Jumla and Lower Dolpo Trek - 21 Days

Day 01- Arrival in Kathmandu

Upon your arrival at the Tribhuwan International Airport in Kathmandu, a representative from Marron Treks will receive and transfer you to your hotel. After you are greeted with welcome drinks at the hotel, we will have a quick pre-trip meeting to discuss on the necessary formalities and trekking itinerary. You can then check in to your room, freshen up and rest. Or if you are not one of those “lay back” types, you can take a stroll around the vicinity of your hotel and get the feel of this hyperactive capital city of Nepal. On the streets, people seem to be on sheer rush, barely noticing one another, but if you utter “Namaste”, they will definitely reciprocate with a smile! Well, that’s Nepal’s Nepalese for you. Overnight at hotel in Kathmandu; breakfast included.

Day 02- Kathmandu city sightseeing (1400m)

Short stroll in the evening yesterday might not have acquainted you to Kathmandu. So we want to make sure that you know this city like you know yourself. Once done with your breakfast, let’s hop in to our reserved vehicle and then head on for a comfy ride with one of our experienced city guides. You will be visiting the most renowned historical/cultural landmarks in Kathmandu. Our guide will take you to the Pasupatinath Temple (the most revered Hindu shrine), Kathmandu (Basantapur) Durbar Square and Boudhanath (the Maha Stupa). All these sites are enlisted in the UNESCO world’s heritage list. After this informative and interesting tour, we drive back through the busy and noisy streets of Kathmandu to the serene premises of your hotel. The best use of the remaining time can be made by shopping the trekking goodies. Most of the items are available on rent and our guide will help you identify the best renting outlet. So, after you have hoarded all the handy gears for your trek, get back to the hotel. Overnight at hotel in Kathmandu; breakfast included.
 

 
Day 03- Flight from Kathmandu (1400m) to Nepalgunj (150m/1 hrs)

After breakfast, you will be driven to the domestic wing of the Kathmandu Airport. About an hour’s flight would take you to Nepalgunj, the western region hub of Nepal, which borders the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh to the South. As we don’t have a connecting flight to Jumla, from where our trek commences, it gives us the opportunity to explore this hot and humid town. The city center, Dhamboji, happens to be the business hub with plethora of hotels and shops. Hindu as well as Muslim culture influence the town. Bageshwori temple and Muslim market are also worth visiting. Overnight at hotel in Nepalgunj; breakfast included.
 

Day 04- Flight from Nepalgunj to Jumla (2370m/35min)

Flight from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj was almost tantamount to a nose dive, while, from Nepalgunj to Jumla, it’s just the vice-versa. We’ll take a 35 minutes early morning flight to Jumla. The city center is only about 15 minutes walk from the STOL airstrip. Jumla lies on the banks of the Tila River at 2514 meters. When we talk about Jumla, we remember its delicious apples. The cider made in Jumla, locally known as “Marpha” is also very popular in Nepal. Taste the apples and take a sip of the cider while you get familiar with the trekking crew. Rest well, as from tomorrow, “walk” is the name of the game! Overnight at camp in Jumla; breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 05- Trek from Jumla to Gothi Chaur (2820m / 5 hrs)

The fifth day of our trip but the first day of our trek; you are excited, aren't you? Don’t let that zeal drop; it is a lengthy trip and you will need it. We commence our leggy mission along the trail that leads us past several water-driven mills before dropping to the confluence of the Tila and Chaudhabise rivers. Crossing a cantilever bridge, we make our way up alongside the terraced rice fields and arrive at the village of Dochal Ghara (2630m). The trail now takes us through the forest of maples and walnuts to a meadow. Cinquefoils, terrestrial orchids, forget-me-nots, mints, buttercups, primular, edelweiss and gentians are some of the wildflowers you will be able to spot. Leaving the meadow, we climb up a rocky cairn at Pattyata Lagna (2830 m) and then make a gentle descent towards Gothi Chaur, close to a stream at the bottom of the valley. Overnight at camp in Gothi Chaur; breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 06 – Trek from Gothi Chaur to Naphukana (3080m / 6 hrs)

The trail junction at Gothi Chaur has two trails; one that leads uphill out of Gothi Chaur and the other leads us downstream through the forests to the series of mills at Kuri Sangta. We chose the later path and re-enter the Tila valley. Following the Tila river towards the north, we pass by the corn and potato fields and then make immediate ascent through the fields of buckwheat and barley, which gets us to the village of Munigaon. We trail ahead and arrive at Muni Sangu, another trail junction.

