Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek

Mount Dhaulagiri is situated in west-central Nepal on the western ridge of the world’s deepest Kaligandaki Gorge. It rises from the Bheri River in the west and Kali Gandaki river in the east. This mountain is one of the coveted mountains in Nepal and is admired for its mind-blowing beauty in the rural mountain settlement. 

Dhaulagiri circuit lies in the Myagdi district of Nepal. It is a beautiful village that offers splendid mountain views and a wide range of cultural and natural variations. Dhaulagiri Circuit trek allows you to explore the astounding Himalayan vistas and valleys in the high mountains of Nepal. Mount Dhaulagiri is the seventh highest mountain in the world and is famous for its excellent beauty. A beautiful symbiosis of impeccable natural beauty and cultural variations throughout the trek makes it wonderful trekking. 

Mount Dhaulagiri is one of the highest eight-thousanders. It is derived from Sanskrit etymology and the literal translation of Dhaulagiri means White Mountain (Dhaula- white, Giri- Mountain). Dhaulagiri Himalayan Range consists of several mountains. 

Some of the other mountains that are part of the range are:

Dhaulagiri I is the highest mountain and a part of Gandaki river basin in the Dhaulagiri range.

• World’s deepest Kali Gandaki Gorge. 

• Thrilling walk through snow and glaciers. 

• Spectacular Dhaulagiri I, II, III and V from Italian Base Camp. 

• Splendid views of the Himalayas including Annapurna and Dhaulagiri Ranges. 

• High Mountain Passes such as French Pass and Dhampus Pass. 

• Beautiful Marpha Village. 

• Buddhist influenced culture and lifestyle. 

• Several Gompas and Temples along the trail.

The trekking to the Dhaulagiri circuit starts from Dharapani, ahead of Beni. From Dharapani, you will trek to Muri, passing through the banks of the Kaligandaki river and beautiful villages. After 6-7 hours of extensive trekking from Muri, you will reach Boghara after descending from Myagdi Khola at an altitude of 2080 m. From Boghara, you will trek further to Dobhang and Italian Base Camp. Italian Base Camp is situated at an altitude of 3600 m and offers spectacular views of Tukuche Peak, the north flank of Dhaulagiri and many other neighbouring and adjacent peaks. 

For further trekking, you need to acclimate yourself to Italian Base Camp to adapt to the altitude. The trail ahead will lead you to Glacier Camp, Dhaulagiri Base Camp, Hidden Valley via French Pass and Yak Kharka. From Yak Kharka, you will trek from Jomsom to Marpha. From Jomsom, a flight will take you to the Pokhara valley and another drive connects you to Kathmandu.

Day 1: Arrival in Kathmandu (1350 m.)

This day, you will be reaching one of the most beautiful and culturally rich towns in Nepal. Upon arrival, we will meet and help you escort you to your hotel. We will brief you about your Tilicho Lake trip and other additional information that you need to know. In the evening, you can explore Thamel and visit nearby Kathmandu Durbar Square. 

Day 2: Kathmandu Sightseeing, Trek Preparation (1350 m.)

This is the day you prepare and pack for trekking. In your spare time, you can visit the heritage sites in Kathmandu valley. We’ll help you with the arrangements and brief you about the trekking. In the evening, you can explore the nightlife in Thamel.

Day 3: Drive or Flight to Pokhara (827 m.)

On this day, we’ll commence our journey to the mountains. A flight will be arranged to Pokhara from Kathmandu. Or, a drive will take you to Pokhara valley. A drive from Kathmandu to Pokhara generally takes 5-6 hours to reach. Upon reaching, check-in the hotel. You can spend your spare time boating in Fewa Lake and visiting nearby temples. Overnight stay in the hotel. 

Day 4: Drive to Dharapani (1400 m.)

Early in the morning, after breakfast, you will begin your drive to Dharapani. Passing through the lush green forest, villages and meadows, this scenic and adventurous drive from Pokhara is very enjoyable. From Pokhara, you will have a drive to Beni and Babiachor finally leading to Dharapani. Dharapani offers spectacular views of Dhaulagiri IV and V and Gurja Himal. Overnight stay in a tented camp. 

Day 5: Trek from Dharapani to Muri (1720m.)

