Upper Dolpo

Upper Dolpo lies north of the main Himalayan chain in the rain shadow, a landscape of bare ochre and grey hills, barley fields, yak caravans and villages that have kept Tibetan Buddhist and Bon practice largely undisturbed, since the region was closed to outsiders until 1989 and remains restricted today. Shey Gompa below the Crystal Mountain is the spiritual centre, with a circumambulation of the peak performed at festival time. Reaching the area means crossing passes above 5,000 metres, and the standard route from Juphal through Phoksundo to Shey and out via Jomsom or back takes three weeks with camping for much of it. Peter Matthiessen's account of travelling here has made the name familiar well beyond the number who go.

What you actually see

• Shey Gompa - the monastery below the Crystal Mountain.
• Trans-Himalayan landscape - ochre hills and barley terraces in rain shadow.
• High passes - crossings above 5,000 metres between valleys.
• Bon and Buddhist practice - village gompas of both traditions.

When to go

May to October, since the rain shadow makes summer viable here when the rest of Nepal is under monsoon. Passes are snowbound in winter and the region is effectively closed. Festival dates at Shey fall in summer.

Honest expectations

This is a three-week expedition needing a restricted permit, a guide, a minimum group and camping support; costs are high. Passes above 5,000 metres demand acclimatisation. Flights to Juphal cancel often. Facilities are almost nonexistent outside a few villages.

Nearby

Phoksundo lies south; Mustang is east over the passes.