A remote camping traverse from Juphal up the Tarap valley to Dho Tarap, east over high passes to Chharka Bhot, and over the Sangda La into Mustang to finish at Jomsom.
- Days
- 16 days
- Maximum altitude
- 5,550 m
- Difficulty
- Challenging
Dolpoधो तराप
Dho Tarap
A high farming village in the Tarap valley of Dolpo, a crossroads of treks between Phoksundo, Upper Dolpo and Mustang.
- Altitude
- 4,080 m*
- Best months
- May-Oct
- Type
- Trek stop
- District
- Dolpa, Karnali
- Permit
- Restricted-area permit
Higher seasonal exposure: other (Jun-Sep), altitude (All year), snow (Nov-Apr), cold (Nov-Mar).
Why go
Dho Tarap is the main village of the Tarap valley in Dolpo, at roughly 4,000-4,080 m, where stone houses, chortens and barley fields fill a wide valley between bare hills. Together with Lang and Tokyu nearby, the settlements are known collectively as Dho Tarap.
It is a crossroads for treks: the Lower Dolpo circuit arrives from Phoksundo Lake over the Baga La and Numa La, or up the Tarap Khola gorge from Tarakot; Upper Dolpo treks come from Saldang over the Jeng La; and traverses towards Mustang leave east for Chharka. Most groups take a rest day here to acclimatise and visit the monasteries.
History and culture
The people of the Tarap valley follow both Tibetan Buddhism and Bon, and the valley has several monasteries of each tradition, including the Ribum nunnery. Families farm barley and buckwheat and move herds to high pastures in summer. At the 2011 census Dho village had 923 people in 205 households. A boarding school serving the valley's children has operated here since the 1990s, supported by foreign donors.
Things to do in Dho Tarap
Visit the monasteries
Walk to the Buddhist and Bon gompas in and around the village with your guide, asking before entering.
Rest and acclimatise
Take a short walk up the valley towards Tokyu for views, then return to sleep in Dho.
Weather and the best time to visit Dho Tarap
Weather in Dho Tarap
Forecast for 4,080 m. Conditions change fast in the mountains.
Weather data: MET Norway, licensed CC BY 4.0. A forecast, not a guarantee.
Best time to visit
May-Oct
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- Good month: May
- Good month: Jun
- Good month: Jul
- Good month: Aug
- Good month: Sep
- Good month: Oct
- Nov
- Dec
- Autumn (Sep-Nov)
- September and October are clear and dry; by November the high passes become cold and snow is likely.
- Winter (Dec-Feb)
- December to February is very cold, the passes are usually snowbound and many people move to lower villages.
- Spring (Mar-May)
- April and May are possible, but snow can linger on the passes until late spring.
- Monsoon (Jun-Aug)
- June to August is a good season in this rain-shadow area, but flights to Juphal are often delayed by cloud and the lower trails can be wet.
Where to stay
CampingHomestays
Groups usually camp; some homes and a basic lodge may offer rooms.
No partner stays are listed here yet. List a property.
Getting there
Reached only on foot, about five days from Juphal via Dunai, Tarakot and the Tarap Khola gorge.
Nearest hub: Juphal
- trekFrom Dunai via Tarakot, Laini and Nawarpani, usually four days up the Tarap Khola.
- trekFrom Phoksundo Lake over the Baga La and Numa La, usually three days.
Getting to Dho Tarap, by mode
Nearest hub: Juphal. Times are typical ranges, not schedules, and vary with roadworks, weather and the season.
By airfrom Nepalgunjabout 0.6-0.8 hDolpa (Juphal)often delayed or cancelled by weather
Small aircraft from Nepalgunj serve Dolpa (Juphal) airport at about 2,500 m, on a 663 m asphalt strip. Nepalgunj is the hub for the remote western airstrips, and the Juphal leg is weather-dependent.
When to set off: Morning flights only; most travellers fly Kathmandu to Nepalgunj the day before and allow spare days.
On footfrom DunaiAbout four days from Dunai up the Tarap Khola via Tarakot, Laini and Nawarpani, roughly five days from Juphal; or three days from Phoksundo Lake over the Baga La and Numa La.
Dho Tarap is reached only on foot, either up the Tarap Khola gorge or over the two passes from Phoksundo; both lines finish above 4,000 m.
Where people go next
- Dunaion footBack down the Tarap Khola, usually three to four days.
- Phoksundo Lakeon footWest over the Numa La and Baga La, usually three days.
- Chharkaon footEast over high passes such as the Chan La or Mo La, about three days.
- Saldangon footNorth over the Jeng La via Sibu, three to four days.
Permits and fees
Restricted-area permit
The Department of Immigration lists Dolpo Buddha Rural Municipality wards 1-3, which include the Tarap valley, under the Lower Dolpa restricted-area permit; arrange it through a registered agency. Routes through Shey Phoksundo National Park need a park permit. Restricted-area permits are issued only through a government-registered trekking agency, for trekkers with a licensed guide; a minimum group of two has long been required, and changes have been reported, so confirm the current rule.
- Lower Dolpa restricted-area permit: Covers the Tarap valley; issued through a registered agency.