After breakfast, we’ll trek towards Muri. It takes around 6 hours of trekking to reach Muri from Dharapani. Crossing the river from the west bank after leaving Phedi, the ascending and descending walking will take you to Sibang and Mattim. An incline trail further, you will reach the ridge muzzle. Trailing further, you will descend to Gatti Khola and Phalai Gaon. Again, trekking further you will reach the west bank of Myagdi Khola and finally reach Muri village. Overnight stay in a teahouse. 

Day 6: Trek from Muri to Boghara (2080 m.)

After breakfast at Muri village, we will descend for a while and cross a stream and pass through the terraced farm fields and lush green forest. Along the trail, we can see Mount Ghustung South (6465 m) and many other adjacent peaks. Trailing ahead, we will descend to the Myagdi Khola and trek in the banks of the stream. From there, we will reach Naura village climbing the grassy hill and descend through a forest, finally reaching Boghara. Overnight stay in a teahouse. 

Day 7: Trek from Boghara to Dobang (2520 m.)

After breakfast, we will start our trekking. The trail first descends through terraced farm fields to a small ridge from where you can witness the amazing natural beauty. You will trek further through a forest to Jyardan. Jyardan is the most rural settlement here. After reaching Jyardan, a high winding path crosses a rocky area which then descends ahead and then ascends to Lipshe. The trail extends and passes through a forest to Lapche Kharka. A climb ahead, we reach Dobang. Overnight stay at a tented camp.

Day 8: Trek from Dobang to Italian Base Camp (3660 m.)

Early in the morning, after breakfast, we will follow a trail to the terminal moraine of the Chhonbarban Glacier.  From here, Tukche Peak (6837 meters) becomes visible and in the far end while the impressive north flank of the excellent flank of Dhaulagiri I (8167 meters) is spectacular. Short trek afterwards, you will reach the Italian Base Camp. we will earth our camp beneath the marvellous west face of Dhaulagiri at Italian Base Camp. Overnight stay in a tented camp. 

Day 9: Acclimatization in Italian Base Camp (3660 m.)

This day is the acclimatization day to adapt to the climate and altitude. We’ll prepare ourselves for further trekking. We will roam around the camp and explore places in the surrounding area. Overnight stay in a tented camp at Italian Base Camp. 

Day 10: Trek from Italian Base Camp to Glacier Camp (4210 m.)

The trek from Italian Base Camp to Glacier Camp is arduous and demanding. So, trekkers need to be careful while trekking in this area. This trail is prone to stone fall, so taking precautions while trekking here is important. It takes around 6-7 hours of trekking to reach Italian Base Camp from Glacier Camp. Overnight stay in a tented camp. 

Day 11: Trek from Glacier Camp to Dhaulagiri Base Camp (4750 m.)

The trekking to Dhaulagiri Base Camp from Glacier Camp is adventurous and wonderful. Walking on the glacier and snowy land, we trek to the Dhaulagiri Base Camp to an altitude of 4750 m. From Dhaulagiri Base Camp, you can see the spectacular views of the mountains which includes Dhaulagiri I, Dhaulagiri II, Dhaulagiri III and Dhaulagiri V. Overnight stay in a tented camp. 

Day 12: Trek to Hidden Valley via French Pass (5360 m.)

After breakfast, we will continue to trek towards the northern side of Chhondarban Glacier, and climb a steep hill above the glacier. Trailing further the moraines, we will trek to the French Pass at an altitude of 5360 m.  

It is the challenging pass in the Dhaulagiri Circuit trek. From French Pass, we can see the majestic mountain views of Mukut Himal (6328 meters), Tashi Kang (6386 meters) and Sita Chuchura (6611 meters) surrounded by Hidden valleys. From French Pass, we will trek further to Thapa Pass (5250 m) between Tukuche Peak and Thapa Peak. A descending trek ahead, we will reach Hidden valley. Overnight stay in a tented camp. 

Day 13: Trek from Hidden Valley to Yak Kharka (5200 m.)

After breakfast in the camp, we continue the trek and we will climb a hill that is at the level of French Pass. We will trek further to Dhampus Pass at an altitude of 5200 m and descend to Yak Kharka at 3680 m. Overnight stay in a tented camp. 

