The Shey Phoksundo Lake Trek
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Lower Dolpo, Nepal -
12 Days
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A stunning 12-day journey into the pristine, culturally rich lower regions of the Dolpa district. Bypassing the grueling 5,000-meter passes of Inner Dolpo, this teahouse route focuses on the spectacular Suli Gad river gorge and the ancient Bon heritage of Ringmo village, culminating at the blinding turquoise waters of Phoksundo Lake.
The Shey Phoksundo Lake Trek is a stunning, 12-day journey into the pristine, culturally rich lower regions of the Dolpa district. Bypassing the grueling 5,000-meter passes of Inner Dolpo, this teahouse route focuses entirely on the spectacular Suli Gad river gorge and the ancient Bon heritage of Ringmo village. You will fly deep into Nepal's wild far-west, leaving the tropical heat of Nepalgunj for the remote mountain airstrip at Juphal. Trekking through dense, ancient pine and walnut forests, you will ascend alongside roaring waterfalls and sheer rock cliffs. The absolute visual climax of your journey is the arrival at Phoksundo Lake—an impossibly deep, blindingly turquoise body of water completely devoid of aquatic life, framed by snow-capped peaks. Here, you will spend a dedicated day immersing yourself in the pre-Buddhist Bon religion, exploring 900-year-old cliffside monasteries before making your scenic retreat back to civilization.
Route Type: Remote Teahouse / Local Lodge Trek
Difficulty: Moderate (No extreme altitude or technical passes, but involves remote, rugged trails)
Maximum Altitude: 3,640m / 11,942 ft (Phoksundo Lake / Ringmo Village)
Accommodation: Basic Teahouses and Local Lodges (with hotels in Kathmandu & Nepalgunj)
Permit Requirements: Lower Dolpo Restricted Area Permit (RAP), Shey Phoksundo National Park Permit, Trekkers' Information Management System (TIMS) Card
Insurance Requirement: Mandatory. Comprehensive travel insurance explicitly covering helicopter rescue and emergency medical evacuation up to 4,000m is strictly required.
Your Himalayan adventure begins in the vibrant capital. Following a warm welcome at Tribhuvan International Airport and a hotel transfer, your evening is dedicated to a rigorous gear check. Your lead guide will also brief you on the cultural protocols for visiting the sacred Bon sites ahead.
You will leave the mountains behind for an evening, taking a short, 1-hour domestic flight down to the humid, subtropical plains of the Terai region. Nepalgunj is the historic staging ground for flights into Nepal's isolated far-west. You will spend the night in a local hotel, prepping your gear for tomorrow's mountain flight.
A thrilling 35-minute flight brings you to the tiny, cliff-side airstrip of Juphal. Upon landing, your foot journey begins immediately. You will walk a short, easy, descending trail through terraced fields to the banks of the Thuli Bheri River, arriving at the administrative hub of Dunai to check into your local lodge.
Leaving Dunai, you pivot north and officially enter Shey Phoksundo National Park. The trail follows the roaring Suli Gad river, plunging into a steep, heavily forested gorge. You will trek through dense canopies of pine, fir, and walnut, crossing suspension bridges and passing small, isolated winter settlements before arriving at the clearing of Chhepka.
Continuing up the narrow gorge, the ascent is steady but incredibly scenic. The lush forests begin to thin out into alpine scrub as you gain elevation. You will pass cascading streams and trek through beautiful, shaded valleys. You will settle in at Jharana Hotel, falling asleep to the sound of the nearby waterfalls.
A spectacular day of trekking. A steep climb brings you to a high ridge offering a mind-bending viewpoint of the massive Phoksundo Waterfall—the highest waterfall in Nepal (167m). Descending through birch forests, the blinding, surreal turquoise waters of Phoksundo Lake suddenly appear. You will arrive at the picturesque, mud-plastered village of Ringmo and settle into your teahouse right on the lakeshore.
A deeply rewarding day dedicated to the ancient, pre-Buddhist Bon religion and the stunning natural landscape. You will explore the mud-plastered chortens of Ringmo, explicitly noting how the swastikas face counter-clockwise—a hallmark of the Bon faith. You will hike up the ridge to explore the magnificent Tshowa Gompa, a 900-year-old Bon sanctuary overlooking the lake, absorbing a spiritual tradition that predates Tibetan Buddhism.
Your exit back to civilization begins. You will retrace your steps, plunging rapidly down the Suli Gad gorge. Because you are descending and returning to thick, oxygen-rich air, the hiking feels incredibly fast and physically restorative. You will march all the way back to the familiar lodges of Chhepka.
Your final day on foot. You will hike the undulating trails through the subtropical forests, pushing past Dunai and making the final climb back up to the airstrip at Juphal. Your trekking boots finally come off, and you will share a celebratory farewell dinner with your guide and porter team.
You will catch the early morning mountain flight back to the sweltering heat of Nepalgunj, immediately connecting to a flight back to the capital. Arriving in the sensory overload of Kathmandu, you will transfer to your hotel for a desperately needed hot shower.
Because flights in and out of the Juphal airstrip are highly dependent on clear mountain weather, this buffer day is a critical safety net. If you are perfectly on schedule, you get a full day to relax, get a massage, and hunt for souvenirs or Thangka paintings in Thamel.
Your spectacular 12-day journey into the heart of Lower Dolpo comes to an end. You will be transferred to Tribhuvan International Airport for your onward journey, heading home with the vivid imagery of Phoksundo's turquoise waters burned into your memory.
Note: All permits arranged by our team
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