Highlights
Challenging / Strenuous, 5360m
Local Guest Hosue/ tent
Public/ Domestic Flight
March-May, Oct - November
Ultimate Wilderness Challenge: The most remote and rugged circuit treks around Mt. Dhaulagiri (8,167m).
Spectacular Hidden Valley: high-altitude valley surrounded by a giant mountains.
High Mountain Passes: Thrilling French Col (5,360m) and Dhampus Pass (5,244m).
Glacier Camping: nights camping on the massive glaciers.
Breathtaking Panoramas: Dhaulagiri range, Annapurna massif, Gurja Himal, and Nilgiri.
Dhaulagiri Round Trekking Overview
The Dhaulagiri Round Trekking (धौलागिरी राउन्ड ट्रेकिङ्ग) is an extraordinary and thriling adventure designed for experienced trekkers looking to push their boundaries. This challenging Dhaulagiri circuit takes you from lush rural villages up into the high alpine zone, traversing rugged ridges, deep crevasses, and massive glaciers of Mt. Dhaulagiri.
The two challenging passes Dhampus pass 5,200 meters and the famous French Col (5,360m) this trek offers a truly remote wilderness experience. Crossing the French Col brings you into the magnificent, isolated Hidden Valley, a breathtaking sanctuary surrounded by towering Himalayan peaks. After a great French pass, the trek joins a classic Annapurna circuit trekking trail at Marpha (Jomsom).
The trail is narrow, isolated, and frequently covered in snow and ice, navigation can become difficult during foggy or stormy weather. Therefore, this trek is highly recommended for fit adventurers with a basic understanding of mountaineering. At Alpine Asian Treks, we provide expert, field-tested guides who have successfully navigated these snowy conditions previously, ensuring your safety and comfort throughout this ultimate Himalayan journey.
Lodge, meal & Guuide in Dhaulagiri Round Trekking
Expert Leadership: Your guide will be well experienced, English-speaking trekking and basic mountaineering skills, first aid training.
Porters (helpers): Our local porters are well-equipped with warm clothing and insurance. One porter is assigned for every two clients to carry personal duffel bags.
Accommodation: In Kathmandu and Pokhara, you will stay in 3 star hotels. local guest houses in lower village and above Italian Base Camp, tented camps.
Meals: There will be a menu at local guest houses and at tented camp, our kitchen crew prepare fresh meal at camp.
Best Season to Dhaulagiri Round Trekking
Spring (March to May): A beautiful time to visit with clearer mornings, though early March can still carry winter snow on the passes.
Autumn (October to November): Offers the crispest air and excellent mountain visibility. Late November brings very cold temperatures and a higher chance of sudden snowfall.
Note: This itinerary is our standard tried and tested pattern. At Alpine Asian Treks and Expedition, we can customize or modify this itinerary to match your clients' exact timeframes and fitness needs. Please contact us with your details!
Outline Itinerary
Day 01: Arrive in Kathmandu & Welcome Dinner
Day 02: Kathmandu Valley Sightseeing & Trip Briefing
Day 03: Trek to Muri (1,850m) 5-6 Hrs
Day 04: Trek to Bogara (2,080m) 6 Hrs
Day 05: Trek to Dobang (2,520m) 5-6 Hrs
Day 06: Trek to Sallaghari (3,100m) 5-6 Hrs
Day 07: Trek to Italian Base Camp (3,660m) 6-7 Hrs
Day 08: Acclimatization Day at Italian Base Camp
Day 09: Trek to Glacier Camp (4,940m) 6-7 Hrs
Day 10: Trek to Dhaulagiri Base Camp (4,720m) 6-7 Hrs
Day 11: Trek to Hidden Valley via French Pass (5,360m) 7-8 Hrs
Day 12: Trek to Yak Kharka via Dhampus Pass (5,244m) 7-8 Hrs
Day 13: Driva back to Pokhara, 7-8 Hrs
Day 14: Fly from Jomsom to Pokhara & Transfer to Hotel
Day 15: Free Exploration Day in Pokhara
Day 16: Drive from Pokhara to Kathmandu by Tourist Bus 6 Hours
Day 17: Free day in Kathmandu
Day 18: Transfer to Airport for Final Departure
Day to Day Itinerary
Arrive In Nepal
Welcome to Nepal! An Alpine Asian Treks representative will meet you at the Tribhuvan International Airport upon your arrival. We will transfer you to your hotel in the city center. In the evening, we will host a traditional welcome dinner at a Nepali restaurant featuring local culture.
