lake Phoksumdo. Gradual rise in the balcony to the hamlet of Sekpa (2700 m) among crops and forest. 4:30 hrs walk, climb 760 meters + / - 150 meters. Overnight camp.
Day 6 Sekpa - Sumdo (3000 m) .
The path runs along the Suli Gad still mainly in the forest. A passage in the balcony will reveal beautiful views of the massive Kanjiroba. Camp at 3000 m. at Sumdo 4:30 hrs to walk 810 km, altitude 375 meters +. Overnight camp.
Day 7 Sumdo - Ringmo - Phoksumdo (3600 m)
We reach the confluence of the Suli Gad and Pumgma Khola. Another hour in the forest, up the course of the Pumgma Khola. The vegetation changes, conifers become the majority. We enter the pastures and soon discover Palmo, a winter village residents of Ringmo. From there, we attack a steep climb .. Soon is the beautiful waterfall (300 meters high, one of the highest of Nepal), serving as a spillway at Lake Phoksumdo. Passage of a shoulder (3860 m) and gentle slopes toward the village of Ringmo whose houses stand out in a forest of pine and juniper trees on the banks of the lake waters deep blue mountains. Afternoon for rest and exploration in the area, visit the Bönpo monastery on the lake shore and chortens tan and white with distinctive architecture. 3:30 walk, climb 665 meters + / - 200 meters. Overnight camp.
Day 8 Phoksumdo Lake – Forest camp (3800 m) .
We enter the upper Dolpo and leave the area "allowed" by the classic trekking permit.The path along the lake to the magnificent turquoise, first on the banks, then quickly Balcony: up and down, sometimes delicate passages remind us of the sequence so impressive of the "Childhood of a Leader" of the film Eric Vali (3:30 walk). Leaving the lake, we ascend the Phoksumdo Khola and camp in the forest at the confluence of its tributary that will lead us to the Ganda La. We are at the foot of Kanjeralwa, a nice solid ice 6612 m. Bush camp at 3800 m. 6 hours walk, climb 645 meters + / - 540 meters. Overnight camp.
Day 9 Trek to d Ganda La (4700 m) B.C.
We go up the stream in a gorge crossing many times, finally reaching the foot of the pass that we are no longer separated by large slopes. Camp at 4700 meters and rest for acclimatization. altitude + 935 m / - 55 meters. Overnight camp.
Day 10 Cross Ganda La - Shey Gompa (4125 m)
About 2 hours to the summit (5150 m): cairns and prayer flags greet us ... the emotion of a landscape discovered by David Snellgrove and Peter Matthiessen .- 'kyi kyi lha Gyalo na na "(demons are defeated, the victorious gods) one exclaims in Tibetan root of the local dialect. We descend slowly along the river and reach Shey Gompa. Made famous by the stories of David Snellgrove and Peter Matthiessen (The Snow Leopard), Shey Gompa was founded, say the Dolpo-Pa, a great yogi, Drutob Yeshe Senge, who arrived in these places on a leopard wheel. During his meditations, he built a Chorten crystal near a small mountain lake: the pilgrims still collect rock crystals. Shey's name comes from elsewhere Shel: crystal in Tibetan. The famous "Crystal Mountain" is a white pyramid, sacred throughout the Dolpo, which dominates the neck Phoksumdo. The small monastery karma-kaguypa is busy at certain times of the year in late spring, it is the seat of a festival bringing together all the Dolpo, at which the pilgrims make a trip ritual of Crystal Mountain. (3 hours walk). By late afternoon, we visit Tsakhang, the monastery of retirement in a cliff hanging (2 hours hiking). The monks have banned hunting of many animals roam the valley of Shey, including the snow leopard! Camp in the monastery at 4210 m). 3 hours walk, climb 685 meters + / - 975 meters. Overnight camp.
Day 11 Shey Gompa - Nam Khong (4230 m) .
We leave Shey Gompa, go along the wide valley to the east, then go back to the Nam Khong-La (4925 m) meadows grazed by herders living in tents. The summit is revealed an exceptional view of the high plateaus and peaks of Tibet, close (4 pm to climb). We descend quickly camp near Nam Khong and his recently restored monastery (4230 m). 2:30 slope.Village built on both sides of a gorge, the ancient monastery clinging to the cliff Kagyu, gave his name to all that part of Dolpo. 6:30 walk, climb 795 meters + / - 245 meters. Overnight in camp.
Day 12 Nam Khong - Saldang (3900 m) .
Nam Khong, we climb to reach an upper balcony. Then, after crossing a shoulder at 4400 m, we descend on Saldang (3750 m), village Dolpo-pa typical houses scattered among the terraces on a hill. In the afternoon, stroll through the village. 3:30 walk, climb 460 meters + / - 740 meters. Overnight camp.
Day 13 Saldang - Yangser - Camp near Nyisal (3800 m) .
We go north along the valley of Nam Khong downstream: at its confluence with the Panzang Chu is the village of Nyisal dominated by the monastery of Yangsi. Our team sets up camp and we go to the monastery in the afternoon. This ancient Sakya gompa, became Nyingma, is particularly impressive, lost deep in the Himalayas: a strong testimony of the religious fervor of the Dolpo-pa. 4 hours walk. Overnight camp
Day 14 Nyisal - Mu (4100 m) .
