Upper Dolpo to Mustang Trek

UPPER DOLPO TO MUSTANG TREK OVERVIEW

Upper Dolpo to Mustang Trek trial is one of the highest inhabited places in the world. Far away from the hustle-bustle of the modernisation, it is still a stronghold of the ancient Bon-Po religion. This religion existed way before Buddhism emerged on the Tibetan plateau.

Dolpo is strongly influenced by Tibetan culture. Apart from culture, it is home to a variety of wildlife that is not seen in the lower reaches of the Himalayas. But it is cut from the rest of Nepal, due to snowfall throughout the year.

The people living in Dolpo still practice the nomadic way of living. On the contrary, the inhabitants of Mustang practice both the luxurious and comfortable way. The main reason behind that is the famous Silk Route that goes through the Mustang region. It is said that the nomads living in the Upper Dolpo region still use the salt route to trade in Tibet.

Upper Dolpo to Mustang Trek is all about two wonderful locations – Dolpo and Mustang. Both are equally beautiful and unique but at the same time but slightly difficult to approach.

Trek Route

Firstly, the trek begins with an amazing flight over the Himalayas to reach Juphal. From here you will move forward to the Suligad River Gorge and then to the Lake Phoksundo. You will cross our first pass at 5000 meters above sea level to reach the holy Shey Gompa and the “Crystal Mountain.”

You then cross over another pass to reach Saldang.

(Note: This is the same village where the first Nepali movie “Caravan – Himalaya” was shot. Later on, it got nominated for the Oscar in the foreign films category).

Here you will have some days in hand to explore and get acclimatized. You can also get an insight into the lifestyle of the Tibetan people who would be busy with the Autumn Harvesting. From here we move forward to a more remote area in the Pansang Valley that includes Khoma, Shimen and Tinkyu regions.

The trails and mountain passes that connect these remote villages and hamlets are a treasure trove of cultural heritage. This is the sight worth not missing.

The Upper Dolpo region is also home to the Bhotiya Culture (ethno-linguistically tibetan people living in the trans-himalayan region) which in itself is a distinct feature of the place.

Mustang has remnants of the Thakali culture. There are many ancient monasteries one of which is Shey Gompa.  Dolpo and Mustang seem so similar yet they are so different from each other in terms of the culture, the lifestyle of the people and the religious inclination of the inhabitants.

Upper Dolpo to Mustang Trek is a rugged mountainous region, dotted by several fortified villages, Dzongs or monasteries. Additionally, you can even see crystal clear lakes, revered mountains, and high passes.

All in all, Upper Dolpo to Mustang Trek is as exhilarating as it is adventurous. Passing the high mountain passes and going down to Mustang is an epic journey that each of the trekkers remembers for a lifetime.

Phoksundo Lake, situated at the highest point of the sea level, is another main attraction.

Highlights of this Wonderful Trek

• Trek to the most remote and least developed district in Nepal.
• Walkthrough the Shey Phoksundo National Park.
• Brilliant opportunity to observe the dazzling landmarks and geographical terrain.
• The wild and amazing diversity of plants and wildlife, counting the blue sheep and leopard.
• The ancient Bon-Po religions.
• Nepal’s First English subtitled movie on Dolpo – The Caravan which was nominated for Oscar award too.