Lower Dolpo Circuit Trek (18 Days)

On the Lower Dolpo Circuit Trek (18 Days), you will stay two nights in a hotel in Kathmandu and 12 nights in teahouses in the mountains.

What to expect in Kathmandu for Accommodation

We provide our guests with accommodation in a good hotel on a twin-share basis. If you require a higher standard of the hotel, let us know, and we can provide this at an extra charge. Your hotel will have an attached bathroom, good bedclothes, and the usual things you can expect from a good standard. They are located in the heart of the tourist area, Thamel. There is a wide range of restaurants, cafes, and bars nearby, and shops for souvenirs and essentials.

Breakfast in Kathmandu at your hotel is included, and there may be either a buffet style or a menu to choose from.

What to expect in a teahouse during this trek

A teahouse is like a simple guest house on the Shey Phoksundo & Dolpo hike. It provides trekkers with accommodation, meals, and a place to socialize. These provide pretty basic accommodation, either in twin rooms or in dormitories. Toilets and bathrooms are shared, with either a Western-style toilet or a squat-style toilet.

Showers normally only have cold water; you will be expected to pay for it in those with hot water on offer.

The sleeping rooms consist of beds, blankets, and not much else. Bringing your own sleeping bag is always recommended. There are no 'single rooms' unless it is off-season, and you are lucky. Sharing a room is perfectly normal. There is no heating in the sleeping rooms.

Some sort of stove usually warms the dining area. Light is provided by solar. Most teahouses have the ability to charge your gadgets, for which you have to pay. Breakfast and dinner are taken in the teahouses at communal tables where you can discuss the day’s journey with others.

Some Lower Dolpo Circuit Trek (18 Days) menus offer a variety of food. Boiled water is usually available, rather than in plastic bottles, which hurts the environment. There is a small charge for boiled water. Bringing your own sterilization tablets/ life straw is a good idea.

Luxury lodges on the Shey Phoksundo & Dolpo trail

Some luxury lodges are at lower altitudes within the Everest Region. While these are not up to Marriott or Hyatt standards, they are extremely comfortable with a good range of amenities. If this interests you, we can point you to our Everest Luxury Lodge Trek for more information.

Are There Hot Showers and Electricity on this trek?

Yes, hot showers are available, but you must pay for them. Why? Gas canisters are brought in from nearby cities and carried to teahouses. That is an expensive journey.

You will be expected to pay around $3 to $5 per shower, depending on the height of your lodge. We recommend you conserve energy (and your money) and don’t shower too often. And the effort to take off and put on clothes might be too much in the cooler weather.

As for electricity, most teahouses now depend on solar power, installed at a considerable cost. Therefore, they will ask you to charge your equipment – $3 to $5 per item. We suggest you carry your own power bank or portable solar charger.

Note:
• Accommodation is on a twin-sharing basis
• Private Room is available at an additional charge during checkout.

The menu in local teahouses is surprisingly diverse, offering a mix of local Nepalese, Sherpa, and international cuisines. The most popular and energy-boosting meal is **Dal Bhat** (rice, lentil soup, vegetable curry, and pickles). It is freshly cooked, nutritious, and comes with unlimited free refills—giving you the perfect fuel for hiking.

Other available options include noodles, pasta, fried rice, potatoes, momo dumplings, soups, porridge, muesli, eggs, and toast. We strongly recommend sticking to a **vegetarian diet** while on the trek. All meat is carried up to the high altitudes by porters or yaks from lower towns without refrigeration, making it prone to contamination and stomach upset.

The ideal trekking seasons are **Spring (March to May)** and **Autumn (September to November)**.

Spring (March - May): The weather is warm, trails are lined with blooming colorful rhododendrons, and the views are clear. This is also the Everest climbing season, so you will see active expeditions at Base Camp.

Autumn (September - November): This is the post-monsoon season, offering the clearest skies and most stable weather. The visibility is exceptional, although temperatures are cooler, especially at night.

Trekking in Winter (December - February) is possible but extremely cold (down to -20°C at night), while the Summer/Monsoon season (June - August) brings heavy rains, landslides, muddy trails, and obscured mountain views.

A standard day on the trail starts with an early wake-up call around 6:30 AM. After packing your main duffel bag (which you leave for the porters), you gather in the dining hall for a hot breakfast around 7:00 AM.

