Shey Phoksundo Lake Trek – Travel Blog
Kanchan Shrestha | November 8, 2019
Shey Phoksundo Lake Trek – Travel blog, Shey Phoksundo Lake is one of the exotic and heavenly places on the earth. The tantalizing beauty of this turquoise-colored lake will get you hypnotized. It feels as if a part of the sky has been laid down on the earth as a blue carpet. The serenity and pristinely environment that this location possesses is simple enough to get you dissolved in the lavishing glory of mother nature.
Talking about travel blog Shey Phoksundo Lake Trek, it’s a real adventure that will allow you to admire the majestic beauty of the mystic Dolpo region of Nepal. The isolated and remoteness of the region combined with mountains, lakes, valleys and fresh air, the region is a living example of heaven on earth. The beauty of this place has been described in the book – the Snow Leopard by Peter Matthiessen. Also, the place has been featured in the Oscar-nominated movie – Caravan. The movie has been filmed in some exclusively harsh locations i.e. in the rough mountainous terrain of Dolpa.
The trail of Shey Phoksundo Lake Trek was opened for trekkers only in 1989. Even today, a special permit is required to enter this region. Owing to its remoteness and seclude nature, the region receives very fewer numbers of travelers but the region is totally worth it. Shey Phoksundo Lake and Shey Phoksundo National Park are the two major attractions of this trek.
Situated at an altitude of 3612 meters above sea level, Shey Phoksundo Lake is an alpine freshwater oligotrophic lake. This azure freshwater lake has been designated as a Ramsar site in 2007 and the lake lies within the boundary of Shey Phoksundo National Park. There is a 30000 to 40000 years old landslide dam on the southern end that formed the lake. Just above the dam sits a beautiful village called Ringmo village. As you pass the dam, you can get a sight of glittering water that falls down over a 167-meter-tall waterfall.
Ringmo village lies on the southern end of the Phoksundo lake. It is an old village enriched with more than twenty stupas and Bon gompa which is also named after the village name – Ringmo. In the Dolpo region, you will find the strong dominance of Tibetan Buddhist culture. In some places, you will find the prevalence of Bon religion which is a unique religion of its own kind. Shey Phoksundo lake is considered as a sacred lake by Buddhist people and Bon religion pilgrims. Each year, many people visit this lake just for its religious significance. Apart from its religious value, the lake is a magical place to be at. The lake amidst the Rocky Mountains with azure blue lake water, nothing could have been more refreshing and reviving.
So, are you ready to revitalize yourself with Shey Phoksundo Lake Trek? The journey to Shey Phoksundo starts with two continuous flights, one from Kathmandu to Nepalgunj and then to Juphal from Nepalgunj. As soon as you land on Juphal, you are already at one of the remote locations of Nepal in the Humla district. Leaving Juphal, you follow a trail that used to be an ancient salt trade route of Nepal and Tibet. You pass rocky terrain along a secluded area with few alpine trees to no tree area.
The next two days of hike and you will find yourself glazing at the spellbinding beauty of Phoksundo Lake. In this two days’ hike, you traverse deep into the forests of pine and juniper, mostly uphill. The climb up the trail may sometimes leave you breathless but take your steps one by one because the astonishing views of the surrounding will keep you going and it’s totally worth it. On the way, you pass a small settlement of Palam to come out of a gorge and wood. No sooner, you will come across a ridge where you can stop to applaud the appealing sight of a 330-meter-high waterfall cascading down. The waterfall originates from the Suligad river in the region. The waterfall said to be the country’s highest waterfall. It’s indeed a stirring sight to relief you from the tiredness you had all along.
The ridge is a vantage point but not just for the waterfall. You will also be able to get the first glimpse of the glittering turquoise-colored Phoksundo lake. In the far south, you will be able to see Ringmo, a beautiful village full of colorful prayer flags, chortens, mani walls, stupas, and Bonpo monasteries. As you walk passes the trail, you will be able to feel the strong dominance of the Tibetan Buddhist religion in those areas. Even people and their lifestyles are much similar to that of the people in Tibet.
Adhering to the fact that Dolpo is one of the most seclude and isolated sections of Nepal, the region is one of the most preserved sections in terms of natural glory, biodiversity, ecosystem, and authentic Buddhist region. During Shey Phoksundo Lake Trek, you will be traversing through the protected area of Shey Phoksundo National Park. The national park is home to various species of birds, animals, floras, and faunas. If lucky, you may be able to catch a glimpse of Snow Leopard and other rare species of birds and animals found only in those areas.
So, pack your bags for an enriching journey to feast your eyes with the loveliness of Mother Nature. The remoteness of the region, biodiversity cultural diversity and religious diversity is enough to awe your heart with the goodness of the Dolpo region.
Himal Eco Treks organizes a fascinating journey to the Shey Phoksundo Lake. If you are interested to set out for this journey, do not forget to write to us. Some of the major highlights of Shey Phoksundo Lake Trek travel blog are –
- The tantalizing beauty of turquoise-colored serene Phoksundo Lake
- The remoteness of Dolpo region
- Traverse into the most secluded sections of Nepal
- Explore the biodiversity and rich ecosystem of Phoksundo National Park
- Relish the cascading beauty of the Suligad waterfall near Ringmo village
- Get some meaningful insights on traditional people residing in those areas
- Discover the authentic Bonpo religion prevalent in those religions
The best time for Shey Phoksundo Lake Trek is anytime between September to November and March to May. For more info regarding the itinerary, cost, mode of transportation and others, please visit our site https://himalecotreks.com/phoksundo-lake-short-trek/
If you have any comments of this Shey Phoksundo Lake Trek travel blog, we would be glad to hear from you.
In case of any queries regarding the trip, do not forget to write to us at info@himalecotreks.com
