A full day for permit processing, gear check and trek briefing with your guide. MountainKick handles the RAP, Shey Phoksundo National Park permit, TIMS card and Dolpa Municipality permit paperwork. Use the afternoon to purchase any last-minute gear, withdraw cash and confirm domestic flight tickets. This is the only day with reliable internet before Dunai so back up devices, sort communications and download offline maps.

A one-hour flight from Kathmandu drops you into the western Terai plains. Nepalgunj sits at 150m, noticeably hotter and more humid than Kathmandu, and serves as the transit hub for all Dolpo flights. The afternoon is free. Charge every device fully tonight as reliable electricity ends here. An early night is essential as the Juphal flight departs before sunrise tomorrow.

The 35-minute mountain flight to Juphal crosses the Chure Hills and approaches a short gravel airstrip flanked by steep ridges. From Juphal the trail descends through terraced maize and barley fields above the Thuli Bheri River to Dunai, the administrative headquarters of Dolpa district. Dunai has a small hospital, a police post and a permit checkpoint. It is the largest and best-equipped settlement on the entire route.

The trail follows the southern bank of the Bheri River upstream through deep gorges crossing several suspension bridges strung above the fast-moving river. Blue pine forest lines the gorge walls and views of Kang Tokal at 6,294m appear to the north as elevation is gained. Tarakot sits on a hilltop above the river with terraced fields of buckwheat and barley visible from the trail below. It is the last reliable teahouse before the route enters the Tarap Valley.

Leaving Tarakot the trail enters the Tarap Chu river valley, the main drainage of the upper Tarap. The landscape transitions from pine-forested gorges to a wider, drier valley as altitude increases. The route passes through Khani Gaon and Chhyujar, where the 11th-century Sandul Gompa sits just off the trail and rewards a short detour. Shey Phoksundo National Park begins at Laini where permits are checked. Mani walls and chortens become more frequent from here.

The valley walls close in and the trail climbs through increasingly arid terrain carved directly into cliff faces in several sections, passing naturally formed rock tunnels and overhangs. Vegetation is sparse from here: juniper, scrub and high-altitude grasses replace the pine forest of the lower valley. Blue sheep are commonly sighted on the surrounding ridges from this point. Nawarpani marks the gateway to the high Tarap plateau and the last water source before the final climb to Dho Tarap.

The plateau opens dramatically as the trail approaches Dho Tarap, shifting from tight canyon walls to broad open sky in less than two hours. Dho Tarap has 34 stone houses divided into three clusters, two Bon monasteries including the Sipchok Dedhen Phuntsokling Bon Monastery, and a small health post. The Ribo Bhumpa Gompa, a Nyingmapa Buddhist monastery built in the sacred vase style, sits above the village on the ridge. This is the highest permanently inhabited village in Nepal and the cultural heartland of the Bon religion.

A full rest day before the two consecutive high pass crossings. Spend the morning visiting the Bon monasteries and watch for prayer wheels spinning anti-clockwise and circumambulation paths oriented counter to Buddhist practice. A short afternoon walk on the plateau above the village assists acclimatisation. If timing aligns with a yak caravan departure or arrival from Tibet it is one of the most vivid travel experiences available anywhere in Nepal. Do not skip this day.

Leaving Dho Tarap the trail heads north through the arid upper valley passing Tokyu Gaun, a small settlement with a Buddhist monastery worth a short stop. The landscape is fully above the tree line as the route climbs through yak pastures and rocky moraines toward the base of Numa La. Views of the Dhaulagiri massif build as altitude is gained. Arrive at base camp early, eat well and sleep early. Tomorrow is the hardest day on the trek.

Departure at 4am by headtorch. The climb to Numa La at 5,190m gains 750m from base camp over 3 to 4 hours on steep rocky terrain. Prayer flags and chortens mark the pass. Views extend across the Kanjiroba Himal, the Dhaulagiri range and the vast arid plateau of inner Dolpo. The descent to Pelung Tang is long on tired legs. Pelung Tang is an isolated grassy plateau at 4,445m with no teahouse. From here the first glimpse of Phoksundo Lake is visible far below on clear days.

A second consecutive high pass crossing with yesterday’s exertion still felt at altitude. The ascent to Baga La at 5,070m is shorter than Numa La but demands the same careful pacing. Views from the top include Norbung Kang at 6,085m, Kanjiroba Himal at 6,612m and on a clear day the turquoise surface of Phoksundo Lake visible far below. The descent to Dajok Tang follows a steep gorge before levelling into green juniper forest and meadow. Phoksundo is now one day away.

A shorter, easier day after two consecutive high passes. The trail descends through pine and birch forest with the Maduwa Khola visible far below before the path climbs back up over beautifully carved high rocks toward Ringmo. The lake comes into full view on the final approach. Ringmo is a small Bon community of roughly 30 households with flat-roofed stone houses, a working monastery and terraced barley fields above the turquoise water. After five days of high camp, a teahouse bed feels like a luxury.

A full day at Nepal’s deepest lake. Phoksundo sits at 3,611m, covers nearly 500 hectares and reaches 145m depth. Its turquoise color comes from dissolved minerals and the complete absence of aquatic life. A trail circuits part of the shoreline with views of the 167m waterfall dropping from the lake’s northern outlet. Sandul Gompa, an 11th-century monastery on the opposite shore, is reachable by a 2 to 3 hour walk from Ringmo. Eric Valli filmed key scenes of “Himalaya” on these shores in 1999 and the landscape has changed very little since.

Leaving Phoksundo the trail descends steeply through pine and birch forest along the Phoksundo Khola gorge passing beneath enormous overhanging cliffs. The descent from 3,657m to 2,530m in a single day is significant and the knees feel it on the rocky trail. The route passes settlements where traditional mineral medicines are still traded and exits Shey Phoksundo National Park at the checkpoint near Chhepka. Basic teahouse facilities and a lower altitude make the night here noticeably warmer than anything since Tarakot.

The final trekking day follows the Phoksundo Khola downstream through birch forest crossing the Dhim Khola suspension bridge before the trail climbs through Shyanta and Kageni villages. The national park checkpoint is crossed for the last time here. A gradual ascent through open meadow leads to Juphal where the crew is thanked and tipped at the airstrip. The Juphal flight departs early morning so an early night is essential. Fifteen days of remote trail ends here.

Morning flight from Juphal to Nepalgunj, 35 minutes. Mountain weather can delay departure so early morning slots have the best chance. Nepalgunj is warm, flat and a complete contrast to the landscape of the past two weeks. Use the afternoon to rest, shower properly, do laundry and eat fresh food unavailable on the trek. The cook and kitchen crew are thanked here before parting ways. MountainKick arranges a farewell dinner this evening to mark the end of the route.

A one-hour flight returns you to Kathmandu where a vehicle transfers you back to your hotel in Thamel. The afternoon is free for last-minute shopping, a final visit to Boudhanath or Pashupatinath, or simply recovering with good food and a hot shower. Use the evening to sort permits, tips and any remaining logistics before tomorrow’s departure.

Your guide transfers you to Tribhuvan International Airport for your onward flight. If your flight departs late the morning is free for a final walk through Thamel. Build at least one buffer day before long-haul international connections given the Juphal flight variability two days prior. Nineteen days, two passes above 5,000m, Nepal’s deepest lake and the Bon heartland of Dho Tarap. Safe travels.