Dolpo
is a Tibetan-like region lying to the north, and in the
rain-shadow of the main Himalayan peaks. Like nearby Mustang,
it has a unique culture.
Its people wear traditional Tibetan-style clothes and
jewellery and practise the pre-Buddhist animistic religion
of Bon Po. Its remoteness and the fact that only until
recently it was strictly off-limits, has meant that the
traditions and way of life have remained intact. In the
autumn of 1990 we were the first British tour operator
to organise a trek from east to west, from Pokhara to
Jumla through Lower Dolpo . This route, newly opened by
the Nepalese authorities, hiked into the western end of
Nepal where few Europeans have travelled.
It passed many gigantic mountain ranges - Annapurna ,
Dhaulagiri and Kanjiroba, to name but a few - and passed
through Lower Dolpo , at one time a small kingdom in its
own right. More recently we have repeated the route, with
variations and our groups see very few other Europeans
and enthused greatly about the wild remoteness, the stunning
mountain scenery and the fact that the local people had
that innocent friendliness peculiar to people who live
in excessively remote mountainous regions. In the past
few years, building on our knowledge, we have explored
some of the most isolated villages of Upper Dolpo , and
we will re-visit them again this year. In 1997 we were,
to our knowledge, the first British company to cross the
Kang La to visit Shey Gompa and Saldang. Most villages
in Dolpo are removed from the rest of the world to the
south by one or more difficult passes.
The people that live here number only a few hundred and
are among the world's highest dwellers. The villages in
Upper Dolpo are 14,000ft/4,300m and above. It is here
specifically that people still practise the pre-Buddhist
Bon Po religion. This early sect was almost entirely replaced
after Buddhist doctrine began to spread across Tibet in
the 9th century. Dolpo remained unknown to the rest of
the world until David Snelgrove discovered the region
in 1956. His account of his seven-month journey in the
inner mountain areas of west and central Nepal , titled
'Himalayan Pilgrimage' is the most authoritative work
describing this region.
The best known book though, is the evocative and romantic
novel by Peter Matthiessen - 'The Snow Leopard'. Our trek
follows the very path taken by Peter Matthiessen in 1973
when he went in search of spiritual enlightenment and
the snow leopard. The permit to visit Shey Gompa costs
considerably more than most other 'restricted' areas of
Nepal , but the journey to Shey is one of the special
ones of the Himalaya .
ITINERARY
DAY 01: FLY TO NEPALGUNJ
Take
a one hour flight from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj.
DAY
02: FLY TO JUPHAL (7,872ft/2,400m), TREK TO DUNAI (7,052ft/2,150m)
- 2-3 hours.
From
Nepalgunj take a flight to Juphal. From here you will
have walk through terraced fields to the Bheri River and
the narrow canyon which after in 2 hours will lead you
to a relatively larger village called Dunai. Camp overnight
here.
DAY
03: TREK TO ANKHE (8,724ft/2,660m) - 6-7 hrs
At the convergence of the Thuli
Bheri River you will have to turn north. You will find
that the river will continue to follow you at a distance.
You continue to track the river and eventually reach
Hanke, which is also the entrance to the Phoksundo National
Park.You pass through three villages and you can camp
near anyone of them.
DAY
04: TREK TO RENJE (10,184ft/3,104m) - 7 hrs
The trail starts becoming very
hectic but once you cross the river twice on well made
bridges, you then make a steep ascent on a very narrow
path hugging the cliff face. Having descended to the
river again the trail takes another steep ascent requiring
frequent stops to watch the panorama of the landscapes
and also for some rest. You may camp on the side of
Suligad River .
