Dudh Kunda Phaplu Trek is a journey to a part of the world where very few people have set foot until now, a cultural journey for young to old and for all. Dudh Kunda Phaplu Trekking trail takes you all the way through the ancient trading routes, crossing the river valleys, narrow ridges, up and down hills, beautiful Rhododendron and pine forests alive with wild animals /birds such as Moutain Thars, Bears, Leopard, Jackal, pheasant up to Dudh Kunda also called Milky lake. The trail to Dudh Kunda trekking starts from Phaplu after we take a flight from Kathmandu to Phaplu.
Dudh Kunda Phaplu Trek
Destination
Nepal, Everest Region
Max. Altitude
4560m
Best Season
Feb – mid-April | Sept – late Nov
Transportation
Private
Start / End
Kathmandu / Kathmandu
Accommodation
Tea house
Meals
All Meals (Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner) during the trek
Trek Distance
46KM
Per Person From$7507 Days
Dudh Kunda Phaplu Trek at a Glance
| Day | Itinerary | Distance / Time | Altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Kathmandu to Phaplu and to Salleri | —7 hrs | 2,390 m |
| 02 | Salleri to Takshindu | —7 hrs | — |
| 03 | Takshindu to Beni | —6 hrs | 3,972 m |
| 04 | Beni to Dudh Kunda | —6 hrs | 4,560 m |
| 05 | Dudh Kunda to Rigmo | —6 hrs | 4,560 m |
| 06 | Rigmo to Phaplu | —6 hrs | 2,413 m |
| 07 | Phaplu to Kathmandu | — | 1,400 m |
| On foot, across 7 trekking days | 0.0 km38 hrs | 4,560 m | |
Reviews from our Guests
From travellers who walked this exact itinerary.
★★★★★
Flying into Phaplu is much less dramatic than Lukla, which for a nervous flyer like me was a relief. The airstrip is on a normal hillside. From there the trek starts gently through Salleri which is a proper working town. Dudh Kunda took four days to reach and we had it entirely to ourselves. Highly recommend for anyone wanting quiet trails.
GS
Grace SullivanMay 2026
★★★★★
I had done Everest Base Camp before and expected something similar. Solu is different, much greener, more farming, more forest, and the villages feel lived in rather than built for trekkers. Ramkrishna explained the difference between the Solu and Khumbu Sherpa communities which I found genuinely interesting. Dudh Kunda itself was cold and windy but very beautiful.
FN
Frederik NilsenApril 2026 · Guided by Ramkrishna Mahato
★★★★★
We stopped at Takshindu monastery on the way up and were invited in during prayers. Nobody was performing for tourists, it was just their morning. That set the tone for the whole trek. The climb to Dudh Kunda the next day is long and the last section is steep and rocky, but the lake at the top with prayer flags everywhere made it worth the effort.
AK
Anna KowalskiNovember 2025
★★★★★
Dudh Kunda sits below Numbur and is holy to both Sherpa and Hindu communities. We went outside the Janai Purnima pilgrimage season so it was completely empty. The water really does look milky, which is where the name comes from. The walk in from Takshindu goes through rhododendron forest and past mani walls, and we saw more yaks than people. If you want Solu without Everest crowds this is it.
DR
Deepak RaiOctober 2025
★★★★★
We went in mid October and the weather held the whole week. Because this route is low compared to the Everest trails you can walk it slightly outside the main season without much risk. Prakash chose our stops well and made sure we had a rest before the push to the lake. Simple lodges, good food, friendly people. It does not get the attention it deserves.
SB
Suman BasnetOctober 2025 · Guided by Prakash Dhungana
Dudh Kunda Phaplu Trek Itinerary, Day by Day
Download this itineraryDay 01: Fly from Kathmandu to Phaplu and trek to Salleri
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Trek Duration: | 6-7hrs |
| Highest Altitude: | 2390m |
Today you will fly a scenic flight from Kathmandu to Phaplu. You will fly through the beautiful panorama of rivers, forests and different villages. Phaplu is considered the starting point for the Khumbu region treks and it also has an airstrip. You cross a hospital and a landing strip at Phaplu which is followed by a market at Salleri. You will now trek to Salleri.
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Accommodation: | Lodge |
Day 02: Trek from Salleri to Takshindu
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Trek Duration: | 6-7hrs |
On your second day, you will go to Takshindu from Salleri passing through Tigmo Village. Your way leads to many scattered farmlands. This trail ascended through several Sherpa and Rai villages. You go through forest areas from where you can see the first sight of Mt Everest, Khumbu Himal and other peaks. From here you will climb short to reach Ritmo. You then walk into the lovely forested areas to reach the top of Takshindu. You will visit monasteries there.
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Accommodation: | Lodge |
Day 03: Trek from Takshindu to Beni
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Trek Duration: | 5-6hrs |
| Highest Altitude: | 3972m |
After having proper breakfast in the morning you will trek towards Beni. Your trail goes through Sahasrabeni. You will follow the path with the views of Mt. Number, Mt. Khatang, Mt. Karyolung and other mountains as well. On your way, you will also cross the green dense forests of rhododendron, pine and other vegetation. You will also cross through the yak farms and monastery until you reach Beni.
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Accommodation: | Lodge |
Day 04: Trek from Beni to Dudh Kunda
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Trek Duration: | 5-6hrs |
| Highest Altitude: | 4560m |
Today your destination is to reach Dudh Kunda lake from Beni which is really famous for Hindus and Buddhists to perform different rituals. Lake is situated at the foot of Number Himal, locally known as Shorong Yul Lha, meaning “Protector of Solu “Lake is believed to be of religious value. It is believed that if you take a dip into that lake you can take off some of your sins too. Your way goes through the glacier. Many migrating birds can be seen there during the rainy season.