- Upper Dolpa restricted-area permit: Only if continuing to Upper Dolpo or Chharka.
- Shey Phoksundo National Park entry permit: For routes via Phoksundo Lake; check whether it applies on the Tarap Khola route.
- Guide rule: Since April 2023 foreign trekkers in national parks and conservation areas are generally required to go with a licensed guide; check the current rule.
Verify before travel: permit rules and fees change. Checked 2026-10-06 against Department of Immigration, Nepal: Trekking Route and Permit Fee.
On the trail
On the Lower Dolpo circuit, Upper Dolpo trek, Dho Tarap to Jomsom traverse.
- Previous stop:
- Nawarpani (from Dunai) or Tokyu (from the Numa La or Jeng La)
- Next stop:
- High camps towards Chharka, or down the Tarap Khola
- A typical day:
- From Nawarpani, about 6-8 hours and roughly 500 m of height gain up the narrowing Tarap Khola.
Risks and conditions
Seasonal risks around Dho Tarap
What this place is typically exposed to, and when. These are seasonal patterns, not a report on conditions now.
Otherhigh in a typical yearJun-Sep
Access, not rain, is the monsoon problem: cloud on the Nepalgunj-Juphal leg frequently delays or cancels the flight into Dolpa, and spare days at either end are normal.
Altitudehigh in a typical yearAll year
Dho Tarap sits at about 4,080 m, well above the roughly 2,500 m at which altitude sickness becomes common, and most itineraries go higher still. General information, not medical advice: gain height slowly (a common guideline is no more than about 300 m a day in sleeping altitude once high), learn the symptoms, descend if they get worse, see a doctor before travelling, and carry insurance that covers helicopter evacuation.
Snowhigh in a typical yearNov-Apr
The Upper Dolpo routes cross passes above 5,000 m; these hold snow from late autumn into spring, and in deep winter they are not normally crossed.
Coldhigh in a typical yearNov-Mar
Winter at 3,800-4,200 m in Dolpo is severe and many families move with their animals to lower ground, so shelter and food along the route thin out.
River crossingsmoderate in a typical yearJun-Sep
The approach up the Tarap Khola gorge from Tarakot uses narrow trails and bridges above the river, and flows are highest from June to September.
Landslideslow in a typical yearJun-Sep
Dolpo is a trans-Himalayan rain-shadow region with under 500 mm of precipitation a year, so monsoon rain and landslide exposure in the upper valleys is low; the lower Suli Gad and Bheri trails are wetter.
Check current conditions before you travel
Roads, trails, passes and flights change with the weather and with roadworks, and nothing on this page describes conditions today. Before you set off, check the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology for weather and flood warnings, the Nepal Disaster Risk Reduction Portal for incidents, and the local authority, police or your licensed operator for road, trail and flight status.
Practical tips
- At about 4,000 m altitude illness is common; a rest day here is standard. This is general information, not medical advice.
- There is no reliable mobile signal; carry a satellite communicator.
- Walk clockwise around Buddhist chortens; Bon monuments are circled anticlockwise, so follow local practice.
- Supplies are limited; your agency should carry food.
Treks through Dho Tarap
A long restricted-area camping trek from Juphal past Phoksundo Lake, over the Kang La to Shey Gompa and Saldang, and back via the Jeng La and the Tarap valley.
- Days
- 20 days
- Maximum altitude
- 5,350 m
- Difficulty
- Challenging
Questions about Dho Tarap
How do I get to Dho Tarap?
Fly to Juphal and trek about four or five days via Dunai, Tarakot and the Tarap Khola, or reach it from Phoksundo Lake over the Numa La and Baga La.
How high is Dho Tarap?
About 3,940-4,090 m depending on the source.
What permit do I need for Dho Tarap?
The Tarap valley is listed under the Lower Dolpa restricted-area permit; go through a registered agency and confirm the current rule.
More in Dolpo
All of DolpoLake · 3,612 m
Phoksundo Lake
A deep turquoise alpine lake in Dolpo, dammed by an ancient landslide, with the Bon village of Ringmo on its shore.
Temple, monastery or heritage site · 4,340 m
Shey Gompa
A remote monastery in Upper Dolpo below Crystal Mountain, reached over the Kang La from Phoksundo Lake.
Trek stop · 4,320 m
Chharka
A fortified-looking stone village in eastern Dolpo, a key stop on traverses between Dolpo and Mustang.
Trek stop · 2,090 m
Dunai
The district headquarters of Dolpa on the Thuli Bheri river, the first night for most treks into Dolpo.
Trek stop · 3,620 m
Saldang
The largest village of Upper Dolpo, scattered high above the Nankhang valley on the old salt-trade route to Tibet.
Nearby
Valley or region
Dolpo
A remote trans-Himalayan region of Bon and Buddhist villages, high passes and turquoise Phoksundo Lake, behind the Dhaulagiri and Kanjiroba ranges.
Editorial draft: facts are being checked against the sources below. Last checked 2026-10-06. Sources: Dho Tarap (Dho), Wikipedia, Dolpo, Wikipedia, Department of Immigration, Nepal: Trekking Route and Permit Fee, Dho Tarap, OpenStreetMap