A trek to remote Dolpo district: The perilous path to paradise in Nepal

From the gazebo a wide and gentle track led to the village of Rigmo, the entrance to which is marked by Bonpo chortens, which have signature orange circles painted on their sides

While serving as envoy to Nepal I had often heard about the fabled region of Dolpo in mid-western Nepal, home to villages still practising Bonpo, the ancient, pre-Buddhist faith of Tibet, and boasting of a pristine landscape that included the celebrated Lake Phoksundo. But few are ready to brave the difficult, and sometimes treacherous, trails which wind through valleys framed by snow-capped mountains. I decided to attempt the trek in April this year. Two other former ambassadors to Nepal, Deb Mukherji and Ranjit Rae, accepted my invitation to join me and we headed out as a minor expedition with a