Upper Dolpo Trek

The Upper Dolpo Trek is an extra-difficult multi-day route covering 205.78 km with 6,853 m of climbing. It is considered one of Nepal’s toughest treks because it combines very long distances, major elevation gain, remote terrain, and restricted-area logistics in Upper Dolpa inside and beyond Shey Phoksundo National Park.

The Upper Dolpo Trek is 205.78 km long. That length, combined with 6,853 m of elevation gain, makes it a serious expedition-style trek rather than a short lodge-to-lodge circuit, and most itineraries break it into many days across the high valleys of Dolpa.

The main official fees for the Upper Dolpo Trek include the restricted-area permit for Upper Dolpa and the Shey Phoksundo National Park entry fee. Nepal Tourism Board lists Upper Dolpa as a restricted area requiring a trekking permit from the Department of Immigration, and lists the Shey Phoksundo National Park entry fee for foreign nationals at NRs. 3,000 per person per entry.

Yes. Upper Dolpo routes commonly include Shey Phoksundo Lake, one of the best-known landmarks in Dolpa, before continuing deeper into Upper Dolpo. Phoksundo Lake sits in Shey Phoksundo National Park near Ringmo, and many itineraries use the lake area as the transition point from the lower approach into the more remote upper valleys.

Yes, many Upper Dolpo itineraries are described from the Phoksundo Lake area, especially after the approach through Juphal, Dunai, Chhepka, and Ringmo. From Shey Phoksundo Lake, the route typically pushes into the inner Dolpo valleys and higher passes, so the lake is a realistic staging point rather than just a side trip.

Upper Dolpo is the more remote and more demanding option, with restricted-area rules, longer expedition logistics, and multiple high passes above 5,000 m on many standard routes. Lower Dolpo is generally centered more around places like Ringmo, Dho Tarap, and the Phoksundo region, and is usually considered less committing than the full Upper Dolpo journey.