As you shower your glances around the houses behind and above, you will notice the uniquely carved wooden faces, known as Dokpo. These carvings are believed to protect the people of Munigaon against the evils and perils. Before moving ahead, you need to show your passport at the Muni Sangu check post. From here the trail follows the left fork (southern side) of the Tila river. It is noteworthy that the Tila river is known differently in different places. Here, it has a name of “Churta”. We pass by Changrikot and then climb to the village of Chotra (3010m), mainly inhabited by the Khampas, people from east Tibet who follow Buddhism. Moving a short distance ahead of Chotra, will get us to another Tibetan settlement of Napukhana. There is large gompa here, known as Urgen Sanga Chholing. Overnight at camp in Napukana; breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
 

 Day 07 - Trek from Naphukana to Balasa (3310m / 5 – 6 hrs)

After an energizing breakfast, we resume our trek along steep trail past the rocky fields towards the forest of oak and birch trees. Crossing the Tila river (here called as “Churta”), we climb through the birch, oak and rhododendron forests until we reach Mauri Lagna (Honey Pass-3894m). The pass offers wonderful views of the snow covered mountains- Bhalu Himal (5460m) to the south, Matatumba (5767m) and Gutumba (5608m) to the to the north-east. In spring, it’s simply awesome trekking to this region as the pass is embellished with blue lilies and lively rhododendrons. In winter, as expected, the trails seem to be buried deep under the snow. Let’s descend from the pass now and head on for a lengthy walk towards the cairns of stones. It is to be noted that the region along this traverse is highly avalanche prone. We pass by few herders’ camps and take a steep descent to the forest of pine and oaks. Continuing ahead through the forest along the bumpy trail, we climb up to ridge and then steer towards Bheri valley. As we advance further, we pass by the settlement of Chaurikot. The trail now descends to a stream and again winds up to a ridge. Another 45 minutes walk from here will finally get us to Balasa. We can relish the view of Kangmara peak from here. Overnight at camp in Balasa; breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 08 - Trek from Balasa to Kaigaon (2610m / 3 - 4 hrs )

We trail down to a stream and then climb to a forest of walnut trees, our constant companion for next few hours. Walnuts are regarded as a prime source of cooking oil here. Passing by the fields of corn & potatoes and apple orchards, we arrive at the settlement of Rimi (2890 m). You will once again notice the carved wooden faces (Dokpa), staring from top of the houses; though by now, they seem much familiar. We continue our descent along the walnut woodland, pass by the settlement of Majagaon and then further make our way down the rocky trail to Bheri river. We cross a bridge over the river and then arrive at Kaigaon. Kaigaon is actually the transit to the Kagmara La pass. Overnight at camp in Kaigaon; breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 09 - Trek from Kaigaon to Toijem (2920m / 5 hrs )

As we begin our trek passing by the school at Kaigaon, we follow the west back of Bheri river. We walk past the settlement of Hurikot and the Bonjo Gompa, which brings us at the threshold of Shey Phoksundo National Park. Advancing further high above the Bheri River, we arrive at the confluence where the two tributaries of Bheri River viz. Jagdula River and Garpung River merge. The trail now winds down and across the Jagdula river taking us to our campsite near the army post at Toijem. Overnight at camp in Toijem; breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 10 - Trek from Toijem to Kagmara Phedi (2900m / 6 hrs)

On the 10th day of the Jumla and Lower Dolpo trek, the trail stretches ahead up along the west side of Garpung river to about 3650 meters. From here, we deviate to the east side of the river and then continue ascending. As we move ahead, we can notice the valley narrowing down and the river transitioning into a series of waterfalls. The trail now takes us up to the moraine at 3900. A little ahead is the Kagmara Phedi. We can camp at one of the huge boulders of Kagmara Phedi and relish the views of the peaks and some wild flowers such as blue poppies, buttercups, gentians, puffballs etc. Besides, pigeons, redstarts, ravens, griffons and blue sheep can also be spotted here. Overnight at camp in Kagmara Phedi; breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 11 – Trek from Kagmara Phedi to Lasa (4060m) via Kagmara La (5115 m) / 7 hrs of trek in total