A path strewn with many walls and chortens prayer leads us to Mu, the northernmost town of Dolpo, the gateway to reach the large village of Shimen. Very wild place that combines Dolpo - pa and Kamp came from Tibet. The people are specialists in caravan trade. Camp at 4100 m. 5 hours walk. Overnight camp
Day 15 Mu - Shimen (3925 m).
Although there is a path that connects to Shimen Mu, but it is usable in winter. So we have to go through a shoulder to over 5000 m. But the view is the appointment, as close to Tibet than to the south of Dolpo. Arrival in Shimen, a small town with beautiful terraces ideally placed in an open valley. Depending on the availabilty of the place of bivouac, we can camp near the village as well as the next flat area about 1 hour from here to 4010 m. 5 hours walk.Overnight camp
Day 16 Shimen - Thingkiyu (4145 m) .
Day contour passing through the hamlet of Phal is one of the favorite passages Dolpo-pa to travel to Tibet. The ability to cross the caravan is great. Between fields and banks of river we reach Thingkiyu, where religious fervor is visible. Camp at 4135 m. 5:30 walk, climb 400 meters + / - 180 meters. Overnight in tents
Day 17 Thingkiyu - Shela La B.C.
Valley, the Mecca caravans crossing divides into two branches, Charka and Do. In the middle of "Tea shop" and yaks we reach the foot of the pass of Shela La (5060 m). Camp at 4900 m. 7 hours walk, climb 800 meters + / - 50 meters. Overnight camp
Day 18 Trek near Dö, Tarap (4050 m)
We descend into the valley of C, Tarap, (4050 m), "the valley of excellent horses," which made known the Dolpo. This is the most populous of the region: Tok Kyu encompasses the villages built on both sides of the Tarap Chu, Dö those of the confluence of the Tarap Chu Chu and Doro. Buddhist temples and shrines and Bonpos line the two valleys, the women wear beautiful dresses sometimes money. 6 hours walk, climb 530 m + / - 950 meters..Overnight camp.
Day 19 Dho Tarap valey – Camp Tsharka (4550 m) B.C.
Arrives at the confluence, we head east and begin the ascent of Doro Chu. We pass near the monastery Bon Ship Chhok, then cross the hamlet of Ro Do, the last Tarap Valley. In the gorge, we reach a grassy plateau at the top of a talus at the foot of the first pass that separates us from Tshark. 4 hours walk, climb 715 m + / - 70 meters. Overnight camp.
Day 20
One of the wildest days of the route. We go back to first pass Tshark (5300 m) in 2 hrs.Great view of the Dhaulagiri V and III. We go down to lunch by the river, then go back to the foot of the second pass, along a wide valley. 6 hours walk, climb 810 meters + / - 720 meters.Overnight camp
Day 21
Rapid rise in the second Tshark Pass (4880 m) and descent to the village of the same name. Very different from other villages Dolpo-pa, Tshark looks like a fort with its tall buildings and temples grouped into walls overlooking the River. Visit the village. We go back in the tumultuous Barbung Khola and find a camp at 4330 meters upstream 6:30 walk, climb 670 meters + / - 980 meters. Overnight camp.
Day 22
Trek up to direction of Sangda pass. We continue to go back in the river to get a ford upstream. We pass a grassy plateau, with a large house, then find a way possible. From here we climb up grassy slopes by a wide valley. 4 hours walk, climb 595 meters + / - 165 meters. Overnight camp.
Day 23
Cross Sangda pass 5240 mtr. The climb is gentle and progressive until Sangda La. First green, it becomes mineral to the top of the pass (5420 m). A quick descent to the shelter for lunch, and we continue in a wilderness setting to reach a final shoulder (5000 m). For a quick and steep descent, we reach a grassy plateau to camp at 4305 m, in front of Sangda. 6 hours walk, climb 710 meters + / - 1115 meters. Overnight camp
Day 24
Camp near the river. We descend to the river crossing the new bridge and go up on Sangda (there are two villages on each side of the valley, one winter, one summer). Picnic at Sangda, then a good climb we reach the first torrent to install our camp at night. 6 hours walk, climb 940 meters + / - 1065 meters. Overnight camp
Day 25
Trek to Jomsom. We cross several shoulders and neck in 4150, 4320 and 4020 m. Along the way we pass beautiful herds of yaks and enjoy a beautiful view of (if the weather is nice!). We reach the village of Phallak and begin our descent and the Kali Gandaki. We visit Dangar Dzong village opens to the Mustang on one side, the Kali Gandaki low on the other. The valley of the Kali Gandaki is the world's largest, dominated by two peaks of 8000 m: Annapurna and Dhaulagiri. After a final Shoulder (3700 m), we descend quickly through the debris to Jomosom (2713 m). Festive evening with our team of porters, cooks and Sherpas. 6 hours walk, climb 705 meters + / - 2085 meters. Overnight camp
Day 26
Fly to Pokhara then onto KTM.