2026? Dho-Tarap - Schaller Trail - Phoksundo - Kagmara La
Dolpo is a dramatic landscape of nature's colours and bedrock textures, water-sculpted gorges of sheer rockfaces and translucent turquoise rapids, steep hillsides of fragrant pine and birch rising to autumnal shrubs and alpine grasses crowned by soaring mountains, and all on a Himalayan scale. Meditatively blended into this are red ochre gompas with chanting incarnate lamas, wandering shepherds based from homely tents, jingling yak caravans driven by jaunty cowboys, snotty ragamuffins and their more circumspect parents living sustainably in once fortified stone villages. Our innovative trek route is an appreciative, adventurous journey off the beaten path where we explore a geographical mystery of the area and immerse ourselves in all that is Dolpo.
Why Middle Dolpo? The name relates to exploring an area that is not true Upper Dolpo with its expensive permit as it is just south of the administrative border but is above the normal Lower Dolpo trek routes. It is an area where few trekkers have dared and none have explored comprehensively.
Second, why this trek? I simply love Dolpo, the whole experience, reinforced by our handful of prior Upper Dolpo exploratory journeys and given the choice of all of Nepal would rather explore here in Dolpo. Also, we avoid trekking on roads for virtually the entire trek.
And the Schaller Trail? When the noted naturalist George Schaller and Peter Matheissen of "The Snow Leopard" book fame trekked out of the region they took a more circuitous route around Phoksundo in the hope of seeing more wildlife - as we hope too.
2/3 star hotel in Kathmandu, single with breakfast
1 night Nepalgunj hotel, twinshare
domestic flights as per the itinerary
group transportation by private vehicle
entrance fees and permits as needed
Kathmandu group dinner
Expedition-style trek includes
all meals, afternoon tea and hot drinks
roomy single tent / large double for couples
horse-mule porterage
very experienced crew
our special comfy dining tent
and more unique Project Himalaya comforts
Nice touches included
fresh filtered coffee for breakfast
filtered drinking water at camp
large thin mat to protect your air mattress
Our service excludes
insurance, Nepal visa, other meals in Kathmandu
additional hotel nights due to delays
international flights, equipment rental, alcohol, bottled water and soft drinks, laundry,
tipping and other items of a personal nature
Tips & extra cash
allow approx $50 per day for Kathmandu meals
allow more if you are a shopaholic
we suggest 5% of the trip cost per trekker for the crew tips pool
Day 0 - recommended early arrival
Arrive early to recover from long flights, shop and to sightsee.
Day 1 - arrive Kathmandu by 2pm
Arrive any time before 2pm and hand over your passport for permits. We have a 6pm briefing and dinner.
2 - fly Nepalgunj 150m
The office finishes the permits in the morning ready for an afternoon/evening flight. Double/twin rooms only, dinner at the hotel is included. If we have the permits ready, there is a chance that we fly to Nepalgunj on an earlier flight and begin the road trip. Let's see closer to the time.
3 - drive part way
Road trip! With the high chance of the fine weather only Juphal flight being cancelled, we don't even try and instead we drive up with the crew in a chartered bus. We will stay at a basic hotel en route.
4 - trek Kageni / Chepka 2675m
Trek the low or the high route, your choice.
5 - trek Maduwa
6-7-8 trek Mondo/Tokyu
9 - Mondo / Tokyu
A well deserved rest day.
10-15 - trek the Schaller Trail
We explore various routes and trek around Phoksundo, partly on the Schaller trail wilderness route.
16 - trek Phoksundo Khola camp
A favourite scenic camp under 6000m mountains and with tent door views of Phoksundo.
17 trek Ringmo via Phoksundo Lake
Is the new lower trail following the lake shore open? Again, tent door views of Phoksundo.
18 - trek Pungmo
We are briefly on the pretty but busier trek route then branch off to remote Pungmo village.
19 - trek She Shikar valley
Intriguingly, the Pungmo Khola is the same champagne blue as the Phuksundo Khola so let's find out why. There is a herders camp conveniently located although it could be a longer day.
20 - She Shikar valley exploration
Let's wander up this incredible side valley littered with lakes and find out some of it secrets.
21 - trek Kagmara high camp
Back on the broad trail used by Dol-pa move their yaks down for winter, we camp near the pass.
21 - trek Kagmara Phedi via Kagmara La 5115m
The remote pass is used by yak caravans heading lower for winter to Kaigoan.
23 - trek Toijum
24 - trek Hurikot/beyond
25 - trek Ghodakhor via Khame La
Let's see what our trek/rough jeep options are. While Juphal seems the best end point, we may even end in Jumla.
26 - trek-drive Juphal
Famous for its dreadful hotels, we will try to camp.
27 - fly Juphal-Nepalgunj-Kathmandu
After our fine weather only morning flight, we take a hot break before our afternoon or evening flight back.
Day 28 - trip ends
Conservatively, we recommend an evening/night flight to allow for possible delayed domestic flights.
Day 29 - suggested departure
We recommend flying out of Kathmandu today, any time.
David and the startlingly coloured Phoksundo Lake. The Schaller Trail crosses the left grassy hillside for stunning lake views - Jamie
Whetting your appetite with some of my planning pins - Google Earth
Saving data; use your phone in landscape to see the detailed itinerary and more photos.
Inspiration
Here are a few inspiring photos.
Nice smile from a Dolpo woman collecting fire wood - Jamie
A forest tunnel of autumn colours - Jamie
A yak shepherds a nak (female yak) amid the autumn colours - Jamie
A high country village - Jamie
Traditional chuba-clad girls of Dho-Tarap - Jamie
Don't believe "It never rains in Dolpo" - it might be rain shadow but it can still rain! - Jamie
A middle Dolpo camp - Jamie
Cutting some rather tall buckwheat - Jamie
Crossing the Phoksundo Khola - Jamie
Where there is no trail - just walk across the rock face! A blue sheep proves it is a better climber than us - Jamie