Today we will be trekking for longest time to the highest elevation of this trek. We don’t want to end up being at the campsite in the chilly darkness, so we start early. Making our way up alongside the Kagmara glacier, we begin our snowy ascent to the Kagmara La (5115 m). After about 2 hrs, we are right at the top of the pass! We can halt here a bit to catch our breath and take some snap shots of the fascinating milieu. After that short recess, we move ahead and gradually descend some 900 meters along a stream to the pastures of Pungmo valley. A gentle descent from here will eventually get us to the shepherd’s camp at Lasa. Overnight at camp in Lasa; breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 12 - Trek from Lasa to Sumduwa (3038m / 5 hrs)

We kick off the trek, walking on the route high above the Pungmo River and enter the birch, juniper and blue pine forest. As we cross the wooden bridge over the river, we can relish the distant view of the side valleys of Kanjerawala. Moving ahead, we pass by the barley fields of Pungmo village. The village also has a Bonpo Monastery and an apple orchard. We continue downstream until we arrive at the river junction at Sumduwa. Overnight in camp at the banks of Phoksumdo River in Sumduwa; breakfast, lunch and dinner included.
 

Day 13 - Trek from Sumduwa to Phoksumdo Lake (3600m / 6 hrs)

The route from Sumduwa to Phoksumdo Lake boasts the trinity of beautiful forested sections, the unique Bonpo culture and of course, the mesmerizing splendor of the Phoksumdo Lake. Staying on the main trail, we climb through the forests of big cedars and arrive at Palam, a winter settlement used by the people of the Ringmo village. The entrance station for the Shey Phoksumdo National Park is at the south end of the village. The route takes us ahead on switchbacks to an elevation of 3300 meter. We continue along the bumpy route, this time even aggravated by the dust along the trail, and climb up to a ridge approaching a 200 meter high water fall, the highest in Nepal. Advancing further, the route takes us to Ringmo village, a picturesque settlement of flat-roofed stone houses with lots of mani walls. Making a slight descent from Ringmo, we cross a bridge and continue trailing until we arrive at the stunning milieu of Phoksumdo Lake. Overnight in camp at the national park camping ground in Phoksumdo; breakfast, lunch and dinner included."

Day 14 - Excursion day at Phoksumdo Lake; Visit Ringmo Village (3733m/6-7 hrs)

A well deserved rest day in a spectacular milieu! Phoksumdo lake offers some wonderful excursions to the Bon Po monasteries and Ringmo village (3733m) which take 6-7 total trekking hours. Admiring the beauty of this splendid turquoise lake is also not a bad idea. To the west of this lake, you can see the two snow clad peaks, viz. Kanjiroba and Kanchen Ruwa. Following the trail through the stand of juniper trees, will get us to and old dilapidated Bon Po monastery known as Pal Sentan Thansung Chholing. Ringmo village is a charming, medieval looking settlement of flat-roofed stone houses, carved mani walls and ancient chortens. Overnight at camp in Phoksumdo; breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 15 - Trek from Phoksumdo Lake to Renje (2940m / 5 - 6 hrs)

That extra day at Phoksumdo lake offered us rest as well as refreshment. Following the stream originating from Phoksumdo lake, we backtrack to Ringmo village (3640m). From here the trail leads us through the forest of birch and chir pine to a ridge. We make our way ahead along the dusty and bumpy track and arrive at Palam (3397m), the winter settlement of the people of Ringmo village. From here the trail takes us down through the forest of cedars past the spectacular 200m high waterfall from Phoksumdo lake. Continuing our way along the switchbacks, we arrive at the confluence of Suli Gaad and Pungmo river. We now climb a ridge and then make a steep descent of about 900m to the nine houses of Renje. Overnight at camp in Renje; breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 16 – Trek from Renje to Chepka (2838m / 4 -5 hrs)

Ups and downs have been irritatingly frequent in the last few days and today’s trek is not going to be an exception! Following our route ahead, we make our way along the switchbacks through the forests of firs and larches alongside a river. As the trail continues downstream, it becomes a collection of rocks and sticks forming a dyke along the river bank. We continue our way ahead to a ridge and then descend along a rocky path to Chepka. There are campsites here but we walk ahead for about 20 minutes and arrive at walnut grove beside a massive boulder, where we camp overnight. Overnight at camp in Chepka; breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 17 – Trek from Chepka to Juphal (2354m / 6 -7 hrs)