DAY
05: TREK TO PHOKSUNDO LAKE (Approx. 11,808ft/3,600m) -
6-7 hrs
From here the initial hours of
the trek is fairly easy. But from Sumdo the trail becomes
very much like an incline. Here the river is left behind
and you follow the path high above the water. Climb
up to a ridge, about 12,710ft/3,875m, from where you
will have the most staggering views of a 1,000ft/300m
waterfall, the highest in Nepal, and your first view
of Phoksundo Lake, a study in turquoise. You then descend
through birch forests to the upper reaches of the Phoksundo
Khola and on to the picturesque settlement of Ringmo
with its mud plastered chortens and mani walls. The
village now has solar panels helping to improve the
quality of life of the villagers. From the settlement
it is a short walk to the shores of Phoksundo Lake where
you set up camp.
DAY
06: TREK TO PHOKSUNDO KHOLA (11,575ft/3,507m)
- 5-6 hrs
From the lakeside you follow
the trail that skirts the edge of the lake itself. This
precarious trail is suspended on a gangway of wood supported
on pegs driven into crevices in the rocks and signals
the remoteness of the area you are about to enter. You
go very steeply up, to 13,251ft/4,040m, and then plunge
down again to the valley bottom to enter the flood plain
of the Phoksundo Khola and trek to your night stop alongside
the river, but within the confines of the forest to
avoid the worst of the wind which is prevalent in the
valley bottom. Camp overnight.
DAY
07: TREK TO PHOKSUNDO BHANJYANG (14,528ft/4,402m)
- 7-8 hrs
There are quite a few stream
crossings today, so you should take sandals or footwear
suitable for knee deep crossings. This morning you continue
along the level path through a glacial valley that now
heads due north. As this becomes narrower and narrower
there are impressive vertical cliffs and contorted rock
formations. At the confluence of the Phoksundo Khola
and another, unnamed, mountain stream there is an old
wooden bridge. Here you take the barely discernible
path to the north east up a side valley which has a
cavernous look. There is no trail as such, so it is
necessary to clamber over rocks and boulders and to
ford a stream that rushes down the steep valley. A long
climb brings you to a sheep meadow where the trail veers
up a steep ravine. A hard climb to the top brings you
to yet another valley where you can see the Kang La,
the pass will lead you to Shey Gompa. You camp just
before the pass in a place that Peter Matthiessen christened
'Snowfields Camp'.
DAY
08: CROSS THE KANG LA, (17,000ft/5,151m)
THEN TREK TO SHEY GOMPA (13,619ft/4,126m) - 6-7 hrs
After an initial easy stretch
going up the flood plain, the trail goes up very steeply.
The somewhat indistinct track is physically demanding
especially on the loose slate scree. It will take about
two and a half to three hours to reach the top of the
Kang La. The views from the top however are magnificent
and well worth all the hard work. The height of the
Kang La is variously given between 5,200 and 5,500 metres
depending on the map one uses. On descending steeply
to the valley floor, not more than 45 minutes, you make
a long meandering trek along the banks of the river,
crossing it once. A red chorten heralds your arrival
at Shey Gompa where a quaint wooden log bridge leads
up to the Shey compound. Camp overnight.
DAY
09: CROSS THE SALDANG LA, (15,790ft/4,785m),
THEN TREK TO NAMDUNA GAON (14,432ft/4,400m) - 7 hrs
You start by following a pleasant
track amidst juniper, which ascends to a grey, stony
canyon. This then begins to zig-zag over bare rocks
and coarse eroded soil until it eventually brings you
to a flat spot suitable for a brew or lunch if the weather
is fine. You then continue very steeply up for 20 minutes
before traversing to the top of the Saldang La. Here
you can enjoy great views towards the arid landscapes
of Mustang and the distant snow peaks of Tibet . The
subsequent descent towards the north is long and tiring
but you finally come upon the welcome sight of pastures
of grazing yaks and sheep and nomadic tents made from
yak hair. This signals your approach to Namduna Gaon.
Like Shey, the Namgung monastery is of the Karma-pa
sect. The monastery, a red stone structure, is built
against the backdrop of a cliff on the north wall of
a gorge. The red and white colours of the gompa and
its stupas are the only colour in this stark landscape.
