Lower Dolpo Circuit Trek - 15 Days

Lower Dolpo Circuit Trek (15 Days) — What You Need to Know

Arrival and Welcome

When you land at Tribhuvan International Airport, our representative will be waiting with a sign showing your name. You'll be welcomed with a traditional marigold garland or khada and driven to your hotel in a private car. We ask that you arrive in Kathmandu by 4 pm the day before your trek departs — this gives us time for final preparations. In the Budget tier, you'll travel to the trailhead by local transport such as a jeep or bus, which may add two to three extra days to your trip. We'll collect you from your hotel, and the adventure officially begins with a flight from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj.

Accommodation

Over the 15 days you'll stay in a mix of local lodges, traditional teahouses, homestays, and camps. In some locations along the Dolpo circuit, we'll need to camp or stay in local homestays — all tiers include tents for the camping sections, along with camping equipment, a camp cook, and an additional porter. Where teahouses are available, they're simple, family-run places that give you a real taste of mountain life, with facilities like hot showers, electricity, and sometimes Wi-Fi at a small extra cost. Kathmandu accommodation isn't included in the package, but we can help arrange hotel bookings before and after the trek.

Meals

At altitude, your body works harder and needs proper fuel — plenty of carbohydrates, protein, and hydration. The menu changes depending on elevation, with fewer choices higher up. We strongly recommend garlic soup, fresh vegetables, green tea, hot lemon, and ginger tea. In homestays, local food is provided. During camping sections, the arrangements differ by tier (see below). Personal extras like alcohol, snacks, and drinks between meals aren't included.

Luggage

We provide one porter for every two trekkers. Each person's luggage allowance is 10 kg, so a porter carries no more than 20 kg total — we never overload our porters. An additional porter is required for carrying the tent, camping food, and equipment. Pack your gear in a duffel bag of over sixty litres and team up with a fellow trekker. You'll still carry a small daypack for your valuables, water, and camera. Extra bags can be stored free at your hotel or our Kathmandu office.

Facilities and Essentials

Water

You can buy bottled water from shops along the trail or drink boiled or filtered water at lodges. We strongly recommend bringing a reusable bottle and refilling it with boiled water — this cuts down on plastic waste and saves money. Never drink untreated tap, river, or well water. For extra safety, carry water purification tablets (available at shops along the trail). The Dolpo trek includes camping sections, so you'll be provided hot water and food at campsites.

Communication

We'll provide you with a SIM card in Kathmandu and show you how to set up data and top up credit. Mobile signal can be patchy at higher altitudes — and in the remote Dolpo region, coverage is particularly limited. Our lead guide stays in daily contact with all trekking teams. For emergencies, we carry walkie-talkies and satellite phones in areas with no mobile coverage.

Travel Essentials

Visa

All foreign nationals need a visa to enter Nepal (Indian citizens are exempt). Most nationalities can get a visa on arrival at Kathmandu airport — the current fee is USD 50 for 30 days, payable in cash. Citizens of China and SAARC countries receive free visas. We also recommend registering your visit with your country's embassy or consulate in Nepal.

Travel Insurance

This is a remote trek with high passes and limited rescue access — travel insurance is mandatory. Your policy must cover medical expenses and emergency helicopter rescue up to 5,000 metres. Please send us your insurance details within a week of booking — in an emergency, we'll use them to arrange rapid evacuation and hospital transfer.

Currency Exchange

The Nepali Rupee (NPR) is the local currency. ATMs are available in Kathmandu, Pokhara, and major towns. Credit cards are accepted at larger hotels and restaurants but not at smaller shops or on remote trails.

We recommend carrying cash in NPR for daily expenses. USD, GBP, EUR, and AUD can be exchanged at banks and money changers in Kathmandu.

Extra Expenses

While the package covers most trek costs, you'll need to budget for some personal items: meals and accommodation in Kathmandu, visa fees, snacks on the trail, hot showers, personal gear, and tips for the crew. We recommend roughly USD 20 per day for these extras during the trek.

Trek Season and Weather

The best times for the Lower Dolpo Circuit are spring and autumn. Spring (March–May): Stable, pleasant weather with daytime valley temperatures of 10–20°C, though nights at higher elevations can still drop below freezing. Blooming rhododendrons and clear mountain views. Autumn (September–November): Excellent conditions with crisp, clear skies and minimal rain. Daytime temperatures around 5–15°C at higher camps, with nights becoming progressively colder, especially in November. Winter (December–February): Harsh — only for well-equipped, experienced trekkers. Temperatures at high passes can plummet to -15°C or lower, and heavy snow often blocks the routes. Summer/Monsoon (June–August): Warm temperatures of 15–25°C in lower areas but frequent rain, cloudy skies, muddy trails, and a high chance of flight cancellations to the trailhead.

