Deepak Neupane : Dolpa is one the five districts of Karnali zone. It is the largest and least populated district of Nepal
covering 5.36% of the total area of the country. It lies completely in the Trans-Himalayan region of Nepal and its headquarters is Dunai. Dolpa boasts for its natural beauty and cultural wealth. Up until 1996 foreigners were not allowed access to this region so the culture has largely been unaffected by tourism. Trekking in Upper Dolpa offers you the remarkable and breathtaking experience of a lifetime. The notable features seen here are snowy peaks, ancient and remote villages, rich wildlife, lovely Buddhist monasteries and wonderful lakes.
Upper Dolpa presents an exposure to the high and remote Himalayan valleys, resembling the Tibetan highlands. The main highlight of Dolpa trekking includes “Shey Phoksundo National Park” which is one of the major National Parks of Nepal. “Shey Phoksundo Lake” is another famous feature of this region. The lake is totally free of aquatic life, which the crystal waters clearly demonstrate. Surrounded by rocks, forests, and snow-capped peaks, the area has been described as one of the world’s “Natural Hidden Wonders”. The hardy highlanders of Dolpa are traders, exchanging barley for Tibetan rock salt and they take their yaks onto the Tibetan plateau during the summer for grazing.
Dolpa is located at the head of the Bheri river to the north of the Dhaulagiri ranges and to the south of the Tibetan Plateau. Dolpos live at the altitude of 13-14000 ft.and they have 40 settlements in all. Their physical features and habits largely resemble those of the Lhopas.they are farmers, but their chief occupation is also animal husbandry. They practice both bon-po and Buddhism. Their language and dress choices are similar to the Lhopas similar like Tibetans. upper Dolpo area called Dho and Trap. regulations to trek in Upper Dolpo, the Government of Nepal has required to get special permits from the Department of Immigration office in Kathmandu.
Upper Dolpa was first written about by David Snelgrove in his book titled “Himalayan Pilgrimmage” and after that by Peter Matthiessen in “The Snow Leopard“. This region was used as the location for Eric Valli’s superb movie “Caravan (Himalaya)”, Nepal first English subtitle movie which was a huge success and was nominated for the Oscar Award in the best foreign language film category. The book and movie help to promote the spectacular and mesmerizing places of Nepal and Dolpa region in foreign land.
Some of the attractions of this trekking route are Dho Tarap, a human settlement at the highest altitude in the world, Shey Gumba, religiously the most important Gumba in Nepal. Dolpa is rich in flora and fauna too. The rugged landscape and its remoteness of Dolpa offer stark and unspoilt natural beauty.