The village itself consists of only six stone houses
and has terraced fields on both sides of the tributary,
which flow down to the Nam Khong valley. The economy
of the region is based on agriculture, animal husbandry
and trading. In Dolpo only one crop a year can be grown
and this is mainly barley. In some villages buckwheat,
oilseed, potato and radish are also cultivated. Recently
the main cliff temple collapsed and the villagers have
now built a beautiful new monastery in the village itself.
Camp overnight.
DAY
10: TREK TO SALDANG. (12,881ft/3,903m)
- 3 hrs
In the morning after packing
up the loads you leave the Namgung monastery and start
climbing a scree slope. Further on it begins a long
thrilling traverse along some dusty barren mountains.
Looking down into the valley bottom it is very evident
that the people have made best use of the fertile valley
as one sees the neat terraced fields showing bright
patches of green and ripening crops. You ascend to 15,432ft/4,705m
before going down steep slopes to the picturesque village
of Salding , situated on a plateau high above the Nam
Khong nala and the biggest village of the inner Dolpo
area. Though the village lies at about the same altitude
as Ringmo it is totally different. Ringmo, a Himalayan
village is situated below the tree line while Saldang
belongs to the arid zone of the trans-Himalayan Tibetan
plateau. The village stretches for two kilometres on
an open slope and consists of five villages having eighty
well-built houses with nearly six hundred villagers.
It is prosperous, not only agriculturally, but also
for its strategic location on a trade route to Tibet
. After the Chinese occupation of Tibet in 1959, trade
with Tibet was virtually stopped. It has been restored
to some extent through the barter system by which Tibetan
salt reaches mid-Nepal. The Drokpa people from the western
plains of Tibet collect salt from the dried lakes north
of Tsangpo. Camp overnight.
DAY
11: TREK TO SIBU (13,009ft/3,942m) -
6 hrs
You bid farewell to Saldang and
on the way down to the river bed you pass through terraced
fields, stupas, chortens, heaps of mani stones and a
Chaiba monastery. Namdo, the next village is also prosperous
with sixty houses having nearly four hundred inhabitants.
It stretches for more than 5km on the high slopes to
the left of Nam Khong Khola. The Namdo monastery is
located near the river bed. There is also another monastery
on top of a high cliff. You camp near the small settlement
of Sibu, right on the river bank.
DAY
12: TREK TO FOOT OF THE JENG LA (14,420ft/4,369m)
- 4-5 hrs
Following
the line of the river valley the trail is fairly easy
going initially. After about two hours it is necessary
to wade another stream before turning into a side valley
and the rise becomes very sharp. After only four hours
walking you reach your lunch and night stop. This is a
pleasant meadow, but bestrewn with rocks, yak and other
animal droppings. Camp overnight.
DAY
13: CROSS THE JENG LA, (15,990ft/4,845m), TREK TO TOKYU
GAON (13,907ft/4,240m) - 6-7 hrs
It is only a 2 hour
climb to reach the top of the Jeng La. The trail is generally
well compacted making the going underfoot easy, much easier
than loose shale, but it is steep. From the top of the pass
there are good views of the Dhaulagiri massif, glittering
in the morning light. A rough track descends towards the
Tarap valley. By the afternoon you find a green valley which
leads you by a pleasant track down towards the Tarap Chu.
Tarap is a dream valley with vast plains in high mountains
extending 20kms along the river Tarap Chu. It has ten villages
with cultivated fields, many gompas and chortens of both
sects. You halt for the night at Tokyu monastery. This monastery
also belongs to the Chaiba sect. Camp overnight.
DAY
14: TREK TO DHO TARAP (13,418ft/4,090m)
- 2 hrs
You
walk east along the downward course of Tarap Chu in a
plain valley with patches of lush verdant grass on both
sides of the river - completely different from other parts
of inner Dolpo. Before leaving Tokyu a short visit can
be made to the Chaiba Gompa. The trail is broad and well
travelled, making the going easy and there is much evidence
of work in the fields where the women will be bringing
in the harvest - the men are away bringing down the herds
of animals for the forthcoming winter. There are many
mani walls but some of the chortens are in a bad state
of repair. The ' French School ' is just outside the village
of Dho Tarap where you have your night stop. Dho is surrounded
by an irregular stone wall and consists of thirty-four
houses, divided into three clusters and built in a haphazard
way. A chance to make friends with the people from Dolpo.