The area from Chepka to Juphal is well known for “Chuk”, a lotus like plant used for therapeutic purposes. Resuming our trek, we move ahead and pass through the villages of Ankhe, Rahagaon and Parela, a Nepali version for 'eye', 'eyebrow' and 'eyelash' respectively. We follow the river and continue our way down until we reach Dunai (2140m). We then zealously make the last ascent of this trek through the meadows and eventually conclude our footy mission, arriving at Juphal. Team, we’ve done it! Let’s celebrate this accomplishment with our crew members and thank one another for the amiable and supportive company throughout this long trip. Overnight at camp in Juphal; breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 18 – Flight from Juphal to Nepalgunj (150m/1 hour)

After breakfast, we take an early morning flight to Nepalgunj. It takes about an hour until you land on this usually torrid region of Nepal. As we do not have any connecting flight to Kathmandu, we will be halting at Nepalgunj today. With more than half of the day remaining, you would probably not want to confine yourself in the hotel room all day. Explore the city center and other prominent spots that you missed out on you stay here earlier. Overnight at hotel in Nepalgunj; breakfast included.
 

Day 19 – Flight from Nepalgunj to Kathmandu (1400m/1 hour)

From Nepalgunj (150m), you would almost be rocketing to the soaring elevation of Kathmandu (1400m). Another sixty minutes flight and you will touch down the domestic wing of the Kathmandu Airport. A representative from Marron Treks will receive and transfer you to your designated hotel. The rest of the time can be spent as you please. You have just gotten back from a long trip, so you would probably want to groom yourself and relax. Try out the herbal spa and do away the trekking fatigue. You have an extra day at Kathmandu tomorrow. Overnight at hotel in Kathmandu; breakfast included.
 

Day 20 -  A free day in Kathmandu
This is a free day in Kathmandu to fulfill anything that you missed out spotting in this energetic capital of Nepal. You can indulge yourself in shopping or strolling around some of the cultural and historical landmarks of Kathmandu. Thamel is your hot spot for shopping where you can haul all the souvenirs representing Nepal and its culture. May be that in addition to your interesting trip anecdotes, you would also want to take back some stuff for your friends and relatives. In the evening, a farewell dinner with a range of traditional Nepali cuisines, will be hosted by Marron Treks. Enjoy the dinner, pack/prepare yourself for a flight back home and have a beauty sleep. Overnight at hotel in Kathmandu; breakfast and dinner included.
 

Day 21 - Final departure to your homeland

A representative from Marron Treks will escort you to the Tribhuwan International Airport, three hours prior to your flight schedule. As you wave us good bye and enter the terminal block, you would perhaps recall your arrival at this place. No wonder everything seems so familiar now because, you had come here as tourist, but you are going back as a friend! Have a safe flight back home and we look forward to being your travel companion in Nepal again! Trips can always be extended. You can try out some of our other exciting packages like Bungy Jumping, Mountain Biking, Jungle Safari, White Water Rafting, Golfing & Paragliding etc. Please let us know about your desire for trip extension so that we can make the necessary arrangements.

  Important  Snippets  

The itinerary prescribed above is the standard template of the trip plan offered by Marron Treks which can be readily customized to match the guests’ preferences. However, the guests are expected to understand that the execution of the trip plan might be circumvented by an array of uncontrollable factors like bad weather, political turmoil, strikes, blockades and other unforeseen contingencies. Besides, the domestic flights in Nepal could be subjected to delays or cancellations owing to adverse weather conditions or technical glitches. It is worth mentioning that the flights cannot be operated in the condition where the visibility is less than 1600 meters. Under such abnormal circumstances, the trip plans might undergo slight or sharp alterations, taking into consideration, the best interest of the clients. Wherever the changes are made, Marron Treks cannot be held responsible for the consequences. Nevertheless, we shall endeavor our level best to make sure that the trip is carried out with respect to the original trip specifics.

Accommodation

While you are in Kathmandu, we opt to accommodate you in 3 star or 5 star hotels like Hotel Royal Singhi (3 star), Hotel Manaslu (3 star), Radisson (5 star), Yak & Yeti (5 star) or similar.

During the trek, you will be accommodated in a Tea House/ Lodge or Trekking Inn. Most of these lodges and teahouses cater good services and are equipped with modern amenities. We will endeavor to provide you the best accommodation available along the route so that you get a good night’s rest in a hygienic milieu.

