Dhaulagiri round trek
Dhaulagiri round trek
Dhaulagiri round trek
Dhaulagiri round trek
Dhaulagiri round trek
Dhaulagiri round trek
Dhaulagiri round trek
Dhaulagiri round trek

About Dhaulagiri Round Trek

Dhaulagiri Round Trek is the ideal package for adventure lovers who are in a quest to find an off-beaten-trail along with unspoiled nature and a less crowded route. The trek moves around the 7th highest mountain in the world, Mt. Dhaulagiri (8,167 m). Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek was discovered in 1950 during the Mt. Annapurna Expedition. The trek ventures to the remotest part of western Nepal and offers some of the most spectacular sceneries. 

The meaning behind the name Dhaulagiri is Dazzlingwhite Mountain, which itself speaks for the tempting beauty of this Himalayan mountain. Besides Mt. Dhaulagiri, you will be witnessing panoramic views of several other snow-covered mountains like Mt. Annapurna (8,091 m), Mt. Machhapuchhre (6,693 m), Sita Chuchura (6,600 m), Manapathi Himal (6,380 m), Tukuche Peak (6,920 m), Thapa Peak (6,012 m), Mt. Nilgiri (7,061 m), Tilicho Peak (7,134 m), Thorong Peak (5,416 m), and so on. 

Trekking through the lush terraced hillsides, high alpine pastures, picturesque villages, high passes, and isolated valleys, you will complete this journey. Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek 17 days presents some of the most amazing wonders like the deepest gorge in the world- Kali Gandaki Gorge, a very unique lifestyle, and ancient cultural heritage. You will cross two challenging passes French Col (5,360 m) and Dhampus Pass (5,240 m), which demands gears like ice-ax, crampon, rope, etc. 

You will explore the Hidden Valley and reach the Dhaulagiri Base Camp. Along the trail, you will observe different cultures, traditions, and practices. There are various stupas, monasteries, and colorful prayer flags on the trail, which add the essence of divinity and purity to the journey. The experience you will get on Dhaulagiri Round Trek is remarkable. Learn leadership and serving with bare minimum modern options. 

You need to be physically and mentally strong to join Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek. Prior experience is also needed. We have designed our Dhaulagiri Round Trek itinerary with our firsthand experience on the trail. Likewise, we also organize tailor-made Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek. Contact us for further information about the trek or Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek cost.

 

Highlights of Dhaulagiri Round Trek

  • Off-the-beaten trail
  • Unspoiled scenery and less-crowded trail
  • Trek through lush terraced hillsides, high alpine pastures, picturesque villages, high passes, and isolated valleys
  • Come across a diverse range of flora and fauna
  • Observe unique mountain life and rich cultural heritage
  • Cross French Col and Dhampus Pass
  • Explore the base of the 7th highest mountain in the world, Dhaulagiri Base Camp
  • Witness the deepest gorge in the world, Kali Gandaki Gorge
  • Pass by beautiful apple orchards and narrow alleyways
  • Scenic flight from Jomsom to Pokhara
  • Stunning landscape and panoramic views of the western Himalayan mountains like Mt. Annapurna, Mt. Dhaulagiri, Mt. Nilgiri, Mt. Fishtail, Tukuche Peak, Thorong Peak, Tilicho Peak, etc

Itinerary

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Upon your arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport, one of our team members will pick you up. Complete the documentation process at the airport and drive to the hotel. You can have the remaining day to yourself and relax. Meet with the team at a welcome dinner organized by Dream Peak Adventure.

  • Overnight in the hotel
  • Katmandu
  • Welcome dinner
  • 1350m

After having a delicious breakfast, you will take a long drive to Beni via Pokhara. The ride goes along the beautiful Trishuli and Marsayangdi rivers. You can see picturesque views of green hills, waterfalls, meadows, and small villages. From Pokhara, the route ascends to Nayapul and moves along Modi and Kali Gandaki rivers to Beni. Stunning views of Mt. Annapurna and Mt. Machhapuchhre is visible along the drive. 

  • Overnight in the teahouse
  • Beni
  • Breakfast, lunch & dinner
  • 1,000 m

The route from Beni follows a gravel road to Darbang. From here, you will continue driving towards Takam for a night stay. You can see Gurjal Himal on the way. 

