
Sight from Juphal
by ErWin
This Phoksumdo Lake Trek is truly off the beaten track. This homestay trek in Dolpa is a unique and once in a lifetime experience. You get the opportunity to be the guest of locals as you’ll be taken into their home. And this is a complete other world, as these locals mostly don’t know much about the world outside Dolpa.
Dolpa is a remote and spectacular corner of the Himalaya, and is isolated from the rest of Nepal by high passes in the south. This homestay trek in untouched Dolpa is truly a unique experience. You get the opportunity to be the guest to locals as you’ll be taken into their home. As a result we also join meals together on the floor of their kitchen. And when we explore the villages and surrounding fields, we probably are accompanied by curious children.
The two highlights of this trek are our time in the village of Majhphal and in Ringmo by Phoksumdo Lake.
In Majhphal, you can feel what life is like in Dolpa as we’re the guests in the home of locals. In this village, the Tibetan-style houses are closely packed together. Furthermore, the houses are often stacked atop another up the hill and share common roofs. People, even little children, climb from one level to another via the carved log ladders outside the houses. These villagers mostly live off their land and cattle.
To reach Phoksumdo Lake we follow the Suli Khola river from Dunai, all the way up to Ringmo. This is a village that’s located on a 30,000 to 40,000 year-old landslide dam. As a result, this dam formed the lake on the north side. And on the southern side of the dam, the water of the lake plunges down a 167 meter tall waterfall.
Are you getting excited about trekking in Dolpa? And are you fit enough to spice it up a little more? Then take a look at the massive 17-days Untouched Dolpo Trek via two high passes.
With this trek, you trek to Phoksumdo Lake and further. To the beautiful valley of Dho Tarap. This is a remote valley of pure Tibetan influence. It consists of several clusters of closely packed stone houses. Scattered across the valley you find numerous Buddhist monasteries and chortens.
by ErWin
by ErWin
In Kathmandu and Nepalganj, before and after your Shey Phoksumdo Lake trek, you will be staying at a 3-star hotel with a private bathroom and wifi. The hotel in Kathmandu has a prime location, in the travellers neighbourhood Thamel. This are nearby many restaurants, trekking gear shops and supermarkets. The hotel in Nepalganj is very close to the domestic airport. This is needed as your flight to Dolpa will be early morning.
Facilities in the Dolpo District are very sparse. There are a few shops and teahouses, but nothing resembling a trekkers lodge. Therefore, we do well by bringing tents, cooking supplies and food.
Along with your trekking guide, there will be porters and cooks who accompany you. And depending on the length of your trek, there might be a small caravan of mules or yaks too. Every day, they will set up and break down the camp and cook meals for you and the team.