In the afternoon, transfer to the airport for the flight to Nepalgunj, the major city of western Nepal located in the heart of the Terai, near the Indian border. Overnight at the hotel.

Flight to Juphal, the small airport that provides access to Dolpo (subject to weather and operational conditions). Short walk to Dunai. Organization of loads with the muleteer. First campsite (approximately 3 hours of walking).

Follow the Suli Gad Valley, which originates from Phoksumdo Lake. Gradual ascent along a terrace trail to the hamlet of Sepka, passing through cultivated fields and forested areas. Overnight at the campsite. Approximately 6 hours of walking.

The trail continues along the Suli Gad, mainly through forested areas. A terrace section offers beautiful views of the Kanjiroba massif. Overnight at the campsite in Sumdo. Approximately 5 hours of walking.

We reach the confluence of the Phoksumdo Khola and Pumgma Khola. Entering the alpine meadows, we soon arrive at Palmo, a winter village of the Ringmo inhabitants. After visiting the national park office, we begin an ascent. Soon, the magnificent waterfall appears—300 meters high, one of the tallest in Nepal—serving as the outlet for Phoksumdo Lake. Crossing a ridge at 3,860 m, we then descend gently to the village of Ringmo, with its houses standing out against a forest of pine and juniper on the shores of the intensely blue lake, surrounded by ochre-colored mountains. Camp near the lake. Approximately 4.5 hours of walking.

Acclimatization day with a visit to the Bonpo monastery and the village of Ringmo. Overnight at the campsite.

We enter Upper Dolpo, leaving the area covered by the standard trekking permit. The trail follows the lake with its stunning turquoise color, first along the shoreline, then quickly along terraces with ups and downs and a few sometimes tricky sections. Leaving the lake, we follow the Phoksumdo Khola upstream and camp in the forest at the confluence of a tributary that will lead us toward the Kang-La Pass. Approximately 6 hours of walking. We are at the foot of Kanjeralwa, a magnificent glacial massif standing at 6,612 m.

We follow the stream upstream through a gorge, crossing it numerous times to reach our camp at the base of Kang-La Pass at 4,600 m. Overnight at the campsite. Approximately 5 hours of walking.

Ascent to the pass via large scree slopes. At the summit (5,150 m), cairns and prayer flags mark the spot. We then descend gently along the river to Shey Gompa. According to the Dolpo-pa, Shey Gompa was founded by the great yogi Drutob Senge Yeshe, who arrived in the area on a flying leopard. During his meditations, he built a crystal chörten near a small high-altitude lake, where pilgrims still collect rock crystals. The name Shey comes from “Shel,” meaning crystal in Tibetan. The famous Crystal Mountain, a white pyramid sacred throughout Dolpo, dominates the Phoksumdo Pass. The small Karma-Kagyu monastery is only occupied at certain times of the year; in late spring, it hosts a major festival attracting people from across Dolpo, during which pilgrims perform a ritual circumambulation of the Crystal Mountain. Camp near the chörtens. Approximately 5 hours of walking.

We leave Shey Gompa, following its wide valley eastward, then ascend through pastures to Nam Khong-La (4,925 m). From the summit, there is an exceptional view of the high plateaus and nearby Tibetan peaks. We descend quickly to camp near Nam Khong and its recently restored monastery. Approximately 6 hours of walking.

From Nam Khong, we ascend to reach a higher terrace. Then, after crossing a ridge at 4,400 m, we descend to Saldang (3,750 m), a typical Dolpo-pa village with houses scattered among terraced hillsides. Approximately 4.5 hours of walking. Village visit. Overnight at the campsite.

We follow the Nam Khong Valley, dotted with numerous prayer walls and chörtens. Villages appear along the way: Namdo, dominated by the Nyigmapa monastery of Sal Gompa; Sibu; and Cha (4,000 m). We continue on to Yak Kharka. Approximately 7 hours of walking. Overnight at the campsite.

We ascend to Langmoche La Pass (5,100 m), which separates Upper Dolpo from the Tarap Valley, then descend quickly to camp in beautiful flower-filled alpine meadows. Approximately 7 hours of walking. Views of the Dhaulagiri range. Overnight at the campsite.

We descend into the Tarap Valley, the most populated valley in the region, passing through the villages of Tok Kyu and Kakar Gompa. Approximately 3 hours of walking. Overnight at the campsite.

Rest day with a visit to the village. Overnight at the campsite.

Upon reaching the confluence, we turn east and begin ascending the Doro Chu. We pass the Bonpo monastery of Ship Chhok, then the hamlet of Do Ro, the last settlement in the Tarap Valley. Through gorges, we reach a grassy plateau atop a scree slope, at the base of the first pass separating us from Tsharka. Approximately 4 hours of walking.

One of the wildest days of the itinerary. We ascend to the first Tsharka Pass (5,165 m) in about 2 hours, enjoying superb views of Dhaulagiri V and III. We then descend for lunch by the river before ascending toward the base of the second pass, following a wide valley (approximately 3.5 hours). Camp at 4,770 m.

Quick ascent to the second Tsharka Pass (4,880 m) and descent to the village of the same name. Very different from other Dolpo-pa villages, Tsharka resembles a fortress, with tall houses and temples clustered within walls overlooking the river. We then follow the turbulent course of the Barbung Khola upstream and set up camp at 4,330 m. Approximately 5 hours of walking.

We continue following the river upstream to reach a ford. Passing a grassy plateau with a large house, we find a possible crossing. From there, we ascend grassy slopes into a wide valley. We camp at 4,850 m by the river. Approximately 6 hours of walking.

The ascent to Sangda La is gentle and gradual. Starting through green pastures, the terrain becomes rocky near the pass summit (5,340 m). After a quick descent to a sheltered spot for lunch, we continue through a wild landscape to reach a final ridge at 5,000 m. From there, a steep and rapid descent leads to a grassy plateau where we camp opposite Sangda (4,190 m). Approximately 6 hours of walking.

We descend toward the river, cross the new bridge, and then ascend to Sangda (there are two villages of the same name on opposite sides of the valley—one winter, one summer). We stay in the village at 3,800 m and camp near the houses. Approximately 5–6 hours of walking.

We cross several ridges and passes at 4,150 m, 4,320 m, and 4,020 m. We then reach the village of Kagbeni and continue by private local jeep to Jomsom. Approximately 6.5 hours of walking and 1 hour by jeep. Overnight at a lodge.

Flight to Pokhara (subject to weather and operational conditions), followed by a flight to Kathmandu. Transfer to the hotel.