Day 14: Trek from Yak Kharka to Jomsom (2710 m.)

We will continue our trek to the village of Marpha in Mustang on the bank of Kali Gandaki river. Marpha is a beautiful cultural village in Mustang region and you may try the local speciality Marpha Brandy there. You will continue your trek until Jomsom to Marpha. Overnight stay in a Hotel.

Day 15: Flight to Pokhara/ Drive to Pokhara (827 m.)

We’ll have to get a flight to Pokhara from Jomsom early in the morning. Flights are not always accessible because of the climatic conditions. Just in case the flight gets cancelled, we’ll escort you to Pokhara via drive. You can enjoy your evening in Pokhara. Overnight stay in a hotel. 

Day 16: Drive/Flight from Pokhara to Kathmandu (1350 m.)

This day, you will have a drive to Kathmandu. Or you can just get a flight that will directly take you to Kathmandu valley. You can do shopping in the Thamel area. Overnight stay in a hotel. 

Day 17: Departure

You will be free until your flight time. Depending upon your returning schedule, we’ll escort you to the Airport for departure.

Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek is one of the most difficult trekking routes in Nepal. It is comparatively difficult in terms of accessibility and accommodation. Also, since it lies in a higher elevation, it is important that we acclimatize ourselves and adapt with the altitude. In several places, crossing the mountains while walking over the snow-covered terrains is challenging but very adventurous. The trek is rewarding as it offers diverse experiences to the trekkers. 

In most of the places, teahouse accommodation is available. However, in several places, trekkers need to camp. So, modern amenities are not available on the trekking route. It is a beautiful part that you get to explore the naturally beautiful pristine mountains and valleys. The serene and pristine environment and amazing hospitality of the locals is another major part to explore. 

Talking about difficulty, the trek is very doable with basic mountaineering skills. Good physical fitness is very important while trekking in this area. Since, you will be trekking up to the elevation of 5400 m above sea level, a good understanding of Acute Mountain Sickness is very helpful. You will be accompanied by a certified trekking guide, so if there is anything you would like to ask, our guide will help you.

The best time for trekking in the Dhaulagiri region is in the months of March, April, May, June and September until December. In these months, the climate is quite favourable. You get to explore the amusing mountain vistas and a wide range of natural beauty. The floral and faunal spectrum is best explored in these months. 

Monsoon and extreme winter months are unfavourable for trekking in the mountains of Nepal. During monsoon times, the trails get slippery and make it difficult to trek. Winter is good enough for low altitude trekking, however, because of the foggy climate, you may not get an opportunity to see the mountain vistas and sceneries.

Also, in the high elevations, the trails get blocked because of heavy snowfall and there are high chances of missing the trails in the mountains. So, the monsoon and winter season is not quite favourable for trekking in the high mountain areas, such as Dhaulagiri, in Nepal.

Dhaulagiri Circuit trek is one of the strenuous, arduous and demanding trekkings in Nepal. It requires camping for several nights and also, you need to ascend the high mountain passes. So, here are a few tips for Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek. 

• While gaining elevations, it is very important to acclimate yourself to adapt to the changing altitude. 

• The weather in the mountains is unpredictable. So, it's important that you have sufficient clothing and gears. However, make a backpack light and carry essential things only. 

• Cotton clothes are not appropriate for high altitude trekking as they get wet quickly and take ages to dry. Instead of cotton clothes, you can carry merino wool (synthetic). 

• Stay Hydrated during trekking and take enough rest.

• Travel insurance might come quite handy in case of emergencies. So, make sure that you have insurance. 

• Learn about the remedies of Acute Mountain Sickness. It is very helpful in the mountains. 

• Before starting trekking in high elevations, try aerobic exercises. Running, cycling, swimming etc. increases your stamina and helps you adapt with high altitudes. 

• Carry energizers such as chocolates and carbohydrate-rich snacks. It helps.

Trekking to Dhaulagiri Circuit is strenuous as it requires crossing high altitude passes and treading difficult landscapes. So, having good gear is not only life saving, at times, it helps you to make your experience better. Some of the necessary trekking gears for the Dhaulagiri circuit trek are enlisted here. For more information, check our Nepal Trekking Gear Checklist.