Dhaulagiri Trekking, Dhaulagiri Trek, Trekking in Dhaulagiri, Dhaulagiri Trekking Itinerary

Dhaulagiri Trek

Other Related Package

Package Information

Duration :18 days

Grade :Strenous

Max. Altitude :5200 m.

Minimum Pax :1+

Travel Mode :Land Transportation

Trekking Type :Camping

Book Now

View Map

This is a pretty strenuous trek that takes you into high country through forest with dense foliage and culminates on to a trail that continues on snow and shimmering glaciers. Separated from the Annapurna region by the Kali Gandaki, the Dhaulagiri massif includes more than 30 peaks over 6000 meters, eight of these surpassing 8000 meters. This is a long, difficult trek around Dhaulagiri (8167m.) that starts from Beni on the Kali Gandaki. Follow the Myagdi Khola westwards to Darbang and turn north on a tiny trail that leads through forests into the high country. Much of the route is on snow and glaciers as it crosses the French Col (5240m.), traversing the head of Hidden Valley and also cuts across the 5155m Dhampus Pass. The trek ends with a steep descent to Marpha and a return to Pokhara, either via the Kali Gandaki valley or over the Ghorepani ridge for concluding views of the entire Dhaulagiri massif; rounding of the conclusions of an adventure enjoyed to the hilt.

Itinerary Outline

Day 01: Drive from Kathmandu to Beni takes about eleven hours.
Day 02: Trek from Beni to Maldhunga (1300m.) takes about six hours.
Day 03: Trek from Maldhunga to Darbang takes about five and half hours.
Day 04: Trek from Darbang to Takum takes about five hours.
Day 05: Trek from Takum to Muri takes about six hours.
Day 06: Trek from Muri to Baghar (2080m.).
Day 07: Trek from Baghar to Dobang (2520m.) takes about five hours.
Day 08: Trek from Dobang to Upper Vungini or Italian Base Camp (3660m.)
Day 09: Rest day for acclimatization.
Day 10: Trek from Upper Vugini (Italian Base Camp) to Glacier Camp and it takes about four hours.
Day 11: Trek from Glacier Camp to Dhaulagiri Base Camp (4740m.) takes about five hours.
Day 12: Trek from Dhaulagiri Base Camp to French Col (5010m.) - Hidden Valley and it takes about four hours.
Day 13: Trek from Hidden valley (5200m.) to Yak Kharka (3680m.) takes about seven hours.
Day 14: Trek from Yak Kharka to Marpha (2670m.) takes about five hours.
Day 15: Trek from Marpha to Kalopani (2530m.) takes about six hours.
Day 16: Trek from Kalopani to Tatopani (1189 m.) takes about six and half hours.
Day 17: Trek from Tatopani to Beni takes almost five hours.
Day 18: Drive from Pokhara to Kathmandu by tourist mini bus that takes about seven hours.

