Shey Phoksundo Lake Trek (GHT)

Altitude above sea level: 1,302 m

Driving Time: Approx. 20-30 minutes, depending on traffic

Upon arrival at Tribhuwan International airport, our representative will be awaiting you to cordially welcome you with great hospitality. The representative will be displaying the “Nepal Sanctuary Treks” placard outside the airport terminal.

You will be then escorted and transferred to the hotel in our private vehicle. Our staff will accompany you and help you with the check-in at your accommodation. Further, you will be given a brief description of the activities that will take place during the upcoming trip and a preliminary briefing on hygiene and safety by our representative.

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Nepalgunj. If it’s a clear day, then you will be able to see amazing views of the Himalayan range. After landing in Nepalgunj you will be escorted to your hotel. You will have the afternoon to yourself to explore Nepalgunj or relax at the hotel.

Altitude above sea level: (2,475 m) Juphal, (2,145 m) Dunai

Flight duration 35 minutes approx.

Hiking duration: 3–4 hrs. approx.

Accommodation: Camping

After an early breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight to Juphal. Throughout the flight, you will see amazing views of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges.

Once we land at Juphal, we will meet our accompanying trekking crew. Then we set off our today’s trek from Juphal- the starting point for the trek to Phoksundo Lake. As we begin, the trail goes through terraced fields by the southern bank of Thuli Bheri River. Further, you pass Roop Ghar and descend into maize fields before reaching Dunai. Dunai is headquartered in the Dolpa district which has a hospital, school, administration, and police station.

 Altitude above sea level: 2,670 m

Hiking duration: 6–7 hrs. Approx.

Accommodation: Camping

After having breakfast, we will leave Dunai behind and cross the suspension bridge over the Bheri River. Then you continue trekking through the northern bank of the river before heading north to Shey Phoksundo National Park check-post. Thereafter, climbing along the rock-strewn path, you will pass through a series of hemp trees to Kagbeni. Along the trail, you get to enjoy the magnificent views of cascading waterfalls and lush vegetation. Further, you will then trek through the tropical forest and then ascend along the narrow trail that brings you to the village of Chhepka.

 Altitude above sea level: 3,130 m

Hiking duration: 6–7 hrs. Approx.

Accommodation: Camping

After breakfast, we walk into the alpine forest. Take a gradual ascent to Renje which is the small village between Chhepka and Amchi. We will continue to trek along the Phoksondo River. Before you get to Amchi hospital, there is a boarding school with more than 300 students. Thereafter, you follow Phoksondo Khola heading north where we reach a bridge that takes us to Amchi hospital.“Amchi” is the name for traditional Tibetan medicine.

Altitude above sea level: 3,608 m

Hiking duration:5 hrs. approx.

Accommodation: Camping

After breakfast, you will hit the trail again, passing the Palam village. Then you continue to take incline trail to the ridge at about 3,800 m. From the ridge, you can observe the cascading Phoksondo waterfall flowing out from Phoksondo Lake. It is also considered one of the longest waterfalls in Nepal. After a short ascend, you will then descend through birch forests that take you to Ringmo, a Tibetan Bon village. From here, we take a short walk and reach the shore of Phoksondo Lake.

Accommodation: Camping

Today is important for acclimatization as we will be trekking to a higher altitude. Altitude sickness can be a problem, so to avoid it, we stay back and let our body adapt to the altitude.

You can explore the area around the beautiful freshwater Phoksundo Lake as well as Ringmo village.  You can explore the culture and traditions of the local people and know about their lifestyle and practices. It is worth visiting Tshowa Gompa, a 900-year-old Bon monastery on a ridge above the lake.

Hiking duration:5-6 hrs. approx.

Accommodation: Camping

After a hearty breakfast, you hike alongside the Phoksondo river. The trail is steep, and you will gradually descend through the beautiful green pasture that comprises the Renji village.

Altitude above sea level: 2,228 m

Hiking duration:6 hrs. approx.

Accommodation: Camping

After a hearty breakfast, we will follow Phoksondo Khola all the way back down to Kageni.

Altitude above sea level: 2,475 m

Hiking duration: 4–5 hrs. approx.

Accommodation: Camping

Today is the last day of the trek. After having breakfast, you set off for today’s hike to Juphal through splendid forests, fields, and villages.

Altitude above sea level: 1,302 m

Flight duration: 35 minutes approx. (Juphal-Nepalgunj),  45 minutes approx. (Nepalgunj-Kathmandu)

Accommodation: *** Hotel Manaslu or similar

After having breakfast, you will transfer to the airport for your flight to Nepalgunj and on to Kathmandu. After landing, our representative will be transferred to your hotel.

Accommodation: *** Hotel Manaslu or similar

Meals: Breakfast

It’s also a spare day in case of bad weather in Jomsom if we could not fly on the scheduled date and time.

Meal: Breakfast

It is time to fly back home, keeping all the terrific experiences of Nepal in mind. The representative from Nepal Sanctuary Treks will transfer you to TIA airport, where you should check-in 3 hours prior to your scheduled flight.