The Hiking World

Upper Dolpo

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.

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Distance 209.31 km Reported · Ascent provisional (DEM sample) · High point provisional (DEM sample) · 24d · SAC T3 · Challenging (OSM mountain_hiking, OSM trail_visibility bad)

Last checked 2026-09-21

Cite this record

The Hiking World, Upper Dolpo, read 2026-09-21, https://www.thehikingworld.com/trails/upper-dolpo

How we verify · last checked 2026-09-21

Byline

  • The Hiking World editorial team · author
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.

Forecast at page generation, 2026-11-04T22:08:44.202Z

Representative point on Upper Dolpo: 29.418°, 83.060°, about 5332 m. A forecast, not a trail-surface reading.

At generation: -17°C, Clear.

  • 2026-11-05 Clear, -18–-5°C
  • 2026-11-06 Mainly clear, -17–-6°C
  • 2026-11-07 Mainly clear, -19–-6°C

Source Open-Meteo. Mountain weather changes with elevation and aspect.

Life-safety notices on this page come from the issuer.

Altitude weather delta

High 5,332 m minus low 3,104 m is 2,228 m of relief on this record. A standard tropospheric lapse of 6.5 °C per 1,000 m implies about 14.5 °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 · read 2026-09-10 · provisional

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

Stored line for Upper Dolpo, from 29.173°, 83.053° to 29.142°, 82.911°. The drawing is the simplified record, not a surveyed GPS track.

Map loads when this section is on screen.

GeoJSON

Line download is the stored OSM geometry, simplified. It is not a surveyed GPS track. GPX · GeoJSON

Facts29.173, 83.053
Distance209.31 km*
OSM line (ODbL, rel 11104197) · read 2026-09-21
Ascent+6,049 m*
derived:glo30/v1 · read 2026-09-21 · provisional
Descent7,414 m*
derived:glo30/v1 · read 2026-09-21 · provisional
High point5,332 m
derived:glo30/v1 · read 2026-09-21 · provisional
Low point3,104 m
derived:glo30/v1 · read 2026-09-21 · provisional
Routepoint-to-point
Days24
SeasonMay–Sep (NTB / NTNC rain-shadow window, checked 2026-09-21)
GradeOSM sac_scale: mountain_hiking · SAC T3 · YDS 2

Catalog entry

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 · verified 2026-09-21
Elevation
310442185332109.75 km profile length (DEM sample)

Stored distance is 209.31 km. The chart axis follows the DEM sample (109.75 km), not the published line length.

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 figure. ⚠ 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 figure and not implied by the OSM kilometre.

High 5,332 m is Copernicus GLO-30 (lastVerified 2026-10-15), verified on the walked OSM line. Low 3,104 m is the same DEM resample, verified. Ascent 6,049 m / descent 7,414 m remain provisional DEM. Landmark Ngo La 5,110 m (Wikipedia; DEM high 5,332 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

Conditions, fees and rules change. Confirm with the issuer and local authorities before you go. This is a reference, not a substitute for local advice. Terms

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

Permits and fees

We are not the issuer. Fees and rules change — confirm with the issuer before you pay. Issuer page.

PermitCostQuota / restrictionIssuerSourceChecked
Restricted Area Permit (Upper Dolpo) + Shey-Phoksundo NP entryUnverified — not officially sourcedNot recorded—Not recordedIssuer pageUnverified

Report a fee change or correction

Hazards

  • Altitude / AMS: GLO-30 high 5,332 m on this line (Ngo La 5,110 m (Wikipedia; DEM high 5,332 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.

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.

  1. 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 · read 2026-09-21 · 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.

Getting there car-free

  • OSM line start: car-free flag unknown.
  • OSM line end: car-free flag unknown.

Trailheads

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

Questions

Do I need a permit for Upper Dolpo?

A permit is listed as required for Upper Dolpo: Restricted Area Permit (Upper Dolpo) + Shey-Phoksundo NP entry. Status: Unverified. This desk does not treat that as an official ruling.

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 5,332 m on this line (Ngo La 5,110 m (Wikipedia; DEM high 5,332 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 (reported). 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.

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