  • Overnight in the teahouse
  • Takam
  • Breakfast, lunch & dinner
  • 1500 m

It is a short trekking day. Passing by a couple of landslide-prone areas, you ascend through a narrow pass. After an hour of trek, the trail goes along a ridge and lush forest. Take a small break for lunch and continue trekking following a downhill path to open grassland. From here, you ascend until Muri arrives.

  • Overnight in the teahouse
  • Muri
  • Breakfast, lunch & dinner
  • 1,850 m

Leaving Muri behind, you descend and cross a river. The trail then goes through terraced fields and drops down to Myagdi Khola. Trek alongside the bank of this Khola to Naura village and ascend through a lush green hill. The trail further steeply ascends and descends through another forest before taking you to Bagar.

  • Overnight in the teahouse
  • Bagar
  • Breakfast, lunch & dinner
  • 2,080 m

The trail descends through meadows and passes a small ridge. Walk by a forest to Jyardan. From here, a winding rocky path leads you to Lipshe and climbs by a forest to Lapche Kharka. Further, ascend along a steep trail to reach Dovan.

  • Overnight in the teahouse
  • Dovan
  • Breakfast, lunch & dinner
  • 2,520 m

Trekking through dense forests of rhododendron and bamboo, you cross Myagdi Khola on a bridge to reach Sallaghari. From this place, the trail goes through a beautiful forest of rhododendron, pine, and birch. You will reach the Italian Base Camp from where you can see tempting views of Mt. Dhaulagiri (8,167 m).

  • Overnight in the camp
  • Italian Base Camp
  • Breakfast, lunch & dinner
  • 3,660 m

Today is a rest day. There are many famous places around this base camp like Swiss Base Camp, American Base Camp, Japanese Base Camp, French Base Camp, and Puchhar Base Camp. You can go on a short hike to these base camps. All of these base camps offer panoramic views of snow-capped mountains and beautiful scenery.

  • Overnight in the camp
  • Italian Base Camp
  • Breakfast, lunch & dinner
  • 3,660 m

The trail today crosses a glacier. It is going to be an adventurous day. Crossing the glacier, you will walk through a deep gorge, the old Chhonbardan glacier bed. The trail is long and rocky. Along the route, you can witness views of Sita Chuchura (6,600 m) and the north face of Mt. Dhaulagiri.

  • Overnight in the camp
  • Dhaulagiri Base Camp
  • Breakfast, lunch & dinner
  • 4,750 m

Today, you will cross the toughest part of this trek. You have to use ropes for climbing as well. The trail ascends above the base camp and climbs vertical moraines. After crossing the moraines, the route gets gentle. You will reach the top of the French Col, which offers breath-taking views of the Annapurna range and Dhaulagiri range. From here, the trail gradually descends to the Hidden Valley.

  • Overnight in the camp
  • Hidden Valley
  • Breakfast, lunch & dinner
  • 5,050 m

Wake up early and begin ascending towards Dhampus Pass. The route will be steep. From the pass, the trail drops down to Yak Kharka. The views along the trail are phenomenal. 

  • Overnight in the teahouse
  • Yak Kharka
  • Breakfast, lunch & dinner
  • 3,680 m

From Yak Kharka, you descend to Kali Gandaki Valley. This valley is known as the deepest valley in the world. The trail further passes by Alu Bari to a gorge floor and moves towards Marpha. From here, you will pass by beautiful apple orchards and narrow alleys to Jomsom.

  • Overnight in the teahouse
  • Jomsom
  • Breakfast, lunch & dinner
  • 2,720 m

Take an early morning flight to Pokhara. You will have a full day in Pokhara to explore this beautiful city of lakes. Viti tourist sites like Davis Fall, Bat Cave, World Peace Pagoda, etc. Later, spend the evening around tranquil Fewa Lake. 

  • Overnight in the hotel
  • Pokhara
  • Breakfast only
  • 820m

An extra day in Pokhara. Outdoor activities like paragliding, bungee jumping, mountain flight, hot air balloon ride, etc are available if you want to do so. Visit the local market and shop souvenirs. There are many restaurants and cafes around the Lakeside Market, where you can dine.

  • Overnight in the Hotel
  • Pokhara
  • Breakfast only
  • 820m

Today, you will return to Pokhara. As per your wish, you can choose the drive or flight to Kathmandu. Both options offer stunning landscapes. Upon reaching Kathmandu, move to the hotel and enjoy the day as per your wish.

