TREKKING IN NEPAL---A JOURNEY TO DOLPO 

"Just as a white summer cloud, in harmony with heaven and earth, freely floats in the blue sky from horizon to horizon following the breath of the atmosphere---in the same way the pilgrim abandons himself to the breath of the greater life that leads him beyond the farthest horizons to an aim which is already present within him, though yet hidden from his sight."
.... from The Snow Leopard by Peter Matthiessen

In the fall of 1999, I joined a group of friends trip for a 28-day trek in Nepal. On our journey we covered, on foot, a distance of 230 miles, much of it in the seldom visited region called Dolpo. For centuries Dolpo has been linked to Tibet, and many of it's inhabitants still maintain their Tibetan culture. Below are a few photos from a memorable adventure.

Click on any photo to view a larger image.

	Tibetan woman makes traditional tea in the village of Dhorpatan
Snowy peaks of the Dhaulighiri Range rise above the village of Muna.
Hikers follow the narrow but well-constructed trail along the Tarap Gorge.
	Chortens near the village of Tarap Dho.
Tibetan horseman crossing the mountains just beyond Qang La Pass.
	Porters carrying kitchen gear across the snowy landscape below Qang La Pass.
Mani stones and blue sheep skull in front of a chorten at Shey Gompa, a well-known Buddhist shrine in Dolpo.
	Testing the drum inside Shey Gompa monastery.
Pack train of yaks near Shey Gompa, hauling firewood to the village of Soldang.

Home page — Trekkers photos  ©2000 Mary Allen. All Rights Reserved. All photos copyrighted. mkallen@xmission.com