We hit the trail by 7:30 or 8:00 AM, hiking at a steady, slow pace to aid acclimatization. We stop at a trail teahouse for a leisurely lunch around midday, resting for about an hour. The afternoon walk is usually shorter, arriving at our overnight lodge by 3:00 or 4:00 PM. After checking in, you can enjoy hot tea, socialize, read, or play card games in the dining hall. Dinner is served around 6:30 PM, followed by a briefing on the next day's route, before heading to bed early.

Two main permits are required to trek to Shey Phoksundo & Dolpo, and both are fully handled and included in your Igloo Himalaya Treks package:

1. Dolpo Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Permit: This is a local government entry tax replacing the old TIMS card, costing NPR 3,000 (approx. USD 25).

2. Shey Phoksundo National Park Entry Permit: This permit grants entry to the protected park region, costing NPR 3,000 + 13% VAT (approx. USD 34).

We collect your passport details and photos beforehand to arrange all paperwork, meaning you won't have to queue or handle permits yourself at the trail checkpoints.

Acclimatization is the single most important factor for a successful trek. Our itinerary is carefully crafted with a gradual ascent profile and includes two dedicated acclimatization rest days: one at Ringmo (3,440m) and another at Dingboche (4,410m).

On these days, we follow the time-tested mountaineering rule of "climb high, sleep low"—hiking up to higher vantage points during the day (like the Everest View Hotel or Nangkartshang Peak) and returning to sleep at our lower lodge. This prepares your body for the thinner air. Additionally, our guides carry pulse oximeters to check your oxygen saturation levels daily.

The Lower Dolpo Circuit Trek (18 Days) is classified as a Challenging trek. You do not need any technical climbing skills or ropes, but you must have a solid level of physical fitness and endurance.

Trekkers typically walk for 5 to 7 hours daily, covering distances of 8 to 15 kilometers over rocky terrain, steep stone stairs, and uphill paths. We recommend starting cardio preparation (hiking, jogging, cycling, or stair-climbing) with a weighted pack at least 2 to 3 months before your trip. A positive mindset and mental determination are just as crucial as physical readiness.

The Everest region is the homeland of the Sherpa people, famous for their warmth, hospitality, and mountaineering prowess. Along the trail, you will walk past mani walls (stones carved with Buddhist prayers), spinning prayer wheels, and colorful prayer flags carrying blessings on the wind.

We visit ancient monasteries like the Tengboche Monastery to witness spiritual ceremonies. You'll gain firsthand insight into Sherpa lifestyle, language, traditional agriculture, and Buddhist values from our guides, who are members of the local communities themselves.

The standard EBC route is an out-and-back trail starting and ending in Juphal. However, we offer several exciting alternatives and extensions for those seeking a different experience:

• Gokyo Lakes & Cho La Pass: A stunning loop that detours to the pristine turquoise Gokyo Lakes, crosses the challenging Cho La Pass, and rejoins the main EBC trail.

• Three Passes Trek: The ultimate Everest circuit crossing three high passes (Renjo La, Cho La, and Kongma La) for seasoned trekkers.

• Jiri to EBC: The classic "pioneer" route walked by early expeditions, avoiding the Juphal flight and starting with a drive from Kathmandu.

The flight from Kathmandu (or Ramechhap/Manthali Airport during peak seasons) to Juphal's Tenzing-Hillary Airport is one of the most exciting parts of the journey. The flight takes about 35 minutes in a small twin-otter aircraft, offering incredible aerial views of the Himalayan range.

Juphal Airport is famous for its short, sloped runway carved into a hillside at 2,860m. Flights are entirely weather-dependent, and safety is the absolute priority. Delays or cancellations due to mountain fog or winds are common, which is why building buffer days into your travel itinerary is essential.

This trek is achievable for hikers of various ages, from active teenagers to fit seniors. We have successfully guided trekkers in their late 60s and 70s to Base Camp.

The key to success for younger or older trekkers is pace management, proper acclimatization, and high-quality support. We can easily adjust the daily walking distances or hire extra porter support to ensure a safe, comfortable, and memorable trip for your specific age group or family dynamic.

