Upper Dolpo

Name: Upper Dolpo
Address: NP

OSM hiking route Upper Dolpo, Nepal (209.31 km line). Permits are the headline (official NTB/NTNC 2026-09-21). Vertical figures from the Wave N GLO-30 resample.

Byline

The Hiking World editorial · author
Desk byline for seed records. Named surveying editors replace this once a trail is verified.

Kanjiroba Himal over Dolpa District, Nepal

Figures marked provisional are seed data and still need verification. Source and last-checked date sit under each cited value.

Altitude weather delta

High 5,335 m minus low 2,030 m is 3,305 m of relief on this record. A standard tropospheric lapse of 6.5 °C per 1,000 m implies about 21.5 °C cooler at the high point than the valley, all else equal.

That is a model (International Standard Atmosphere environmental lapse), not a forecast and not a trail-closure. Wind, snow, and storms stay in Hazards.

derived:lapse-rate · 2026-09-10 · provisional

ISA 6.5 °C / 1,000 m · wikipedia.org · 2026-09-10

loading map...

Facts29.173, 83.053

Distance209.31 km*

OSM line (ODbL, rel 11104197) · 2026-09-21 · osm · provisional

Ascent+27,270 m*

Copernicus GLO-30 (30 m resample) · 2026-09-21 · dem · provisional

Descent21,137 m*

Copernicus GLO-30 (30 m resample) · 2026-09-21 · dem · provisional

High point5,335 m

Copernicus GLO-30 · 2026-09-21 · dem

Low point2,030 m

Copernicus GLO-30 · 2026-09-21 · dem

Routepoint-to-point

Days24

SeasonMay–Sep (NTB / NTNC rain-shadow window, checked 2026-09-21)

GradeOSM sac_scale: mountain_hiking · SAC T3 · YDS 2

Editorial v1 · Provisional catalog

DifficultyOSM sac_scale: mountain_hiking

Challenging (OSM mountain_hiking, OSM trail_visibility bad)

SAC T3: Demanding mountain hiking. Exposed sections possible; hands may be needed for balance.
YDS Class 2: Class 2. Simple scrambling, occasional use of hands.

openstreetmap.org · 2026-09-21

Ingested from OpenStreetMap relation 11104197 (ODbL). The mapped line is that geometry. Distance, ascent, descent, and high/low points are the Wave N evidence-sheet figures (adjudicated 2026-09-21). Permits are official-sourced; geometry stays OSM-provisional. Water was not mapped to named WaterSource points.

OSM 2D length is 209.31 km (OSM line, ODbL, relation 11104197, lastVerified 2026-09-21). Provisional — OSM line, no official kilometre. ⚠ Incomplete geometry: 9 components with a 1,102 m gap. Distance stays provisional. ⚠ secondary: operator itineraries cite about 250 km. Cited km is not this DataPoint. ⚠ disjoint:9 gap 1,102 m — heavily provisional; the OSM line may miss segments. Not lower-dolpo (2.5 km stub, held).

typicalDays 24 is the published typical window (operator, secondary), not a DataPoint and not implied by the OSM kilometre.

High 5,335 m is Copernicus GLO-30 (lastVerified 2026-09-21), verified on the walked OSM line. Low 2,030 m is the same DEM resample, verified. Ascent 27,270 m / descent 21,137 m remain provisional DEM. Landmark Ngo La 5,110 m (Wikipedia; DEM high 5,335 m is the walked line — Numa La / Baga La / Kang La country).

Dolpo restricted area. NTB trekking-permit table (https://ntb.gov.np/en/plan-your-trip/before-you-come/trekking-permit, checked 2026-09-21): USD 500 per person for the first 10 days, then USD 50 per person / day. Restricted area: Department of Immigration RAP is issued through a registered agency, not self-issued; minimum two trekkers, solo prohibited (https://ntb.gov.np/en/plan-your-trip/before-you-come/trekking-permit, checked 2026-09-21). Shey-Phoksundo NP entry NPR 3,000 foreign (https://ntb.gov.np/en/plan-your-trip/before-you-come/park-entry-fees, checked 2026-09-21).

Water

No water sources recorded.

Permits & fees

Permit: Restricted Area Permit (Upper Dolpo) + Shey-Phoksundo NP entry

Getting there

Sourced legs to the Juphal approaches base start station — where this trail record begins. This is not a route planner: durations are approximate and marked provisional until an official transport page confirms them.

Air · Kathmandu (KTM) → Juphal / Dunai approaches
Published approaches use the Nepalgunj–Juphal airhead then walk toward Dunai / Shey-Phoksundo. RAP is agency-issued in Kathmandu before travel (https://ntb.gov.np/en/plan-your-trip/before-you-come/trekking-permit, checked 2026-09-21).
ntb.gov.np · 2026-09-21 · official · provisional

Restricted area: registered agency, minimum two trekkers. Not the 2.5 km Lower Dolpo OSM stub.

Plan from your location

Type a city, then pick a match. These links open external search tools — they do not fetch fares or timetables.

Trailheads

OSM line start car-free: unknown
OSM line end car-free: unknown

Hazards

Altitude / AMS: GLO-30 high 5,335 m on this line (Ngo La 5,110 m (Wikipedia; DEM high 5,335 m is the walked line — Numa La / Baga La / Kang La country)). This is a high-altitude trek, not a casual hike.
Restricted-area RAP is agency-issued, not self-issued (https://ntb.gov.np/en/plan-your-trip/before-you-come/trekking-permit, checked 2026-09-21). Minimum two trekkers; solo prohibited.

Questions

Do I need a permit for Upper Dolpo?

A permit is required for Upper Dolpo: Restricted Area Permit (Upper Dolpo) + Shey-Phoksundo NP entry. Cost, booking, and issuer stay behind the login gate on this page.

When is the best time to hike Upper Dolpo?

On this record the best season is: May–Sep (NTB / NTNC rain-shadow window, checked 2026-09-21).

How difficult is Upper Dolpo?

Upper Dolpo is graded OSM sac_scale: mountain_hiking · SAC T3 · YDS 2. A sourced hazard on this record: Altitude / AMS: GLO-30 high 5,335 m on this line (Ngo La 5,110 m (Wikipedia; DEM high 5,335 m is the walked line — Numa La / Baga La / Kang La country)). This is a high-altitude trek, not a casual hike.

How long is Upper Dolpo?

The length on this record is 209.31 km (provisional). Published figures may differ. See /guides/how-long-is-the-trail

How do I get to Upper Dolpo?

The record’s base start is Juphal approaches. A primary gateway on the record is Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM). Trailhead transit notes are not included in this public FAQ.