Overnight at your hotel.
Kathmandu Sightseeing & Equipment Check
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel. Your guide will pick you up by car for a scenic tour of UNESCO World Heritage sites in Kathmandu. In the afternoon, we will visit our city office for documentation, guide introductions, and a detailed trip briefing. Because this trek crosses 5,300m, we will carefully check your medical kit and gear. If you need extra equipment, you can buy or rent it in Thamel.
Overnight at your hotel.
Trek to Muri (1,850m) | 1 Hrs
Your guide will pick you up from your hotel and drive to domestic airport. take a scenic flight to Pokhara and meet your porter and take a jeep ride (5-6hr) to Phaliagaun. Your trekking journey begins! The trail climbs steeply today, treating you to wonderful, clear views of Mt. Dhaulagiri and Gurja Himal.
Tonight, stay at a simple, cozy local guest house.
Trek to Bogara (2,080m) | 6 Hrs
The first part of the walk is relatively easy. The second part climbs steeply along the Myagdi River trail. This section has sharp drops down to the river, so careful foot placement is highly important. The trail finally descends into the beautiful village of Bogara.
Overnight at a local guest house.
Trek to Dobang (2,520m) | 5-6 Hrs
Trek to Sallaghari (3,100m) | 5-6 Hrs
This is the last village settlement on our trekking route. The trail winds through peaceful, dense bamboo and pine forests.
Overnight at a local guest house.
Trek to Italian Base Camp (3,660m) | 5-6 Hrs
Acclimatization Day at Italian Base Camp
This is a complette rest day. Meals will be serve at camp. You can stroll around, take pictures, check gears, let your body naturally adjust to the high altitude before climbing higher. Enjoying the immense, towering views of the Dhaulagiri massif.
Overnight in tents.
Trek to Glacier Camp (4,940m) | 6-7 Hrs
The trek starts after a breakfast at camp. A challenging and adventurous day. The route goes over active glaciers, moraines, and icy traverses. Fixed ropes may be used in certain steep sections for your safety.
Overnight at Glacier Camp in tents.
Trek to Dhaulagiri Base Camp (4,720m) | 7-8 Hrs
Make a team work, trek carefully. The trek goes over rugged glacial ice and lateral moraines. This is another strenuous day, but you are rewarded with jaw dropping, close-up views of the Dhaulagiri icefall and peaks.
Overnight at Base Camp in tents.
Trek to Hidden Valley crossing French Pass (5,360m) | 7-8 Hrs
The biggest day in this trek. An early breakfast prepares us for the most critical day of the trek. Walking through the glacier to French Pass may require safety ropes. Once at the top of French Pass (5,360m), you will look down into the breathtaking Hidden Valley. If it snows or clouds roll in, navigating this valley becomes very tricky. Our experienced guide will confidently lead you along the correct route to our camp.
Overnight in tents.
Trek to Yak Kharka crossing Dhampus Pass (5,244m) | 7-8 Hrs
Cross the final high pass (Dhampus Pass) before the trail descends sharply back toward greener landscapes. Arriving at Yak Kharka, we return to basic settlements. The trail join a classic Annapurna circuit trekking route. Here, you can enjoy meal and a wonderful sleep at guesthouse. It's time to celebrate completing the hardest sections!
Overnight at a local guest house.
Drive back to Pokhara, 6-7 hrs
Enjoy a relaxed morning. After breakfast, enjoy the deepest gorge in the world, Annapurna and Dhaulagiri panorama. Your jeep will be waiting to drive you to Pokhara. pack andjump to jeep and night in Pokhara.
Night rest at Hotel in Pokhara
Free day in Pokhara
Enjoy a peaceful day sightseeing around the lakes, caves, and cafes of this beautiful city. Pokhara is pleasant city and offers lots of different adventure activities like, rafting, paragliding, boating or etc. Evening you can celebrate the succesful completion of trek with youe trekking crew.
Overnight at your hotel.
Free Day In Pokhra
Drive back to Kathmandu | 6 Hours
At 7:30 AM, we head to the tourist bus park and take a comfortable tourist bus ride back to Kathmandu. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel for a well-deserved rest. Overnight at your hotel.
Note: if you wish to fly back from Pokhara to Kathmandu, you can upgrade.
