Once a year, Himalayan Single Track runs something a little different. Not a regular departure, not a standard itinerary, and not a trip designed for everyone. We choose one special journey that takes us deeper into the mountains, further from the familiar, and closer to the kind of raw adventure that first made us fall in love with Mountain Biking in Nepal.
In 2027, our one-off special expedition will be Dolpo Into the Wilderness, departing 5th June 2027.
Dolpo is not just another Mountain bike ride in Nepal. It an incredible pedaling journey into one of the most remote, wild, and culturally rich regions of the Himalaya. Hidden beyond high passes, dry mountain deserts, ancient villages, turquoise lakes, and centuries-old monasteries, Dolpo feels like a place suspended between earth and sky.
For those looking for comfort, convenience, and easy trails, Dolpo is probably not the right journey. But for those who want something deeper, Dolpo is unforgettable. a true wilderness expedition into one of Nepal’s least-touched regions.
Our first expedition into Upper Dolpo began from Jomsom in early May 2025. From there, our team left behind the more established cycling routes of Mustang and moved into a world that felt completely different. The trails became longer, the air thinner, the villages further apart, and the sense of isolation stronger with every day.
This was not polished tourism. It was raw, demanding, beautiful, and at times uncomfortable. There were high passes, exposed ridgelines, long days on foot, cold nights, simple camps, basic food, and moments where the scale of the landscape made us feel very small.
But that is also what made it so powerful.
Dolpo does not reveal itself easily. You have to earn it. Each climb, each pass, each remote valley slowly opens a window into a part of Nepal that very few travellers ever experience. The landscapes are vast and dramatic, with barren cliffs, deep gorges, snow peaks, hidden settlements, and the kind of silence that is hard to find anywhere else.
Yet the real magic of Dolpo is not only in the scenery. It is in the culture.
Upper Dolpo is one of the last places in Nepal where the ancient Tibetan way of life still continues with remarkable strength. Villages feel timeless. Monasteries sit quietly in remote valleys. Prayer flags move in the wind above stone houses and high mountain passes. Bon traditions, Tibetan Buddhist practices, local rituals, and centuries of mountain wisdom are still woven into daily life.
For us, the journey became far more than an adventure. It was a cultural awakening.
We met people who live with incredible resilience in one of the harshest environments in the Himalaya. Their hospitality, strength, and connection to the land were humbling. In Dolpo, life is not easy, but it carries a depth and dignity that stays with you long after the journey ends.
This is why Dolpo matters.
In a world where many of our classic cycling routes are becoming busier, faster, and more developed, Dolpo remains a place of true wilderness. It offers something rare: space, silence, culture, hardship, beauty, and a genuine feeling of stepping into the unknown.
It is a journey for people who want more than a checklist mountain bike tour. Dolpo is for those who want to experience remote Nepal in its purest form. It is for mountain bikers who understand that the most meaningful adventures are not always the easiest ones.
Our Dolpo Into the Wilderness Expedition in June 2027 will be a special one-off departure for those ready to take on a serious Himalayan journey. This is not a luxury tour. It is an expedition-style adventure through one of Nepal’s most isolated regions, designed for people with a strong spirit, good fitness, patience, and a genuine respect for local culture and environment.
At Himalayan Single Track, we believe that journeys like this must be done carefully. Dolpo is fragile. Its landscapes, communities, traditions, and environment deserve respect. Our aim is not simply to take people there, but to travel in a way that supports local communities, honors the culture, and keeps the experience thoughtful and responsible.
For those who are ready, Dolpo calls.
It calls with high passes and hidden valleys. It calls with ancient monasteries, wild landscapes, and stories carried on the wind. It calls to those who are willing to leave comfort behind and step into something rare.
Dolpo Into the Wilderness departs on 7th June 2027.
Highlights
- 20 Days of pure adventure through one of the most remote corners of Nepal
- Remote high-altitude riding on ancient trade routes and technical singletrack
- Big climbs, rugged terrain, and high passes up to 5,000 meters
- Immersive cultural experience in villages like Saldang, Chharka Bhot, and Tarap, where traditional life still thrives
- Sacred landmarks including the 11th-century Shey Gompa, the spiritual heart of Dolpo
- Riding through the landscapes made famous by Peter Matthiessen’s The Snow Leopard and the Oscar-nominated film Himalaya (Caravan)
- Nights spent camping beneath clear mountain skies, alongside nomads and yak herders
Day 01 – Arrival in Kathmandu and transfer by domestic flight to Pokhara
Day 02 – Pokhara Local Ride and Expedition Prep
Day 03 – Pokhara to Thini (2,840m), Lower Mustang. Driving 5 hours and afternoon enduro trail riding
Day 04 – Thini to Muktinath and Jharkot (3,800m–3,200m, 25 km). Acclimatization riding
Day 05 – Thini to Sangda Phedi (4,190m) via Sangda (3,800m). Mix of driving and pushing bikes
Day 06 – Camp 1 to Norbulung Camp (4,800m). Distance: 12–15 km
Day 07 – Cross Niwar La Pass (5,120m) to Chharka Bhot (4,300m). Distance: 16 km
Day 08 – Chharka Bhot to Rokpa (4,280m) via Mola Pass (5,030m). Distance: 15 km
Day 09 – Rokpa to Tinje (4,150m). Distance: 18 km
Day 10 – Rest and exploration in Tinje (4,150m)
Day 11 – Tinje to Shimen (4,200m) and Khoma Gau (4,050m). Distance: 20–22 km
Day 12 – Khoma Gau to Saldang (3,770m) and Namgung (4,360m). Distance: 18 km
Day 13 – Namgung to Shey Gompa (4,160m). Distance: 14 km
Day 14 – Rest at Shey Gompa (4,160m)
Day 15 – Shey Gompa to Phoksundo Lake (3,611m) via Nagdalo Pass (5,350m). Distance: 18 km
Day 16 – Rest and exploration at Phoksundo Lake (3,611m)
Day 17 – Phoksundo Lake to Dunai (2,140m). Distance: 32 km
Day 18 – Dunai to Nepalgunj
Day 19 – Flight to Kathmandu
Day 20 – Departure from Kathmandu
This is our once-a-year special expedition. A journey into mystery, hardship, culture, and wonder.
Watch our video below to see the incredible drone footage from our first Dolpo expedition, and get a glimpse of the wild beauty that awaits.
View Video on Youtube