Meals

We arrange the best quality food during the trek as we are concerned about the health of the trekkers as well as the staff members. Basically, we opt for locally available food in the  Far Western Region so that you could a real sense of the culture, living patterns, simultaneously promoting the locally available resources of organic food and beverages. Other than, a wide range of Continental, Chinese, Italian and Indian cuisines like Pizza, Spaghetti, French Fries, Soups, Breads etc are also available for your retreat.

Porter and Staff Care

We ensure that all the porters and other staffs going into high altitude conditions are provided with adequate clothing and equipment. They are the backbones for the accomplishment of the trek.

Best Months

The best months for Jumla and Lower Dolpo Trek is  during  March to November

Our Guides

Guides play a significant role during the trek. They are the ones who literally decipher the trekking codes for you so that you could actually connect with the nature, culture and people along the way. We have helpful and dedicated trekking guides, who are fairly literate, multilingual speakers and are very well versed to the culture, life patterns and every single detail pertaining to the Far Western region. Thus, in the company of our professional Sherpa guides, your trek becomes not only entertaining, but also equally informative.

Travel Insurance

It is advised that you arrange your travel insurance before leaving your homeland. The main thing is to make sure that your insurance covers you for both- medical as well as evacuation costs. Having a travel insurance with you, makes your trip secure and hassle free.

For more queries, Visit our  FAQ section or contact us directly at  marketing@marrontreks.com

Starting Price: USD XXXX (On request) on twin sharing accommodation basis.

For other special requirements or bigger group deals, kindly mail us directly at: marketing@marrontreks.com

Cost Includes

• Airport pick-up and drop services.
• Guided sightseeing tour of Kathmandu city.
• Applicable domestic airfare as per the itinerary.
• Entrance and monumental fees during the sightseeing in Kathmandu as prescribed in the itinerary.
• Hotel accommodation in Kathmandu and Nepalgunj on “BB” basis as per itinerary.
• All ground transportation costs in accordance to the itinerary.
• All trekking accommodation costs (in tented camps) on full board (B, L, D) basis as per the itinerary.
• Transportation cost of all camp and kitchen equipments.
• Four seasonal sleeping bag (to be returned after trip completion) duffel bag, t-shirt and Cap (provided as complimentary gears).
• A comprehensive medical kit (will be carried by the trekking guide).
• Salary to guide, porters, kitchen staffs and helpers for the trekking period.
• Personal insurance for crew members.
• All applicable tourist fees, conservation fees, "special permit" fees & TIMS fees necessary for trekking. Special Trekking Permit fee for Dolpo is US$ 500 per person for 10 days. Any additional stay beyond this will cost US$ 50 per day, per person. Permit fee outside of the restricted area in Dolpo is US$ 10 per person per week.
• All government and local taxes.
• Farewell dinner with live Nepalese cultural program.

Cost Excludes

• International airfare and departure taxes.
• Personal travel insurance.
• Lunch & dinner expenses incurred before or after the trekking period.
• Emergency rescue evacuation (to be covered by the client's travel insurance).
• Nepal entry visa fee – Visa can be obtained upon your arrival at the Tribhuwan International Airport in Kathmandu. (Tourist Visa with Multiple Entries for 15 days costs US $ 25 or equivalent foreign currency, Tourist Visa with Multiple Entries for 30 days and 90 days costs US $40 and $ 100 respectively. You will need a valid passport and 2 copies of your recent PP sized photos).
• Tips to the guide, porter, driver, hotel and tea-house staff (Tipping is expected).
• Bar bills, alcoholic drinks & beverages.
• Excess baggage charges (luggage allowance for domestic airlines in Nepal is 20 kgs.).
• Personal insurance and other expenses of personal nature (phone calls, laundry, battery recharge, extra porters, bottle or boiled water, shower etc.)
• Cost of personal trekking gears and equipments. (kindly refer to our equipment lists: http://www.marrontreks.com/itineraries/149-29/jumla-and-lower-dolpo-trek-21-days.html#equipment-list ).
• Cost incurred due to the addition of extra days or change in the real course of the itinerary because of bad weather conditions, political turmoil or any other unforeseen contingencies.
• Garbage deposit fees (refundable).
• Any other expenses not mentioned in the 'Cost Includes' section above.

Departure Date

Marron Treks has calibrated fixed departure dates for all the trek packages. We operate group as well as individual/private treks. Please pick the most palpable date for you and book your trip now. If the dates below don’t fit your schedule, kindly contact us directly and let us know about your preference.