Free day in Kathmandu
Breakfat will be serving at your hotel. This is an easy day around. You can do shopping souveniors, explore downtown or etc.
Night rest at Hotel.
Note: if you are interested to do a day activities arouind the valley, you can add that.
Final Departure
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel. Spend your final morning relaxing, exploring downtown, or doing last-minute souvenir shopping in Thamel. We will transfer you to the international airport in time for your flight back home.
Whats Included?
Accommodation
- 3 star Hotel accommodation in Pokhara & Kathmandu.
- Camping and supporting equipment (tent, mattress etc), Kitchen and utensils
Meals
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner whilst on the trek (your crew will prepare food in tent while staying at camp).
Transportation
- Arrival and departure transfer from Nepal airport
- Flight from Kathmandu to Pokhara
- Tourist bus to and from Pokhara
- Private Jeep from Yak Kharka to Pokhara
Other
- Trekking permit (ACAP)
- Experienced trekking Guide and Porters (one porter per two persons is provided to carry the clients personal effects)
- One day sightseeing in Pokhara and Katmandu
- Insurance for the trekking staff. (insurance as per state law)
- All the government tax and our (AATE) service charges.
Whats not Included?
Not Included
- Personal trekking equipment (including sleeping bag and stick or etc)
- Meals while in Kathmandu and in Pokhara.
- Your travel insurance (for travel, cancellation, accident, health, emergency evacuation and loss of life, theft of or damage to personal effects).
- Tips and gratuities (crew frequently receives some recognition for good service)
- Costs arising from unforeseen events outside the control of AATE.
- Personal expenses such as alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, mineral water, monuments entrance fees, postage, laundry, video, camera, phone, etc.
- All other services not included in the "cost includes" section above. standard pattern which we provide you. This trekking can be modified according to your time and requirements. We will be pleased if you provide every minor details about your trip.
Travel Infos
High Altitude & AMS Safety:
At 3,000 meters, oxygen levels drop to 70%, and by 5,000 meters, they hit about 55% of sea level. Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) can cause headaches, dizziness, loss of appetite, or breathing trouble. To prevent this, we maintain a slow pace, drink plenty of water, and build in rest days. Please consult your doctor regarding altitude medicines like Diamox before booking. If severe symptoms occur, the only solution is immediate descent or Emergency Helicopter Evacuation. Comprehensive travel insurance covering high-altitude helicopter rescue up to 6,000m is mandatory.
Remote Communication:
Local mobile SIM cards (Ncell/NTc) work with limited data connectivity up to Italian Base Camp, but reception is poor or non-existent higher up. We highly advise bringing a satellite phone, or we can assist you in renting one in Kathmandu.
Unpredictable Weather:
Temperatures above 5,000m stay below 0∘C all year round. In November, temperatures can g0 to −25∘C or lower. Always check in with our trekking manager for real-time weather updates before your departure.
Required Clothing & Equipment
Dhaulagiri circuit trekking requires a good quality high mountain gears:
- Technical Gear: Lightweight micro-crampons (for icy trails), trekking poles, and a headlamp. (Ropes and safety axes are managed by our guiding team).
- Layering: High quality down jacket (rated for −20∘C to −25∘C), windproof/waterproof shell jacket and trousers, thermal base layers, and fleece jackets.
- Footwear: Sturdy, broken-in trekking boots with deep grip, thick wool hiking socks, and camp shoes.
- Sleeping: A four-season sleeping bag (rated to −20∘C or below).
Note: Personal trekking gear can be purchased or rented at reasonable rates in Thamel, Kathmandu.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is classified as a challenging/strenuous trek. It requires walking 6 to 8 hours a day over high alpine glaciers, rocky moraines, and snow. It is best suited for trekkers with good physical fitness and previous high-altitude experience.
You do not need professional climbing skills, but a basic understanding of mountain walking, using micro-crampons, and walking on snowy slopes is highly recommended. Our expert guides are there to assist you through difficult sections.
In guest houses, you can purchase boiled water. On the camping sections, our kitchen crew boils water thoroughly for drinking. We also highly recommend bringing water purification tablets or filters for personal use.
Safety is our top priority. If our guide deems the weather too dangerous due to heavy snow or thick fog, we will wait at a safe lower camp for conditions to improve, or use an alternative safety plan. The guide will be in touch in our office in Kathmandu and consulting the up coming forecast.
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