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Accommodation: | Lodge |
Day 05: Trek from Dudh Kunda to Rigmo
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Trek Duration: | 5-6hrs |
| Highest Altitude: | 4560m |
After having breakfast, you will head towards Rigmo. Your trail is really enjoyable. After walking nearly 7 to 8 kilometres you will reach Rigmo. Ringmo is popular for yak cheese and apple wine. Rigmo is a civilized prosperous village of the Sherpa community.
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Accommodation: | Lodge |
Day 06: Trek from Rigmo to Phaplu
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Trek Duration: | 5-6hrs |
| Highest Altitude: | 2413m |
Today morning first you will have your breakfast and start your trekking to Phaplu. You will retrace your same previous route. First, to reach Phaplu you will go through the forest to reach Takshindu. Your trail passes through the pasture land which is rich in Himalayan Vegetation. Then you will reach Phaplu. This will be the last day of your trek.
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Accommodation: | Lodge |
Day 07: Phaplu to Kathmandu
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Duration: | Short flight, or 7-8hrs by road |
| Highest Altitude: | 1400m |
You fly back to Kathmandu from Phaplu this morning, the same short scenic hop you came in on, with the hills and rivers below you the whole way. Phaplu flights are weather dependent, so if the cloud is down the alternative is the road, which takes about 7 to 8 hours and gives you a long look at the middle hills instead. Either way you go straight to the hotel to rest.
Dudh Kunda Phaplu Trek Information
Everything to check before you book.
- Max altitude
- 4560m
- Best months
- Feb – mid-April | Sept – late Nov
- Distance
- 46KM
- Sleeps in
- Tea house
Plan your trek
Cost
From $750 per person
On the trail
Overview
Dudh Kunda Phaplu Trek is a journey to a part of the world where very few people have set foot until now, a cultural journey for young to old and for all. Dudh Kunda Phaplu Trekking trail takes you all the way through the ancient trading routes, crossing the river valleys, narrow ridges, up and down hills, beautiful Rhododendron and pine forests alive with wild animals /birds such as Moutain Thars, Bears, Leopard, Jackal, pheasant up to Dudh Kunda also called Milky lake. The trail to Dudh Kunda trekking starts from Phaplu after we take a flight from Kathmandu to Phaplu. The trail then follows the follow a route via Salleri- Ringmo – Taksindu- Beni to Dudhakunda or fly via an alternative way from Rumjatar- villages settled with Gurung people where you get an opportunity to experience their culture. Rumjatar is famous for a woollen mat called ‘Radi’. From here you can climb pike hill which is one of the famous hills offering the most spectacular view of almost all the magnificent mountains in the region via Okhaldhunga. You can also follow an alternative trail all the way passing through the places like Jiri -Sivalaya – Bhandar – Junbesi – Dhudh Kunda 5,000 m. This trail will take you through the pike peak and famous Goli Gompa up to the holy Lake Dudh Kunda which is the final destination of our trek where we can view the amazing lake. From the lake vicinity, you can enjoy panoramic views of the Everest Himalayas ranges.
How High Is Dudh Kunda, and Where Is It?
Dudh Kunda is a glacial lake at the foot of Numbur (6,958m), in ward 1 of Solududhkunda Municipality, Solukhumbu district, Koshi Province, in eastern Nepal. It lies at roughly 27.71N 86.60E, about 22KM north of Phaplu airport, 13KM west of Lukla and 44KM southwest of Everest in a straight line. The municipality takes its name from the lake, joining the Solu river to Dudhkunda. This is Solu, the lower and greener half of Solukhumbu, not the high Khumbu above Namche, which is why this trail is forest and farmland rather than moraine.
On height, the published sources do not agree and no surveyed figure appears to exist. Trekking listings mostly give 4,560m, which is the figure in the day 4 itinerary above. Others publish 4,592m, 4,600m and 4,610m for the same lake. Two independent satellite elevation models, SRTM and ASTER, sampled at 46 points inside the mapped lake outline, give medians of 4,622m and 4,615m. Plan for roughly 4,600m. Every figure in that range puts you above 4,500m, and the preparation is identical either way.
That altitude is the part of this trek worth taking seriously. You climb from 2,413m at Phaplu to the lake in four walking days, with no dedicated acclimatization day, which is quicker than most Everest region itineraries allow. Add a spare day at Beni or above Taksindu if your schedule permits, and treat a headache, nausea or disturbed sleep as a reason to descend rather than push on.
The basin is closed in on three sides by Numbur, Karyolung (6,511m) and Khatang, so the view from the water is of those peaks rather than of Everest. The Everest sightlines come earlier, from the ridges on the Taksindu to Beni stretch. The name means Milky Lake, from dudh (milk) and kunda (sacred pool), for the glacial silt that gives the water its pale colour.
Weigh it up
How Dudh Kunda Phaplu Trek compares with the trips people most often weigh it against.
| Trip | Days / Distance | Difficulty | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dudh Kunda Phaplu Trekthis trip | 7 days46 km | Medium | $750 |
| Mardi Himal Trek: 7 Days from Kathmandu | 7 days38.1 km | Medium | $566 |
| Langtang Valley Trek | 8 days84.9 km | Medium | $449 |
| Poon Hill Ghandruk Yoga Trek | 6 days34 km | Easy | $570 |
| Tamang Heritage Trek | 6 days58.9 km | Easy | $360 |
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