Trip Facts
- Trip Starts and finishes at Kathmandu
- Trekking Expedition starts and finishes at Juphal
- Total Days: 25
- Region: Upper Dolpa
- Maximum Elevation: Saldang La Pass 5,200m
- Accommodation: Hotels in Kathmandu and Nepalgunj; Camping during the trekking days
- Difficulty Level: Difficult
- Daily Average Trekking Hours: 6 hours
Necessary Trekking Equipment
To fully enjoy your trek, having the right trekking equipment is essential for both safety and comfort. The trekking equipment necessary depends on the type of trek, the time of year, weather conditions, landscape, and the maximum altitude of the trek. A properly packed trekking backpack is light and also includes multipurpose clothing items. It is important for you not to forget the essential equipment for your safety and comfort on your trek.
Please make sure that you bring sufficiently warm clothes, especially during the winter season (Dec – Feb). Not having the required trekking equipment and clothing will not only significantly decrease the pleasure of trekking, but could also worsen case scenarios that could be life-threatening. It will also be a burden to you if you pack unnecessary equipment. For your ease, the following are the equipment that you have to bring with you.
Footwear
- Trekking Boot: one Pair
- Socks: 4, Light socks : 3, Sandle: 1
Clothing
- Down or Fiber-filled water and windproof jacket and trouser: 1
- Fleece Jacket / Pullover: 1
- Warm cotton trousers: 2
- Shirt and T-shirts: 4
- Lightweight cotton long trousers :3
- Long underwear: 2, Short underwear: 4
- Sun hat / Scarft/ Woolen hat :1
- Lightweight gloves: 1, Raincoat:1
- Heavyweight glove or mitten with a waterproof: 1
Medicinal
- Basic first-aid box
- Diamox tablets to reduce altitude sickness
- Insect/anti-itch Ointment
- Non-prescription medicine such as pain reliever, fever reducer, antibiotics, and ointments
- Prescription medicine traveler's diarrhea, Avmoine
- Female Sanitary pads
- Hand Sanitizer and wet wipes
- Medicine for Cough and Heartburn (It mainly happens when you go to higher altitudes)
- Band-aid
- Ibuprofen and also paracetamol in case of fever
Other Equipment
- Day Pack at Least 25 kg
- Water Bottle 1
- Sun Cream 1
- Sun Glass 1
- Towel
- Flashlight with spare bulbs, batteries, lip salve, gaiters.
- Laundry soap
- Swiss Knife
- Sewing Kit, Camera, Film, Cards, and Personal Medical Kit.
Optional
- Notebook and Pen
- Toilet articles
- Toilet Roll
For additional information, you can check our article Trekking Gears Checklist.
Teahouse trekking:
Tea house trekking takes you to the mountain where you stay every overnight at a guest house. Food and accommodations are provided according to your choice at the guest house.
Carrying my stuff when trekking:
We will employ our porters to carry up to 12kgs of weight for each trekker. This is included in the price of each trek. We provide 1 porter for 2 trekkers in accordance with the guidelines set out by the International Porter Protection Group. If you would like more weight to be carried, please let us know. In general 12kg is more than sufficient. If you have unnecessary stuff that is not required during the trekking days in the mountain, you can leave it at the hotel till you come back. They will store it safely.
Normally each porter will carry 2 people's rucksacks and he will simply tie them together using rope (this does not harm any of the rucksacks). If you are trekking with a friend or loved one, and there is space in one rucksack for both your possessions, then please feel free to share the same rucksack but please ensure that it weighs less than 24kg. It is helpful if you do not put things that you may need during the day in your large rucksack as you will not be walking with your porter at all times.
Can I drink the tap water:
We don’t recommend you to drink tap water in the mountains since it is not safe. To help prevent contamination of the environment, we discourage tourists from drinking from plastic bottles especially when in the mountains. Non-plastic bottle options include:
- Drinking boiled water from teahouses.
- Drinking ginger and lemon tea reduce the need for water consumption.