After completing your trek, there are many wonderful ways to extend your vacation in Nepal:

• Chitwan National Park Safari: Travel to the lowlands of Nepal for a 3-day jungle safari to see wild rhinos, elephants, and Bengal tigers.

• Pokhara Lakeside Relaxation: Visit the tranquil city of Pokhara for boating, paragliding, and relaxing cafes next to Lake Phewa.

• Kathmandu Valley Sightseeing: Book a guided tour of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple), Pashupatinath, and historic Bhaktapur.

Our porters are invaluable members of the team. We strictly adhere to ethical porter treatment guidelines, ensuring fair wages, proper insurance, clothing, and weight limits.

We allocate 1 porter for every 2 trekkers. The maximum weight limit for your main duffel bag carried by the porter is **10 to 12 kg (22 to 26 lbs)** per trekker. Any excess gear can be safely stored at your hotel in Kathmandu free of charge. You will carry a lightweight daypack (25-35L) for daily essentials.

To add a touch of luxury or save travel time, you can upgrade parts of your Dolpo journey to helicopter flights:

• Helicopter Return from Gorak Shep: Skip the 4-day return hike and fly directly from Gorak Shep (or Base Camp) back to Juphal or Kathmandu in comfort.

• Kathmandu to Juphal Heli Flight: Avoid fixed-wing delays or Ramechhap drives by flying directly from Kathmandu to Juphal by helicopter.

Contact us to check availability and pricing upgrades during your booking process.

We are committed to preserving the fragile mountain ecosystem of the Dolpo region. We practice **Leave No Trace** principles:

• We encourage guests to use water purification tablets/filters instead of purchasing single-use plastic bottles.

• We pack out all non-biodegradable waste.

• We support local economies by utilizing Sherpa-owned teahouses and hiring local mountain staff.

While independent trekking is possible, booking a guided trek with a licensed agency like Igloo Himalaya Treks provides significant advantages:

• Safety: Our guides are trained in high-altitude first aid and carry oximeters/oxygen to handle altitude sickness immediately.

• Logistics: We secure flight tickets, lodge bookings, and permits, which can be extremely difficult to coordinate independently during peak seasons.

• Cultural Depth: Traveling with a local Sherpa guide opens doors to authentic interactions and rich stories of the region.

Your safety is our absolute highest priority. In case of a medical emergency, acute mountain sickness (AMS), or severe injury, the following protocol is triggered:

• Your guide will assess your symptoms and administer emergency oxygen if required.

• If descent is necessary, we will arrange horse evacuation or immediate helicopter rescue to a hospital in Kathmandu.

• Our office operates 24/7 and coordinates directly with your travel insurance provider to handle rescue clearance and hospital admissions smoothly.

The official currency of Nepal is the Nepalese Rupee (NPR). While major currencies (USD, EUR, GBP) are accepted in Kathmandu, you will need Nepalese Rupees for personal expenses on the trek.

We recommend exchanging money at licensed exchange counters in Thamel or withdrawing cash from ATMs in Kathmandu. ATMs are sparse and unreliable in the mountains, and exchange rates are lower. Budget around USD 15-25 worth of NPR per day for snacks, hot showers, and device charging.

Booking your trek is straightforward and secure:

1. Select Date: Select your preferred departure date or contact us to plan a custom private trek.

2. Pay Deposit: Secure your booking with a 20% deposit via bank transfer or online credit card payment.

3. Pay Balance: The remaining balance can be paid upon arrival in Kathmandu in cash or credit card.

Our pricing is fully inclusive of permits, guides, porters, teahouse accommodation, meals on the trek, domestic flights, and airport transfers.

Tipping is a traditional way of showing appreciation for the hard work of your trekking crew (guides and porters) in Nepal. While not mandatory, it is highly expected and greatly appreciated.

As a general guideline, groups typically pool tips together at the end of the trek in Juphal. A recommended tip amount is USD 150-200 total per trekker, which is divided among your guide and porter crew based on their roles.

Here are a few final, essential tips for a successful journey:

• Keep your batteries warm (in your pocket or sleeping bag) to preserve charge.

• Always walk on the wall-side (inner side) of the trail when yaks or mules pass.

• Respect local culture by walking to the left side of Buddhist stupas and mani stones.

• Stay positive, take deep breaths, and enjoy the magical scenery of the roof of the world!