Phoksumdo Lake Trek (Nepal)

Description

Phoksumdo lake in Dolpo in western Nepal is not a place that figures in usual trekking destinations in Nepal. However the mesmerizing turquoise-blue, clear waters of this glacial, lovely dense forests, rugged mountain terrain and the unique Bonpo culture of the region make it a must-do trek. The well-defined trail follows Suligaad river up to its source.

The lake is within Phoksumdo National Park in Dolpo. The park has a good population of snow leopards, musk deer, blue sheep, Himalayan black bear and a few other mammals. It also has over 200 species of butterflies. However only 5% of the park is forested and the remaining parts are barren areas of upper Himalayas.

The starting point of the trek is Suligaad, which is a short drive from Juphal (Dolpo) airport. There are early morning flights from Nepalgunj to Dolpo, and Nepalgunj is a mere 4-hour drive from Lucknow.  

Itinerary

• Day 1Your city - Lucknow - Nepalgunj

  Reach Lucknow by noon. Collect your bags and leave for Nepgunj by road (4-hour drive). Check into a comfortable 3-star hotel there.

• Day 2Nepalgunj - Juphal - Chepka (2660 m)

  Catch an early morning flight to Juphal (Dolpa). Flights typically leave before 8 am and reach Juphal before 9. After breakfast at Juphal, drive to Suligaad (30 min), cross the bridge across Suligaad river and start trekking toward Chepka. The trail follows Suligaad river upstream. It is quite bare initially but beyond Kageni village it enters a densely forested area. The 13 km climb to Chekpa should take about 6 hours.

• Day 3Chepka - Saijol (3100 m)

  The trail continues along the banks of Suligaad, sometimes crossing over to the other side to avoid steep ridges. It is mostly covered by the canopy of a dense forest of walnut, maple, firs, larches and so on. The trail becomes steeper afer crossing Renje village (9.5 km from Chepka). A further 5 km of trekking brings one first to Samjhana Hotel in Saijol. The entire day’s trekking should take around 6 to 7 hours.

• Day 4Saijol - Ringmo (3700 m)

  The trail goes past Jharna Hotel and Palam, the winter settlement of people of Ringmo villages. Then it follows a series of steep switchbacks up to Jharana, the highest waterfall in Nepal. In some places the trail reduces to a 2-feet wide dust track hugging a cliff. It’s about a 1 to 1.5 hour trek from Jharana to Ringmo. The 6 km trek from Saijol to Ringmo should take about 3 hours. Post lunch, we will catch our first glimpse of Phoksumdo lake – we will hike along the lake’s western shore up to a hidden beach at base of glaciers that tumble down from Kanjeralwa peak. 

• Day 5Ringmo - Chepka

  Early in the morning, visit Thasung Chholing Gompa, Bon monastery on the eastern shore of the lake. The hike through juniper and chir pines should take about an hour. Post breakfast, set off on the long hike to Chepka. The 20 km downhill hike should take about 6 to 7 hours.

• Day 6Chepka - Juphal

  After breakfast set off towards Suligaad. We shall stop for lunch at Kageni. From Suligaad, drive to Juphal and check into a basic lodge near the airport. 

• Day 7Juphal - Nepalgunj - Lucknow

  Catch an early morning flight to Nepalgunj and then drive to Lucknow. It should be possible to reach by 4 pm, so you may be able to catch a late evening flight back to your city.

Inclusions

Notes : 1. Juphal – Nepalgunj flights are somewhat unreliable – they could get delayed or cancelled due to weather conditions. So it is advisable to have a buffer day, so plan to catch a flight from Lucknow on Day 8

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