Shey Phoksundo Lake Trek

Overview

An alpine freshwater oligotrophic lake- Phoksundo attracts you with his deep blue silent nature. Surrounded by greenish nature all around the green-blue mixture of earth with reflected clouds don’t let you out from capturing your heart. Shey Phoksundo lake is regarded as a gem of nature. Located in the Dolpa district of western Nepal Shey Phoksundo is regarded as the deepest lake of Nepal. It is situated at an elevation of 3611.5 m and has a depth of 136.20m. 

The word Phoksundo was derived from a Tibetan word, where “Phok” means “expand”, “Sung” means “three” and “Du” means “stone”. Phoksundo means a lake expanded on three sides and surrounded by stones. The mythical story behind the formation of Phoksundo says that a long time ago a demon troubled a lot to the people of the Tibetan region, then one day a sacred monk chased down the demon. The demon carried a bowl of water in one hand and a bowl of oil in the next hand and started to run from Tibet. The monk kept on chasing the demon. While reaching the site, the demon dropped that bowl of water, which led to the formation of a lake and the monk got trapped there.

The culture of this region is highly influenced by the neighbouring Tibetan culture and the region is also considered a sacred place for Buddhists and Bön religion followers. Due to the amalgamation of pristine natural environments and unique cultures, it is quickly becoming a desired destination for many people. Shey Phoksundo Lake Trek heads to the deepest lake of Nepal, Phoksundo Lake in the Dolpo region which is one of the most remote areas in Nepal.

The major attraction of the Shey Phoksundo Lake trek

Shey Phoksundo National park

Shey Phoksundo is the largest national park of Nepal and the only national park located in the Trans Himalayan region. The national park elevates from an altitude of 2,130m to 6,885m. This largest national park was established in 1984 and covers a total area of 3,555 Km².  This region is blessed with a diverged species of flora and fauna and has protected biodiversity. Along with this, Phoksundo national park is also home to a lot of endangered species including the snow leopard, musk deer, grey wolf, blue sheep, Goral, Himalayan Thar, Himalayan black bear, great Tibetan sheep, and yellow-throated marten. Valuable bird species like wood snipe, white-throated tit, wood accentor, Tibetan partridge,crimson-eared rosefinch are also found in this national park.

The cultural diversity of the Dolpo region

The Dolpo region is very rich in cultural ethnicity. The region is also blessed with many ancient Gumbas and monasteries. The Shey Gompa built in the 11th century and the Thashung Gompa built about 900 years ago are the major attraction of this region. The people living in this region follows the typical Tibetan lifestyle. You get to discover more about the Bön religion and its relation to Buddhism. You can also experience what it is like to live with the monks of the high Himalayas and get an in-depth understanding of Buddhism. You pass through a lot of villages and you get to experience cultural diversity as you proceed downward. Beautiful hamlets like Rechi, Chunuwar, Shyanta, Dunai, Jhupal etc. welcomes you with a great smile. The warm gesture of local people on the way garnishes your journey with more beauty.

Best time to do this trek

Trekking of Shey Phoksundo Lake welcomes you all year-round, but if you want the weather to be in your favour, then the spring (March-may) and autumn (September- November) seasons are the best. The trek is also relatively easier than other treks of Nepal so you can complete this trek even if this is your first time trekking. 

Alternate packages

Besides Shey Phoksundo Lake trek package if you want to explore the different remote areas of Nepal then you can simply check into the following links Rara Lake trek, Manaslu Circuit and Tsum Valley trek, Everest Base camp trek, Annapurna Sanctuary trek and Langtang Gosainkunda trek. If you are an experienced trekking lover then visit trekking in Nepal packages for a more advanced trekking journey in Nepal.
Himalayan Land Treks offers you the best services of transportation and accommodation with a prompt response to your requests. To make your trip more meaningful, we provide you with professional and friendly guides as well. Join us for a wonderful trekking adventure!