A Typical Day

An early breakfast kicks off each morning. The day's walking is split into two parts: three to four hours in the morning, a one-hour lunch stop, then a shorter afternoon stretch to your lodge or campsite. Dinner is served around 7 pm, when your guide will brief you on the next day's plan. The rest of the evening is yours — relax, explore the settlement, or swap stories with fellow trekkers.

Booking Your Trek

Private Treks

Every trek we run is private — you'll only walk with your own group. We never add strangers to your trip. All itineraries are fully customisable to suit your schedule.

Solo Trekkers and Group Bookings

Our treks run with a minimum of two people. If you're travelling alone and don't have a companion, we can set up a group trek open to others — once you confirm, it goes on our website so other trekkers can join. This way, every trip becomes your own personal holiday in the Himalayas.

Secure Booking

The Everest Holiday is a registered and bonded trekking operator — proud members of the Trekking Agency Association of Nepal (TAAN) and the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA). Shreejan's father, Ganesh Prasad Simkhada, has held senior positions at the Nepal Tourism Board and the Nepal Mountaineering Association. To confirm your booking, we require a 10% advance payment.

Payment options include the Himalayan Bank online portal (on our website), major credit cards, bank transfers, Wise, and Western Union. You can pay the remaining balance after arriving in Kathmandu. Please send us a copy of your passport within one week of booking, and make sure it has at least six months' validity from your arrival date in Nepal.

Last-Minute Bookings

We recommend booking in advance, but we do accept last-minute bookings with full payment required 24 hours before departure. For last-minute treks, contact Shreejan directly at +977-9810351300 or email info@theeverestholiday.com. Please note that last-minute trips may face delays due to circumstances beyond our control.

Our Team

We're a family business with three generations in Nepal's tourism industry. We started as porters and now run the agency — and we still treat every team member like family. Your guides and porters are experienced professionals from the upper Himalayas who know these mountains intimately. They're trained in wilderness first aid, altitude safety, and speak good English. We cover their insurance, meals, accommodation, and medical care. Don't hesitate to ask them anything — they're there for you.

Flexible Schedule

Your trip dates are entirely up to you. If our listed departure dates don't work, let us know and we'll arrange a trek that fits your schedule.

Trip Extensions

Want to see more of Nepal? We can add activities like a jungle safari in Chitwan or Bardiya, bungee jumping in Pokhara, Bhote Koshi, or Kushma, white-water rafting on the Bhote Koshi, Trishuli, or Seti rivers, kayaking in Trishuli or Pokhara, paragliding over Pokhara or Kathmandu, zip flying in Kathmandu, Pokhara, or Kushma, canyoning at Pokhara or Sukhuta Beach, or hot air ballooning in Pokhara.

For culture and history, we arrange guided tours of the Kathmandu Valley's UNESCO World Heritage Sites — Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Patan Durbar Square, Kathmandu Durbar Square, Swayambhunath (the Monkey Temple), Boudhanath Stupa, Changunarayan Temple, and Pashupatinath Temple. Sunrise trips to Nagarkot and Dhulikhel are also popular. We can arrange spiritual visits to temples, stupas, monasteries, and meditation centres too. Check our ADD-ON packages when you book.

Ecotourism

We take the health of these mountains seriously. At the start of your trek, every guest receives an eco-waste bag. Please use it for all non-compostable rubbish — snack wrappers, plastic bottles, batteries. Carry it with you as you walk; our guides will show you where to dispose of waste properly at designated collection points. Help us keep the Dolpo region clean for the people who live here and the trekkers who come after you.

After the Trek

Farewell Dinner

Back in Kathmandu, we'll host a farewell dinner where you can share stories from the trail and give us your honest feedback. You'll also receive a certificate of achievement to mark what you've accomplished.

Departure

Let us know your hotel name, room number, and flight details, and we'll arrange your transfer to Tribhuvan International Airport. We hope you'll come back to Nepal for another adventure.

Tipping

Tipping is appreciated in Nepal but never obligatory. The amount should reflect the quality of service, the length and difficulty of the trek, and your overall experience. We recommend tipping the crew collectively at the end of the trek.