Dopo Trekking lies in the north of Mid Western Development Region and bordering Tibet, Dolpa is one of the least visited parts of Nepal. Concealed behind the Dhaulagiri chain of mountains and high passes, it was isolated from the rest of Nepal and considered as a mysterious place even by the Nepalese. Until 1989 access to this region was restricted and only a few foreign travellers were ever allowed to venture here. Dolpa is the largest district in Nepal with green hills in the south and barren and arid northern region called Dolpo, which contains the largest trans-Himalayan Shey Poksundo National Park covering 3555sq km. The park provides a diversity of spectacular landscapes and ranks among the most scenic mountain parks in the world. It contains the Nepal’s deepest and second largest Poksundo Lake, famous for its magnificent turquoise colour. There are many beautiful glaciers around the lake and near the lake’s outlet is the country’s highest waterfall. The lower green hills in the south are populated mostly by Hindus but past the ring of high mountains and passes, you enter into the Inner Dolpo and people are all Buddhist of Tibetan origin. These hardy people have been surviving in these harsh conditions through farming, keeping livestock and trading with Tibet using Yak caravan for centuries.
Dolpo Trekking is a mystical place where time seemed to have stood still. People here believe Padmasambhava better known as Guru Rinpoche created this hidden valley as a place of meditation for those with pure mind and the reason why there is no aquatic life in Poksundo Lake is because a whole village was flooded by an evil spirit to form it. The legend also says that 800 year old Shey Gompa or crystal mountain monastery was built by a Buddhist teacher who flew here on a back of a flying snow lion. Every year, hundreds of Buddhists pilgrims come to this most revered Gompa to worship and make a 'kora' or circuit round the crystal mountain as in the more famous Kailash Mountain in Tibet.
Dolpo came to the attention of majority of Nepalese and the rest of the world through an exccellent Oscar nominated Nepali film Himalayan (or Caravan). Dolpo treks was open to trekkers after 1989 and is now more accessible due to the airfield at Juphal. It is still a restricted area requiring special permit but it is the place to visit in Nepal. We offer two excellent treks to the Dolpo region plus an easy and beautiful trek to Rara lake just west of here.