- Purifying tap/river water using a chloride pump, iodine, or chloride tablets. The taste of the tablets is not appetizing, so it is recommendable to use a dissolvable vitamin tablet to add flavor.
Altitude sickness:
The more you ascend to a higher altitude, the more oxygen will be less. Normally, no traveler will be suffered from altitude sickness below 4ooo m. high. But this is not the case always. Those who lack good stamina, physical fitness, those who drink a lot and smoke will likely suffer altitude sickness.
Mild and common symptoms include headaches (also a symptom of dehydration), low appetite, and restless sleep.
More moderate symptoms include vomiting, fatigue, and diarrhea. Many compare altitude sickness to the sensations of having a hangover. Severe symptoms include blue lips and fingernails, severe difficulty breathing, poor coordination, fatigue, and drowsiness. To avoid altitude sickness, we recommend you to descend down to the lower altitude, hydrate sufficiently and maintain nutrition. In case you have these above mentioned symptoms, inform to our guide since he will be far more experienced than you.
Travel insurance:
It is required to have travel insurance that covers your rescue in case you have suffered any kind of sickness in high altitude including altitude sickness. We hope everything will be fine during the trekking days but sometimes unforeseen circumstances may occur. Many standard policies cover you trekking to high altitudes, such as on the Everest Base Camp and Annapurna Circuit Trek, but it is very important to check this before you go.
Here is a list of insurance companies that we have collected information on (however it is your responsibility to confirm that the information on our website is correct): We recommend companies such as Insure and Go, Virgin Money, and The Post office, as they currently cover the altitudes of all our treks.
For more information please see our information section.
What is your cancellation policy:
If you choose to cancel the service(s) that you have paid to Magic Expedition we will refund your payment in accordance with the following schedule:
75% refund of total trip price for a cancellation made 14 days prior to the original departure date.
50% refund of total trip price for a cancellation made 7 days prior to the original departure date.
0% refund of total trip price for a cancellation made 3 days or fewer days prior to the original departure date.
Please note that you can transfer your bookings to another trip if desired less any costs incurred by us in organizing your trip.
How will I get rescued if I am critically ill during the trek?
Altitude sickness mainly occurs after you head above 2500m. You will not get altitude sickness symptoms below 2500m. Some of the altitude sickness symptoms are Nausea, Headache, loss of appetite, difficulty breathing, and dizziness. Acclimatization is the main thing that helps to prevent altitude sickness. But you can still prevent altitude sickness by drinking more water, avoiding strenuous exercise for 24 hours, and by having a rest day every 600m-900m you go up.
However, one out of 10 people may catch altitude sickness even with all the preventions. We can take DIAMOX if we suffer from altitude sickness. But if the condition does not get well even after taking the Diamox, the guide will immediately inform the travel company. If you will be ill at any point of the trek you will be slowly taken to the lower elevation. Then you will be seek basic medical where our guide will help you, and then if it’s necessary or emergency you will be immediately sent to Kathmandu by emergency helicopter service. This is how you will get rescued if you will be critically ill during the trek.
The importance of insurance in Upper Dolpa Trek
Find the best policies that cover all the necessary events associated with Upper Dolpa Trek or other trekking areas. There will not be a relaxed trip without travel insurance. It is very necessary to be careful while choosing policies because some insurance companies do not include adventure trekking. Mostly many of the travel insurance covers only up to the elevation of 3000m but the Manaslu Base Camp trek will go beyond 3000m standing at the highest point which will be above 5000m.
We suggest you choose Your travel insurance that covers up to 6000m which you will be covered for the entire trek and shouldn't be worried about evacuations or medical assistance costs. Before buying your insurance, your insurer should be aware of the Itinerary of Magic Expedition and Tours. If you are planning for trekking in the Himalayas, Your insurance should cover emergency air service Helicopter and should include all the medical expenses. The emergency helicopter service would be very costly so If you have your insurance done you wouldn’t be worried. Your travel insurance should cover the cancelation policy because if you have to cancel a paid trek due to weather conditions, They can cover this expense. You should double-check that it is included on the top of the standard hospitalization cover. Some of the Travel insurances that are recommended are:-
