Upper Dolpo Trek – “Mysterious Land”

Nepal has so many beautiful places to visit. Aamong them one of the hidden tourist destinations of Nepal is Upper Dolpo Trek – Mysterious Land. Dolpo is a land just lies beyond the Himalaya that conjures up visions of mysterious monasteries, elusive snow leopards and unusual blue sheep. It remains one of Nepal’s most remote regions. Until recently the privacy of the area has made it strictly off-limits, adding to its air of mystery and intrigue. This kind of protection from the outside world also helped the ancient traditions. And age-old way of life in the area to remain intact over generations of time.

In one side the breathtaking and mesmerizing and the stunning mountain scenery is to behold. And in another side meeting the people who call this region home is equally moving. These friendly locals number only into the hundreds and with some villages located higher than 4,300 meters are among the highest dwellers in the world. Upper Dolpo is a region where many Tibetans reside. Though these regions are located in Nepal, they are very Tibetan in both their culture and lifestyle. This mysterious land has been Isolate for generations. They still practice the pre-Buddhist religion Bon Po. It was almost completely replaced by modern Buddhist doctrine in the 9th century. The area was significantly made known by writers Peter Matthiessen and David Snellgrove, who visited and wrote books about their journeys.

A trek through Upper Dolpo Trek provides the genuine feeling of being a true mountain resident. And is sure to enchant and inspire anyone who follows its mysterious route. The 1999 French-Nepalese movie Himalaya or The Caravan was made which was directed by Éric Val about life of this place. It was the first Nepalese film which got a huge national and international success. It was also nominated for the Oscar Award in the best foreign language film category. The film makes a history that it became the first Nepalese film to be nominated in the Best Foreign Film category at the 72nd Academy Awards. The film depicts not only the life style of the upper Dolpo people of the mid western uphills of Nepal. But also their traditional customs, for example celestial burial.

There are many mysterious as well as terrific places in Dolpo Area. Among them one of its main attractions of the trek is Shey Phoksundo Park. Were there is a wide array of flora and fauna. The remote and isolated area is a dream for challenge-seekers and adventurers who wish to explore the routes that lead to the mid-western parts of Nepal. you may frequently see a most popular animal, blue sheep.  You can see this herbivorous mammal bouncing off rocks, and peacefully grazing away at the grass. Most of the time dews to havey snowfall very few foreigners and tourists are allow access to Upper Dolpo. The culture has been left untouched by the spread of tourism. The Himalayan pilgrimage takes place twice a year at the Shey Gompa, where pilgrims make a kora of the crystal mountain known as Mt. Kailash.

The treks in Upper Dolpo are particularly challenging. As you trek, you will walk between high mountain passes surrounded by dry, arid land, and small tufts of vegetation. You can walk and stroll in rhododendron forests, visit Shey Gompa in Upper Dolpo, and witness the Himalayan pilgrimage, Tatopani in Jomsom, and the Muktinath Temple. Stroll through the forests while admiring the beautiful mountains in the south of Upper Mustang. And exploration of ancient kingdoms and historical monuments will be the best moment of your life.

After a short flight from Nepalgunj the Upper Dolpo Trek begins from Juphal . During journey towards this Upper Dolpo Trek – Mysterious Land we will cross 12 passes . Six of which lie between 16,500 feet and 17,800 feet, and one pass (the highest point on the trek) at 18,250 feet. Upper Dolpo trek is a hard trek due to many up and down hills as well as higher elevation though there. But you can also get hundreds of beautiful breathtaking scenery. It is not so hard trails if you have good practice to walk up and down hills. As this is one the restrict areas of Nepal, a special permit for the visitors is require that costs US$ 500 per person for 10 days. To extend this trip more than 10 days one needs to pay additional US$ 50 per day/per person.

Trekking routes pass through the Massive mountain ranges such as Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, Churen Himal range, Kanjiroba and through Lower Dolpo, once its own small kingdom. Because of the lack of popularity among other trekking groups gives this journey a sense of wild remoteness.