Tarap is inhabited mostly by Magars who have lived here
for generations but also by a few Tibetans. They wear
home-spun clothing that is sometimes dyed maroon and they
favour Tibetan style somba (boots with upturned toes)
for footgear. Men and women often wear both religious
amulets and strings of coral and turquoise. The inhabitants
of this village are both Bon Po and Buddhist (Nyingmapa).
In the afternoon a walk up to the Buddhist Gompa is very
worthwhile. There is a resident lama who is very happy
to show off his monastery and might even let you see his
private Gompa and the tankas he has made himself. The
Bon Gompa is about half an hour's walk. Camp overnight
by the riverside.
DAY
15: TREK TO SERKAM (11,906ft/3,630ft)
- 7 hrs
The
next two days are longish with a choice of several different
campsites so the itinerary can be flexible. Your route
follows the course of the Tarap Khola, generally downhill.
You go through narrow gorges with the river rushing through.
One may see blue sheep, marmots, yaks, sheep and goats
and perhaps meet people from Dolpo taking their flocks
of sheep and goats to lower pastures for the winter. The
afternoon brings more undulations in the path when it
leaves the immediate course of the river. There is evidence
of improvements to the trail where parts of the rock have
been blasted out. You will also see the first of the modern
steel suspension bridges which have been built to facilitate
movement of people and animals. The track is very narrow
in places. You reach your overnight camp on a grassy strip
by the river.
DAY
16: TREK TO KHANIGAON. (8,415ft/2,550m)
- 6-7 hrs
You
continue to walk down the gorge of the Tarap river, at
times alongside it and at others high above, on a narrow
trail built out from the steep slopes. The quality of
the path varies from broad, smooth and firm to very narrow
and crumbly. There are also flights of man made stone
staircases which need to be tackled with care - some of
the constituent rocks wobble when stepped upon! An exciting
day in deep and awe-inspiring gorges. Your camp site is
a pleasant meadow in the shade of a stand of trees.
DAY
17: TREK TO TARAKOT. (7,530ft/2,281m)
- 4 hours
You
leave Khanigoan by the new suspension bridge and then
walk alongside the river, sometimes going very high before
reaching down to the water again. Some of the going is
quite demanding and one bridge, said to have been out
for six years, necessitates crossing on wet stepping-stones.
Coming into the broad fertile valley of the Barbung Chu,
you walk amongst the various crops of millet, sweet corn,
barley, buckwheat, green beans, chillies and marijuana.
Tarakot is an old fortress town known by the local people
as Dzong, meaning 'fort'. Before the Gorkha dynasty Tarakot
was the capital and had a dzong. The famous Sandul gompa,
which lies 8km east of Tarakot and at the junction of
Barbung Khola and Tarap Chu, stands on a knoll to the
south of Bheri river and at one time supervised collections
of tolls for the trading caravans traversing an area called
Tichu Rong. As an alternative to camping at Tarakot, you
may camp down by the river as there are good cooking facilities
there and a clean, locked toilet for trekkers' use. Camp
overnight.
DAY
18: TREK TO DUNAI. (6,772ft/2,052m) -
5 hours
The
trail is mostly down and fairly firm underfoot. Walking
beside the Bheri river you use the ingenious path built
twenty feet above the river. All too soon you have reached
the village of Dunai and the camp site you used before.
Camp overnight.
DAY
19: TREK TO JUPHAL . (7,936ft/2,404m)
- 3 hours
You
now retrace your steps to Juphal. Initially the way is
flat but the final hour up to your destination
seems steeper than you remember on Day One! Camp overnight
in the grounds of one of the lodges.
DAY
20: FLY TO KATHMANDU
Fly to Nepalgunj
Take
a one hour flight from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj.