  • Overnight in the hotel
  • Kathmandu
  • Breakfast only
  • 1350m

This extra day in Kathmandu will let you visit the remaining tourist sites. Likewise, you can do the shopping and explore the local market. Meet with the team members once again, but this time over farewell dinner. Before going back to your hotel, spend some time on the happy and colorful streets of Thamel.

  • Overnight in the hotel
  • Kathmandu
  • Breakfast & farewell dinner
  • 1350m

Time to say goodbye to each other. With a pocket full of memories, you will leave Nepal and fly to your home country. One of our guides will drop you at the airport.

  • Breakfast only

Good to Know

Dhaulagiri Round Trek difficulty

Dhaulagiri Round Trek is one of the challenging treks in the western Himalayas. The trail follows a very remote area, where the facilities are the bare minimum. Moreover, you will be traversing in a completely isolated area for a few days, which requires camping. Talking about the nature of the trail, it involves steep and rugged climbing, barren and glacial walk, and several moraines. You will cross two challenging passes, which demands primary mountaineering skills. 

Likewise, the trail will take you above 5,000 meters, and no proper accommodation facility at that high altitude brings cold mornings & nights. There are also chances of acute mountain sickness on this trek. So, you always have to make sure to acclimate your body along the trail and consume as much fluid as you can. You can check our Dhaulagiri Round Trek map to get a more clear picture of the trail. 

Permits & Regulations

Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek requires two permits Annapurna Conservation Area Permit (ACAP) and TIMS Card. Even with the remoteness of the trail, Dhaulagiri Round Trekking does not fall under restricted areas. You can get both of those permits in Kathmandu and Pokhara. If you are trekking with a travel agency, then they will arrange all the permits for you. 

Trekkers’ Information Management Systems (TIMS) Card for foreign nationals: NRP 2000
Trekkers’ Information Management Systems (TIMS) Card for SAARC nationals: NRP 600
Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) Permit for foreign nationals: NRP 2,655 + Vat (13%) = NRP 3000
Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) Permit for SAARC nationals: NRP 885 + Vat (13%) = NRP 1000

Best time to go on Dhaulagiri Round Trek

The best time to go on Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek is during spring and autumn. March to May and October to November are the months of spring & autumn in Nepal. The weather is mostly stable with a moderate climate in those two seasons. Likewise, the views are phenomenal, and you will get to see a diverse range of vegetations along the trail. Moreover, these two seasons, especially autumn, celebrate the biggest festivals in Nepal. The journey becomes even more divine and heart-warming. 

Accommodation & Food during Dhaulagiri Round Trek

Dhaulagiri Trek involves a blend of teahouse and camping accommodation. At the high altitude, you will be sleeping in the tents, whereas at the lower elevation, there is the availability of very basic teahouses. The facilities in the teahouses are limited with shared rooms and washrooms. While camping, everything will be carried by the porters. You will be spending nights in warm tents. 

The meals will be served by the menu of the teahouse. You can expect dishes like bread, egg, curries, rice, porridge, thukpa, meat, pudding, sandwich, etc. While camping, our trained cooks will prepare the meals. You will get a good variety of dishes, handpicked to provide you delicious taste and rich nutrients. 

Dhaulagiri Round Trek Packing List

Before buying the gears, please know that you can buy everything in Kathmandu as well. We advise you to keep your luggage light and do heavy shopping in Nepal. This will also help local shops and contribute to the economy.

  • Inner Layer
  • Down Jacket
  • Windcheater 
  • Trekking shirt
  • Trekking pants
  • Thermal wears 
  • Breathable underwear
  • Trousers
  • Warm socks & gloves
  • Strong Trekking Shoes
  • Trekking Socks
  • Sandals/Flip-Flops
  • Sunglasses
  • Sun Hat and Fleece Hat
  • Scarf or Buff
  • A comfortable backpack with a cover
  • A good quality Sleeping bag
  • Trekking Poles
  • Headlamp
  • First aid kits
  • Sunscreen Lotion
  • Water purification tablets
  • Toiletries (Hand Sanitizer, tissue paper, towel, toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, soap, small mirror, toilet paper, etc)
  • Miscellaneous (Journal, pen, books, games, camera, extra battery, snacks & bars, etc)