Click For Detailed Itinerary

Day 01	Drive from Kathmandu to Beni which takes about eleven hours. This is one of the picturesque road journeys found in Nepal. Stay overnight in camps.
Day 02	Trek from Beni to Maldhunga (1300m.) which takes about six hours. We start soon hiking through the rough rubble which gives way to the smooth ice of the glacier. You climb steadily to the rough and chilling but spectacular Dhaulagiri Base Camp. Stay overnight in camps.
Day 03	Trek from Maldhunga to Darbang which takes about five and half hours. This day you trek gently ascending for the early one hour passing through jungles with varieties of oaks, rhododendron and so on. You can hear the chirping of the local birds as your trails follow flat lands passing through a stream at one place. The route you trek through is a muddy road crossing villages at some points where you can interact with the local folks. Darbang is a small village mainly inhabited by the Magar and Limbu communities. A beautiful camping site is available here. Stay overnight in camps.
Day 04	Trek from Darbang to Takum which takes about five hours. This day also you trek ascending through a narrow path in the early first hour. Now you go along the flat land passing through jungle with varieties of rhododendrons, oaks and Christmas pine trees at some distance. After you cross a small stream, your trails suddenly begin to follow an ascending path until you reach Takum. You will come across a government school before you enter Takum, a small village. Here, we camp behind the school located in central Takum. Stay overnight in camps.
Day 05	Trek from Takum to Muri which takes about six hours. You start trekking through descending trails in the early first hour passing through a dense jungle. Then you follow steeply an ascending path and before you approach Muri you pass along a flat land until you reach Muri. This is a small village mainly inhabited by the ethnic Gurung and Rai communities of Nepal. You will also be captivated by the calm presence of a serene Buddhist monastery found here. Stay overnight in camps.
Day 06	Trek from Muri to Baghar (2080m.). You descend a gentle slope, and cross a rocky stream. After you cross the river you climb to the right up the mountainside to Ghorban dhara. Following the right bank past Naura you begin to ascend the mountainside. After climbing for a short while, take a path that traverses the steep grass-covered hill. The Myagdi khola assumes a steep-walled V-shape as the traverse ends and a high, winding path climbs the steep, grassy slope. Soon you descend through a forested area, emerging to a ridge snout where bagara (2080) is visible. Descend through terraced fields to this mountain village where you camp in the yards of the local people's houses or on the terraced fields. Stay overnight in camps.
Day 07	Trek from Baghar to Dobang (2520m.) which takes about five hours. Here you leave the villages behind and the trial begins to get increasingly challenging. Stay overnight in camps.
Day 08	Trek from Dobang to Upper Vungini or the Italian Base Camp (3660m.) Stay overnight in camps.
Day 09	Rest day for acclimatization. The day is free for you to move around as you like. You may want to do some reading or explore the area around. Stay overnight in camps.
Day 10	Trek from Upper Vugini (Italian Base Camp) to Glacier Camp which takes about four hours. After crossing the first glacier, probably using a rope at a couple of tricky spots, you climb onto the main glacier. The surroundings are beautifully which makes up for the rough and dangerous trail. You may also use a rope on this section. This is a particularly tough day. You camp on the glacier rubble.
Day 11	Trek from Glacier Camp to Dhaulagiri Base Camp (4740m.) which takes about five hours. Soon the rough rubble gives way to the smooth ice of the white part of the glacier. You climb steadily to the rough and chilling but spectacular Dhaulagiri Base Camp. Stay overnight in camps.
Day 12	Trek from Dhaulagiri Base Camp to French Col (5010m.) - Hidden Valley which takes about four hours. Getting off the glacier above the base camp often requires rope climbing. Once over the steep moraine walls we reach gentler, less strenuous country. After a breathless climb to the top of French Col (5300m,) the views of Hidden Valley open out. The broad valley is reminiscent of Tibet and Ladakh. Stay overnight in camps.
Day 13	Trek from Hidden valley (5200m.) to Yak Kharka (3680m.) which takes about seven hours. You traverse avalanche-prone slopes and then take on the steep descent to Yak Kharka. This day you trek through bare land for some distance. Stay overnight in camps.
Day 14	Trek from Yak Kharka to Marpha (2670m.) which takes about five hours. A steeper descent leads you to Marpha. The route is not much covered with trees. En route you can see some yak and sheep herds as well. Marpha is a small town mainly inhabited by a mixed community of Buddhist and Hindus as well. Stay overnight in camps.
Day 15	Trek from Marpha to Kalopani (2530m.) which takes about six hours. Your trail stretches at an almost flat level through forests to Kalopani, a Thakali village and the southern-most limit of Tibetan Buddhism. En route, you find Larjung which is situated near Dhaulagiri Glacier. The first part of the trek passes through a high windy area covered with pine and rhododendron forests. At Kalopani, you will be amazed with the breathtaking views of Annapurna I (8091m.), Dhaulagiri I (8167m.) and Tukuche peak (6920m.). Stay overnight in camps.
Day 16	Trek from Kalopani to Tatopani (1189m.) which takes about six and half hours. The trail descends steeply up to Rukse Chhahara (Rukse Waterfall) which is amazing to look at this gushing milky looking water. The deepest gorge in the world is seen here between the two mountains Annapurna I (8091m.) and Dhaulagiri I (8167m.) facing each other near the Rukse Waterfall. The trail again descends slightly to Tatopani through different human settlements. You can enjoy the hot springs at Tatopani as the word Tatopati is termed after the natural hot springs situated near the banks of the Kali Gandaki River. It is popularly believed that taking a bath in the Hot Spring helps you get rid of skin diseases. Stay overnight in camps.
Day 17	Trek from Tatopani to Beni which takes almost five hours and drive from Beni to Pokhara by bus which takes another four and half hours. Stay overnight at a hotel.
Day 18	Drive from Pokhara to Kathmandu by a tourist mini bus that takes about seven hours. While driving from Pokhara to Kathmandu, you head up to Damauli, Dumre, Mugling and Kurintar where Nepal's first Cable car is operated to reach the famous Manakamana Temple. En route, you can enjoy the mountain views, green sceneries, rice terrace fields, vegetable fields and people happily engaged in their daily chores. From Naubishe you climb up to Thankot, gateway to the capital city of Kathmandu. You can also fly from Pokhara to Kathmandu which takes about 25 minutes.

Book Now

Message From MD

Contact us